A New Mindset Leading to a Greener Economy is a Very Real and Present Need
H.E. Johan O. Verboom has been in Slovenia for three years, but his diplomatic road is over 30 years long. He loves living and working in Slovenia, is passionate about green economy, sustainability, golf, hiking, and thinks that culture and art are exciting ways of interaction.
This year marks 20 years of Slovenian membership in the EU. What would you say the EU has brought to European nations, in particular this small but high-achieving country, Slovenia?
“I would say that the EU is a huge asset, and it has brought the Netherlands and also Slovenia and its member states, prosperity, economic development, and maybe above all: stability. Meaning that since we have had the EU, the EU countries have never been at war with each other. And they have, if there were different views – discussed these together and found solutions and compromises. When you look at the period of 100 years before the European collaboration, there were several devastating wars on the European continent. This collaboration, stability, and peace are for me, the most important achievements.
“EU is a huge asset, and it has brought the Netherlands and also Slovenia and its member states, prosperity, economic development, and maybe above all: stability.”
Our cooperation in Europe is growing, there is economic integration, but the integration goes beyond that. And it is important to work together in many areas, for example when we speak about climate change. The climate does not take into account country borders, so we have to cooperate to tackle the transboundary challenges. The same goes for geopolitical developments which lead to instability, such as in the Ukraine or the Middle East. We need to work together in the EU to make more impact to come to peaceful solutions and stability. If The Netherlands or Slovenia were on their own, our impact would be extremely limited. But as the EU, we can be a powerhouse and have a big influence.
What are the main tasks of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Ljubljana?
The EU is the most important context in which we are working together. We have chosen two main topics to focus on as an embassy. The first is climate, energy, sustainability, and the green transition. And the second one is the proper functioning of the EU and the rule of law. This is important because as member states, as companies, and as citizens, we have to be able to rely on the agreements, on the sets of rules and procedures, which we have established together. Concerning climate, we work together to reach our climate goals, both the Netherlands and Slovenia and the whole EU. We want to be climate-neutral in 2050. And therefore, we have to “green” our economy. We have to change our mindsets and to do things differently. We are sharing our knowledge on best practices so we can learn from each other.
Which are the main ongoing bilateral projects that you would highlight concerning the green agenda?
We are looking at mobility, for example. We can learn from each other when it comes to making the share of electric automobiles in our countries higher. The Netherlands is a front-runner when it comes to charging poles. We are also strong in cycling infrastructure. And from Slovenia, we can learn to think more in sustainable terms. Slovenians are living closer to and with nature and have a different mindset, more focused on sustainability. The Slovenian cuisine, for example, is constantly incorporating sustainable ideas, and we can learn from that. And all this is helping in our trade promotion. In September 2023, we organized a trade mission to Slovenia in the area of renewable energy. Several companies from the Netherlands came here and there was a very good exchange. There was a lot of interest on the Slovenian side and many contacts were established. And as a response, in June 2024, a trade mission from Slovenia went to the Netherlands. Just like the Dutch mission to Slovenia, the Slovenian mission to the Netherlands was a big success, too. A lot of contacts were established, and hopefully, this will now result in concrete collaboration and contracts.
“Slovenians are living closer to and with nature and have a different mindset, more focused on sustainability.”
Speaking of trade ties and cooperation – there is a Slovenian Dutch business association active here. How does it operate, how active is it, and what are its main priorities?
The Slovenian Dutch business platform – SDBP is doing a really good job, and companies in the Netherlands and Slovenia are members of this platform. And they, for example, played an important role in both these trade missions that I mentioned. In many different ways, they are bringing together Dutch and Slovenian companies. They contribute to networking and to establishing contacts. SDBP, in line with the priorities of the Embassy, is also focusing on sustainability, climate goals, and the green transition. The Slovenian Dutch Business Platform has a new president, Mr. Marko Sladojevic, and he is very active together with his team.
The Netherlands actively contributes to sustainability projects in Slovenia. The “Bike to Work” campaign is a good example of this.
“We Dutch are educated or we grow up with bikes – I always used the bicycle going to school, whether it was raining or snowing, it didn’t matter. You just simply used your bicycle.”
This was a very nice campaign that ended this summer, which, as a coincidence, took place at the same time in the Netherlands and in Slovenia. It focused on encouraging people to use bikes for their short trips, be it to work or otherwise. But a big part of our transportation is still with cars. We take the car even if it is only for a couple of kilometers, even though this can easily be done by bicycle. The Embassy is working together with Uros Vajgl, the State Secretary at the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy. During the “Bike to Work” campaign, the Embassy has awarded a couple of high-quality Gazelle bikes to participants in the campaign. Slovenians got those great bikes as a prize because they chose to bike to work instead of using their car. The condition for participation in the draw was that the people who participated had to show that they were using bicycle as a means of transportantion.
People in the Netherlands like to bike to work – tell us about this synergy, please – the Dutch and the bike.
We are educated or we grow up with bikes – I always used the bicycle going to school, whether it was raining or snowing, it didn’t matter. You just simply used your bicycle. The Dutch are quite used to using the bicycle. Every person has at least one bicycle. But still, there’s room for improvement. For short distances, people could make more use of the bicycle. Both in the Netherlands and in Slovenia.
Before you came to Slovenia, you worked in some very interesting parts of the world.
I have already been “on the road” for more than 30 years and I have lived in different places.
My first posting as a diplomat was in Argentina in Buenos Aires. I started as embassy secretary for culture and politics. During my time there, I organized a Rembrandt exhibition with etchings from the Museum Rembrandthuis, and I used that experience to do the same in Slovenia. So last year, we had the Rembrandt exhibition in Ljubljana which was very successful. The National Gallery even had to extend its opening hours to accommodate all the visitors. And we also used this exhibition and the fantastic venue to organize our national day reception in 2023.
I also held some other posts. Between 2007 and 2010, I was in Brussels representing the Netherlands at the EU and negotiated for the EU’s research and innovation programme (Horizon2020), which is the 3rd EU fund after cohesion and agriculture, so we are talking about a lot of money. In these negotiations I was often on the same page with my Slovenian colleague. Already then I saw that Slovenia was quite developed and, when it comes to innovation and research, it had similar interests. This experience at the EU was crucial because, as a diplomat, you really have to understand how the EU works. From a distance, it looks a bit complicated with all its different institutions such as the European Commission, parliament, and the council. But when you are part of it, you really learn how it works, and that is important. Before Brussels, I spent four years as a deputy ambassador in Jordan. From Amman, I followed the developments in the Middle East and what was happening between Israel and the Palestinians. There I learned that it’s very difficult to understand what’s happening because when I spoke with different people from different sides, they presented different realities, which were both true. It is very complex, the situation there. Then, we still had hope for what we called the Middle East peace process. Unfortunately, this looks far away right now, but hopefully, times will change again for the better. I also had a short posting in Afghanistan during the war, and it was totally different from everything I experienced before. I was living in a military camp, Camp Holland in the province of Uruzgan. I was responsible for the civilian aspects of the mission, such as building roads, schools, and hospitals and supporting the functioning of the local authorities. That was also quite a challenging and interesting time. So, I had very different postings, including some in the Netherlands.
Why did a young Dutchman, like yourself join the Diplomatic Corps back then?
I was very much interested in other cultures, and I also wanted to contribute to the society. In addition, I was also interested in helping those who are living in less developed countries. It was the same motivation and the reason why I studied water management in Delft because I thought with that background, I could work in Africa and other places to help people with water supply and related challenges, but I would also be able to work in the Netherlands. I wanted to keep my options open. And, as you may know, in our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we also have a Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Aid. So that is how I entered the diplomatic service with my water management experience. I had been working for a couple of years for the United Nations in Indonesia and in Niger before. But when I entered the diplomatic service, I started working in the areas of human rights, politics, security policy, and the EU. And because of that experience, I’m now here in Slovenia.
How would you describe the cultural cooperation between The Netherlands and Slovenia?
For me, culture is always a very interesting way to communicate between people, between different countries, and different cultures, especially when relations are sensitive. Then, the cultural connection, and the cultural exchange can always continue. And this is, of course, not the case for Slovenia and the Netherlands because we have an excellent bilateral relationship. But still, it is a very nice way to exchange. For example, a Dutch artist, Bart Lunenburg is working on a presentation of the famous architect Plečnik and there will be an exhibition in October where his work will be presented and exhibited. As the ambassador of the Netherlands, I am proud that a Dutch artist was asked to present his views on the work of such an important Slovenian as Plečnik.
We are also discussing now with the Museum of MAO to participate with some important Dutch designers in the Biennale, which is starting in November. So, several initiatives are going to take place. And, of course, we have the Art Circle this interesting collaboration which The Netherlands has recently joined. Art Circle has approached us and asked whether we are interested in having a Dutch art embassy at one of the important wine houses of Slovenia – Edi Simčič Winery with which Embassy has a good cooperation. And every year they invite one or two Dutch artists who make artwork there – as an artist in residency. Other embassies are doing the same in other wine houses. And then, twice a year, there is a group exhibition in Goriska Brda.
How many Dutch people are living here, what are their main interests, and why do they come here? Is it tourism, or trade? How big is the Dutch community in Slovenia?
We have to estimate the numbers because there is no official registration at the embassy. But we do know that the Dutch community is very mixed. Some are here for business. Quite a number are here because of love. I also meet Dutch people who are so impressed by the beauty of Slovenia that they, after retiring or even before retiring, move here. They buy a house and want to stay here forever. And I understand them completely.
What are your three favourite destinations in Slovenia apart from living in Ljubljana and working here?
In June this year I went to the Seven Lakes in the Triglav National Park and made a great hike together with 11 of my diplomatic colleagues. I was impressed by the beauty high in the mountains. The view is amazing and you could see the top of Mount Triglav. This hike was a good test because now in September we want to climb mount Triglav all the way to the summit. I am organizing this hike for diplomats together with the Director of Triglav National Park. It will be a lot of fun. I discovered golf in Slovenia and I’m developing a passion for it. And I very much enjoy playing at Grad Mokrice which has a spectacular and mountainous environment. It’s a way of hiking with a purpose, because when you play 18 holes, you are walking for 4 or 5 hours, and I’m really tired at the end of the day. And as a third place, I have to mention Lake Bled. We receive a lot of visitors from the Netherlands, and they always want to see the nicest places in Slovenia and we always have to show them Lake Bled with its spectacular views.