Our World Tuesday, ABC Wednesday, P for Peace Palace

Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our new logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar.

With thanks to Denise Nesbitt, who created ABC.For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar or Here. This week we are looking for words beginning with P.

The Peace Palace (Dutch: Vredespaleis) is a building situated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is often called the seat of international law because it houses the International Court of Justice (which is the principal judicial body of the United Nations), the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the extensive Peace Palace Library.

Apart from what Wikipedia says about the Palace, I can add that for my husband, his brother and his parents, the Peace Palace had been very important, because my husband's father had worked there as the Secretary General of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for 46 years until 1968. His room was right over the main entrance. When my father-in-law retired we attended a reception in one of the rooms.I never wore hats, but for this occasion I had to buy one and felt very overdressed.;))

In addition to hosting these institutions, the Palace is also a regular venue for special events in international policy and law.

The statue of Carnegie

The idea of the Palace started from a discussion in 1900 between the Russian diplomat Friedrich Martens and the US diplomat Andrew White, over providing a home for the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), which was established through the first Hague Peace Conference in 1899. White contacted his friend the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie about this idea. Carnegie had his reservations, and at first was only interested in donating money for the establishment of a Library of International Law. White however was able to convince Carnegie, and in 1903 Carnegie agreed to donate the US$1.5 million ($40,000,000, adjusted for inflation) needed for a Peace Temple that would house the PCA as well as to endow it with a library of international law.

Various views of the Peace Palace.
At first Carnegie simply wanted to donate the money directly to the Dutch Queen, Wilhelmina of the Netherlands for the building of the palace, but legal problems prohibited this, and in November 1903 the Carnegie Stichting was founded to manage the construction, ownership, and maintenance of the Palace. This foundation is still responsible for these issues at present

Gifts came from all over the world and pieces of art created by sculptors, painters and other artists from many countries and their rulers. This vase was given by Czar Nicholas II of Russia. The same czar that was so brutally murdered together with his entire family.

To have a better look, please click on the photos!