A selection of executed programs for the year 2008:
January 22 - 26
IPO Environment Commission to
Geneva
A study visit for the current environment board of IPO aimed at the subject of climate change in an international perspective.
February 12 - 15
IPO to
Vienna
The Social Policy Board of IPO traveled to
Vienna to learn more about topics related to Youth Policy.
February 13 - 15
Rabobank Retail/Gilde delegation to London
A program focusing on innovative retail marketing ideas and trends and how that can relate to retail banking
March 18 - 21
IPO Board to
Scotland
Since the Labor Party formed a government in 1997 devolution has been an important issue in British politics. Everyone involved agrees on what the West Lothian Question is; the problem is that no-one can agree on the answer. During a brief three-day visit to
Edinburgh this senior delegation of IPO (interprovincial consultation platform) addressed not only the WLQ but examine how devolution and self-governance in certain policy areas have affected
Scotland.
March 22 - 31
Selma Huizer (
BNG) – Scholarship program part I
The latest recipient of the APEP Scholarship, Selma Huizer of public-sector bank
BNG visited a number of cities across the
US in search of new ideas and concepts for financing healthcare (real) estate.
April 7 - 16
Selma Huizer (
BNG) – Scholarship program part II
The latest recipient of the APEP Scholarship, Selma Huizer of public-sector bank
BNG visited a number of cities across the
US in search of new ideas and concepts for financing healthcare (real) estate.
May 24 - 31
Inside
China
Led by APEP chairman Hans Dijkstal, this program allowed senior executives, managers and policymakers from the public and private sectors the opportunity to experience
China first-hand. Face-to-face meetings and site visits shed light on decision-making structures, economic policy, social trends and environmental challenges.
May 27 - 30
IPO Commissie Bestuurlijke & Financiële Zaken to Spain
A delegation of the IPO (interprovincial) Commission on Government and Financial Affairs visited
Madrid to learn about (financial) relations between the various layers of government, decentralization and provincial taxation powers.
June 8 - 11
ENECO Energie to
Sweden
The Board of Management and Supervisory Board of ENECO Energie visited
Stockholm,
Sweden to study developments in the field of renewable energy and climate change.
June 8 - 11
BZ Visitors Program
Upon the invitation of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, journalists and policy experts from the
US and
Canada were introduced to integration policy in the
Netherlands. Meetings with government representatives, politicians and NGOs in combination with neighborhood visits familiarized participants with the successes as well as the problems encountered.
August 3 - 7
Ministry of General Affairs to US
Secretary General Richard van Zwol and his Strategy Advisor looked at the role strategy plays in decision-making on a central government level.
September 2 - 5
IPO to
London
The IPO Commission Water visited
London to study Water Management issues (water in relation to safety; spatial planning; and, climate change).
September 21 - 26
Sir Richard May Seminar
A delegation of Federal and State judges from across the
US participated in the Sir Richard May Seminar to be educated about international law and the activities of the various international courts and tribunals located in
The Hague. The seminar is an initiative of the
International
Judicial
Academy in
Washington,
DC and organized with the assistance of APEP.
September 23 - 25
Convenant Overgewicht
The program examined, by meeting with the legislators, researchers, the medical community, consumer groups, nutritionists, leading food retailers, the food industry and the media, the issues faced and strategies undertaken in the
United Kingdom in trying to tackle the imminent obesity epidemic.
September 23 - 26
IPO Culture Commission to
Liverpool
This study visit, organized for interprovincial platform IPO, took place in the Cultural Capital of Europe 2008 and focused on the effects for the region.
September 24
Proudfoot Dinner
Annual dinner event for APEP member Proudfoot. Keynote speaker is Wim Kok who addressed the Presidential Elections in the
US
October 4 - 11
Vora to the
US
A program for the Dutch Voorlichtingsraad in the
United States focusing on new developments in the media and communication sectors.
October 11- 18
CDA Young Politicians
18 Young political
CDA talents traveled to the
US to witness the campaigns in action. They joined campaign teams as observers for a few days to learn how the 'political handwork' is done.
October 15 - 17
IPO Economic Commission to
UK
The Economic Commission of the interprovincial platform IPO studied spatial planning issues in the south of
England with a special focus on business parks.
October 19 - 24
NHG Masterclass
This year’s edition of the NHG Masterclass took place in
Moscow
October 24 - 29
Twynstra Gudde to
New York
A group of 17 consultants from Twynstra Gudde Management Consultants visited
New York to study issues relating to Program Management.
November 1 - 7
Presidential Election Week
The Presidential Election Week is designed especially for high-level executives, from both business and government, whose organizations are a Member of the
Atlantic & Pacific Exchange Program. It offered a first-hand look at the elections as well as a broader insight into the workings of American politics, with a wide range of key players, prominent observers and interest groups sharing their perspectives with APEP’s delegation.
November 17
APEP 25
APEP celebrated its 25th anniversary in the Pilgrim Father’s Church in Delfshaven,
Rotterdam. Keynote speaker was Election Week delegation leader Wim Kok.
November 20 - 21
100.000+ to
Strasbourg
Organized for public-sector bank
BNG (APEP Member) and senior finance managers of large municipalities, this program gave participants an understanding of EU institutions and decision-making, lobbying opportunities and current developments related to local government finance.