Dutch Ambassador Ard van der Vorst and MP Ingrid Leary arrive on bicycle at the Big Dutch Day Out in Foxton. Photo / Bruce Falloon
By Bruce Falloon
The weather turned on a sunny vibrant day for the Dutch Day Out 2024 in Foxton on Saturday. The crowd enjoyed a festival occasion.
Guests for the day included Dutch Ambassador Ard van der Vorst, MPs Tim Costley and Ingrid Leary, Mayor Bernie Wanden and Sharon Wanden.
In his speech, Wanden said: “It’s good to be here to continue this wonderful relationship with local iwi, the Dutch and local community on this fabulous day”.
“I would like to thank Judy Sanson for her time that her team has put into this event considering that they are volunteers.
“The De Molen as we know it has become iconic, and we support the amazing people that keep this project up and running.
“It’s wonderful to come and have a celebration where we are not talking about rates and costs,” Wanden said.
Van der Vorst said: “It’s good to be here knowing that this is the only operational windmill in the Southern Hemisphere. This event highlights the strong New Zealand support for Dutch Week.”
Film festivals and carnivals are held nationwide to celebrate everything Dutch, which proves the Netherlands and New Zealand are incredible partners.
“This week provides us with a good way of connecting to our friends all over the Pacific. Just recently we recently organised our first ever Dutch King’s day party in Suva, which had an amazing turnout.
“All these connections cross the distances between us, because Dutch week is the start of an opportunity for us to also celebrate Dutch culture,” Van der Vorst said.
There have now been three men charged with murder.