Dutch Ambassador visits Norfolk and Suffolk - United Kingdom
Dutch Ambassador visits Norfolk and Suffolk
Our Honorary Consul covering East Anglia - Andrew Wood - hosted the Ambassador for a visit to Norfolk and Suffolk last week, providing an opportunity to connect with stakeholders and (potential) partners throughout the region.
Strong connections between the Netherlands and East Anglia
The relations between this region and the Netherlands are old and strong. For centuries it was quicker to travel from there to the Netherlands than to London. In the 16th century many Dutch refugees found a home in Norfolk and Suffolk and contributed to the cloth and weaving industry and Dutch engineers helped to reclaim land as they had learned in the Low Countries. The bond has developed ever since.
Field visits
The delegation, which included the attaché from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water, visited the Hutchinson container port in Felixstowe - the UK's largest container port - and attended a civic dinner in Norwich with the Lord Mayor of Norwich, the Chair of Norfolk County Council, the Mayor of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and many others.
Further site visits included trips to meet with SAXONAIR CHARTER LIMITED , KLM UK Engineering Limited , Norwich Airport , and Norwich Research Park , and the University of East Anglia . All parties showed in their own way the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit of this region.
A World of Water
The Ambassador rounded off his trip by joining the opening of the exhibition ‘A World of Water’ at the Sainsbury Centre in Norwich. Dealing with water and climate change is another topic that connects the Netherlands and Norfolk and Suffolk.
Artists from all over the world have been asked to reflect on the interaction between humans and the sea. The exhibition includes many works by Dutch artists and designers. The Dutch Embassy in the UK has played a small role in getting these Dutch artists included in this amazing exhibition, which runs from the 15th of March until the 3rd of August 2025. Read more about this exhibition here.
Autch Ambassador Paul Huijts: "It was a great two-day visit to Suffolk and Norfolk. East Anglia and the Dutch have many historical connections and those ties resonate today. From the connection of Norwich Airport with Schiphol to shared expertise and collaboration in domains as agriculture and health. Next to the trade and historical ties cultural exchange also flourished over the years. The exhibition ‘A World of Water’ at the Sainsbury centre in Norwich, shows the shared history and ongoing collaboration between the Dutch and East Anglia on water management, art and sustainability."