Have you always wanted to take a look behind the scenes at what happens in the Senate? You can during the Week of the Rule of Law from Tuesday, September 9 to Tuesday, September 16, and on Open Monument Day, Saturday, September 13.

Program

On Tuesday afternoon, September 9, the Third Chamber Briefcases will be awarded at 1:30 PM in the plenary hall. These briefcases contain an interactive lesson program about democracy, the rule of law, and politics for students in grades 7 and 8 of primary school. On Thursday, September 11, at 5:00 PM, acting Chair Mei Li Vos will present the awards for the best political podcast, book, and photo. The submissions were overwhelming this year: over 90 books and 30 podcasts are competing for the honor, with juries consisting of well-known figures from The Hagues politics and journalism. This event is organized by Democracy in Word and Image, part of the Prinsjesfestival.

Round of the Rule of Law and Open Monument Day

On Saturday, September 13, the Senate will have an open house. That day, Open Monument Day and Round of the Rule of Law coincide, and there will be free activities for young and old from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM (doors close at 4:00 PM). A walking route leads from the new building to the monumental House Huguetan. Along the route, clerks will provide explanations about their work for the Chamber. In one of the rooms, a Constitution Contest can be played with a life-sized Jenga tower made up of constitutional articles. At 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM, there will be an opportunity to talk with acting Chair Mei Li Vos and Clerk Remco Nehmelman about the importance of the democratic rule of law and the role of the Senate.

Princes Day

Finally, on Princes Day, Tuesday, September 16, the senators will move to the Royal Theatre where they will listen to the Kings Speech in a Joint Assembly with the members of the House of Representatives, the Cabinet, and other guests. The Kings Speech can be followed live on various screens along the route. Afterward, the theatre can be visited (sold out).

Week of the Rule of Law

The Week of the Rule of Law was established to give all Dutch people more insight into how the democratic rule of law works. To share knowledge about our rule of law as widely as possible, 18 organizations and institutions will open their doors from September 9 to 16 for visitors. With free workshops, lectures, and many other activities, they show who they are and what role they play within the constitutional order.

Participants

The following organizations participate in the Week of the Rule of Law: Senate, House of Representatives, Supreme Court, Judiciary, Data Protection Authority, Council of State, National Ombudsman, Court of Audit, Cabinet of the King, Pels Rijcken (State Attorney), Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, WODC, ProDemos, Academies for Legislation and Government Lawyers, Utrecht University and Groningen University, the library of The Hague, and the municipality of The Hague.