Our final day was spent at The Hague, or Den Haag in Dutch, the seat of the Dutch government. The Hague is home to the Binnenhof, a complex of buildings that serves as the seat of the States General, the Dutch parliament. The Hague is a lot like Washington, D.C. in the United States, even though it is not the capital of the country; it is sometimes referred to as such. It hosts numerous international organizations, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. It is also the location of many foreign embassies and the Dutch royal family’s official residences.

After a guided tour of The Hague by our Netherlands tour guide, Enno, we took a historical walking tour of the Peace Palace. The Peace Palace is an international law building housing key institutions for global justice and arbitration. It symbolizes the ideal of “Peace through Law” and serves as the headquarters for the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the Peace Palace Library, making it a central hub for international law and diplomacy. The idea for the Peace Palace emerged after the First Hague Peace Conference in 1899, which aimed to promote peaceful dispute resolution among nations. The Peace Palace was officially opened in 1913. It is a symbol of global peace and reconciliation and hosts exhibitions, guided tours, and educational programs, emphasizing the importance of law in maintaining international peace.

To end our trip to the Netherlands, we attended a farewell dinner to say goodbye to our tour guide, Enno. It was a wonderful night, and our tour guide was very informative throughout the entire trip.