Today’s Enlightening
Entertainment will be
presented in Dutch,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean,
Malay, Persian,
Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish and Thai.
Halo, charming viewers!
We are delighted
to invite you for a visit
in Amsterdam,
a city governed by
wisdom and creativity.
That is why Amsterdam
has great attraction
to citizens worldwide,
and is well appreciated
by her own residents.
Amsterdam,
the capital city with about
767,850 inhabitants,
is also the biggest city
of The Netherlands.
Founded in the 13th century
as a trade settlement
on the banks
of the river Amstel,
it became one of
the biggest trade cities
of the flourishing
15th century known as
the Golden Century.
A canal was dug around
the initial settlement
to protect the citizens.
But because of
the large growth,
houses had to be built
outside of the canal, so
another canal was created.
In this manner,
several canals originated
around the inner city,
all connected by bridges.
Since August 1, 2010,
the Amsterdam canal belt
has been on
the World Heritage Site list
of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO).
Within the belt,
many canal houses
were built that reflect
the Golden Century
up to this day.
They all have
identical plots of land,
with inner gardens
hidden beyond
the magnificent facades.
Normally, these gardens
are invisible for visitors
of Amsterdam,
but once a year
Amsterdam organizes
the “Open Garden Days.”
On these days,
a number of private
persons and companies
open their gardens
for the public,
who can be mesmerized
by their beauty and
tranquility in the middle
of this bustling city.
Nowadays, Amsterdam is
a cosmopolitan city
that sparkles with culture.
She is also called
Festival City
for a good reason,
because every year,
75 festivals are organized
that attract visitors from
far beyond the city’s and
even country’s borders.
The “Uitmarkt”
(Out Market)
at the end of August
marks the start of the
national cultural season:
within three days,
more than 2,000 artists
on 30 stages entertain
the 500,000 spectators.
Amsterdam also hosts
a number of film festivals
every year and
is home to a film museum
and ten cinemas.
One of these cinemas is
the magnificent
Tuschinski Theatre, where
the noted documentary,
“Sea the Truth,”
had its world premiere
in May to raise awareness
on the plight
of the Earth’s oceans.
Of the more than
50 museums in Amsterdam,
the main ones are known
throughout the world:
the Van Gogh Museum,
the State museum,
the City Museum,
the Hermitage,
the Anne Frank House,
and the Rembrandt House.
The young Jewish writer
Anne Frank
and famous Dutch artist
Rembrandt van Rijn
both lived in Amsterdam.
Besides them, there are
many more famous people
who were born and raised
here: the writers
Joost van den Vondel,
Eduard Douwes Dekker,
better known as Multatuli;
the painter Karel Appel;
violinist and conductor
Jaap van Zweden;
musician and composer
Thijs van Leer; actresses
Willeke van Ammelrooy
and Famke Janssen;
actor, director and painter
Jeroen Krabbé;
film director
Paul Verhoeven;
Olympic swimming
champion 1968 Ada Kok;
chess grandmaster and
mathematician Max Euwe;
and soccer players
Johan Cruijff
and Ruud Gullit.
Since long ago,
Amsterdam has been
characterized by
a diverse population.
This has partly originated
from the overall
great tolerance of the city
and the fact that
there was religious freedom
since early on.
Throughout the years,
Amsterdam has also
offered opportunities
for livelihoods
and a new life for many.
Mr. Eric van der Burg is
a respected alderman
of the Amsterdam
City Council
and the leader
of the Liberal Party.
I think Amsterdam is
really a fantastic city
to stay in, to live in
and also to work in.
Really more than
170 nationalities
are living in Amsterdam.
It is a city with
many theaters, museums,
sports facilities, within
a ray of a few kilometers.
So in short, there is also
always something
to do here.
It is a lively city.
The city council
of Amsterdam
has been making efforts
in all kinds of fields
to create an ever greener
and more livable city:
for instance, existing parks
are being renovated
and new green zones
are constructed.
Nature and recreation
receive
an important function at
the outskirts of the city.
Also, care for the elderly
is an important point
as is animal welfare.
Mr. Eric van der Burg is
responsible for these issues
on the city council.
When we return,
Alderman van der Burg
will share more about
the considerate policies
of the City of Amsterdam.
Please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television.
Halo and welcome back
to our program
on the beautiful city
of Amsterdam,
The Netherlands.
With reason, Amsterdam
can be called a role model
of good governance,
thanks to her green policy
and care for the weaker
members of society.
Alderman Eric van der
Burg was until recently
the director
of several care homes.
The facilities
for the elderly and
handicapped persons
are close to his heart.
Also, as Alderman for Care,
he does his utmost to
make life for this group
as comfortable as possible.
What social programs
does Amsterdam have
for elderly and
disabled persons?
Yes, I have been director,
in the elderly sector ( Yes)
and also in the disabled
persons sector.
I was also director
of a few facilities
for handicapped and
disabled persons. (Yes)
And we in Amsterdam
do a lot about this.
And we do this through
what is called WMO;
the Law of Social Support.
(Yes) It is meant so that
people can live as long as
possible independently.
And that means
that we have day services
for elderly and disabled
people, where
activities are organized.
We have
elderly transportation,
which is available
if you cannot use regular
public transportation
any more.
We have “Alert.”
That means when
you live in your house
and something
happens to you, then
you can push a button
and then
people come look to see
how you are (Yes).
We do everything to let
people live independently
as long as possible.
We want to leave
the big complexes, where
people live together,
a little behind us
and go more towards
smaller complexes
in the neighborhood.
Because we think
it is very important
that elderly and disabled
persons do not stand
outside of the society, but
also are really integrated
within the society.
We just heard what
Alderman van der Burg
and the Amsterdam
government is doing for
the elderly and
individuals with disabilities
in the city.
What is the Alderman
of Animal Welfare doing
for the animal residents
in Amsterdam?
One thing is her “ecological
connection zones,”
which ensure
that the city is arranged
so that different species
have passage
from one part of the city
to another.
In Amsterdam,
we do a lot in the field
of animal welfare.
We have to start with
animal boarding and also
shelter for animals that
are found in the streets.
The City of Amsterdam
also finances
an animal ambulance, and
there are several hostels
in Amsterdam where
wounded or found animals
can be brought
and given care.
The animal ambulance
started as
a volunteer project
where volunteers said:
“If there are
wounded animals,
we will go to them
and then we go help.”
Meanwhile, it has
become a professional
organization, financed by
the City of Amsterdam.
The animal ambulance
takes care of
wounded animals.
At the moment
that somewhere
animals get wounded
due to an accident
for instance, then
the animal ambulance
will go there, and
bring the animal back.
And on the spot
they can also
already just give care,
just like a real ambulance.
If the animals have to
by carried away, they can
subsequently be brought
to the animal shelter.
In the Netherlands,
there are not only homes
for elderly people,
but also homes for
elderly animals, including
specialized places
for birds, reptiles,
former racing horses, and
former circus animals
who otherwise would
have had no place to go.
So we have separate
farms for horses that
worked on land before,
that were used as
competition horses, and
where now these animals
are taken care of until
they come to pass on.
We have in The Netherlands
the foundation, “Ape,”
located in Almere
and which cares,
for instance, for monkeys.
They also see
if the animals cannot
go back to nature.
If it is not possible,
then they can also spend
the rest of their lives there.
Recently,
Amsterdam government
stated that it would rather
have no wild animals
in circuses and
decided to discourage
their exploitation,
as explained by
Alderman van der Burg:
During the last
community meeting
we spoke about
animal welfare
and specifically (Yes)
about the animal welfare
in circuses.
And the viewpoint
of the community council
of Amsterdam
is that wild animals
do not belong in circuses.
The city of Amsterdam
says: “Wild animals
are not meant to be kept
in circuses and serve
as entertainment.” (Yes)
We have also decided
now in the city that
if there are wild animals
in the circus,
that the services
for wild animals
are good. (Yes)
And we strive
to have no more circus
where animals play a role,
in the long run.
Regarding the many creative
and kind achievements
of Amsterdam
for its residents,
Aldeman van der Burg
explains
what guiding principles
he has found
to be important
to serving the city well.
What I think is important
is that you always look
not only to how you
always can arrange well
for everyone.
Arrange well
for big groups,
but groups consist out of
individuals, (yes)
and if you arrange it well
for the group,
it does not always mean
that you also arrange it
well for the individual.
So always
keep paying attention
to that one person.
And also,
make sure in any case
that you occupy yourself
only with the big things,
but also translate it
to the small things. (Yes)
People benefit
when it is arranged well
for the individual and
the person him/herself.
As we found out from
Alderman Eric van der
Burg, there’s a lot more
going on in Amsterdam
that we can appreciate
than meets the eye.
The greatness of this city
can be felt, not only
in its love for culture,
but its value
of her various members,
human and animal, and
the consideration and care
extended to them.
May the goodhearted
and forward-thinking
Dutch city of Amsterdam
and all her residents
prosper in peace
and happiness.
We sincerely thank
the City of Amsterdam
for its gracious cooperation
and supportive spirit
that helped make
this program possible.
For more
on Amsterdam
and The Netherlands,
DVDs are available at
(click on: Toerisme)
Thank you for your
pleasant company today
on Enlightening
Entertainment
featuring Amsterdam,
a sparkling city.
Now, please stay tuned
to Supreme Master
Television for
Words of Wisdom,
after Noteworthy News.
May joy and kindness
accompany you each day.
While her mother and
sister were away at work,
Virginia Rojo saw
“Papa Jesus”
in her dream,
urging her to wake up
and save her baby brother.
The six-year-old
did just that as the house
was being engulfed
by flames.
When I looked at her with
fresh burn in her face,
there were tears
in my eyes for the ordeal
she went through.
How in her tender age
could (she) have
an instinct of saving her
sibling during the fire?
Join us as Virgina Rojo
from the Philippines
is honored with
the Shining World
Heroine Award from
Supreme Master
Ching Hai,
Saturday, September 18
on Supreme Master
Television.