The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ottawa is the Netherlands's primary diplomatic mission in Canada. It is located in Constitution Square Tower II, 350 Albert Street, suite 2020 in Ottawa. The embassy has a political, economic and a consular section as well as a public diplomacy & cultural department. There is also has a military attaché. The embassy connects with Canadians with a slew of events and activities. First and foremost the Embassy organizes events to strengthen economic ties with Canada and to increase trade. In the political fields a number of activities are set up each year, underlining that Canada and the Netherlands think alike on many topics. The embassy participates every year in a number of cultural events. To name a few: the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa, Dutch heritage Month in Ontario, EU Film Festivals in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, Remembrance Day ceremonies across Canada, bicycle rides and the Winter Celebration on the grounds of Rideau Hall. The embassy participates in Study & Go Abroad fairs in Canada and works on increasing all kinds of academic partnerships between Canadian and Dutch universities and higher education schools. The consular section of the embassy is open four mornings a week. The current ambassador of the Netherlands to Canada is Henk van der Zwan. H.E. Van Der Zwan joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1985 and was posted in Tunis and in Brussels at the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of the European Union, as well as in the ministry in The Hague at the Department Consular Affairs, Asylum and Migration, at the United Nations Political Affairs Department, at the Directorate for Personnel and Management and at the Private Office of the Permanent Undersecretary. The Netherlands operates Consulate General offices in Toronto and Vancouver. There are Canadian Honorary Consuls appointed in Calgary, AB, Edmonton, AB, Saskatoon, SK, Winnipeg, MB, Montreal, QC, Quebec City, QC, Fredericton, NB and in Halifax, NS. The Dutch Diplomatic Missions in Canada do have a joint Facebook page which is managed with great enthusiasm to make an impact & to inform Canadians what the Netherlands is all about: who they are and what they do, announcing activities as well as sharing behind the scenes images and stories. Late 2012, the embassy can be followed on Twitter @NLinCanada, there is also a Youtube.com/netherlandsincanada account with inspiring clips about the friendship between both countries.
