This year on World Wetlands Day, the Netherlands joins the global community in celebrating these vital ecosystems and their immense contributions to our planet's health and well-being. Nestled among our coastal landscapes, wetlands are not just picturesque landscapes; they are nature's sponges, filtering pollutants and storing excess water during floods, while releasing it during droughts. They are havens for biodiversity, teeming with life from the tiniest insects to the majestic cranes.

Millions of wild plants and animals are extracted from their natural habitats annually, destined for tables, homes, gardens, and other unimaginable purposes.

Introducing Cecilia Gross, representing VenhoevenCS, the Dutch architectural firm selected as the victor of the tender to bring to life the remarkable Aquatics Centre for the Paris Olympics 2024 along with co-architect Ateliers 2/3/4/ and international partners!

Osaka, Japan - March 5, 2024 - The Netherlands officially kicked off construction for its pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, with a groundbreaking ceremony held today at the Expo site in Yumeshima.

Access to safe and clean water is essential to human rights and the foundation for a healthy life. However, today, people worldwide face unprecedented water access challenges exacerbated by climate change. 

Developing innovative ways to mitigate climate change and ensure the availability and sustainable management of water for all are among the tasks of the Water Envoy for the Kingdom of The Netherlands, Meike van Ginneken. We asked the water envoy about the fast track for our collective efforts in building a water-secure world.

The Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Education, Culture and Science have commissioned Rotterdam’s Nieuwe Instituut to curate the cultural programme for the participation of the Netherlands at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Kansai, Japan. Expo 2025 will take place from Sunday 13 April to Monday 13 October 2025.