Keeping Human Rights Central: A Conversation with the 2026 Embassy Award Winner

In a rapidly changing international landscape, effective human rights diplomacy is often shaped by sustained presence, engagement, and consistency over time. These qualities stood out to the jury of the BMO Embassy Award 2026, which selected the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Egypt as this year’s award recipient.

The BMO Embassy Award (BMO Ambassadeprijs) is a human rights focused diplomatic recognition given to a Dutch embassy that has shown exceptional effort in promoting and protecting human rights and enabling civil society in the country where it operates. The recipient of the award is nominated and assessed by civil society partners and an independent jury that reviews their contributions.  

 Across a wide range of contexts, nominated embassies demonstrated strong commitment and professionalism in integrating human rights considerations into their work. The nominations showed that in a time of global democratic decline and increasing pressure on civic space worldwide, Dutch embassies can engage proactively and in solidarity with those working to uphold human rights demonstrating the steady leadership that today’s international landscape requires. Ultimately, after careful deliberation, the jury recognised the Dutch Embassy in Egypt for showing that sustained, thoughtful and proactive diplomacy can meaningfully advance human rights and support those committed to dignity and equal rights, through long-term engagement grounded in professionalism and partnership. 

“We chose to honour an embassy that advances human rights within a context where such work requires consistency and perseverance,” reflected Lune de Rijck, Youth Ambassador of the Netherlands for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, Gender Equality and Bodily Autonomy. “It is precisely this commitment that helps shape the future we must continue to work towards.”

Listening as a diplomatic practice

For the team at the Dutch Embassy in Egypt, engagement begins with listening. Listening to civil society locally and internationally, to government counterparts, and to communities across the country. The embassy sees human rights as an integral part of diplomatic engagement, grounded in relationships, professionalism, and contextual awareness.  

“One element that guides our approach is to really listen to one another,” Peter Mollema, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Egypt, explains. “Listen to what is asked, and what is needed, and do not forget what is appropriate. This ensures that we can address needs on the ground as well as on a national level. We have done this for example by training journalists and judges, and by organizing interfaith dialogue sessions throughout Egypt.”

This emphasis on attentiveness and dialogue shapes the embassy’s day-to-day work, helping ensure that engagement remains responsive and aligned with local realities. 

Human rights integrated into diplomatic practice

What distinguished the embassy in the jury’s assessment was not a single project, but the way human rights are consistently integrated across its work. 

“Their sustained commitment and ability to integrate human rights considerations into diplomatic practice really stood out”, said Muhammad Ebaid, Egyptian human rights advocate and jury chair of the Embassy Award 2026. “This award highlights the importance of long-term, value-based engagement in a changing global context.” 

Reflecting on the professional practice of his embassy, Ambassador Mollema highlighted that human rights work in Egypt is not limited to certain groups or to one field of work. “We try to incorporate it into all our fields of work, including migration, economy, development cooperation and water. My team pays close attention to the local context and tries to adapt our work accordingly.”

A collective effort for human rights 

Consistent commitment to human rights remains a cornerstone of responsible and credible diplomacy. And for the embassy, maintaining this focus begins with a simple but powerful principle: human rights are ultimately about living with dignity. 

“While human rights are sometimes seen as polarizing, making small contributions can add up to big impact” the Ambassador reflects. “In all our areas of engagement”. 

For the embassy team, the award reflects not only visible engagement, but also the many conversations and forms of diplomacy that take place behind the scenes. “Diplomatic work happens both publicly and behind the scenes” the Ambassador notes, “and it is great to see the appreciation from civil society for our efforts”. 

The embassy emphasised also that this reflects a collective effort, involving colleagues within the mission but also cooperation with counterparts in The Hague. Their “willingness to work together and think along to ensure impact is achieved” is considered essential for the embassy’s work according to the ambassador. 

Shared lessons for diplomacy 

When asked what insights the embassy would share with other diplomatic teams, the message from the ambassador was clear: “be accessible, speak with everyone and stay connected beyond formal settings.” 

“It may be an open door, but speak with everyone: both local and international stakeholders, both in the capital and outside, and both government and NGO’s.” – Peter Mollema. 

This helps embassies better understand their operating environment and act thoughtfully within it. As Joeri Buhrer Tavanier, Executive Director of the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and current chair of the BMO, reflected: 

“This award highlights how principled and effective diplomacy can strengthen respect for human rights and reinforces the importance of keeping human rights central to Dutch foreign policy.”

In recognising the Embassy of the Kindgom of the Netherlands in Egypt, the BMO Embassy Award for Human Rights 2026 honours not only one team’s work, but also the broader role embassies can play in ensuring that human rights remain an integral part of diplomatic engagement. 

Written by Christina Triantafyllidi, Senior Strategic Partnerships Manager at RNW Media and Edited by Hounaz Beheshti, Advocacy Manager at RNW Media; Pictures by Mickael Franci, Cordaid