Liechtenstein Foreign Affairs Minister unveils artwork donation to International Criminal Court

On 16 November 2016, H.E. Ms Aurelia Frick, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Education and Culture of the Principality of Liechtenstein, visited the permanent seat of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, The Netherlands and met with ICC President Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, and ICC Registrar Herman von Hebel. At this occasion, the Minister unveiled a new artwork donation to the ICC, in the presence of the artist.

The artwork, by Liechtenstein artist Ms Hanna Roeckle, is a polyhedron sculpture titled "Aquarius". The artwork interacts with its surroundings and its viewers through radiance and reflection. It changes appearance when looked at from different angles and is intended to symbolize the Court's search for truth, which is indispensable for justice to be achieved.

The new piece was donated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Culture and Education of the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Liechtenstein Cultural Foundation. The donation reflects Liechtenstein's long-lasting commitment to the Court and international criminal justice.

The Minister is currently attending the fifteenth session of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC which is taking place from 16 to 24 November 2016 in The Hague. She is also the coordinator of an informal network of ministers supporting the Court at political level.

Since the move to its new permanent premises in December 2015, the ICC received artwork donations from the Governments of Tunisia and Korea, representing their cultural heritage as well as reflecting the mandate of the Court.

Background: The ICC finalised its move into its new, permanent premises on 14 December 2015 and the official inauguration of the premises by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands took place on 19 April 2016. The Court required a functional purpose-built premises to effectively fulfil its mandate in the fight against impunity for perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. The design of the building reflects the transparency of the institution and its innovativeness. It combines striking architecture with stringent security measures, while showcasing best practices in sustainability and respect for nature, within the natural dune landscape between The Hague and the North Sea. The building complex consists of six towers that are connected on the ground and first floors and offer over 1,200 workplaces. The largest tower, the Court Tower, accommodates three courtrooms and the media centre.