Rutger Hauer to Open Sea Shepherd Global Headquarters in Amsterdam on Friday 17th October. 

Rutger HauerRutger Hauer, longtime supporter of Sea Shepherd, will be guest of honor at the official opening of the Sea Shepherd Global Headquarters and Store at the Alexander Boersstraat 52 in Amsterdam on Friday 17^th October.

The ships of Sea Shepherd have sailed under the Dutch flag for years since the Netherlands offers a safe haven to our organization. Despite repeated political pressure from, amongst others, whaling Japan to demerge the Dutch registration of our ships, the Dutch nation continues to allow Sea Shepherd the right to demonstrate. This shows The Netherlands to be a model state, where freedom of speech and the right of demonstration is given great importance.

This year the International Court of Justice in The Hague decided that the whaling by Japan is not scientific and needs to be stopped immediately, a hunt against which Sea Shepherd has intervened very successfully since 2002. Despite the judgment of the High Court, Japan announced it will return to the Antarctic in 2015 to resume the whale hunt. With the establishment of Sea Shepherd’s global headquarters in Amsterdam, Captain Paul Watson wants to be ready for the future.

“Sea Shepherd enters a new era with the opening of our global headquarters and store in the heart of Amsterdam. The Sea Shepherd movement is growing rapidly in both strength and passion, and our new headquarters will be the focal point for global communications and coordination of campaigns worldwide.”

Sea Shepherd is one of the beneficiaries of the Dutch Postal Code Lottery. Because of this a major contribution is made to our ongoing campaigns, and many of our special projects can be realized. For example, the Lottery has helped fund a project to improve the protection of the Galápagos Islands marine reserve against poachers.

The Dutch born Alex Cornelissen has been with Sea Shepherd since 2002. From 2005 he has sailed as Captain for Sea Shepherd. Captain Cornelissen has had leadership over Sea Shepherd’s projects on the Galápagos Islands. Recently he was appointed CEO of Sea Shepherd Global.

Captain Cornelissen is honoured by his appointment.

“After 12 years having sailed the world oceans I am happy to return to Amsterdam. I am honoured to get at the helm of a worldwide organization and will keep to our course to protect the oceans against illegal activities and to save it for posterity.’’

Sea Shepherd has full support of celebrities worldwide, such as Rutger Hauer, Martin Sheen, Pamela Anderson, Pierce Brosnan, Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver), Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and in the Nederlands, Bløf, amongst others.

Program official opening by Rutger Hauer. – Friday 17^th October, 2014

12.00 releasing Sea Shepherd Store
17.00 speech Alex Cornelissen, CEO Sea Shepherd Global
17.15 video message Martijn Krabbé
17.35 Speech Captain Paul Watson via Skype
17.50 Introduction guest of honor, Rutger Hauer
18.00 Official opening by Rutger Hauer

The Store will remain open during the whole programme providing the opportunity to purchase merchandise. Apart from the usual Sea Shepherd items for sale, a number of special items will be available. There will also be items of Hemp Hoodlamp and G star for sale, organisations that support Sea Shepherd.