Faces of Clingendael: Ismet Sahin

Who are the hard-working people at the Clingendael Institute? We offer you a peek behind the scenes in our series Faces of Clingendael. Today with facility manager Ismet Sahin.

"We want to give visitors the feeling that this is also their house and not just Clingendael’s."

What is your role?

I take care of the rooms and the buildings and make sure everything runs smoothly and looks good. Clingendael has an intense programming schedule, and things change every single day.  So I try to get in as early as possible to make sure everything is set up for all kinds of training and research seminars. I like it when the first guests arrives, they are completely oblivious to the major scenery changes that have already taken place and they can get started right away.

What motivates you to do this job?

I feel great when I come up with ideas that are beneficial for everybody. If it is financially feasible, the organisation usually says “go ahead, Ismet!”
I’m happy that they think along with me, that makes it fun to come to work every day. I feel like I am a part of Clingendael. And we cannot sit still; we want to give visitors the feeling that this is also their house and not just Clingendael’s.

What are your interests outside of work?

I really love soccer. I started playing when I was six. I am 52 now, so I’ve been playing for 45 years. I also train my twins’ team and last week I got my certificate for training children up to 19 years old.
Another hobby of mine is painting. I’ve made a lot of portraits and and sometimes give them to relatives and friends as a gift.

What advice would you give to people aspiring to work in your field?

They need to be aware that every day is different and that the work is physically taxing. You need to be able to organise well, especially for all the lifting of chairs and tables that you will have to do. 

Is there something that comes with working here that really stands out to you?

I see a lot of new faces here every day. It is a pleasure to receive people from almost all countries here at our Huys (house). It is really special to me to see and experience all these cultures.