The mayor of Amsterdam has posted an emotional reminder of her much-admired predecessor Eberhard van der Laan, who died a year ago this Friday.

Femke Halsema recounts some of the challenges of the job as well as memories of how the old mayor, who died of cancer, put other people’s troubles above his own. His resignation letter had called for Amsterdammers to ‘take care of our city and of each other.’

She said that a council meeting this week fell still at the thought that his death was a year ago.

‘Farewell, Eberhard, we carry you with us but we miss you too,’ she ended the message, signing it from herself and the entire council.