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local Monday 4 July 2022

Aruba laid a wreath commemorating the National Day

of Abolition of Slavery

At the Oosterpark in Am- Bank of the Netherlands
sterdam, on the first of July (De Nederlandse Bank),
took place the national Klaas Knot. During his
commemoration of the speech, Mr. Knot described
Abolition of Slavery by the the role of De Nederlandse
Netherlands in 1863, for the Bank in slavery and he ex-
colonies of Suriname and pressed his apologies for
Netherlands Antilles. This the role that his organiza-
year marks 159 years. In- tion had in slavery. At the
terim director of the Aruba same time, Mr. Knot men-
House in the Netherlands, tioned that for the next
Glenda Hernandez laid ten years, De Nederlandse
a wreath on behalf of the Bank will come up with
government and the peo- a fund that must finance
ple of Aruba. projects to minimize the ef-
fects of slavery on the de-
The Dutch minister for Le- scendants of slaves. These
gal Protection, Franc Weer- will be projects on the fields
wind; the mayor of Amster- of Education, Health Care
dam, Femke Halsema; and and Knowledge. De Ned-
Linda Nooitmeer, president erlands Bank will also invest were laid at the Slavernij- Idris; as well as mayor of Pictures of Ms. Hernandez
of NiNsee, the institute a complete sum for educa- monument. Aside from Ms. Amsterdam, Femke Hal- by photographer Pacao
which organized the com- tional projects, like the Na- Hernandez, other people sema. Núñez.
memoration, gave speech- tional Museum of Slavery, who laid wreaths were the
es during the event. and a knowledge center president of the Eerste Ka-
This year marks 20 years for this museum. mer (Dutch Senate), Jan
since the foundation of Anthonie Bruijn; and the
NiNsee, and since the com- The musical intermezzo at president of the Tweede
memoration started in 2002 the commemoration was Kamer (Dutch Congress),
with the unveiling of the by Nyassa Alberta, who Vera Bergkamp; minister
‘Slavernijmonument’ (slav- played the main role in the Weerwind; plenipotentiary
ery monument), which is a Tina Turner Musical togeth- minister of Curaçao, Carl-
piece by sculptor Erwin de er with the gospel choir ZO son Manuel; plenipotentia-
Vries. Gospel. ry minister of Sint Maarten,
Rene Violenus; ambassa-
A special guest invited to After the speeches, a one dor of Suriname, Rajendre
give a speech this year was minute of silence was held Khargi; and ambassador of
president of the Central during which the wreaths Ghana, Mohammed Habib

Klaas Knot (middle) apologized during the commemoration of the abolition of slavery at the
Oosterpark for the role of De Nederlandse Bank in slavery. Image by Eva Plevier.