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local Wednesday 30 november 2022

Presentation of Dr. Coen van Galen of the Radboud University in Nijmegen:

Project to connect Aruba’s archives to those in Curaçao and Suriname
To form a network to give insight on migration after the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean

ORANJESTAD – Recently,
the University of Aruba to-
gether with the Commission
for Awareness of Slavery of
the Ministry of Finance and
Culture organized an in-
formational evening, dur-
ing which Dr. Coen van
Galen of the University of
Radboud in Nijmegen, the
Netherlands, gave a talk ti-
tled ‘Borderless Slavery and
Freedom in the Caribbean’.

In front of an audience of
interested parties, Dr. Van Aruba can also connect on structures within society
Galen gave information re- to the network. Surely now after the abolition of slav-
garding the project to con- that Aruba has advanced ery. This way, insight can be
nect the archives of the greatly on digitalization gained also on how slavery
countries in the Caribbean and making our historical and colonialismo affected
with the goal of finding out documents accesible, it will the generations after the
more about the migration be ideal for Aruba’s histori- abolition of slavery and un-
of people that took place cal information to also be til now.
after the abolition of slav- available on the interna-
ery in the Caribbean. tional network. Minister of Culture, Xiomara
Maduro thanked Dr. Van
Dr. Van Galen explained The connection with these Galen for the thorough ex-
that until now the project archives is important for all planation and for his inter-
to connect the archives those who want to know est in having Aruba also
consists of an international more about their ancestors connected to this inter-
network of archives be- and their link to the islands national network. During
tween Suriname and Cu- in the Caribbean. The in- the talk, minister Maduro
raçao. Currently, work is formation is important also informed those present
being carried out so that to be able to do research regarding the important
work being done by the
National Library of Aruba
(BNA) and the National
Archive of Aruba (ANA) to
continue digitalization and
making our cultural heri-
tage accessible. The minis-
ter invited all those present
to watch the two special
programs “Making our cul-
tural heritage accessible”
which were broadcasted

on television, in order to in- sible. Both programs are
form on the efforts made available via the YouTube
to digitalize and make our channel of minister Xio-
cultural heritage acces- mara Maduro.q