Monument to The Hague's Slavery Past and Colonial Heritage

The Hague (location t.b.a.)

>> City Council's decision on monument to Trans-Atlantic Slavery Past (dd. 21 March 2023) - in Dutch

>> Advice on Monument to The Hague's Slavery Past and Colonial Heritage (presented 30 January 2023) - in Dutch

"By commemorating and celebrating, we reflect on our history."

These were the words of then alderman Bert van Alphen when a motion was passed by the Hague City Council in December 2019 on the creation of a monument commemorating the abolition of slavery. With the memorial, the city wants to contribute to the collective consciousness that the legacy of the colonial and slavery past in the city calls for. In 2021, the municipality asked Stroom Den Haag, as a center of expertise in the field of such art projects, to investigate the possibilities of erecting a Monument to The Hague's Slavery Past and Colonial Heritage.

The first step to achieving this goal was the appointment of Peggy Wijntuin as project leader. She is the initiator of the Slavery Monument Rotterdam (2013) and of the research into the slavery and colonial past of Rotterdam (2020). Her experience proves of great value in the customized work the creation of such a work of art requires. In The Hague, Wijntuin first identified which people are important for the commission, organization and/or form. The partners are simultaneously the ambassadors of the future monument. From their midst emerged the Advisory Board on the Monument to The Hague's Slavery Past and Colonial Heritage: Lisette van den Berg, Marian Markelo, Lionel Martijn, Edwin Reijntjes, Henry Timisela, Amber Toorop and Annet Zondervan (chair). This committee delivere its advice to alderman Mariëlle Vavier on 30 January 2023.

Photo 2 in column in the right:

Advisory Board on the Monument to The Hague's Slavery Past and Colonial Heritage, left to right: Annet Zondervan (chair), Lionel Martijn, Amber Toorop, Edwin Reijntjes, Marian Markelo, Henry Timisela. Not present: Lisette van den Berg

ALSO READ:

>> Stroom in de Pers

>> Peggy Wijntuin as of 1 February 2022 projectl leader Monument for the Commemoration of the History of Slavery in The Hague
>> Selection of books in the Stroom library on Slavery & Decolonization

>> Ons slavernijverleden staat ook dit jaar volop in de schijnwerpers, De Volkskrant, 11 February 2021

A reading list complied by Wim Bossema

There are several slavery monuments in the Netherlands (in Amsterdam in the Oosterpark and on the Surinameplein, in Middelburg, Rotterdam and Haarlemmermeer) - and at least three in preparation (for The Hague, Utrecht and Vlissingen).

01 Jan '21

Presentation advice to Mariëlle Vavier. Fltr: Henry Timisela, Mariëlle Vavier, Annet Zondervan (chair), Lionel Martijn, Lisette van den Berg
photo: Jassir Jonis

Presentation advice to Mariëlle Vavier. Fltr: Alexandra Landré, Mariëlle Vavier, Annet Zondervan, Peggy Wijntuin
photo: Jassir Jonis

Meeting November 2022, Stroom Den Haag
photo: Mylène Siegers, courtesy Stroom Den Haag

Meeting November 2022, Stroom Den Haag (presentation research results by Valika Smeulders)
photo: Mylène Siegers, courtesy Stroom Den Haag

Meeting November 2022, Stroom Den Haag
photo: Mylène Siegers, courtesy Stroom Den Haag

Ambassadors meeting, September 2022, Stroom Den Haag
photo: Pierre Zylstra, courtesy Stroom Den Haag

Advisory Board on Monument to The Hague's Slavery Past and Colonial Heritage (lftr: see text in left hand column)
photo: Pierre Zylstra, courtesy Stroom Den Haag

Slavery monument Rotterdam by Alex da Silva, 2013
photo: ANP

National Slavery Monument by Erwin de Vries, Oosterpark, Amsterdam, 2002
photo: Arthena (Wikimedia Commons)

Monument van Besef, Surinameplein, Amsterdam by Henry Renfurm, 2003
photo: Iris Dik

Slavery monument Middelburg by Hedi Bogaers, 2005
photo: Vincent de Boer

Slavery monument Haarlemmermeer door Joost van den Toorn with Karwan Fatah (text), 2018