An exhibition marking the signing of the Treaty of Concordia on March 23, 1648, is being held at Hôtel de la Collectivité (see Wednesday newspaper) in Marigot. Titled “Treaty of Mount Accords from its origins to modern times,” it will be on display from March 6 to 24.
The announcement coincided with the visit of French Minister of Overseas Territories Nama Moutchou, who mentioned the historic treaty while signing a new one on cross-border “hot pursuit” in local waters during anti-drug operations with St. Maarten Prime Minister Luc Mercelina. She said the latter extends the same spirit of cooperation as the soon 378-year-old partition agreement between the Netherlands and France to the maritime domain.
Also known as the “Mount Accords” treaty, it played an essential role in two different countries being able to continue sharing a relatively small territory by basically allowing free movement of people and goods with an open border. This is something rarely emphasised but rather unique and worthy of attention.
The anniversary is not a holiday on either side of the island and, apart from an official ceremony, not much is done to mark the significant date. Keep in mind, however, that its main principle of peaceful co-existence is widely celebrated on every November 11.
Not everyone sees the treaty as positive, largely because of its colonial context. Slavery was only abolished locally two centuries later, in 1848 by France and in 1863 by the Netherlands.
Still, the exhibition is being welcomed because the document embodies what is also illustrated by tourism promotion slogans like “Touch-of-Dutch-feel-of-French” and others. Indeed, this “two countries, one island” nature of the “dual destination” is an interesting circumstance that attracts visitors as well.
Certainly schoolchildren and adults too should learn more about the Treaty of Concordia and – good or bad – what it has meant to the place they call home.
