Minister Plenipotentiary of St. Maarten, Gracita Arrindell (right), during the national commemoration.
THE HAGUE-- On Tuesday, July 1, the Kingdom of the Netherlands observed the annual commemoration of its slavery past at the National Slavery Monument in Oosterpark, Amsterdam. Minister Plenipotentiary of St. Maarten, Gracita Arrindell, laid a wreath at the monument on behalf of the government and people of St. Maarten.
The solemn ceremony also saw wreaths laid by Carlson Manuel, Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao, and Joselin S. Croes, Director of the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba.
The date marks the anniversary of the official abolition of slavery by the Netherlands on July 1, 1863. However, due to a mandatory ten-year transition period imposed at the time, enslaved people in the Dutch Caribbean were not fully freed until 1873.
Several speakers addressed the hundreds in attendance, including former Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Silveria Jacobs, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, NiNsee Vice Chair Wendeline Flores, and Mayor of Amsterdam Femke Halsema. Their remarks reflected on the enduring legacy of slavery and the importance of remembrance and accountability.
The National Slavery Commemoration is organized annually by the National Institute for the Study of Dutch Slavery and its Legacy NiNsee, which works to document, preserve, and share knowledge of this shared history.
In addition to the official ceremonies, the “breaking of the chains” was symbolically celebrated at Museumplein during the Keti Koti Festival, a cultural event marking emancipation and freedom.
