Slavery past central during visit of Minister Bruins Slot and State Secretary Van Huffelen to Caribbean part of the Kingdom
Hanke Bruins Slot, Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK), and Alexandra van Huffelen, State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalisation, will pay a joint visit to St. Maarten, St. Eustatius and Curacao from the 6th to the 10th of September. The theme of the visit is the history of slavery, in order to see and hear for themselves in conversations, the importance and significance of the history of slavery on the islands and for The Netherlands.
Sint Maarten
The trip starts on Tuesday, the 6th of September on St. Maarten, where the two ministers will talk with residents of various backgrounds about the slavery past and its significance for the future. They will also pay attention to the fifth anniversary of hurricane Irma.
St. Eustatius
On the 7th of September, the next stop will be St. Eustatius. The programme includes a historical walk through Oranjestad, a discussion with the Statia Heritage Commission and a visit to a school and a discussion with youth about the history of slavery.
Curaçao
On Curaçao, the ministers will talk to young people and experts in the field of the slavery past. They will also visit the National Archaeological-Anthropological Memory and the National Archives. The trip will be concluded with a meeting with artists, writers and musicians in which the theme of slavery is central.
Dialogue group on the history of slavery
The Dialogue Group on the History of Slavery was commissioned by the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations to issue an advisory report on how to deal with the past of slavery and its impact on the present. The Cabinet will respond to this advice before 2023. The experiences gained during this journey will therefore be included in the Cabinet's response.