Celebrate freedom with this year’s Keti Koti festival in Leiden

Celebrate freedom, remember the past — that’s the motto of this year’s Keti Koti Festival organised by Wereldmuseum Leiden on July 5, 2025.

Keti Koti, meaning broken chains, commemorates the abolition of slavery in Dutch colonies which was officially signed on July 1, 1863.

This year, Wereldmuseum Leiden teamed up with Committee June 30/July 1 Leiden and Songs of Freedom to bring you a powerful festival that creates connections and brings together music and stories from the past and the present.

After the memorial event in Leiden on June 30, which is intended as a moment for reflection and remembrance, the July 5 festival celebrates freedom with music, dance, food, and fascinating stories.

Visitors can enjoy an impressive choir, a performance by the Surinamese singer Kenny B, and an exciting program for young and old.

What to expect

Just like any other great cultural event, the Keti Koti Festival is packed with activities. Here’s a quick peek of what you can look forward to:

• 🌟 Koto on a catwalk: Enjoy a fashion show celebrating Surinamese style and identity with traditional kotos (Surinamese clothing) as well as their modern interpretations.
• 🤫 The secret of the angisa: Find out what the folding techniques of the angisa, a traditional Surinamese headscarf, tell us about the mood, marital status, or intentions of the woman who wears it.
• 🐚 Make your own kauri shell jewellery: Get crafty with kauri shells which were used as a payment method in the 17th and 18th century and brought to the Netherlands from its former colonies by the East India Company.
• 🌍 Colonial heritage tour: Reflect on the implications of slavery, past and present, on a special free museum tour.
• 🎉 And much more.

The practicalities

Interested? Here’s all you need to know about joining this spectacular event. 👇

📅 When: Saturday, July 5, 2025
📍 Where: Wereldmuseum Leiden, Steenstraat 1, Leiden

Ready to join the festivities? Programme activities inside the museum garden are free of charge.

Want to check out activities in the museum itself? Buy your ticket here.