The Dutch cabinet will finally apologise for slavery in the past

A formal apology by the Dutch government to the tune of €200 million will be made, along with projects to raise awareness of the Netherlands’ past slavery.

The Dutch government will also be setting aside an additional €27 million for a museum on slavery, reports the NOS.

An apology has been in the works for a while

On a recent visit to Suriname, Prime Minister Rutte stated that the next year should be dedicated to acknowledging the Netherlands’ involvement in the slave trade.

The majority of the Tweede Kamer also pushed for a formal apology to be made.

READ MORE | Dutch Quirk #120: Struggle with their colonial past

And even the king agrees! He brought up the subject of an apology on Prinsjesdag — noting that 2023 would commemorate 150 years since the Netherlands abolished slavery.

King Willem-Alexander didn’t hesitate to point out the importance of taking responsibility for this part of Dutch history.

Not everyone thinks it’s necessary

Although the Dutch government’s persecution of Jews and their horrific treatment of Indonesians (following the decolonisation period) have been formally apologised for, slavery hasn’t been directly addressed.

And, whilst the majority seems all for it, some don’t agree with the government’s plan to bring awareness to a dark period in the country’s history.

VVD Minister Van Strien tells the NOS that the money would actually be better spent on the future than the past.

What do you think of the government’s latest move? Tell us all about it in the comments below!

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Liana Pereira 🇱🇰
Liana Pereira 🇱🇰
Liana juggles her role as an Editor with wrapping up a degree in cognitive linguistics and assisting with DutchReview's affiliate portfolio. Since arriving in the Netherlands for her studies in 2018, she's thrilled to have the 'write' opportunity to help other internationals feel more at home here — whether that's by penning an article on the best SIMs to buy in NL, the latest banking features, or important things to know about Dutch health insurance.

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