Monuments Bureau Aruba Hosts Community Lectures on Heritage Preservation
ORANJESTAD – Monuments Bureau Aruba is organizing community-based lectures to provide residents with direct information about the protection and preservation of Aruba’s cultural heritage.
During one of the most recent lectures at MFA Savaneta, Prime Minister Mike Eman and Minister of Health, Social Affairs, Senior Citizens’ Affairs and Addiction Care Mervin Wyatt-Ras were also in attendance, along with property owners and other stakeholders. Participants received information about the procedure for obtaining protected monument status for a house or building, what this status entails, and the steps involved in the process.
The initiative aims to bring the Monuments Bureau closer to the community and address questions and uncertainties that still exist regarding the designation of a property as a protected monument. More than 350 houses and buildings in Aruba may qualify for heritage protection. For this reason, the government intends to intensify the process in the coming months and engage directly with property owners to explain the possibilities and procedures involved in obtaining protected monument status.
Monuments Tell Us Who We Are
For Prime Minister Eman, preserving Aruba’s heritage goes far beyond architecture. Traditional Aruban homes tell the story of how previous generations lived and adapted to the island’s conditions.
The thick walls, the positioning of homes to make optimal use of the wind, and various construction methods used to keep interiors cool demonstrate the knowledge and creativity of earlier generations. These elements are an important part of Aruba’s identity.
Legal protection makes it possible to preserve the character of a property and ensure that the history it represents is not lost. The monuments that Aruba recognizes and values today are the result of similar preservation and restoration efforts.
Examples include the Willem III Tower and Fort Zoutman, while other important heritage sites are also undergoing restoration. Every project contributes to preserving a piece of history that Aruba cannot replace once it is lost.
Addressing Property Owners’ Questions
Raul Gei of Monuments Bureau Aruba explained that the lectures provide detailed information about what constitutes a monument, which characteristics are assessed, and how the legal protection process works.
An important part of the lectures is addressing the questions and concerns of property owners. According to Gei, protecting historic properties is essential to prevent Aruba from gradually losing elements that form part of its culture and identity.
For this reason, the Monuments Bureau also assists property owners in initiating the process when their property has the characteristics required to qualify for heritage protection.
District by District
The lectures will continue in different communities across Aruba. This will make the information more accessible and give property owners the opportunity to ask their questions directly.
Prime Minister Eman praised the work of the Monuments Bureau and Raul Gei for raising awareness within the community and, in particular, for providing clarity to property owners who have questions or concerns about what protected monument status means for their property.
Owners of houses or buildings with potential heritage value are encouraged to contact the Monuments Bureau to learn more about the procedure.
For the government, every ordinary house, historic building, and monument that Aruba succeeds in preserving is a living part of the country’s history. By protecting this heritage today, we ensure that future generations can continue to see, know, and understand where Aruba came from.