Prime Minister Eman Receives Delegation from the National Slavery Museum at the Government Administration Building
ORANJESTAD – Prime Minister Mike Eman received at the Government Administration Building John Leerdam, director of the National Slavery Museum, together with Franc Weerwind, former Minister of Justice, acting mayor of Terneuzen, and chair of the museum’s Supervisory Board, and Ashley Chin, an advisor to the Supervisory Board. The delegation is visiting Aruba as part of a working visit.
The meeting provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on the development of the National Slavery Museum, with particular attention to the importance of incorporating Aruba’s and the wider Caribbean’s history, perspectives, and experiences into the story the museum seeks to tell.
The museum aims to present the full history of the Netherlands’ slavery past in all its facets. Its vision is to tell an integrated story that brings together different perspectives and can contribute to recognition, understanding, and a more equitable society throughout the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
An important aspect of the museum’s development is its ambition to serve the entire Kingdom, in cooperation with partners, including those in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. According to the organization, the history and knowledge preserved on the islands are indispensable, as a significant part of the history of transatlantic slavery unfolded in the Caribbean, and its impact remains visible and felt to this day.
During the meeting, special attention was given to how the museum can connect carefully and meaningfully with the Aruban context. Prime Minister Eman, who is responsible for Culture, emphasized that Aruba’s participation in the process is important to ensure that Aruba’s own history, experiences, and perspectives are given an appropriate place within the broader story of the Kingdom. The discussion on the museum’s positioning and its connection with Aruba was therefore an important objective of the visit.
The National Slavery Museum grew out of a long-standing desire within Afro-Caribbean communities for greater recognition of the history of slavery. In 2017, the City of Amsterdam and the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science initiated the process to establish the museum. Following an extensive process of participation and dialogue throughout the Kingdom and with Suriname, the plan “Tell the Whole Story” (Vertel het hele verhaal) became the foundation for the museum’s content and development. The National Slavery Museum Foundation was formally established on April 17, 2025.
Prime Minister Eman expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the delegation and exchange views on the initiative. The meeting forms part of the necessary dialogue to ensure that, in developing a shared story about the past, Aruba’s voice and perspective are also given the space they deserve.