News item | 16-02-2024 | 17:28
The subsidy scheme for social initiatives in the History of Slavery program will be put into internet consultation. The scheme that is now being consulted is intended to support social initiatives in the European Netherlands that contribute to awareness, recognition, commemoration, or further impact on the Transatlantic slavery past. From February 16, the public can respond to the scheme for 30 days via the following website: https://www.internetconsultatie.nl/slavernijverleden. A one-off amount of €100 million has been made available. The amount is split into three parts: €33.3 million for the European Netherlands, €33.3 million for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, and €33.3 million for Suriname.
The scheme pays special attention to promoting grassroots organizations of descendants and involved communities. This way they can further professionalize and strengthen their organization through a voucher. Larger initiatives that collaborate with grassroots organizations or include grassroots organizations in the project also receive a higher ranking when the subsidies are awarded. In addition, the scheme is intended for social initiatives that focus on strengthening the community of descendants of enslaved people and celebrating and increasing their resilience.
The scheme is also intended for larger projects that have a significant impact on increasing knowledge, awareness, recognition, commemoration, and tackling the impact of the slavery past.
Participation sessions on the islands of the Caribbean part of the Kingdom
Separate tailor-made schemes are being drawn up for the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and for Suriname. For the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, the scheme is expected to come into effect in the summer of 2024. The arrangement for Suriname will be published at a later date. The aim is to do this in 2024. Consultation sessions will be held on the islands in the coming months. Residents can actively participate in the formation of the scheme for social initiatives in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. These sessions are essential to integrate regional needs and insights into the broader program.
Participation provides a solid basis for action after an apology. Slavery history
With an approach that focuses on participation, significant steps forward are being made in the elaboration of the apology for the past of slavery. Over the past year, intensive discussions have been held with a broad group of descendants and stakeholders. These conversations provided valuable insights that will form the basis for policy. The Truetalk agency spoke to 270 descendants and directly involved people on behalf of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations. Various dialogue methods were used for this, including individual conversations, ’round table’ meetings and conversations in a natural setting, on the street or in cafes. All communities of descendants are involved in this.
When selecting the discussion partners, conscious attention was paid to age, organizational involvement, emotional involvement, cultural background and regional distribution. The insights of the research emphasize that the consequences of the past of slavery in the present are particularly felt in the social position of the community in areas such as housing, education, and the labor market. There is a need for social initiatives that offer solutions to structural inequality. But commemoration is also seen as a means to make today’s society more equal.
At the end of January, eight ministers and state secretaries, including Alexandra van Huffelen, Hugo de Jonge, Hanke Bruins Slot, Robbert Dijkgraaf and Franc Weerwind, entered into additional discussions with around 70 descendants in the Diligentia theater in The Hague. Topics included the steps after the comma, the draft regulations for social initiatives, and the outlines for the Commemoration Committee. Participants in this dialogue session came from the European Netherlands, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and Suriname.
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/topics/discrimination-en-racisme/documents/publicaties/2024/02/16/factsheet-internetconsulation-subsidyregulation-social- initiatives
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/discrimination-en-racisme/documents/kamerstuks/2024/02/15/kamerbrief-over-geografie-balans-subsidieregeling-en-beleidsintensiveringen-slavernijverleden