A few hours before the national commemoration, a special commemoration ceremony took place in Enkhuizen: a commemoration for and by children. The Enkhuizer 4 & 5 May committee organizes this every year, at the monument on the Nelson Mandeladreef. “Because we think it’s important to involve children in the war.”
Several primary school students from Enkhuizen were allowed to recite poems or music today, prior to a moment of two minutes of silence.
The preparations for these lectures already took place at school, says Anita Bonnema of the 4 & 5 May Enkhuizen committee. “We have organized guest lessons to involve the students in the Second World War. They have incorporated their experience of what they have learned into the texts.”
To make aware
The committee would like to involve children in the commemoration: “War still occurs. We want to make children aware that war is not only far away, but can also occur close by.”
References to the war in Ukraine were therefore inevitable. Enkhuizer mayor Eduard van Zuijlen also mentioned the war in his speech, prior to the memorial monument. Van Zuijlen was introduced by his youthful colleague: mayor of children Quinn Andrea, of primary school Het Mozaïk.
Eleven-year-old Quinn was allowed to speak for the first time today in his role as children’s mayor. It was nice, he says. Although it was also a bit exciting. “We learned a lot about the war, I didn’t know a lot yet. I enjoyed talking about it today.”
Schoolmate Parel Langenberg (12) was allowed to lay flowers at the monument. “That was special,” she says. “Because it is about people from the past and how they experienced the war. Very nice to do.”