Amsterdam proposes to pay for surname changes of enslaved people's descendents

The municipality of Amsterdam wants to compensate Amsterdammers who wish to change their surname because it is an unwelcome reminder of slavery. The municipality is anticipating the Dutch government's plan to arrange this on a national level, according to a letter from the Amsterdam city council on Friday.

The letter points out that the Cabinet previously announced that descendants of enslaved people will soon be able to change their surname for free. However, the elaboration of this central government policy will take time, said Mayor Femke Halsema in the letter. That is why the municipality wants to compensate Amsterdammers "until then."

"As soon as the government policy is known, we will look at how we can connect Amsterdam practice to this. Slave trade and slavery are crimes against humanity. We can no longer undo the past. What we can do is counteract the effects of that past. This measure can contribute to that," Halsema wrote.

Consultations have been held with Utrecht, which already preceded Amsterdam in the decision to pay for name changes, "to exchange experiences and learn from each other." Halsema thinks that a similar arrangement can be made possible in the short term. Further information is expected in the first quarter of next year.