Dutch central bank contributes to fund for reducing consequences of slavery

De Nederlandsche Bank announced a special fund to contribute to reducing the consequences of trans-Atlantic slavery. The DNB will also make once-off contributions to large-scale projects that work towards this goal, the Dutch central bank announced.

These investments follow DNB president Klaas Knot's apologies last July for the central bank’s involvement in trans-Atlantic slavery. Even 150 years after its abolition, the consequences of slavery are still felt in the lives of the descendants of those enslaved in Curacao, Sint Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Saba, Suriname, and the Netherlands, DNB said.

DNB is pushing 5 million euros into the fund set up in close collaboration with the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund. The DNB will lean heavily on the Brins Bernhard Culture Fund’s expertise to pick projects that reduce the consequences of slavery in the Caribbean area.

“The DNB fund focuses on smaller, local initiatives. Think of foundations, citizens’ initiatives, and individuals with projects that can contribute to an improvement in the living conditions of descendants where disadvantages have arisen due to trans-Atlantic slavery,” DNB said.

DNB also released 5 million euros once-off for a limited number of large projects. In this first round, the central bank will contribute to the future National Slavery Museum in Amsterdam, the Elisabeth Samson House in Suriname, and the Tula Museum in Curacao.

“These are projects with a broad social impact and an educational character,” DNB said. “They are aimed at increasing awareness of the slavery past, recognizing and dealing with the history, and preserving historical heritage.”

The next round of once-off contributions will go toward projects on Sint Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba, the central bank said.