Amsterdam declines statue near City Hall to honor former Mayor Eberhard van der Laan

The city of Amsterdam will not install a statue of former Mayor Eberhard van der Laan near the City Hall, municipal officials confirmed last week. The decision follows a request from the Homeless Action Collective for a monument honoring Van der Laan for his contributions to homeless people.

Eberhard van der Laan died at the age of 62 on Oct. 5, 2017, after a battle with metastasized lung cancer. Van der Laan revealed his diagnosis in January of that year, and continued to serve for eight months, with his aldermen taking over duties when his health declined.

He stepped down on Sept. 18 after doctors told him there were no further treatment options, writing a farewell letter to city residents and spending his final days at home with his family.

The statue initiative, submitted in 2021, proposed several potential locations, all of which were deemed unsuitable. The preferred site at the corner of the Amstel and Zwanenburgwal was rejected because it already features four art installations. A second option at Waterlooplein failed due to lack of community support after discussions with the Centrum district, the project organizers, and the Waterlooplein Art Working Group.

A third potential location near the Stoelenproject on Appeltjesmarkt, where homeless individuals are assisted, was ruled out because ongoing construction makes the site temporarily unusable.

City officials also cited the Stadscuratorium’s assessment, which noted that two existing artworks already honor Van der Laan: a portrait on Mercatorplein and a bronze statue on the façade of Paradiso.

Touria Meliani, alderwoman for Arts and Culture, apologized for the delayed response to the proposal in a written statement.