AMSTERDAM--Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten used his Emancipation Day address at the National Commemoration of Slavery History in Oosterpark, Amsterdam, to call for faster and more meaningful action on healing, repair, discrimination and racism across the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Speaking on July 1, Jetten said the remembrance of the slavery past has become part of an expanding movement across the Netherlands, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and Suriname, with more commemorations, research, monuments and public visibility taking shape each year. He said that movement is no longer going away and described it as a gain not only for descendants of enslaved people, but for the Netherlands as a whole.
Jetten opened his address by recalling a recent visit to the Tula Museum in Curaçao, where he was guided by three young people who connected the suffering of enslaved ancestors, the courage of Tula and their own identity. He said the encounter showed that the slavery past is not only a story of victimhood, but also one of pride, freedom and resistance against injustice.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that the hopes and expectations that followed July 1, 2023, have not yet been fully met. He said the process of healing and repair has not been flawless, despite progress, and stressed that it must improve and move faster.
Referring to the final report of the State Commission against Discrimination and Racism, Jetten said discrimination and racism remain structural and deeply rooted in the Netherlands. He said this reality makes it necessary to take “more action after the comma,” linking his remarks to the continued national discussion following the Dutch apology for the slavery past.
Jetten said that renewed action must include better anchoring July 1 as a truly national day of remembrance and celebration. He noted that the flag was raised that morning at the Ministry of General Affairs and invited all government institutions to do the same every July 1 going forward.
He also called for a discrimination test to ensure that rules and policies do not produce discriminatory outcomes, citing the childcare benefits scandal as an example of the need for stronger safeguards. In addition, he said the continued impact of the slavery past must be recognized in areas such as socio-economic conditions and health, with concrete steps taken to address those effects.
The Prime Minister said government, grassroots organizations, experts from the Black community, the countries of the Kingdom and Suriname all have a role to play in giving new momentum to the national route toward repair. He emphasized that the work must be done together, across communities and institutions.
Jetten further said politicians and public administrators have a responsibility to speak clearly whenever discrimination or racism occurs, adding that silence represents a missed opportunity to stop racism and discrimination. He framed that responsibility as one that belongs to everyone across the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Prime Minister closed his address with a call to convert remembrance into daily responsibility, stating that July 1 is the day to commemorate, while the other 364 days must be used to act.
