Petition to make Keti Koti holiday signed more than 40,000 times | Inland

They also ask the government to formally apologize for the Dutch role in transatlantic slavery and all associated responsibilities. With the achieved number of signatories, the initiators can submit a citizens’ initiative in the House of Representatives.

According to FunX DJ Fernando Halman, who launched the petition in his broadcast, the support shows how much the subject is alive among a large part of the Dutch population. “I don’t think there’s ever been a topic that we’ve gotten so many responses to. A large part of the Netherlands considers it very important that this subject is on the agenda. The Netherlands belongs to all of us. That is why it is important that we also recognize our slavery past and its consequences, which are still felt every day for many people in this country.”

abolition of slavery

On 1 July it will be 158 years ago that the Netherlands abolished slavery in Suriname and the Caribbean part of the Kingdom by law. In Amsterdam, the national commemoration will take place in the Oosterpark on Thursday, as every year. The history of slavery is also discussed in various other places in the country this week.

Earlier, the four major cities already argued that Keti Koti, which means Broken Chains, should be made a national holiday. They are also considering apologizing for their role in slavery.

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