The Almere slavery monument was unveiled on Mandelaplein on Friday evening. This happened at the beginning of the Keti Koti commemoration. Keti Koti is commemorating the abolition of slavery. Alderman Maaike Veeningen unveiled the monument together with students from the Poort Lyceum.
The monument is a work of art by the Almere artist Patrick Mezas. The statue is three meters high, in which slave scenes and ‘the wealth of the Netherlands’ can be seen. The approach is that everyone in Almere becomes aware that slavery has lasted hundreds of years. It must also be made clear that the Netherlands played an active role in that slavery, says Mezas. The artwork features QR codes that visitors can scan to learn more about slavery.
After Friday night’s commemoration ceremony, it’s Saturday night’s party. Then is the Keti Koti celebration, a symbolic celebration because the chains of the enslaved were finally broken in 1873.
Omroep Flevoland broadcast the commemoration live on Friday evening. That can be viewed here.
2023-07-01 23:51:56
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