DNB and ATI end cooperation on Bonaire
De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and Across The Isles (ATI) have decided to end their cooperation on the 'Across the Seas' project on Bonaire, following extensive mutual consultations in recent weeks. On 5 November 2024, DNB announced that it would allocate a one-off financial contribution to this project.
DNB is putting a new one-off financial contribution to an initiative on Bonaire on-hold for the time being. It remains our intention that our one-off contribution on Bonaire will raise historical awareness about the legacy of slavery and help build connections within the community.
One-off financial contributions versus local contributions through the Culture Fund
DNB apologised in 2022 for its role in the Transatlantic trade in enslaved people. Two measures were taken to put these words into action:
- DNB has established a ten-year, €5 million fund for contributions to local initiatives by descendants of enslaved people. The fund is being administered in cooperation with the Culture Fund/Caribbean Culture Fund. The fund has been active since 1 July 2023.
- DNB has also allocated €5 million for one-off contributions to projects aimed at education and the preservation of historical heritage.
The Across the Seas project fell under the second type of measure: one-off contributions. Contributions have been allocated in recent years to projects in Aruba, Curaçao, Saba, Suriname and in the Netherlands.