THE HAGUE - The Gouden Koets (golden carriage) will only start riding again if “all citizens of this country should be able to feel that they are equal and are given fair opportunities. Everyone should be able to feel part of what has been built up in our country and be proud of it. Also the Dutch with ancestors who were enslaved in the East or the West.”
King Willem-Alexander stated this in a video message today: “Our history contains a lot to be proud of. At the same time, it also offers learning material for recognizing mistakes and avoiding them in the future. We cannot rewrite the past. We can try to come to terms with it together. That also applies to the colonial past.”
“There is no point in condemning and disqualifying what has happened through the lens of our time. Simply banning historical objects and symbols is certainly not a solution either. Instead, it takes a concerted effort that goes deeper and lasts longer. An effort that unites us rather than divides us," said the head of state.
“Since June last year, the restored Golden Carriage has been on display in the Amsterdam Museum. The exhibition will end in February. The Gouden Koets will only be able to ride again when the Netherlands is ready. And that is not the case now.”
“We are not there only with beautiful laws, such as Article 1 of the Constitution. As long as there are people living in the Netherlands who feel the pain of discrimination on a daily basis, the past will still cast its shadow over our time and it will not be over yet. Listening to and understanding each other are essential conditions for reconciliation and the removal of pain in people's souls.”
“I know we can do that, even if it's a long and difficult road. I understand very well everyone's differing feelings. Only if we take this road to reconciliation together, the Golden Carriage can ride again on Prinsjesdag, the day on which we celebrate our democracy and our solidarity as Dutch people," said King Willem-Alexander.
In 2011, the Platform Slavery Past and the Committee on Dutch Honorary Debts called for the 'tribute of the colonies' panel to be removed from the Golden Carriage because the so-called slave drawing symbolizes oppression. This led to fierce discussions about whether or not to 'brush away' a black episode in the history of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.