De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and Across The Isles (ATI) have decided to end their cooperation on the “Across the Seas” project on Bonaire after extensive consultations. DNB has also put a planned one-off financial contribution to an initiative on Bonaire on hold for the time being, after having announced on 5 November 2024 that it would allocate a one-off contribution to the project. DNB stated that it still intends for a one-off contribution on Bonaire to raise historical awareness of the legacy of slavery and help build community connections. It set the decision in the context of two measures launched after its 2022 apology for its role in the Transatlantic trade in enslaved people: a ten-year EUR 5 million fund for local initiatives by descendants of enslaved people administered with the Culture Fund/Caribbean Culture Fund and active since 1 July 2023, and a separate EUR 5 million envelope for one-off contributions for education and preservation of historical heritage. The Bonaire project fell under the one-off contribution track, under which DNB has previously allocated contributions to projects in Aruba, Curaçao, Saba, Suriname and the Netherlands.
De Nederlandsche Bank 2025-01-20
De Nederlandsche Bank ends Across The Isles cooperation on Bonaire’s Across the Seas project and puts planned one-off contribution on hold
De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) and Across The Isles (ATI) have ended their cooperation on the "Across the Seas" project in Bonaire, pausing a planned financial contribution. DNB still plans a one-off contribution to raise historical awareness of slavery's legacy, part of a broader initiative following its 2022 apology, which includes a EUR 5 million fund for local initiatives and another EUR 5 million for educational and heritage projects.