February 2012, Leiden
On February 21st over sixty Australian and Dutch heritage experts participated in the international heritage cooperation event organized by the CIE-Centre for International Heritage Activities in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Western Australian Museum. Participants drafted conclusions and recommendations for future heritage cooperation that will be presented to the Australian and Dutch involved Ministries to support the cultural heritage policies. Highlight of the day was the panel discussion on maritime heritage, with the emphasis on the possible discovery of the fifth VOC wreck off the coast of Western Australia. Moreover, experts agreed upon the inclusion of mercantile heritage as one of the main themes in the heritage cooperation. This underlined the importance of Dutch entrepreneurs in the economic development of Australia.
The Netherlands’ expansion and subsequent colonial rule left many traces behind: forts, churches, waterworks, sunken ships and even whole cities. The tangible and intangible cultural heritage resulting from the expansion and colonization process is collectively referred to as ‘Mutual Cultural Heritage’.
Mutual cultural heritage has become one of the focal points within the International Cultural Policy of the Netherlands Government. Within this policy heritage relationships with eight countries were formalized: Brazil, Ghana, India, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, Surinam, Sri Lanka and South Africa. However, mutual cultural heritage exist in many more countries. One of these countries is Australia, which shares strong historical ties, despite the fact that it does not have a formal bilateral heritage agreement.
The idea of the Australian-Dutch Heritage Day was initiated by the Australian and Dutch heritage fields, which asked for more coordination and cooperation in the field of mutual heritage. The Day was made possible with support from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and organized in collaboration with the CIE and the Western Australian Museum.
The full report of the Heritage Day will be published in the upcoming weeks. For more information, please find attached the program booklet (cover and content)
New opportunities for Dutch-Australian mutual heritage cooperation will be presented at the Australian Dutch Heritage Day
RECEPTION AND LAUNCH OF THE MUTUAL HERITAGE PLATFORM, 20 February 2012 & AUSTRALIA-DUTCH HERITAGE DAY, 21 February 2012
Looking ahead to the 400th anniversary in 2016 of Dirk Hartog’s arrival on the coast of Australia the Centre for International Heritage Activities (CIE), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Western Australian Museum, are organising the Australian-Dutch Heritage Day. The Heritage Day will take place on 21 February, at the Western Australian Maritime Museum in Fremantle. During the official opening reception in the evening of the 20th of February the Online Mutual Heritage Platform ‘Cultural Heritage Connections’ will be launched.
Heritage relations between the Netherlands and Australia go back more than 400 years. After the first expedition in 1606, several vessels from the Dutch East India Company (VOC) wrecked off the coast of Western Australia. In the recent decades four wrecks have been discovered dating back to the VOC period. In addition to maritime related heritage, migration of Dutch families after the Second World War led to strong ties between both countries.
During the formal Reception at the Shipwreck Galleries on the 20th of February, the Dutch-Australian Mutual Heritage Platform ‘Cultural Heritage Connections’ will be launched. The Australian related content in this platform is the direct result of an inventory conducted in the spring of 2011 by the CIE with support of the Netherlands Embassy in Canberra. It aims to give an overview of the heritage cooperation between the Netherlands and Australia, creates a better understanding of the possibilities and opportunities for future cooperation, promotes projects and presents new developments in the heritage field. Hundreds of projects, experts and organisations from the Dutch-Australian mutual heritage field can be found on the platform.
The Australian-Dutch Heritage Day, held on 21 February in Fremantle, will be a physical platform where knowledge, lessons learned and best practices can be shared. The general theme will be “Strengthening Australian-Dutch Mutual Heritage Relations”. Experts in the fields of maritime, mercantile, migration and militarymutual heritage will exchange their views and experiences through presentations and discussions.One of the main discussions will be on maritime heritage relations. Researchers will present recent findings on the possible discovery of more VOC ships that may have wrecked on their way from the Cape to Java.
During the Day participants will formulate conclusions and recommendations on Australian Dutch heritage cooperation that can be presented to the Australian and Dutch governments, in order to support cultural heritage policies.
Contact: Koosje Spitz, k.spitz@heritage-activities.nl
Pictures are the property of (from left to right): Aat Kievit, WAM, Aat Kievit and CIE
