NWA research award for project
We all talk about the same things, but we have not yet agreed
what it is we are talking about.
Lionel Robbin (1932)
Project:
Whose Law?
Addressing injustices in the entangled histories of Sri Lanka and the Netherlands and advancing the practices of provenance research
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) in the Netherlands has recently (July 2024) awarded funding for a NWA project to be led by Professor Naazima Kamardeen of the Law faculty, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. This NWA project is a part of the research into collections with a (Dutch) colonial context. The Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation, the Netherlands is a partner in this project.
The project implementation is planned to start in the 4th quarter of 2024.
The consortium partners of the project will include amongst others Professor Wouter Veraart (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) and Professor Nirmal Dewasiri (Department of History, Colombo University), Professor Wayne Modest (Wereld Museum, Leiden) and Dilip Tambyrajah (Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation, The Netherlands).
The project will focus on the following themes:
(a) historical injustices (justice and legality) that emerged in the historical entanglement of the United Provinces and then Ceylon in general and specifically in relation to colonial cultural artefacts. The research will explore alternative viewpoints at various periods of time in relation to colonial cultural artefacts;
(b) to advance provenance research methodology, specifically for (policy) decision making related to collections of cultural objects with a colonial context currently in the Dutch public museums;
(c) digitization of cultural artefacts with a colonial context;
(d) exploring the potential of transdisciplinary approaches in advancing the understanding of the Dutch colonial period of Sri Lanka thereby making a start towards increasing the historical awareness in Sri Lanka and also in the Netherlands. The cultural artefacts with a colonial context will be the foundation to encourage transdisciplinary cooperation and stimulating public awareness.
The project consortium partners will encourage, support and follow an inclusive process thereby obtaining inputs and insights from a broader public.
More information will be posted on this website as the project makes progress.
Exhibition Humboldt Forum
Berlin
Exhibition: March 2024 to January 2025
Loot – 10 stories was a fascinating exhibition organized from
14 September 2023 until 7 January 2024 by Mauritshuis, The Hague. This exhibition is now at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, Germany from 22 March 2024 to 26 January 2025
In addition to viewing the objects in various forms the exhibition is an attempt to encourage the visitors to reflect upon the complications on assessing what may be looted cultural objects. Or simply enjoy and experience the objects also in Virtual Reality.
For more information please see the Humboldt Forum website.
Past event
Symposium: 16 and 17 November 2023
Complimenting the exhibition, Loot-10 Stories, The Mauritshuis organized a symposium on Looted artefacts on 16th and 17th November. The focus was on the three periods addressed in the exhibition: Colonial looted art, Nazi looted art, and Napoleonic looted art.
On the 1st day there was a short lectures from academics, policy makers, and stakeholders. To be followed by Q&A sessions. After the sessions, the participants can visit the exhibition.
The key objective of the 2nd day was to engage in a constructive and future-oriented dialogue with all participants. Through breakout sessions, topics such as collaborating with communities, technological solutions, and the decolonization of museum collections was addressed.
On the 2nd day, 17 November, Dilip Tambyrajah of the Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation, along with Alicia Schrikker, Leiden University will moderate a session on Provenance Research and International Cooperation related to Colonial Collections of the state.
The event was well attended, consisting of a wide range of participants, and during the sessions various topics were discussed. The Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation will continue the discussions initiated at Mauritshuis and contributute towards practical action and providing inputs toward policy development related objects with a colonial context.
Look forward to meeting you at the next event of The Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundadtion!
Event Completed :
Web Seminar on Wednesday 24 May 2023
| To Give or Not to Give it Back to Sri Lanka Considerations, Concerns and Actions regarding the artefacts of colonial period on Wednesday 24 May 2023, 12:30 to 14:30 hrs Netherlands and 16:00-18:00 hrs Sri Lanka time. To commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation of the Netherlands and the LDE Centre for Global Heritage and Development, Leiden University has and will organise web seminars delving into different aspects of Dutch-Sri Lankan collaboration in the fields of research such as Heritage, Cultural Artefacts, Conflict & Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation and similar themes. The present seminar will address issues related to restitution of artefacts of the colonial period. The demands for the restitution or return of cultural artefacts to their country of origin is surrounded by lots of controversy. However, there is potential for mutual learning, understanding the historical context and the significance, meaning and value of cultural artefacts of the colonial period. This seminar is about the Colonial Collections of Sri Lanka in the museums of the Netherlands. The speakers will provide an update on the state of affairs of restitution activities in the Netherlands and the general sentiments in Sri Lanka; touch on the (lack of or limited) provenance research and documentation of some these cultural artefacts. The processual concerns with regards to restitution and return. Finally the discussions will focus on the considerations and concerns that may be, or need to be, addressed so progress and actions are encouraged in enabling the potential restitution/return of the cultural artefacts. We have top speakers dealing with the highly debated topic of restitution of colonial artefacts. There will be 1 expert from Sri Lanka and 1 from the Netherlands. The session will be moderated by Her Excellency Ms. Mr. Drs. Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Thank your for participating. |
 | Moderator : Her Excellency Ms. Mr. Drs. Bonnie Horbach Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. __________________________________ Professor Naazima Kamardeen Professor in Commercial Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo Stuck in the pipeline: The complicated process of restitution of colonial cultural Property from Netherlands to Sri Lanka _________________________________ Dr. Evelien Campfens A cultural heritage law specialist and post-doc fellow at the Research Group ‘Museums Collections and Society’. Title to be announced ___________________________________ Reflections, Discussions and Recommendations |
Event completed
Event completed
Web Seminar
Perspectives on Post-War Sri Lanka
Thursday 16 February 2023
15:00 – 17:00 NL time
19:30 – 21:30 SL time
Event complete virtual (ZOOM) seminar ‘Perspectives on Post-War Sri Lanka’ on Thursday 16 February 2023, 15:00 to 17:00 hrs Netherlands and 19:30-21:30 hrs Sri Lanka time. To commemorated 70 years of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the Netherlands Sri Lanka Foundation of the Netherlands has and will organise web seminars delving into different aspects of Dutch-Sri Lankan collaboration in the fields of research such as Heritage, Cultural Artefacts, Conflict & Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation and similar themes. The present seminar will address issues related to Post-War Sri Lanka. We have 4 top speakers knowledgeable in matters concerning Sri Lanka and on issues related to the important topic of concern of this seminar. Please see below the list of speakers and the attached PDF document for a synopsis and Bio of each speaker. |
| We have 4 top speakers knowledgeable in matters concerning Sri Lanka and on issues related to the important topic of concern of this seminar. Please see below the list of speakers For a synopsis and Bio of each speaker CLICK HERE |
| Governance during Armed Conflict: Theoretical & empirical reflections on prominent conflict dynamics in Sri Lanka | Dr. Niels Terpstra Assistant Professor in Conflict Studies Centre for International Conflict Analysis and Management, Radboud University, Netherlands |
| Violence against women in post-war Sri Lanka | Dr. Shyamika Jayasundara-Smits Assistant Professor in Conflict and Peace Studies International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) Erasmus University Rotterdam |
| Sri Lanka’s Failed Reconciliation: Actors, Issues and Complexities | Professor S.I. Keethaponcalan Professor of Conflict resolution, Salisbury University, Maryland Former Professor of Political Science, University of Colombo |
| The Rajapaksa regnum: Form populism to authoritarianism | Professor Nira Wickramasinghe Chair & Professor of Modern South Asian Studies Leiden University |
| Moderator : Professor (Emeritus) Georg Frerks Professor Emeritus of Conflict Prevention and Conflict Management, Utrecht University Professor Emeritus of International Security Studies, Netherlands Defence Academy | |
| Thanks for participating on 16 February 2023 |
| Event completed (Web Seminar): “Exploring Heritage, Sri Lanka – Netherlands Relation” |
Thursday 20 October 2022
To commemorate 70 years of diplomatic relations between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka, the LDE Centre for Global Heritage and Development and the Netherlands the Sri Lanka Foundation of the Netherlands have organised a web seminar delving into different aspects of Dutch-Sri Lankan collaboration in the fields of research and heritage.
The audience will be welcomed by Her Excellency Ms. Dr. Bonnie Horbach, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and Her Excellency Mrs. Aruni Ranaraja, Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
During the web seminar, renowned scholars from the Netherlands and Sri Lanka will offer the audience a unique opportunity to look at the outstanding and multifaceted Sri Lankan heritage from different perspectives.
Following the talks, the seminar attendees will also be able to interact with the speakers and ask questions.
Lists of speakers (in alphabetical order):
What did the Dutch do in Sri Lanka?
Some observations on two facets of Dutch Administration in Sri Lanka.
The talk will be about Water systems in Sri Lanka (title tentative)
Colonial Cultural Property: Reconciliation Through Conflict?
Promoting cultural heritage through film and tourism: Reflections on Sri Lanka
Prof. (Dr). D.A.C. Suranga Silva
The importance of heritage for inclusive and sustainable tourism development
Collecting, right or wrong
The event is free and proudly supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Sri Lanka.
For a more details of the talks and speakers please click here
Banners of the Exhibition: Dutch Forts in Sri Lanka
We are pleased to present a collection of banners which were used for an exhibition on Dutch Forts in Sri Lanka.
To view the banners on the general description of the forts please click here.
To view the banners on the Batticaloa fort please click here
To view the banners on the Colombo fort please click here
To view the banners on the Galle fort please click here
To view the banners on the Jaffna fort please click here
To view the banners on the Mannar fort please click here
To view the banners on the Matara fort please click here
To view the banners on the Trincomalee fort please click here
Dutch Forts in Sri Lanka (click here for more information)
The banner exhibition ‘Dutch Forts in Sri Lanka’ has been developed in cooperation with the Department of Archaeology of Sri Lanka, the Galle Heritage Foundation and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Colombo, with the support of the Foundation Netherlands-Sri Lanka, The Hague, and the Foundation Documentation Monuments VOC, Amsterdam. Author and compiler: Lodewijk Wagenaar, Amsterdam.
The official opening of the exhibition by Her Excellency Tanja Gonggrijp, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka will on Tuesday 22 March 2022. The opening venue will be the Jaffna Fort.
Newsletter
Our news items and events are shared every six months through our newsletter. If you would like to be included in the mailinglist, please send an e-mail to: info@stichtingnederlandsrilanka.nl, or news@stichtingnederlandsrilanka.nl
Items
Introduction to the Newsletter: Ideas of Slavery
In the introduction to the latest newsletter (June-July 2021), board member Dilip Tambyrajah reflects on our collective understanding of slavery, both within and outside of the Sri Lankan context, and introduces the newest items on our website regarding this subject. (1 July 2021)
Slavery in Pre-colonial Sri Lanka; What the literature reveals
Georg Frerks, board member of Stichting Nederland-Sri Lanka and professor emeritus of the Centre for Conflict Studies, Utrecht University, scoured the literature in an effort to piece together the little known history of slavery in Sri Lanka in pre-colonial times. (1 July, 2021)
A new light on a Sri Lankan made betel box
In this article, Young Ambassador Doreen van de Boogaart reflects on what a Sri Lankan betel box could tell us about the lives of the enslaved in the early modern Indian Ocean World. (1 July, 2021)
Tracing bonded lives: Stories of enslaved individuals from the archive
Kate Ekama from Stellenbosch University has devoted several years of research into the lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked in eighteenth-century Colombo. In this piece she reflects on some of her findings and what they tell us about the history of slavery in Sri Lanka and the Dutch colonial empire. (29 June, 2021)
Galle: A Heritage city under threat – Interview with dr. Uditha Jinadasa
In this interview with dr. Uditha Jinadasa, she explains how Galle Fort was changed significantly since it’s appointment as a UNESCO Heritage site, and reflects on how we should deal with historical architecture in general. (17 December 2020)
A Footnote in History: the life of Willem de Melho
Young ambassador Bente de Leede writes the story of a young man who travelled from Sri Lanka to the Netherlands some 250 years ago to study theology. He would never make the journey back home. (17 December 2020)
Invented Heritage: The Last Sri Lankan King’s Prison Cell in Colombo
In this article, archeologist Chryshane Mendis explores a case of invented heritage in Colombo: the prison cell in which king Sri Wickrama Rajasingha was supposedly kept after being captured by the British in 1815. (23 November 2020)
New Research Project: ‘Towards a Virtual Slave Island’ 
An exciting new research project on the historical heritage of the Colombo neighbourhood ‘Slave Island’ has recently kicked off, funded by Dutchculture’s Shared Cultural Hertiage grant. You can read all about here. (05 June 2020)
After a long time the Netherlands Sri Lanka foundation revives its newsletter, which is expected to be launched soon. Our Young Ambassadors are working hard to make this a quarterly appearance. Contact us if you wish to be included in the mailing list. (02 June 2020)
Questioning Heritage – Interview with dr. Jos van Beurden
Six months after the ‘Who Owns Heritage?’ session organised by our foundation, dr. Jos van Beurden agreed to speak with us about his views on the restitution of art and other objects during period of colonial rule. (30 May 2020)
An Urban Buddhist Tempe in Times of Covid, by Deborah de Koning
In this article Deborah de Koning, one of our Young Ambassadors and a PhD candidate at Tilburg University, reflects on the current state of Hinduist and Buddhist processions during the Covid-19 pandemic. (29 May 2020)