On 1 July 2026, we commemorate and celebrate the actual abolition of Transatlantic slavery. Join us for a day of workshops, conversations and more.
Date: Wednesday, 1 July 2026 Time: Varies by activity Location: Bonnefanten Entrance: Free with a valid museum ticket.
Keti Koti in Bonnefanten
On 1 July, we mark Keti Koti: the commemoration and celebration of the actual abolition of Transatlantic slavery. At Bonnefanten, we honour this day with a programme that invites visitors to look, create and engage in conversation. Discover traces of colonial history in the Old Masters Collection, take part in a writing workshop on the lasting impact of the colonial past, or contribute to a collective artwork that brings stories from Limburg’s slavery history to light.
What is Keti Koti?
Keti Koti means “broken chains” in Sranantongo, a Creole language spoken in Suriname. On 1 July 1863, slavery was officially abolished in the former Dutch colonies. For enslaved people, however, this did not mean immediate freedom: it took another ten years before the system of forced labour finally came to an end. Keti Koti is both a day of remembrance and celebration, offering space to reflect on a history whose impact is still felt today.
Writing Workshop: Sites of Memory
How does colonial history continue to shape the present? And how can we make this past visible and tangible?
These questions form the starting point of a writing workshop organised by theatre organisation Sites of Memory. Stories and images connected to people from Limburg’s colonial and slavery past serve as inspiration for participants to create their own texts. Guided by poet Jörgen Gario and visual artist Judith Westerveld, you will explore what this history means to you.
With your permission, the texts created during the workshop will become part of a public installation along the Maas near Bonnefanten. In October 2026, the installation will be featured in Space of Becoming, a performance presented during the Nederlandse Dansdagen (Dutch Dance Days).
Time: 11:30 & 14:00 (duration: 1.5 hours) Location: Corridor, second floor Admission: Free with a valid museum ticket. Registration is required; places are limited.
Guided Tour: Colonial Traces in the Old Masters Collection (Dutch)
What stories do artworks from the past tell? And which stories often remain invisible? During the guided tour Colonial Traces in the Old Masters Collection, you will uncover traces of power, trade and representation, and look at works from the Bonnefanten collection through a new lens.
Time: 13:00 & 15:30 Location: Corridor, first floor Admission: Free with a valid museum ticket. Registration is not required.
Embroidery Workshop: Threads of Our Dutch Slavery Past
Limburg is creating its own tapestry as part of the national project Draden van ons Nederlandse slavernijverleden (Threads of Our Dutch Slavery Past), and you can help bring it to life. At Bonnefanten, you are invited to pick up a needle and thread and contribute to sections of the tapestry. In doing so, you become part of a collective artwork that visualises and passes on stories from the Dutch slavery past.
Time: 12:00–16:00 Location: Corridor, first floor, Bonnefanten Admission: Free with a valid museum ticket. Registration is not required.
Celebration with Stichting Sankofa
Stichting Sankofa, a partner of Bonnefanten during previous Keti Koti editions from 2023 through 2025, is organising a Keti Koti celebration this year on the lawn in front of Lumière Cinema. With a diverse programme for all ages, Stichting Sankofa brings people together to commemorate and celebrate Keti Koti. Everyone is warmly invited to join.