2018 Heritage Day in the Netherlands: In Europe
2018 Heritage Day in the Netherlands: In Europe
The Netherlands has just closed its European Heritage Days weekend, providing thousands of memorable experiences all across the country.
On 8 and 9 September 2018, the citizens had an opportunity to take part in the country’s 32nd annual heritage celebrations - BankGiro Loterij Heritage Day. The theme of this year’s events was In Europe, corresponding to the common theme of European Heritage Days and European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018.
European dimensions
This year's Heritage Day in the Netherlands took a closer look at what connects Europe on a cultural level. During the weekend, visitors could explore European aspects of our cultural heritage such as international architectural movements, comparable and distinct building techniques, mutual inspiration in applied arts, exchanges of knowledge and expertise, as well as the context in which historical monuments were built and used.
The events presented Europe as a colourful patchwork of people, countries, languages, and religions unique in its diversity, yet having so much in common when it comes to heritage.
Open Historical Monuments
The In Europe theme incorporated a wide range of buildings that opened on Heritage Day to the general public – from town halls, commercial buildings, country houses, and estates to churches, forts, shipyards, and water works such as drainage windmills and pumping stations.
However, since European heritage is not just about material heritage and is mostly intangible, a great number of events was dedicated to stories, traditions, craftsmanship, as well as music and literature, all of which play a role in this unique edition of Heritage Day. European dimensions of cultural heritage were examined in all kinds of ways and European stories are told.
National opening in The Hague
This year, Heritage Day weekend was officially launched on the preceding Thursday in The Hague. The home of embassies, the International Court of Justice, and the Dutch government, the city was the perfect place to start off this international edition Heritage Day. The official opening speech was made by Marietje Schaake, D66 member of the European Parliament.
Local committees
In the Netherlands, Heritage Day is run by around 300 local committees each organising their own local programmes. The committees are supported and stimulated by the national Heritage Day project office, a department of the Nederland Monumentenland foundation. On Heritage Day weekend as many as 5,000 historical monuments attract around a million visitors.
Heritage Class Day and Heritage Day Specials
Within the celebratory weekend, primary schools traditionally organise Heritage Class Day that includes guided tours for groups of schoolchildren at various historical monuments with accompanying teaching materials. Many schools take part on the Friday before Heritage Day, while others organise a separate Class Day on another day in the year. Another activity connected to heritage celebrations is the Heritage Day Special, which can also be organised at other times of the year as a local or regional Heritage Day with a specific theme. This year, six Heritage Day Specials in the Netherlands will be taking place on different dates.
About BankGiro Loterij
In 2018, BankGiro Loterij was the chief sponsor of Heritage Day in the Netherlands for the third year in succession. BankGiro Loterij contributes by encouraging the general public to discover and experience the nation’s historical monuments.
Information about open historical monuments and activities on Dutch Heritage Day weekend is available in Dutch at www.openmonumentendag.nl