Suriname celebrates 50 years of independence from the Netherlands
Suriname is celebrating 50 years of independence from the Netherlands, having gained freedom on November 25, 1975. Interim Prime Minister Dick Shaf is participating in the celebrations in the South American country.
In celebration of this occasion, King Willem-Alexander will inaugurate the Suriname Museum in Amsterdam and visit the exhibition Meet Su, Meet Us. The event will feature performances by Dutch-Surinamese artists, including Django Macroe, to celebrate the rich culture and history of the country.
Rotterdam, which has about 50,000 residents of Surinamese descent, is hosting several events. Over the weekend, the Sranan Poku festival was held at De Doelen, along with theatrical performances, markets, and live shows at the Fenix Museum, which will also open a special art exhibition on Suriname.
The exhibition features 50 figures connected to the history of Suriname and its ties to the Netherlands, showcasing arts, stories, and cultural contributions. On December 6, the Liberdade x Srefi conference will be held at Laurenskerk in Rotterdam to honor the liberation of Suriname alongside Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
Over the past fifty years, more than 250,000 Surinamese have moved to the Netherlands. Today, about 181,000 people born in Suriname live in the country, which is a large number considering that the population of Suriname is only 640,000.