Dear reader,
This is a renewed edition
of our quarterly newsletter – now with a broader and more in-depth look at our
international work.
From now on, you
will not only read about the latest updates from the International Heritage
Cooperation programme, but also updates and highlights from all international
activities of the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands (Rijksdienst voor
het Cultureel Erfgoed | RCE).
We look forward to
sharing these developments with your – and as always, your questions or
suggestions are most welcome.
Enjoy the read! |
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| | | Partner countries within the International Heritage Cooperation Programme. Image: © RCE |
| | A new policy framework on International Heritage Cooperation for the
period 2025-2028 has recently been approved. This means the RCE will continue
its fruitful cooperation with the global heritage community. As before, we will
build networks of heritage professionals, share knowledge on global challenges
and join forces on local issues. Shared challenges include climate adaption and
water challenges, restitution of colonial artefacts, and the management of
historic shipwrecks across the world’s seas.
This period, we will focus more on an integral approach, connecting
diverse heritage domains: archaeology, monuments, landscapes, artefacts,
archives and intangible heritage. Where appropriate we will favor a holistic
approach, relating the cultural domains to social, economic and environmental issues.
Thus following the Historic Urban Landscape approach as adopted by UNESCO’s
States Parties.
For this reason we distinguish three perspectives. The first views
heritage as a source of historical knowledge. The second is about heritage as
an expression of identity. The third sees after deploying heritage in
addressing current challenges, such as inner-city development.
To foster these connections, we will share updates with other RCE
colleagues working on other international programmes and projects through this
newsletter. We look forward to meet old colleagues anew and new colleagues
afresh! |
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| | | | Attention scholars, researchers and professionals! Do you want access to cutting-edge instrumentation, scientific expertise, and unique collections offered by the E-RIHS ERIC platforms? We are pleased to announce the opening of the 1st Call for Access to the services of E-RIHS ERIC. This includes access to MOLAB (in situ, non-invasive analysis using portable equipment), FIXLAB (large-scale, stationary analytical facilities), ARCHLAB (curated scientific archives and sample collections) and DIGILAB (digital tools).
Visit the e-rihs.eu website for application guidelines, eligibility criteria, and detailed descriptions of available services in the Catalogue of Services. Submission Deadline is 30 September 2025. Projects will be selected based on scientific excellence. | |
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| | | Image: © RCE, MSDS Marine and Historic England |
| | On July 3 and 4 2025, the RCE, together with MSDS
Marine and Historic England, conducted two monitoring dives on the Rooswijk wreck.
This Dutch East India Company ship sank on the Goodwin Sands, off the English
coast, on the night of 10 January 1740. All crew members perished.
Earlier excavations were carried out in 2017 and
2018. The monitoring dives in July of this year focused on a portion of the
wreck, which is spread over a large area. Regular multibeam sonar recordings of
the wreck monitor its condition. Recent dives revealed that the stern was damaged
by fishing nets, causing significant harm to the iron cargo, galley, and the
large anchors found earlier - one of which broke. A new, higher-resolution
sonar image should provide an even better idea of the extent of the damage, as
underwater visibility was limited to 50 cm.
These monitoring dives are part of ongoing conservation efforts by the RCE and Historic England to protect the Rooswijk wreck. New plans will be developed based on the latest findings, showing the Rooswijk isn’t ready to be forgotten.
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| | | Image: © Heritage Research Hub |
| | What are the urgent needs of heritage
institutions facing contemporary challenges like climate change? How can
research address these knowledge gaps? Which (financial) opportunities lie ahead? Join us on 11–12 September 2025 in Brussels or
online for the ARCHE final event.
Over the past three years, ARCHE (Alliance
for Research on Cultural Heritage in Europe), an EU-funded Horizon project, has
united 24 partners from 18 countries to develop a strategic, pan-European
framework for research and innovation in cultural heritage. Through workshops,
landscape and foresight analyses, and interdisciplinary expert groups, ARCHE
has developed a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and laid the foundation
for the upcoming European Partnership for Resilient Cultural Heritage (RCH).
The final event in Brussels — and online —
features two days of keynotes, roundtables and interactive sessions including
the presentation of ARCHE’s key results. For those who participate live in
Brussels, the RCE will host one of the breakout sessions: a serious game, addressing
heritage loss in times of climate crisis. | |
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| | | Image: © Colonial Collections Consortium |
| | Many museums and institutions across Europe are custodians of objects and collections originating from colonial contexts. As professionals managing these collections, and recognizing our shared responsibility in addressing historical injustices, how can we best fulfill this role? What can we learn from each other’s experiences?
The Colonial Collections Consortium in the Netherlands warmly invites museum and collection professionals across Europe to participate in The European Working Conference on Collections from Colonial Contexts. The conference takes place from 23 to 25 September in Amersfoort and Leiden, The Netherlands.
This three-day conference is a unique opportunity for museum professionals and collection managers working with colonial collections to connect, share experiences, and exchange practical knowledge. The event aims to foster ongoing dialogue and collaboration, helping build a sustainable network of professionals committed to transparent, responsible stewardship. The RCE is partner in the Colonial Collections Consortium. | |
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| | | | | From 20 October to 12 November, the RCE will lead a specialized training on maritime heritage management in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This training is designed for current and future professionals from the Caribbean Netherlands and Suriname, committed to sustainably managing maritime heritage in the region in the years ahead. The training covers all aspects of maritime heritage management, combining theoretical sessions on land with practical underwater exercises on the SS Pedernales (+1942) (+1942), a British oil tanker sunk near Aruba during World War II.
Our local partner for this initiative is the
Museo Arqueológico Nacional Aruba (MANA). This collaboration aims to enhance
regional expertise and strengthen practical skills for maritime heritage
preservation. By bridging theory and practice, the training seeks to
significantly improve maritime heritage management across the Caribbean,
ensuring this rich history is safeguarded for future generations. | |
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| | | Depot of the MANN as explored in 2022 by the joint Italian-Dutch team. Image: © Silvia Naldini |
| | The museum depot is gaining international recognition as more than just
storage for valuable museum collections. Gradually we become aware of its
function in curating and researching the very same collection. In addition it
can play a role in connecting the museum’s collection to the general public and
local communities. A leading example is the Depot of the Boijmans van Beuningen
in Rotterdam.
Within the International Heritage Cooperation Programme the RCE combines
Dutch and Italian experiences on the subject. In 2022, the RCE, Museo
Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli (MANN) and Delft University of Technology,
organized a workshop that revealed the museum depot’s potential as a catalyst
for urban regeneration.
Building on the outcomes of this workshop and expert input from both
countries, a follow-up study was conducted. The results have just been
published in the book ‘Deposito nel Museo o Museo nel
Deposito. L’Esperienza olandese e la Progettazione in Italia’, by Silvia
Naldini and Marco Agliata. The publication focuses on innovations in museums
and depots in the Netherlands and provides a solid basis for Italian-Dutch
collaboration, including further exploration on the ground, likely in Naples. | |
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| | | | It is 9 January 1970: the ship De Rooswijk departs for Batavia. After a
day of sailing, the ship is caught in a heavy storm and runs aground on a
sandbank off the coast of England. The Rooswijk sinks with all hands. More than
two and a half centuries later, the wreck is found on the bottom of the North
Sea and it turns out that there was a lot of silver on board: thirty crates of
silver bars, silver coins and illegal silver that was smuggled along.
After
its discovery, the ship was investigated by the RCE and Historic England, the English counterpart of the RCE. More than
3,000 artifacts were recovered. Some of this silver is now in the De Nieuwe
Schatkamer museum of De Nederlandsche Bank in Amsterdam. In a new podcast
series, they delve into the history of that silver on board De Rooswijk. | |
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| | | | The International Heritage Cooperation programme of the Cultural Heritage Agency of
the Netherlands follows from the International Cultural Policy
Framework 2021-2024 of the Dutch government. Other organisations executing the
national International Heritage Cooperation programme are DutchCulture, the
National Archives of the Netherlands, KIEN and the Embassies of the Netherlands
in the partner countries. For more information on their activities, see their
respective websites.
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.jpeg?v=20250714111845 "Rooswijk")
