Over the centuries, the Netherlands have developed close ties with many countries through trade and colonialism. Shared cultural heritage has evolved in the Netherlands and in these countries.. Many collections in GLAM institutions in the Netherlands and these countries show this shared past and the way cultures influenced each other. Recent donations in the Netherlands from GLAM institutions show the content available in Dutch collections:
African Studies Center, Leiden University, donated 756 images made by Roel Coutinho, a Dutch MD working in Guinea-Bissau and Senegal between 1973 and 1974. The images show aspects of daily life such as food preparation, festivities and school and hospital buildings, among other things.
The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies and Leiden University Library donated 3114 imagesto Wikimedia Commons as a follow-up to an earlier donation containing 2400+ images. The new donation contains photos, lithos, drawings, watercolours showing people, landscapes, plantations, plants and butterflies from countries such as Suriname, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan and Singapore.
The National Museum of World Cultures donated a collection of 720 images to Wikimedia Commons. This donation consists of photos of objects from the museum's collection, and of photos taken during Dutch scientific and military expeditions in Suriname and the Dutch East Indies.
With the project “The Netherlands and the world” Wikimedia Nederland wants to increase free access to knowledge about such shared cultural heritage. And we want to stimulate active participation of GLAM partners and the Wikmedia community, both in the Netherlands and in other countries. We want to develop partnerships and activities, with Wikipedians and Wikimedians worldwide and with institututions that want to share and connect relevant collections.
The project is in the start-up phase. We are open to all ideas about activities , about how the project should be designed or which contacts/ partners are indispensable for this project. If you, your organisation, your chapter, thematic organisation or user group is interested in taking part, please let us know.
There is a project page on the Wiki of Wikimedia Nederland.
For more information about the project: contact project coordinator Elisabeth Wiessner wiessner@wikimedia.nl
Or talk to me or my colleague Arne Wossink at Wikimania!