Municipality of Leiden apologises for role in slavery and announces further research
On 2 December, the Municipality of Leiden will apologise for the role previous administrations played in colonialism and slavery. Mayor Peter Heijkoop will offer the apology in response to a preliminary study by historians from Leiden University. A further study will be carried out.
At a special ceremony in the city hall, Mayor Heijkoop will apologise on behalf of the municipality. Other Dutch cities such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Delft have already offered apologies for their role in colonialism and slavery.
The ceremony on 2 December will take place from 20.00 to 21.30. To watch the live stream please email to excuses@leiden.nl
Research on the city and university
Leiden historians spent a year researching the city and the university’s colonial past and role in slavery. The team led by Alicia Schrikker and Ariadne Schmidt and consisted of historians Ligia Giay, Sjoerd Ramackers and Emma Sow. The preliminary research comprised two studies: one on the role of the municipality and one on the role of the university. The conclusions presented in April this year were that, from the 17th century, city governors and other influential citizens had close ties with the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and the Dutch West India Company (WIC), the organisations that played a key role in colonialism and the slave trade.
Confronting
The second preliminary study showed that, with its research and teaching, Leiden University also contributed for a longer period to colonialism and therefore also to slavery. In the report, the researchers described how the university’s governors, scholars and students were active in colonial networks. The university trained theologians, lawyers, physicians, linguists and civil servants who worked in the colonies after graduating. Some scholars and alumni owned plantations where enslaved people worked, and scholars and students had interests in the VOC and WIC. During the presentation of the preliminary research, the Executive Board described the report as ‘confronting but essential’. The university can only reflect on this history by examining its own role, said the Board.
Further research
The Municipality of Leiden has announced a further study that will be carried out by Emma Sow and Sjoerd Ramackers and supervised by Alicia Schrikker, Judi Mesman and Ariadne Schmidt. At the start of 2026, the current Executive Board will announce what steps the university will take following the preliminary study. The Faculty of Medicine and Leiden University Library are currently examining their own collections.