{"id":98746,"date":"2025-09-26T10:36:17","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T08:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/?p=98746"},"modified":"2025-09-26T10:36:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T08:36:19","slug":"nederland-geeft-dubois-collectie-terug-aan-indonesie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/09\/nederland-geeft-dubois-collectie-terug-aan-indonesie\/","title":{"rendered":"Netherlands returns Dubois collection to Indonesia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>The Netherlands is transferring over 28,000 fossils from the Dubois collection at the request of Indonesia.  Today, Minister Moes (Education, Culture and Science) handed over a letter to Indonesian Minister Fadli Zon (Culture) announcing this decision. The collection is now managed by Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minister Gouke Moes has decided on the return based on the advice of the independent Colonial Collections Committee. This collection is an important resource in the study of human evolution. Important pieces from the Dubois collection include a skull cap, a molar and a femur attributed to Homo erectus, a humanoid that is a link between the ape and man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Minister Gouke Moes: <em>\"The Commission's opinion is based on extensive and careful research. We will work with Naturalis and the Indonesian partners with the same care to ensure the transfer is done properly. Indonesia and the Netherlands consider it important that scientific research continues with this collection.''<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Marcel Beukeboom, managing director Naturalis: <em>\"The sound advice has provided new legal insights, making restitution the right choice. We look forward to continuing our research cooperation with Indonesian scientists unabated.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Unconditional restitution<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The fossils were excavated in Indonesia in the late 19th century by Dutch scientist Eug\u00e8ne Dubois. The Colonial Collections Committee ruled that the research shows that the Dubois collection never became the property of the Netherlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, the Commission considers that the circumstances under which the fossils were obtained make it plausible that they were removed against the will of the population and the population was wronged as a result. Fossils were of spiritual and economic significance to the local population, and coercion was used to designate deposits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Commission therefore recommends unconditional restitution of the Dubois collection to Indonesia. This is the sixth time the Netherlands has made a return based on the Commission's opinions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Great scientific value<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Dubois collection is of great value for scientific research. Naturalis Biodiversity Centre and Indonesian scientists have worked intensively together in research on the Dubois collection for decades. This return is a new chapter in the history of the collection and another step in the strong cultural and scientific cooperation between Indonesia and the Netherlands.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nederland draagt op verzoek van Indonesi\u00eb ruim 28.000 fossielen van de Dubois-collectie over. \u00a0Vandaag heeft minister Moes (Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) een brief overhandigd aan de Indonesische minister Fadli Zon (Cultuur) waarin dit besluit is aangekondigd. De collectie wordt nu beheerd door Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden. Minister Gouke Moes heeft besloten tot de teruggave [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":65060,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"activitypub_content_warning":"","activitypub_content_visibility":"","activitypub_max_image_attachments":3,"activitypub_interaction_policy_quote":"anyone","activitypub_status":"federated","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[15614,10340,11917],"tags":[5238,9041,15956],"class_list":["post-98746","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beleid","category-erfgoed","category-persberichten","tag-archeologie","tag-ministerie-van-ocw","tag-ministerie-van-onderwijs-en-wetenschappen"],"views":437,"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":98612,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/09\/museum-panorama-mesdag-wordt-rijksmuseum-uniek-erfgoed-behouden\/","url_meta":{"origin":98746,"position":0},"title":"Museum Panorama Mesdag becomes state museum: unique heritage preserved","author":"een van onze leden","date":"19 September 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Museum Panorama Mesdag, with its famous panoramic painting of Scheveningen, will be a state museum from 1 January 2026. Minister Moes (Education, Culture and Science) announced this today. The museum is in dire financial straits. The descendants of Hendrik Willem Mesdag and Sientje Mesdag-van Houten have therefore decided to sell the collection and...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Panorama_mesdag_binnen.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Panorama_mesdag_binnen.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Panorama_mesdag_binnen.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Panorama_mesdag_binnen.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":95297,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2024\/09\/opnieuw-culturele-objecten-terug-naar-herkomstland-indonesie\/","url_meta":{"origin":98746,"position":1},"title":"Cultural objects returned to country of origin Indonesia again","author":"een van onze leden","date":"20 September 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"The Netherlands is returning 288 objects from the National Collection at the request of Indonesia. During the colonial period, these objects, of cultural significance for Indonesia, were wrongfully taken to the Netherlands.Minister Eppo Bruins (OCW) has decided on the return. In doing so, he is following advice from the Colonial Collections Committee chaired by...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Logo van het ministerie van OCW","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":99442,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/11\/minister-gouke-moes-bezoekt-bonaire\/","url_meta":{"origin":98746,"position":2},"title":"Minister Gouke Moes visits Bonaire","author":"een van onze leden","date":"3 November 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Minister Gouke Moes (Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) bezoekt Bonaire van 4 tot en met 6 november 2025. Dit bezoek staat in het teken van het Ministerieel Vierlandenoverleg OCW (M4LO) en biedt ruimte voor kennismaking met het Caribisch deel van het Koninkrijk.Op dinsdagavond 4 november wordt minister Moes ontvangen door gezaghebber\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Logo van het ministerie van OCW","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Logo_ministerie_OCW.svg_.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":98631,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/09\/raad-voor-cultuur-openbaart-vertrouwelijk-advies-panorama-mesdag\/","url_meta":{"origin":98746,"position":3},"title":"Culture Council reveals confidential advice Panorama Mesdag","author":"een van onze leden","date":"22 September 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"News release | 22-09-2025 | 11:55 On Friday 19 September, Museum Panorama Mesdag transferred its collection and building to the State of the Netherlands. The museum has now been given a statutory duty to manage the collection and building and keep them accessible to the public. To carry out this task, from 2026 the","rel":"","context":"In &quot;ACTUEEL&quot;","block_context":{"text":"ACTUEEL","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/nieuws\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":96699,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2025\/03\/minister-bruins-wil-bijzondere-middeleeuwse-ring-in-nederland-houden\/","url_meta":{"origin":98746,"position":4},"title":"Minister Bruins wants to keep special medieval ring in the Netherlands","author":"een van onze leden","date":"6 March 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Minister Bruins (Education, Culture and Science) wants to prevent a gold medieval ring from being sold abroad. He has started the process to preserve the ring for the Netherlands, following a request to transport it for sale abroad. The minister has decided that the object in...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eb91f986-a666-7728-cf2f-36bac09b617a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eb91f986-a666-7728-cf2f-36bac09b617a.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eb91f986-a666-7728-cf2f-36bac09b617a.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eb91f986-a666-7728-cf2f-36bac09b617a.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eb91f986-a666-7728-cf2f-36bac09b617a.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eb91f986-a666-7728-cf2f-36bac09b617a.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100371,"url":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/2026\/01\/wetgevingsoverleg-cultuur-was-bruikbaar-podium-voor-trumpistische-kamerfracties\/","url_meta":{"origin":98746,"position":5},"title":"Culture legislative consultation was useful stage for Trumpist House factions","author":"Wijbrand Schaap","date":"19 January 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"\u2018I was brought up with the 1951 translation of the Bible, but also glad that since then translations have appeared in which new words have been found.\u2019 Thus Gouke Moes, double-deputy minister of OCW. With this interesting formulation, he responded during the Culture legislative consultation to the question of PVV MP Bosma, who wanted to know what Moes...","rel":"","context":"In &quot;beleid&quot;","block_context":{"text":"beleid","link":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/genre\/beleid\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Schermafdruk-van-2026-01-19-11-02-33.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Schermafdruk-van-2026-01-19-11-02-33.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Schermafdruk-van-2026-01-19-11-02-33.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3yKke-pGG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98746","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98746"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98746\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":98747,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98746\/revisions\/98747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cultureelpersbureau.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}