Amsterdam is hosting a wide array of public events, parades, and commemorative gatherings on July 1, 2026, to mark the 163rd anniversary of the abolition of slavery during the annual Keti Koti celebration, as reported by NH Nieuws.
Activities began with a Freedom Breakfast for 1,500 registered participants at the Stopera.
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The event featured musical performances, traditional Angisa folding workshops for children, and space for writing freedom messages.
Following the breakfast, the traditional Bigi Spikri parade commenced from the Stopera courtyard after an indigenous community prayer.
Participants dressed in colorful Surinamese and Caribbean attire marched toward Oosterpark.
National Commemoration and Citywide Festivities
The national commemoration ceremony in Oosterpark, organized under the 2026 theme 'Schouder aan Schouder' (Shoulder to Shoulder), includes multiple speakers and wreath-laying ceremonies to honor slavery victims from Suriname and the Caribbean islands.
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Simultaneous celebrations are taking place across the city.
A festival with five stages is being held at Museumplein, while a neighborhood market with a minute of silence takes place in Noorderpark.
The Zuidoost district office hosts a senior-centric interactive program.
Free traditional Heri Heri meals are being distributed at various city locations.
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The Homelanding festival at the Marineterrein offers educational sessions on transatlantic slave trade history alongside live musical performances.
