THE HAGUE - The Netherlands’ new National Heritage Research Agenda 2026–2030 places unprecedented emphasis on the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, with Curaçao singled out as one of the territories facing the highest risk of heritage loss due to climate change, outdated preservation systems, and vulnerable cultural traditions.
The agenda, published this week, calls for stronger research cooperation with Curaçao’s heritage sector—including museums, archives, universities, archaeologists, community organizations and cultural practitioners.
Curaçao’s Heritage Under Pressure
The report warns that small islands like Curaçao are already experiencing accelerated deterioration of historical buildings, especially in coastal areas. Salt corrosion, stronger hurricanes, extreme heat and coastal flooding pose immediate risks to:
Monuments in Punda, Otrobanda and Scharloo
Historic plantation houses (landhuizen)
Maritime heritage, including shipwrecks and colonial-era coastal structures
Archaeological sites, such as Indigenous settlements
Intangible heritage, from traditional music to community rituals and crafts
These risks are amplified by limited financial resources, personnel shortages, and the absence of a unified long-term research strategy on the island.
Call for Caribbean-Led Research
The agenda stresses that heritage research in the Kingdom must include Curaçaoan voices from the start, not merely as participants but as co-leaders.
This includes:
Local experts in archaeology, architecture, and cultural anthropology
Communities who hold traditional knowledge
Curaçaoan institutions documenting music, language, and oral history
Organizations working on nature and coastal protection
The document highlights successful examples—such as the preservation of wooden houses in Otrobanda and ongoing archaeological work in the Christoffelpark—and recommends expanding these into long-term research partnerships.
Climate Change: Biggest Threat to Curaçao’s Heritage
The report identifies climate change as Curaçao’s most urgent heritage challenge, citing:
Coastal erosion damaging historic waterfronts
Rising temperatures speeding up decay of monuments
Extreme weather threatening fragile sites
Increasing drought affecting stone and lime-based building materials
Coral reef decline impacting maritime heritage
Experts argue that centuries-old built heritage may not survive without immediate investment in climate-adaptation research.
The agenda proposes new scientific studies into:
Heat-resistant restoration materials
Coastal defense strategies around heritage districts
Digital 3D archiving of monuments at high risk
Emergency stabilization techniques for vulnerable buildings
Preserving Intangible Curaçaoan Culture
Beyond monuments, the agenda emphasizes the importance of safeguarding Curaçao’s intangible heritage, including:
Tambú
Tumba music
Oral storytelling traditions
Papiamentu expressions
Culinary traditions
Indigenous cultural knowledge
These practices are increasingly threatened by migration, digitization, and cultural homogenization. The agenda calls for more documentation, community-driven research, and digital preservation tools.
A New Opportunity for Funding and Collaboration
For Curaçao, the national agenda opens the door to new:
Research grants
International partnerships
Training programs
Shared digital platforms for archives and museums
Scientific exchanges with Dutch universities
The document also urges the Kingdom to simplify procedures so that Curaçaoan institutions can more easily access Dutch and EU heritage funding.
Looking Ahead
The National Heritage Research Agenda will be implemented between 2026 and 2030. Curaçao’s participation is expected to play a central role, particularly in projects related to climate resilience, contested colonial history, and the preservation of endangered cultural practices.
With dozens of monuments and traditions at risk, heritage experts on the island hope the new agenda will lead to stronger structural support and long-term preservation strategies for Curaçao’s unique cultural legacy.
