Tuesday October 17th the Dutch Ambassador for International Cultural Cooperation, HE Arjen Uijterlinde, visited the Centre for Global Heritage and Development at the Faculty of Archaeology. Earlier both parties cooperated in the TULIPANA program focusing on shared Dutch-Brazilian heritage. The position for Ambassador International Cultural Cooperation was initiated in 1980 and is meant to show how much the Netherlands values art, culture and heritage in international relations. As Ambassador International Cultural Cooperation HE Arjen Uijterlinde is the head of the International Cultural Policy Unit. This Unit deals- among others - with the Shared Heritage Policy and the role of heritage in development issues.
Since the Centre for Global Heritage and Development plays an important role in international (academic) knowledge exchange in the field of heritage (i.e. the MOOC Heritage under Threat) and also sets up heritage projects that contribute to societal issues (Scanning for Syria, Water and Heritage program together with ICOMOS Netherlands) the meeting with the Ambassador was very fruitful. HE Uijterlinde found it very interesting how the LDE centres are connecting with the UN Development agenda. This makes it even more relevant to keep each other informed and to cooperate whenever suitable.