Nieuwe Instituut x Nieuwe Café: Architecture and Design Special Suriname
This year, Suriname is celebrating the anniversary of its independence in 1975. In the lead-up to the 50th anniversary of Independence Day, also known as Srefidensi Dey, the Nieuwe Instituut and the Nieuwe Café are organising a special evening focusing on the past, present and future. The celebration will highlight the country’s rich architecture and design culture, accompanied by Maroon cuisine prepared by chef Sabini Vola and appropriate music by DJ Jewel.
13 November 2025 15:00 - 21:00
The film as part of the exhibition Soengoe Kondre / Submerged Heritage, at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam. Photo: Aad Hoogendoorn.
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Language: Dutch | Location: Nieuwe Instituut | Tickets € from 12,50 (without discounts)
Get ticketsA week and a half before the official commemoration and celebration of Srefidensi Dey, the Nieuwe Instituut and the Nieuwe Café will present a varied programme highlighting the uniqueness and richness of Surinamese culture. A pop-up exhibition, curated by the Nieuwe Instituut’s heritage experts, will feature a special selection from the National Collection for Dutch Architecture and Urban Planning. It will include work from the archives of Lafour & Wijk Architecten archives, known for its designs for the Dutch chancellery, embassy and consulate in Paramaribo. NADD is organising an edit-a-thon – a chance for visitors to help increase the visibility of Surinamese designers on Wikipedia. Nieuwe Café and specialist chef Sabini Vola will serve up signature dishes to introduce Maroon cuisine. The Afro-Surinamese heritage platform Tailors & Wearers will demonstrate angisa folding. Connected to the Soengoe Kondre project, which could previously be seen at the institute and at various locations in Suriname, there will be a discussion with contributions from the filmmakers of Monikondee, Siebren de Haan and Lonnie van Brummelen and director and theatre maker Tolin Alexander about the current developments in the interior of Suriname where nature, culture and land rights are under pressure. Orsine Walden, chair of the Bigipondo Sustainable Development Foundation (Stichting Duurzame Ontwikkeling Bigipondo) joins the conversation. Over the years, Walden has been raising awareness about the abuses surrounding the Brokopondo Reservoir, constructed in the 1960s on Maroon territory to supply power to an aluminium smelter. In the café, DJ Jewel will spin the tunes.
Programme
- 16:00 – 22:00 Pop-up Architecture in Suriname with a live 'unboxing' from 17:30 – 18:00 of an archival box by architect Rikkert Wijk
- 16:00 – 18:30 Edit-a-thon Surinamese designers by NADD
- 18:30 – 21:30 Nieuwe Café Chef’s Special with Sabini Vola
- 18:30 – 19:30 Interactive demonstration folding Angisa by Tailors & Wearers
- 19:00 – 21:00 Music by Dj Jewel
- 19:30 – 21:00 Talk ‘Nature, culture and land rights in the interior of Suriname'
- 22:00 End
Please note that all programme elements are in Dutch.
You can find more information about each programme element on the Eventbrite page.
Language: Dutch | Location: Nieuwe Instituut | Tickets € from 12,50 (without discounts)
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