The 22nd Interdisciplinary Conference for Netherlandic Studies is now behind us. I know I speak for those who attended when I say it was a resounding success. Held at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill on June 6 and 7, the conference theme was “Shaping the Future” with a special focus on 50 Years of Independence for Suriname.

Before any further comment on the conference, I want to first acknowledge Professor Dan Thornton from UNC Chapel Hill, who hosted the conference. Thank you, Dan, for beautifully arranging all the many details of the conference, making it such a convivial gathering and smooth running operation!

We note, too, how honored we were that Gunther Van Neste, Secretary General of the Taalunie attended both the pre-conference Dutch Instructors Workshop as well as the conference itself. To our recollection, this was the first time that the top functionary of the Taalunie personally attended the conference. We thank him for this significant gesture and for the inspiring words in his address to conference attendees at the opening reception.  

The conference itself featured over 30 papers by scholars from Belgium, Canada, the Netherlands, Poland, Suriname, the United Kingdom, in addition to those from the United States. It was particularly gratifying and encouraging to have a half dozen graduate students in the lineup of presenters. 

This year’s conference featured two distinct keynote lectures. The first was part of the conference’s special focus on Srefidensi: Suriname at 50 Years. Hilde Neus of the Anton de Kom Universiteit spoke to the plenum of “Rising to a Suriname Future by Learning from the Past.” Her keynote was followed by a robust panel discussion featuring Hilda herself, Rita Tjien Fooh of the Nationaal Archief van Suriname, and from the University of Michigan’s new Suriname focused Dutch-Studies Program, Denice Gravenstijn and Annemarie Toebosch. 

The second keynote concluded the conference on Saturday and featured Ton van Kalmthout of the Huygens Instituut and the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden. Ton drew the audience into the “Dutch-American Emigration Literature after World War II,” after which an engaging round of questions and answers ensued.

While it is not possible to even begin summarizing the papers, we heard plenty of comments lauding the overall high quality of the presentations. Thank you to all of you who presented for sharing your scholarship and insights. Board member Jesse Sadler will shepherd publication possibilities from this conference. Be on the lookout for a communication from him about submission procedures to Dutch Crossing: Journal of Low Countries Studies, the academic journal with whom the ICNS has had the pleasure of partnering for many recent conferences.  

As is customary, a business meeting for all members of the AANS was held at the conference. One item worth mentioning here is that the board recommended and members supported the addition of a third member-at-large on the board. Thereupon the members supported the nomination of Esmée van der Hoeven (University of California at Berkeley) as new board member. 

We look forward to finalizing decisions about where the next ICNS will be held in 2027. We will communicate that as soon as we are able. 

Best wishes to you for a fruitful and rejuvenating summer break. 

On behalf of the AANS Board, 

Herman de Vries

President