MDDP - Events - Book launch: Reconnecting through our roots

Book launch: Reconnecting through our roots

Title : Reconnecting Through Our Roots
Author : Dennis De Witt

ISBN-13 : 978-983-42996-0-6
ISBN-10 : 983-42996-0-5

		Reconnecting Through Our Roots was published with the kind assistance from the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Malaysia and the Netherlands Association Malaysia. The book, although a minor publication, serves as a record of the proceedings of the historic event entitled ‘Reconnecting through our roots — International gathering of Dutch descendants’ that was held on July 17th and 18th, 2004 in the 330 year old Atlas Ice Building located at Jonker Street, Malacca. It constitutes as one of the very few publications that tells of a forgotten Malaysian ethnic group: the Dutch descendants in Malaysia. The gathering was organised by the Malaysian Dutch Descendants Project to showcase the history, culture and heritage of the community of Dutch descendants in Malaysia. More importantly, the event also serves to highlight the continued existence of the Dutch descendants in Malaysia, as well as their ancestral connection to other similar communities from South Africa, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The historic event in Malacca was attended by some 150 Dutch descendants from Malaysia, Singapore, the Netherlands and from other parts of the world. The gathering even received the recognition and well wishes from Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The launch of the book Reconnecting Through Our Roots was held during the opening ceremony of 'The Easternization of the West' seminar on 27th July 2006 at the Melaka International Trade Center (MITC), Ayer Keroh, Malacca. The event was organised by The Melaka State Government, The Malaysian Institute of Historical and Patriotism Studies (IKSEP), the Institute of Occidental Studies (IKON) at the National University of Malaysia (UKM) and the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Malaysia. The book was officiated with a presentation of a copy by Mr. Luc Schillings, the Deputy Ambassador of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Malaysia to Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, the Chief Minister of Malacca. At the book launch, copies of the book were freely distributed to people and organisations who were involved in making the 2004 event a success. The book is not for sale to the public. Copies of the book are being distributed to libraries and resource centres of local heritage organisations, universities and public libraries, and to such organisations overseas, especially in the Netherlands.
Mr. Luc Schillings, the Deputy Ambassador of the Royal Netherlands Embassy in Malaysia presenting a copy of 'Reconnecting Through Our Roots' to Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam, the Chief Minister of Malacca.


Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam having a closer look at his copy of the book.


Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam sharing a light moment with some of the Malaysian Dutch descendants after the opening ceremony.


Madam Celine Marbeck and her sister Joan, the author, Mr. Harold Speldewinde who came all the way from Penang, Madam Hazel Westerhout from Malacca, Prof. Dr. Nordin Hussin (event organiser) of UKM, Mrs. Irene De Witt and Mr. and Mrs. Errol Neubronner from Singapore.

So far, the book has been distributed to the following libraries and organisations:

Kuala Lumpur:
The Malaysian National Library, Kuala Lumpur
The Malaysian National Archives (Arkib Negara), Kuala Lumpur
The National Hero's Gallery Library, Kuala Lumpur
Library of the Malaysian National Museum, Kuala Lumpur
Library of the Ministry of Culture, Arts & Heritage of Malaysia (KeKKWa), Kuala Lumpur
Universiti Malaya Main Library, Kuala Lumpur
Badan Warisan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Cultural Group Library, Kuala Lumpur

Malacca:
The Malacca State Library, Bukit Baru, Malacca
Melaka Museums Corporation (PERZIM), Malacca
The Malaysian Institute of Historical and Patriotism Studies (IKSEP), Malacca
Maritime Archaeology Museum, Malacca
Malaysian Tourist Guide Council, Malacca
Pusat Sumber Jabatan Ketua Menteri Melaka (Chief Minister's Dept.), Malacca
No. 8, Heeren Street (Mr. Colin Goh), Malacca
St. Francis Institution School Library, Malacca

Singapore:
The Eurasian Association, Singapore

The Netherlands:
The Netherlands-Malaysia Association (Vereniging Nederland-Maleisie or VNM), The Hague
Tong-tong Foundation, The Hague
The Indisch Huis, The Hague
The Indisch Platform, The Hague
Federation of International Cultural and Friendship Societies in the Netherlands, The Hague
Nationaal Archief, The Hague
Royal Library in The Hague
Leiden University, Leiden
Center for the History of European Expansion and Global Interaction, Leiden University
Koninklijk Inst. voor Taal, Land en Volkenkunde (KITLV), Leiden
The Royal Institute for the Tropics, Amsterdam
Vrije Universitiet library, Amsterdam
University of Amsterdam library, Amsterdam
Westfries Museum, Hoorn

(The above distribution is via the VNM)

This list will be updated when copies of the book are given to more organisations.

To have a look at the book, please visit the above-mentioned library/organisation's resource centre closest to you.

Dutchmalaysia.net

Official website of the Malaysian Dutch Descendants Project

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