Why Does it Matter and Why Should You Care?
In a time of rising global challenges, where nations like the US, Belgium, the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands are slashing international development aid budgets, the Prince Claus Fund and Cultural Emergency Response call for urgent, decisive action. This is not just about funding—it’s about safeguarding humanity’s shared future.
Cover: Courtesy of 2021 Seed Awardee Vitalyi Matukhno.
The impact of international cultural collaboration is profound and life-changing. The stories of individuals like art manager and curator from Ukraine, Vitalyi Matukhno, who received the Prince Claus Fund Seed Award in 2021, remind us of its true value. For him, it was not just financial—it was life-saving.
“Initially, when I received the Prince Claus Fund Seed Award, I had plans to develop my personal projects. But with the beginning of a full-scale war in Ukraine, I was forced to leave my home. If not for the grant received from the Prince Claus Fund, I would not have been able to continue working today. In fact, it saved my life, in a way.”
The policy, "Restructuring Development Aid" presented by Minister Klever on 20 February 2025, aims to cut all support for international cultural cooperation by 2029—threatening to dismantle the Netherlands' international cultural policy and removing a crucial lifeline, with devastating consequences for billions. As Heba Hage-Felder, Cultural Emergency Response partner and grantee, and former director of the Arab Image Foundation, puts it: "Including culture in humanitarian relief actions and moving away from only supporting physiological needs is the difference between living and being alive."
Culture is not a luxury—it is fundamental to survival, resilience, and recovery. Both the Prince Claus Fund and Cultural Emergency Response have decades of experience showing how safeguarding culture in times of crisis can restore dignity, strengthen communities, and support long-term reconstruction. As cultural development cooperation faces unprecedented cuts, its role must not be diminished.
Restructuring Development Aid in the Netherlands
The Dutch government’s restructuring of its development aid policy is a stark reminder of shifting priorities. With a focus on national interests such as trade, economy, security, and migration, and a massive reduction in funding—down from €6.1 billion in 2024 to €3.8 billion by 2029—many fundamental initiatives face the axe. This includes projects on gender equality, vocational education, sports, and culture. While the focus is being shifted to trade, the true cost of these cuts undermine the very core of human connection and solidarity across borders.
Foreign cooperation, which represents less than 1% of national budgets, might seem negligible, but it plays an irreplaceable role in transforming lives. In the Netherlands, the percentage of Gross National Income (GNI) allocated to international development is set to drop from 0.62% in 2024 to just 0.44% in 2029, a stark reminder of the importance of prioritizing collective well-being over short-term gain. It's important to not give into the political rhetorics - "the cuts to development cooperation will severely affect people living in extreme poverty or in need worldwide. Dutch people are concerned about their energy bills, the cost of living, and access to healthcare. These concerns are closely linked to what happens abroad,"—writes Partos—the trade association for development cooperation.
“In this time of geopolitical tensions and global challenges such as poverty, climate change, conflicts, and the erosion of the international legal order, intensifying our development efforts would be justified. This makes these cuts incomprehensible and short-sighted. Especially in times of crisis, we must invest in sustainable development for stability, peace, and security.”
Why Cultural Cooperation Matters
Amidst these cuts, cultural collaboration stands as a pillar of hope, even when its value is underestimated. The Prince Claus Fund and Cultural Emergency Response believe that culture is a fundamental human need. Especially in times of crisis, culture becomes the thread that holds communities together.
The Global Solidarity Report 2024 reveals that despite rising geopolitical tensions, weakened institutions, and inadequate collective action on issues such as climate change, conflict, and inequality, many people still support international cooperation, recognizing its necessity for addressing global challenges. Expressing your opinion matters now more than ever – we must speak up and advocate for the issues we deem urgent.
In the Netherlands, the creative industry contributes approximately €7 billion annually to the economy. Over 300,000 people are employed in this sector, making up around 4% of the workforce, especially among youth and women. The Netherlands has built a strong international reputation through expertise in design, creative industries, and heritage protection. Cultural engagement enhances diplomatic relationships, opens economic opportunities, and solidifies the Netherlands' position as a global cultural leader.
Cultural initiatives serve as a diplomatic tool, strengthening international partnerships and fostering collaboration on migration and security. By supporting creative industry training, entrepreneurship, and heritage preservation, cultural programs directly strengthen civic participation and contribute to stable and open societies—ultimately reinforcing both global and Dutch security and prosperity.
“Cultural heritage is about much more than buildings, sites, or collections. It is about protecting who we are and what connects us. Over the years, we have seen that our work directly contributes to economic revival and more stable, resilient communities—especially in times of crisis. Culture plays a crucial role in humanitarian aid and recovery.”
Decades of Cultural Impact
For nearly three decades, the Prince Claus Fund, together with Cultural Emergency Response, have been at the forefront of supporting cultural development worldwide. Through our efforts, over 2,965 projects have been realized, empowering 50,000 individuals across 144 countries. These initiatives have sparked solidarity, built bridges, and strengthened communities.
“Global challenges such as climate crises, racial injustice, authoritarianism, war, and exploitative industries are deeply interconnected, requiring collective international action. Art and culture serve as powerful tools for fostering solidarity and shaping alternative solutions.”
The erosion of support for cultural collaboration is not just an economic loss, it is a loss of humanity itself. The voices of artists, activists, heritage stewards, and change-makers who are advocating for gender equality, climate justice, and human rights must be heard, supported, and amplified.
Samar Abu Elouf, Prince Claus Fund Awardee, has spent over a decade as a photojournalist, challenging traditional gender roles and carving out new paths for women in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories. Over the years, her powerful images—capturing the stark realities of death, displacement, and despair, as well as moments of joy and resilience—have mesmerized audiences worldwide. Her most recent work, which documents the horrors of Gaza, has not only earned widespread critical praise but also provided crucial, reliable information that has been featured in major media outlets like the New York Times and CNN, informing millions across the globe about the situation on the ground.
“I’m not just a person with a camera, I’m a human being. (...) Being a journalist in Gaza feels like you’re dying on the inside over and over again.”
This is something that Joanne Farchakh Bajjaly, a Cultural Emergency Response partner and grantee, also understands deeply. On August 4, 2020, just one day after the devastating Beirut port explosion, she called Cultural Emergency Response. In less than a minute, much of Lebanon’s capital had been destroyed. Having spent years working on emergency preparedness and providing rapid relief for cultural heritage in Beirut, Joanne knew exactly what was at stake—her people’s heritage was in immediate danger. Four years later, a new crisis emerged: war. Without hesitation, we mobilized our networks to launch emergency heritage protection efforts for several local museums and collections across Lebanon.
The impact goes far beyond physical protection. Cultural heritage is not just about preserving art and history—it is about ensuring economic stability, strengthening social cohesion, and helping communities rebuild with dignity. Joanne and her team at Biladi are proof of this. Cultural heritage is not just about the past, it is about securing a future.
Culture is a Human Right
Cutting support for international cultural cooperation comes at a disproportionate cost. Halting even the modest investment in international cultural cooperation weakens economic, security, and diplomatic influence, undermining not only Dutch national interests but also the communities that rely on it. Culture fosters societal resilience, strengthens economies, and reinforces global stability—its impact extends far beyond borders.
More than a policy, this is about people. The Netherlands has long recognized the value of international cultural collaboration. Now is not the time to turn away.
We call on policymakers and our communities to reject these cuts and reaffirm the Netherlands’ commitment to protecting culture as a vital force for connection and global solidarity.
