Princess Beatrix visits Bonaire in November.
Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands will visit Bonaire on November 18 – 19, followed by a visit to St. Eustatius from November 20 – 21. The visit focuses on the work of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and social initiatives on the islands. The Princess is the patron of DCNA.
Bonaire Visit
First Day of Activities
On Tuesday, November 18th, Princess Beatrix will visit Washington Slagbaai National Park in the morning. The mountainous terrain, with its cactus forests, aloe vera fields, rock formations, salt lakes, limestone caves, sand dunes, blowholes, and crumbling limestone terraces, is home to numerous unique plants and animals. The Princess’s visit takes place during the week of the annual Festival di Planta Palu, a tree-planting festival for primary school children to demonstrate their love of nature. Afterwards, Princess Beatrix will plant a tree with several children. She will then be given a tour of the protected nature reserve by the Bonaire National Parks Foundation (STINAPA), where the location, history, and the importance of protected areas and nature restoration will be explained.
The Princess will then visit the first playground on the island, created by Jantje Beton. Since 1968, Jantje Beton has been working with children to create more and more challenging play spaces and opportunities. Children actively participated in the design. The Princess will be given a tour by the playground designer and will speak with several children. She will then visit an old playground that, with the help of local residents and organizations, is being redeveloped into a new, inclusive, green play and meeting place for young and old. Princess Beatrix will kick off the construction of this project. Princess Beatrix is the patroness of Jantje Beton.
In the afternoon, Princess Beatrix will visit Tera Barra. This is a non-profit organization that is committed to the ecological restoration of Bonaire through reforestation and nature restoration. On a five-hectare site just outside Kralendijk, Tera Barra cultivates native plant species that will later be planted on the island to prevent erosion, enhance biodiversity, and restore natural vegetation. The site also serves as a demonstration and educational site, where visitors can see how nature restoration works in practice. The Princess will take a walk through the garden and speak with volunteers.
Second Day of Activities
On Wednesday, November 19th, Princess Beatrix will visit a project on the south coast of Bonaire run by Mangrove Maniacs, an organization committed to the restoration and conservation of mangroves on the island. Mangroves are coastal forests of salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that have important ecological value by protecting coastlines from erosion. They also serve as a nursery for fish and an important habitat for young sea turtles. Because mangroves are located at the boundary between land and sea, they trap sediment that is harmful to the coral reef. The Princess will be informed about the importance of mangroves and how the Mangrove Maniacs is working to protect and restore these trees. The Princess will then help young people from the STINAPA Junior Ranger Program, which trains young people to become conservationists and ambassadors for the island environment, plant a mangrove tree. Finally, she will speak with several Junior Rangers about their experiences within the program and the importance of their nature education and restoration projects.
The Princess will then visit the Reef Renewal Foundation Bonaire (RRFB). This non-profit organization is committed to the restoration and conservation of the coral reefs around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Coral fragments and larvae are cultivated in underwater nurseries, which are later replanted to revitalize damaged reefs. By breeding different species and increasing genetic diversity, the reefs become more resilient to diseases and climate change. In addition to research and monitoring, RRFB also actively involves the local community, volunteers, and diving schools in restoration and education. In the RRFB laboratory, the Princess will receive an explanation of the breeding program and see the different stages of coral growth.
In the afternoon, the Princess will visit the Public Library, where UNICEF will give a presentation with young people about UNICEF’s research on climate change. After a brief introduction, Princess Beatrix will speak with young people who will use visual material to talk about the impact of climate change on their lives. This will be followed by a roundtable discussion with young people who actively participated in the “Raising Our Future” campaign. This annual campaign supports educators in creating a positive and safe parenting environment. The young people explain the importance of growing up in a safe home. Princess Beatrix is patron of UNICEF.
