.
Leiden, February 27, 2045
What began as a mysterious virus in the Chinese city of Wuhan would grow into the biggest health crisis since World War II and cost more than 38,000 Dutch lives.
The Netherlands marks today the 25th anniversary of the first Dutch COVID-19 infection in 2020 with a completely new form of commemoration.
The ‘Day of Resilience’ acknowledges not only the people who died from the virus, but embraces all Dutch people who weathered the pandemic – from entrepreneurs who went bankrupt to young people who became isolated.
Beyond Traditional Commemoration
“We realized that COVID-19 affected everyone, but in very different ways,” explains Dr. Emma Visser, chairperson of the National Committee Day of Resilience.
“A traditional commemoration of only victims in the sense of deceased persons did not do justice to that diversity of experiences.”
The ‘Day of Resilience’ recognizes five different ‘circles of impact’ that the pandemic caused:
Rituals of Recognition
The annual commemoration has five different ‘Moments of Recognition’ that take place throughout the day:
10:00 – Moment of Loss: A minute of silence for deceased COVID victims, traditionally held at local monuments and health institutions.
12:00 – Moment of Connection: Communities organize communal lunches where stories are shared about how people helped each other during lockdowns. Inspired by the many forms of neighborhood help that emerged during the pandemic.
15:00 – Moment of Resilience: Former entrepreneurs who lost their business tell their story at local entrepreneurship centers, along with stories of people who started new careers.
18:00 – Moment of Gratitude: Local communities come together for informal gatherings where they thank healthcare workers, teachers and other people with vital professions or volunteers with personal letters and small gifts.
20:00 – Moment of Reflection: Young people organize ‘Conversation Cafés’ about mental health, where experiences of loneliness and recovery are shared without taboos.
Personal Stories
The center of each local commemoration forms the ‘Story Wall’ – a temporary installation where people can share their own COVID experience through short audio recordings, photos or written stories.
These are live-streamed to a national website.
“It’s not about ranking suffering,” explains Mayor Van den Berg of Utrecht, where the first Story Wall was set up in 2027. “An entrepreneur who lost his restaurant experiences just as real a loss as a teenager who missed social contact for two years. By giving space to all stories, we help the Netherlands as a whole to heal.”
Mental Health Central
Special attention goes to young people who developed mental health problems due to isolation. The ‘Generation Lockdown Lounge’ offers an informal place where 35-50-year-olds – those who were teenagers or young adults during COVID – share their experiences.
“We had our formative years in isolation,” explains Sarah de Wit (37), who as a teenager had hardly any social contacts for two years. “This lounge gives us the space to talk about how that shaped us, without having to feel like victims.” These gatherings have led to lasting support groups and mental health initiatives that remain active throughout the year.
International Recognition
The Netherlands’ inclusive approach to COVID commemoration is seen internationally as a model example. The United States is considering a similar ‘Resilience Day’ concept, and various European countries have hired Dutch advisors for their own commemoration plans. “The genius of the Dutch approach lies in recognizing that trauma has no hierarchy,” writes Dr. Michael Chen from Harvard’s Trauma Research Institute. “By validating all forms of pandemic impact, the Netherlands creates space for collective recovery.”
The European COVID commemoration day on March 11 – the day the WHO declared the pandemic – is partly based on Dutch proposals to the EU.
What began as a mysterious virus in the Chinese city of Wuhan would grow into the biggest health crisis since World War II and cost more than 38,000 Dutch lives.
The Netherlands marks today the 25th anniversary of the first Dutch COVID-19 infection in 2020 with a completely new form of commemoration.
The ‘Day of Resilience’ acknowledges not only the people who died from the virus, but embraces all Dutch people who weathered the pandemic – from entrepreneurs who went bankrupt to young people who became isolated.
Beyond Traditional Commemoration
“We realized that COVID-19 affected everyone, but in very different ways,” explains Dr. Emma Visser, chairperson of the National Committee Day of Resilience.
“A traditional commemoration of only victims in the sense of deceased persons did not do justice to that diversity of experiences.”
The ‘Day of Resilience’ recognizes five different ‘circles of impact’ that the pandemic caused:
- The circle of loss – Survivors of COVID victims and people who lost loved ones during the pandemic
- The circle of isolation – Young people, elderly and others who developed mental health problems due to loneliness
- The circle of existence – Entrepreneurs, artists and workers whose life’s work or job was lost
- The circle of care – Healthcare workers, teachers and other people with ‘crucial professions’ who became overloaded
- The circle of hope – People who found new opportunities, connections or insights during the crisis
Rituals of Recognition
The annual commemoration has five different ‘Moments of Recognition’ that take place throughout the day:
10:00 – Moment of Loss: A minute of silence for deceased COVID victims, traditionally held at local monuments and health institutions.
12:00 – Moment of Connection: Communities organize communal lunches where stories are shared about how people helped each other during lockdowns. Inspired by the many forms of neighborhood help that emerged during the pandemic.
15:00 – Moment of Resilience: Former entrepreneurs who lost their business tell their story at local entrepreneurship centers, along with stories of people who started new careers.
18:00 – Moment of Gratitude: Local communities come together for informal gatherings where they thank healthcare workers, teachers and other people with vital professions or volunteers with personal letters and small gifts.
20:00 – Moment of Reflection: Young people organize ‘Conversation Cafés’ about mental health, where experiences of loneliness and recovery are shared without taboos.
Personal Stories
The center of each local commemoration forms the ‘Story Wall’ – a temporary installation where people can share their own COVID experience through short audio recordings, photos or written stories.
These are live-streamed to a national website.
“It’s not about ranking suffering,” explains Mayor Van den Berg of Utrecht, where the first Story Wall was set up in 2027. “An entrepreneur who lost his restaurant experiences just as real a loss as a teenager who missed social contact for two years. By giving space to all stories, we help the Netherlands as a whole to heal.”
Mental Health Central
Special attention goes to young people who developed mental health problems due to isolation. The ‘Generation Lockdown Lounge’ offers an informal place where 35-50-year-olds – those who were teenagers or young adults during COVID – share their experiences.
“We had our formative years in isolation,” explains Sarah de Wit (37), who as a teenager had hardly any social contacts for two years. “This lounge gives us the space to talk about how that shaped us, without having to feel like victims.” These gatherings have led to lasting support groups and mental health initiatives that remain active throughout the year.
International Recognition
The Netherlands’ inclusive approach to COVID commemoration is seen internationally as a model example. The United States is considering a similar ‘Resilience Day’ concept, and various European countries have hired Dutch advisors for their own commemoration plans. “The genius of the Dutch approach lies in recognizing that trauma has no hierarchy,” writes Dr. Michael Chen from Harvard’s Trauma Research Institute. “By validating all forms of pandemic impact, the Netherlands creates space for collective recovery.”
The European COVID commemoration day on March 11 – the day the WHO declared the pandemic – is partly based on Dutch proposals to the EU.