Suriname, a former Dutch colony in Latin America, is going to set up an Institute for Decolonization of Suriname (DEKOSUR). After Venezuela that has set up a National Institute for the Decolonization of Venezuela and Bolivia with a Ministry of Decolonization Suriname is the third country in Latin America to undertake a systematic approach at decolonizing society. In its message to the people at the celebration of the 43rd day of independence the ruling National Democratic Party of Suriname stated that political independence is not enough and independence in thinking is needed. “The concept of Decolonizing The Mind is embraced and propagated by the NDP,” says the declaration.
IDS has the following goals:
- Conducting a scientific research into the history of Suriname from this decolonial vision.
- Producing a six-volume encyclopedia about the modern history of Suriname.
- Promoting other publications about the history of Suriname.
- Developing international networks on decolonization of science.
- Providing educational programs on the (de) colonization of the mind and decolonization of history and science.
Moejinga Aboikoni-Linga will be the general director of IDS, who will have a staff of eight people. Sandew Hira, coordinator of DIN, will be the scientific director.