The Netherlands and the National Park Service (NPS) have joined forces to restore and improve the Netherlands Carillon in Arlington. The project is estimated to cost $5.8 million. The NPS has announced it will commit at least $4 million to rehabilitate the Carillon.
Dutch Ambassador Henne Schuwer is pleased with the willingness of the American government to make available $4 million to refurbish the memorial. The Dutch people gave the Carillon to the United States in 1952 as a way of thanking America for her role in liberating the Netherlands and for the Marshall Plan to rebuild the economy. After more than 50 years, the Carillon needs restoration. Netherlands Embassy, through the Netherland-America Foundation, is raising $1.2 million to restore the Carillon’s chimes, its operating system, and the surroundings of the monument. The fundraising effort will also pay to add three bells to make the monument a Grand Carillon, create an educational curriculum to familiarize visiting Americans with the historical significance of the Carillon, and cover future repairs. Three companies have already pledged a combined $250,000 to US fundraising of this project:
Royal Dutch Shell ($100,000)
Aegon/Transamerica Foundation ($100,000)
Eenhoorn LLC ($50,000)
The fundraising will also be open to the public via www.nlintheusa.com/carillon.