Alderman Natasja Groothuismink unveiled on Friday, February 27, on the Gedempte Gracht in Zaandam the statue of Bryan Luhukay (23). Not because he is famous, but because he is going to vote during the municipal elections on March 18.
On March 18, you can help decide who the new municipal council members will be. They make choices about, for example, the construction of new homes, sports facilities, and schools. Voter turnout has been declining for years. That is why the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) started the national campaign ‘Every voter deserves a statue’. It focuses on the voter: not politics, but the people who vote.
Bryan: ‘Voting is important’
Bryan is a young resident who symbolizes all voters in our municipality. Bryan is especially attracted to the cultural diversity of the residents in Zaanstad: ‘I am a quarter Moluccan, a quarter Javanese, a quarter Surinamese, and a quarter Dutch and really feel at home here. I have lived my whole life in Krommenie and know the nearby places well. There is a lot of variation per municipality, where people with different backgrounds live. That is what makes Zaanstad, Zaanstad to me.
Bryan: ‘When I tell people, they don’t believe it at first. But when I explain, they mostly find it fun. Then the conversation often immediately turns to voting. I sometimes hear people being nonchalant about it, saying things like “what difference does that one vote make”. And yet every vote counts. Your vote could very well make the difference. I hope my statue makes the importance of voting in Zaanstad visible’.
Bryan: ‘You can give your opinion about the place where you are every day’
‘Here you can as a voter give your opinion about the governance of the place where you are every day. Isn’t that a no brainer? I am not super active in politics, but I always vote. Having an opinion is part of being human and during elections you can share that opinion in an impactful way.’ As a karate school owner, he finds art, culture, and sports important themes.
‘I always vote for a party that I think does good things for the municipality. In sports, much is made possible for all residents of Zaanstad. For example, there are social sports days, so that people who have less can also enjoy sports. I like to commit myself to that and always participate with my karate school’.
Create a digital statue yourself
Anyone who wants can also create a digital statue themselves. This can be done by taking a photo on the website elkestemmer.nl
Statue now stands in the library in Krommenie
If you want to admire Bryan’s statue, it now stands in the library in Krommenie. Also in Almere, Enschede, Tiel, Tilburg, and Schiedam, a life-size statue was unveiled on February 27 of a resident symbolizing all voters.
More information about the elections in Zaanstad?
If you want more information about the elections in Zaanstad, go to www.zaanstad.nl/verkiezingen