About Albert

Albert van der Zeijden

Albert van der Zeijden was a historian who worked as Head of the Knowledge Development Team at the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage (formerly the Dutch Centre for Folk Culture and later the Dutch Centre for Folk Culture and Intangible Heritage). Read more.

From January 1, 2017, Albert also worked as a Research Fellow in Intangible Heritage Studies in the Department of History and Art History at Utrecht University. Read more.

PhD

In 2002, Albert earned his PhD at the University of Amsterdam with ‘Catholic Identity and Historical Awareness’: W.J.F. Nuyens (1823-1894) and his ‘National’ Historiography (Publisher: Verloren, Hilversum, 2002).’ W.J.F. Nuyens (1823-1894) en zijn ‘nationale’ geschiedschrijving (Uitgeverij Verloren, Hilversum 2002).

Read the dissertation here.

Interview with Albert about his dissertation on the radio program OVT (2002).

Flemish-Dutch Collaboration

Since 2002, Albert was a member of the editorial board of Volkskunde, the Flemish-Dutch journal on everyday culture.

Albert had a long-standing collaboration with the Werkplaats Immaterieel Erfgoed team in Flanders to organize joint initiatives such as conferences, publications, projects, and expertise in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

In memoriam of the team and board ‘Werkplaats immaterieel erfgoed’.

Read ‘The Legacy of dr. Albert van der
Zeijden (1957-2021)’ – Vrije universiteit Brussel

Read ‘The legacy of dr. Albert van der
Zeijden (1957-2021)’ – KNAW

ICH NGO Forum

KIEN is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) accredited by the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage. Albert represented KIEN in the Intangible Cultural Heritage NGO Forum.

Working Group Research

The Working Group Research (WG-Research) was created at the 10th session of the Intergovernmental Committee in Windhoek in November 2015. The WG-Research aims to promote and facilitate dialogue between research carried out by NGOs, Universities, and communities on themes such as safeguarding, sustainability, diversity, ethics, etc. while strengthening the place and involvement of communities in this research to co-construct new knowledge through participatory, interactive, and innovative approaches, involving both local and academic knowledge.

Heritage Alive

In 2012, during the meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan, the ICH NGO Forum decided to create an online magazine titled Heritage Alive. The concept was to share fieldwork knowledge within communities and with practitioners, between UNESCO-accredited NGOs and experts, to learn from one another. An editorial board was formed, with members from around the world. Albert joined the editorial board at that time.

Traditional Musical Instruments: Sharing Experiences from the Field is dedicated to our dear friend and colleague, Albert van der Zeijden. Albert was an active member of the #HeritageAlive editorial board from the beginning in 2012. Albert was also a valued member of the ICH NGO Forum and highly appreciated as a great colleague and friend within our ICH family. We extend our gratitude to the Norwegian Crafts Institute and the Quebec Council for Living Heritage (CQPV) for their financial and logistical support. We will miss Albert, both in the Editorial Board and in the ICH family. May he rest in peace.

The above edition of Heritage Alive – Traditional Musical Instruments (2021) is dedicated in memory of Albert.

Unesco

In 2015, Albert represented KIEN in the ‘Evaluation Body,’ the UNESCO body that assesses nominations for inclusion on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This list aims to protect traditional crafts, social customs, and arts worldwide.