We are shocked and deeply affected to inform you that our highly esteemed colleague Dr. Albert van der Zeijden has passed away very suddenly on Friday July 30th at the age of 64.
Albert, as a historian, worked for almost 35 years in the field of intangible cultural heritage and folk culture. In recent years, Albert worked as head of the Research and development department at the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage, previously known as the Dutch Center for Popular Culture, and from 2012, after the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention, as the Dutch Center for Popular Culture and Intangible Heritage.
In 2002 Albert obtained his doctorate at the University of Amsterdam on Catholic identity and historical awareness. W.J.F. Nuyens (1823-1894) and his 'national' historiography (Hilversum 2002). Catholicism was one of his great passions, which he liked to write and talk about.
Research and development and international network
In recent years at the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage, Albert grew in his role from researcher to head of department in the field of research and development on intangible heritage. Under his leadership, the Research Agenda 2017-2020 was created, in which Albert focused on sustainable tourism and intangible cultural heritage. He gave leadership to a team of four colleagues, supplemented by trainees. With great enthusiasm and in his own unique way, he showed himself to be a committed, inspiring and social leader.
Albert always saw new opportunities to cooperate, which enabled him to build a large (international) network. His contributions to the policy of the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage have been indispensable. The same applies to his work within the ICH-NGO Forum of UNESCO, in which Albert represented the Dutch Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage and was coordinator of the Working Group Research.
Albert was also closely involved in international expert groups related to the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage, a task from which he derived great satisfaction and enjoyment. He worked on the Dutch nominations for the international lists regarding intangible cultural heritage and he was a member of the Evaluation Body from 2014-2015.
Filled with experience, knowledge and a lot of motivation, lately Albert was busy preparing the presentation of the Research Agenda 2021-2024 of coming November. His research areas included sustainability, diversity and inventory methods; themes that were close to his heart.
University, editing and publishing
Since 2017, Albert was working as a Research Fellow Heritage Studies at Utrecht University.
He was a passionate and involved editorial board member of the Flemish-Dutch journal Volkskunde for almost twenty years. Since 2013, he also was a member of the editorial board of the international internet magazine Heritage Alive, Voices and Practices, which is affiliated with the ICH-NGO Forum. Albert regularly published articles on intangible heritage and intangible heritage policy within both the national and international context.
Those who followed Albert on social media cannot have failed to notice that he had many interests and passions. Because of Albert, many people regularly viewed in their timelines opinion pieces, reviews and considerations on topics from the field of (intangible) cultural heritage and beyond. With his witty reflections on the professional field, his private life and other hobbies and interests, he stimulated thinking, discussion or simply generated a smile.
Albert was living a full life, and he was far from finished doing so. We will miss him greatly, as a person, a colleague and an inspiring researcher. We cannot fully comprehend yet that we will no longer encounter him in the office. Nor on our screen during the video meetings, which Albert always attended in good spirits.
Our thoughts and condolences go out to his wife Tineke, his children, granddaughter, friends and work associates.
Albert van der Zeijden