VNO and RAPP honour the press and highlight importance of independent journalism

ORANJESTAD – The Dutch Representation Office in Aruba (VNO) and press organisation RAPP celebrated Aruba Press Day with a selected group of media professionals at the VNO office on Thursday afternoon.

Dutch Representative Vincent Storimans and RAPP president Melissa Stamper welcomed the attending journalists. Following brief introductions by VNO employees and members of the press, the gathering continued in a relaxed and social atmosphere.

Storimans stressed the essential role journalists play in a democratic society governed by the rule of law.

“A democratic constitutional state can only function through a free, independent and critical press,” Storimans said.

According to him, power—whether exercised by government or the business community—must be scrutinised and questioned. “Power must be held to account. It is important that it is questioned. That is what you do,” he told the journalists.

Storimans added that this responsibility must be carried out professionally. He praised the establishment of RAPP two years ago as a positive development that brings Aruba’s journalists together and strengthens the profession through training, seminars and other initiatives.

“We are here to support you and to express our appreciation for the important work of the press,” Storimans said.

He confirmed that VNO and the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations support RAPP’s efforts and have contributed to several events, seminars and conferences.

RAPP PREPARES AI ACTIVITIES

RAPP president Melissa Stamper thanked VNO for organising the gathering and for the support the organisation has received since its establishment.

“First of all, I want to thank VNO for organising this together with RAPP and for the support we have received since our launch in 2024,” Stamper said.

According to the president, RAPP was created not only to connect journalists socially, but also to organise and strengthen Aruba’s press sector professionally.

“This was important for us, not only from a social perspective, but also professionally, so that we could organise ourselves as professionals working in the press,” she explained.

Stamper also announced that RAPP will hold a free seminar for journalists on September 25 under the theme “AI Innovations”. A full weekend of practical workshops will follow on September 26 and 27.

“We will have international speakers. A speaker from Puerto Rico will discuss AI and ethics, a speaker from the Netherlands will address vibe coding in the newsroom, and a local expert will speak about prompting for journalists,” Stamper announced.

The workshops will cover AI Essentials and the practical application of vibe coding.

The gathering concluded with refreshments and an opportunity for journalists and VNO representatives to connect. Through the event, VNO and RAPP expressed their appreciation for the important work performed by Aruba’s press every day.