Former MP and theatre director John Leerdam has been honoured in the United States for his work to combat racism in Dutch society.

The 63-year-old was presented with the Secretary of State’s Award for Global Anti-Racism Champions by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a ceremony in Washington DC.

Leerdam was commended by the jury for “demonstrating exceptional courage, strength, leadership, and commitment to advancing the human rights of black Dutch citizens” over a period of four decades.

Born in Curacao, Leerdam spent nearly seven years as an MP for the Labour party (PvdA) between 2003 and 2010, specialising in Caribbean relations and cultural affairs. Before joining parliament he was artistic director of the Cosmic Theater in Amsterdam.

He is currently one of a three-person team overseeing Amsterdam city council’s plans for the National Slavery Museum, which is due to open in 2030.

Leerdam has directed more than 70 productions on stage and screen, telling what he has called “black stories that needed to be told”.

“When John Leerdam went to study theatre in the Netherlands, the dean told him that no Dutch theater company would hire him because he was black,” Blinken said.

He said the award was a recognition of Leerdam’s work “advancing the human rights of black Dutch citizens and combatting systematic racism, discrimination, and xenophobia, while advocating for robust recognition of the lived experiences and contributions of people of African descent to Dutch society.”