AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) - The Dutch central bank (DNB) today apologized for its role in the 19th century slave trade and said it would fund projects to raise awareness of slavery and to mitigate the effects it still has on people.

DNB's apologies followed an independent investigation published in February which showed that many of its early directors had played an important role in the slave trade.

"On behalf of DNB I apologize today to all people who by the personal choices of my predecessors were reduced to the color of their skin", central bank governor Klaas Knot said in a speech at a ceremony commemorating the abolishment of slavery in the Netherlands in 1863.

DNB said it aimed to spend up to 10 million euros in the next 10 years on educational and health projects that could mitigate the lasting effects of slavery.