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MAY 4, 2016 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ p2

A taxing job

Flanders’ energy minister Annemie Turtelboom resigns following the approval of a controversial tax levy on electricity \4

politics \ p4

BUSiNESS \ p6

innovation \ p7

Onstage education

Bronks theatre makes a huge difference in the lives of Brussels’ pupils by having them create and perform plays to enthusiastic audiences \9

education \ p9

art & living \ p10

A people’s history

A new book about a seminal work by Stijn Streuvels revisits the Flemish novelist who immortalised rural life in West Flanders \ 14

Tracing their footsteps Family chronicle tells a universal story of migration

Tom Peeters More articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

Following in the footsteps of her ancestors who fled Europe to escape religious persecution, Flanders-based South African artist and filmmaker Wendy Morris walked the coastline from the north of France through Belgium to the Netherlands.

uch of Wendy Morris’ work has to do with western perceptions of Africa. Although the artist has lived in Belgium for more than 20 years, she grew up in Namibia, when the country was ruled by South Africa’s apartheid regime. Morris is able to speak about issues of identity and migration from a personal perspective, but with a universal appeal, as evidenced in her new exhibition, Off by Heart and Out of Breath: A Silva Rerum. On display at Argos Centre for Art and Media in Brussels, the exhibition recounts the story of Morris’ ancestors, the French (but Dutch-speaking) Huguenots, who fled to South Africa through Belgium and the Netherlands to escape religious persecution in France. “The Edict of Nantes gave the Protestant Huguenots the right to practise their religion and forbade their persecution by the state,” Morris says. “But after it was revoked by Louis XIX in 1685, the Huguenots were silenced and were

forbidden to leave France. Of course they did, en masse and at great risk.” To make the story more personal, Morris decided to follow in the footsteps of her forbears. In July 2014, she walked from Guînes in northern France to Vlissingen in the Netherlands. For 10 days, she maintained a travel log and explored the local fauna but returned home without any tangible evidence. “I wanted to feel what my ancestors had felt,” she says. “Not knowing which route they followed, I took the quickest one, along the beach.” Morris, who lives with her Flemish husband in West Flanders, often used to reflect on what makes her different from her partner, not just in terms of genetics or geographical background but also culture. “And then I found out my ancestors were living only about 100 kilometres from where we live now,” she says. That’s where her personal project gained a universal perspective. “At some point, we will all be refugees or migrants. Just look at my family: We’ve always been on the move, and not just from Europe to Africa but also within South Africa. Constantly moving, there and back.” Morris was previously an artist in residence at the In Flanders Field Museum, where she produced the film Off the Record about South African involvement in the First World War. The film is based on a diary left by her great-uncle, Walter Giddy, who died during the war. “I discovered that it was

actually written by his sister and by my grandmother. They were trying to hold on to his memory.” Morris grew up thinking she had English heritage, but research into her family’s genealogy revealed a more complex past. “I found that my ancestors include the Dutch, the French Huguenots, a German and two slaves – one from West Africa and one from Indonesia,” she says. “So I’ve been both the perpetrator and the victim, and not just this white South African who was always on the wrong side of history. That made it really interesting and much more difficult to deal with.” While working on her next film, In Heir to the Evangelical Revival, Morris realised that her country of birth was determined by her ancestors’ religious convictions. “I started to wonder who they were before they left Europe,” she says. “With so many people coming to Europe now, I wanted to learn why my ancestors had gone in the opposite direction.” She made the film in 2013 using stop-motion animation of charcoal drawings. The constant alteration and reshooting of each drawing was like researching what she calls “the bruises of history”. “The use of charcoal mimics our past,” she explains. “It always leaves a trace, carries its own history and moves on.” Over time, Morris’ art has become more interdisciplinary. Off by Heart and Out of Breath includes a film, audio recordings and even a dream chamber. The diary is what connects the media together. “All my ideas are in there,” says Morris. The exhibition, along with past work, has also helped her continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

VUB elects new rector

Communications specialist Caroline Pauwels wants ‘smart, urban university’ Sue Somers More articles by Sue \ flanderstoday.eu

ommunication scientist Caroline Pauwels has been elected as the new rector of the Free University of Brussels (VUB). She replaces Paul De Knop and becomes the second woman to lead VUB after emeritus professor Els Witte, who was rector from 1994 to 2000. Pauwels, 51, has managed VUB’s

Flanders, US co-operate on First World War remembrance Flanders and the United States signed a co-operation agreement last week for the commemoration of the American effort in the First World War. The agreement was signed by Koen Verlaeckt, secretary-general of Flanders’ Department of Foreign Affairs, and Daniel Dayton, executive director of the United States World War One Centennial Commission. US ambassador to Belgium Denise Bauer was also present at the signing. The signing took place in Leuven’s university library, which was destroyed by German forces in 1914 and rebuilt after the war with American support. The agreement commits both sides to strengthening communications and exchanging knowledge in the preparation of commemorative events. Among the initiatives already started by Flemish representative in New York Geert De Proost is a package for Flemish schools titled “The Volunteers: Americans Join World War One 19141919” and a lesson plan for US schools on the country’s role in the war. \ AH

media research centre iMindsSMIT since 2000. Until last year, she also served as public broadcaster VRT’s government commissioner, where she bridged the gap between the broadcaster and the world of politics. Though Pauwels knows her way around the media, she has always said she prefers to remain behind the scenes. “It’s important that

the university is represented,” she said. “Of course, I will intervene in certain debates, but it’s not necessary for me to stand in the spotlight all the time.” In particular, Pauwels (pictured) wants to position VUB as an urban, multicultural university. “I see the university as a collective project in the service of society. Our campuses are just a starting

point. We must be a smart, urban university in the capital of Flanders and Europe.” She also wants to take the pressure off academics to publish. “Academic researchers are being reduced to publications,” she told De Morgen. “Yes, research is important, but we also have to prioritise education and public service.”

First public hydrogen fuel station opens in Flanders Former Flemish energy minister Annemie Turtelboom has inaugurated Flanders’ first fuel station for cars running on hydrogen. The station, on Leuvensesteenweg in Zaventem, is a joint venture between Toyota and Air Liquide. Hydrogen fuel cars are emission-free and produce only water as a waste product. The new station can carry out 30 to 40 refills a day. One refill provides roughly the same length of operation as a full tank of petrol in a standard car. “Electricity and hydrogen are the future, as well as a bit of hybrid,” Turtelboom said. Flanders, she admitted, doesn’t perform as well as other European nations for emissions, but by 2020, she said, the government aims to have

The first cars fuel up at Flanders’ first hydrogen station

5,000 more charging stations for electric vehicles, 300 natural gas chargers and 20 hydrogen stations. They also expect the number of zero-

emissions vehicles to increase from the 2,000 seen on the roads last year to more than 60,000 by 2020. Toyota donated the space used by Air Liquide to install the fuel station and used the occasion of the launch to introduce its hydrogen-fuelled model Mirai – the Japanese word for “future”. Belgium is the fourth European country where the car is being sold, at a price here of €79,900. Hydrogen is “one of the most promising technologies for a clean future, according to Masahisa Nagata, vice president of Toyota Motor Europe. However, it will take time before hydrogen cars are a normal sight, he said, as the necessary infrastructure still needs to be developed. \ Alan Hope

Major fire destroys carnival warehouse in Aalst A fire has destroyed a warehouse in Aalst used to store carnival floats. The cause was the use of an angle grinder, the East Flanders prosecutor’s office said. The people of the city are “wounded in their hearts,” according to mayor Christophe D’Haese. In Aalst, home to one of Europe’s largest carnival celebrations, citizens are already hard at work on next year’s festival. Carnival is such a way of life in Aalst that the tradition is on Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Some 100 people were working in the 800-square-metre warehouse (pictured) last week when the fire broke out. Only one

person was injured, but by the time the fire was under control, both the building and the materials inside – used to create carnival floats – were beyond saving. The fire expert from the prosecutor’s office concluded that the fire was not started deliberately but was the result of sparks from a grinder in the presence of flammable materials. The site is closed for now. “The grounds will be guarded day and night,” a city spokesperson said. “The city will do everything necessary to begin the demolition and rebuilding of the warehouse as quickly as possible.” \ AH

22% 46 languages in which it is possible to take a driving test in Flanders, with the aid of an interpreter – a number N-VA wants to see cut drastically. The top languages are Arabic, English and Turkish

236

,0 65

new businesses started in Flanders in 2015, an increase of 4.1%, according to business consultancy Graydon, while Brussels was down 0.3% and Wallonia was down 0.1%

of student rooms in Leuven are not adequately protected against fire, based on a sample of 900 rooms inspected. The city will now extend its investigation to all rented rooms.

people went to see a Flemish film in the cinema in 2015, a new record. The most popular film of the year was FC De Kampioenen: Jubilee General, with 632,300 tickets sold

complaints received by the Jury for Ethical Practices in Advertising last year – 83 for a single ad, in which vegetarians are converted due to the delights of charcuterie

maY 4, 2016

WEEK in brief Two people walking along the river Scheldt in Bornem last week discovered a dead narwhal, an Arctic variety of whale with a long single tusk. It’s the first time a narwhal has been seen in Belgium, according to the Royal Institute for Natural Sciences. Normally the beast is found north of 70 degrees, in the Arctic waters of Russia, Greenland and Canada. How it came to be so far south is not known, nor is the cause of death. The carcass was taken to Ghent University for autopsy. Two federal police officers serving Brussels were detained last week on suspicion of stealing money from Polish and Romanian drivers pulled over on the Brussels Ring. The pair are alleged to have stopped a vehicle in December and robbing the occupants. Ten days later they did the same thing with a Romanian vehicle, getting away with €5,300. According to the prosecutor for Halle-Vilvoorde, there is no indication any other officers were involved. A decision by Antwerp city council to ban high-emissions vehicles from the city centre has been overturned by the Privacy Commission, which found the use of the country’s vehicles register inappropriate. The register, which includes all vehicles registered in Belgium, would allow Antwerp to see which vehicles could and could not be allowed into the centre. But the commission pointed out that a great many owners have no plans ever to drive in Antwerp, so their details should not be open to inspection by the city. The city called the decision “frustrating” but hoped the 2017 deadline could still be met. Inspectors from the finance ministry have started carrying out checks on restaurants equipped with the new smart cash register, which came into force on Sunday after a grace period. They promised that companies using the new

face of flanders registers will not be audited for any undeclared work carried out previously. “It’s logical that everyone start with a clean slate,” said Christine Mattheeuws of the selfemployed union NSZ. Some 23,000 registers are listed. Restaurants not yet equipped face fines. The government of the BrusselsCapital Region has introduced a package of measures worth €66 million to boost the local economy following a severe dip suffered in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 22 March. The funding includes helping the hotel sector recover; low-interest credit for small businesses; a publicity campaign to stimulate a number of shopping areas; extra security in metro stations and at cultural venues and events; a new video platform bringing together camera footage from all police zones in the capital; and a mobility pack for tourists allowing three free hours of public transport, Interparking carparks or Villo bikes for hire. The parliamentary committee looking into the 22 March terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport and in Maalbeek metro station has designated the four experts who will assist in the investigation. The two Dutch-speaking experts are criminologist Brice De Ruyver of Ghent University and KU Leuven emeritus professor of law Cyrille Fijnaut. Both served as experts on the Dutroux commission in the 1990s. On the French-speaking side, Paul Martens, former president of the Constitutional Court, will be the acting magistrate, while Simon Petermann of the Free University of Brussels (ULB) is an expert in radicalisation. The concert venue Ancienne Belgique in Brussels has worked out a deal with rail authority NMBS to encourage concert-goers to come to the city by train. Anyone with a ticket for a concert in the AB can now buy a return ticket from any station in Belgium for only €9.

The NMBS plans to offer the deal to other venues later. Supermarket chain Delhaize is to extend its “ugly vegetables” campaign against food waste to another 100 stores, the company said. The decision follows the success of a pilot project in 16 supermarkets started last year, when customers could buy a three-kilogram box of vegetables that did not meet the usual standards of appearance for only €3.99. More than 6,000 boxes were sold, preventing some 15 tonnes of vegetables from being scrapped. An investigating magistrate has called on the computer crime unit of the federal police to shut down access to three websites accused of selling concert tickets at extortionate prices, which is now against the law in Belgium. The sites, topticketsshop.nl, rang1tickets.nl and ticketsbelgie.be, are also accused of identity fraud as they use false names to obtain tickets in the first place. Consumer organisation Test-Aankoop announced that it is starting a class action suit against the websites on behalf of anyone who bought tickets from them. \ testaankoop.be/doorverkooptickets

Members of the federal parliament have voted against a proposal to bring their own retirement age – currently 55 years for anyone elected before 2014 – into line with the minimum age for the rest of the population, which is 65. According to Peter De Roover, fraction leader for majority party N-VA, the amendment, filed by opposition socialists, was “a cheap trick aimed at scoring popular points”. The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of the world’s Buddhists, is to visit Brussels this autumn to take part in the Power and Care conference scheduled for 9 to 11 September, his Mind and Life organisation announced.

OFFSIDE Miracle baby They’re calling it a miracle baby, but in fact the new arrival at Antwerp Zoo owes its existence more to a fascinating quirk of nature than to any divine intervention. There is a tiny baby hiding in koala Guwara’s pouch. When koalas give birth, the babies move from the birth canal into the pouch where they grow for several months before emerging into the world. The zookeepers were quite surprised by the appearance of the baby in the pouch as the gestation period is only 34 days, and Guwara’s mate, Goonawarra, died three months ago. The answer to the mystery lies in evolution. Nature has equipped the koala with the handy ability to hold onto a fertilised ovum and only implant it if the time is right. That’s useful if, for example, there’s some kind of risk or danger, like lack of food. So while fertilisation took place more than three months ago, Guwara’s body decided, for whatever reason, to hold on to the

Lily Deforce When Lily Deforce took up her post as CEO of fair trade importer Max Havelaar in 2008, barely one in four families bought anything with a fair trade label. Eight years later, Deforce is stepping down, the organisation has changed its name to Fairtrade Belgium, and the percentage of those buying fair trade products has more than doubled to 53%. Last year, Belgium supermarkets and other outlets sold €115.5 million in fair trade products. The most popular items purchased were bananas, chocolate and coffee. “We consciously created a recognition of fair trade with those products,” Deforce, 51, told De Standaard last week, “which allows us to diversify our range. That way people learned about our other products such as waffles, tea, rice and even wine.” When she arrived, fair trade had something of a hippy, righton reputation, being marketed under the name of Max Havelaar, an 1860 Dutch novel about the colonial coffee trade. Her background was a mix: the Mechelen-based seeds company Somers Seeds, the charity Vredeseilanden and the multinational Procter & Gamble.

In 2008, fewer than 40 companies used fair trade goods in their production lines. Now Fairtrade Belgium has contracts with 95 Belgian companies and 65 abroad. Last year, it sold nearly 11% more than in 2014,

We have more farmers offering fair trade products than there are shoppers in the stores but the company is taking up a larger part of a pie that’s not itself growing much at all. Supply is outstripping demand. “We have more farmers offering fair trade products than there are shoppers in the stores,” she told De Standaard. Deforce steps down on 1 June and will spend six months working on a series of smaller projects. “I want to have control over my own diary for a while,” she said. In 2017, the hunt for a new job will begin. \ Alan Hope

Flanders Today, a weekly English-language newspaper, is an initiative of the Flemish Region and is financially supported by the Flemish authorities. The logo and the name Flanders Today belong to the Flemish Region (Benelux Beeldmerk nr 815.088). The editorial team of Flanders Today has full editorial autonomy regarding the content of the newspaper and is responsible for all content, as stipulated in the agreement between Corelio Publishing and the Flemish authorities.

ovum for a while. The koala pair had already produced nine babies during their time in Planckendael animal park in Mechelen before moving to the zoo last year. Later this year, Guwara (pictured) will meet a new mate when Yooranah arrives from Edinburgh Zoo. But they’ll be living in separate accommodation: Koalas only come together during mating season. \ AH

Editor Lisa Bradshaw DEPUTY Editor Sally Tipper CONTRIBUTING Editor Alan Hope sub Editor Bartosz Brzezi´nski Agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino Art director Paul Van Dooren Prepress Mediahuis AdPro Contributors Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Andy Furniere, Lee Gillette, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton General manager Hans De Loore Publisher Mediahuis NV

Editorial address Gossetlaan 30 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden tel 02 467 23 06 editorial@flanderstoday.eu subscriptions tel 03 560 17 49 subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu or order online at www.flanderstoday.eu Advertising 02 467 24 37 advertising@flanderstoday.eu Verantwoordelijke uitgever Hans De Loore

\ POLITICS

5TH COLUMN Sororicide

Open VLD party president Gwendolyn Rutten walked out of the Flemish parliament last week, as party member Annemie Turtelboom, energy and budget minister, was interrogated yet again about what has become known as the “Turteltax”, the energy levy she ushered in. Two days later, Turtelboom announced her resignation. The energy debate had become “too personal,” she said, and it was “in the party’s best interest” that she leave. She had finally lost Rutten’s support. Turtelboom had been criticised for months by fellow liberals. Having a tax named after you is a mortal sin in the anti-tax party. As vice minister-president, Turtelboom was also blamed for her party’s lack of influence in the government of Flanders. The fact that Open VLD entered the coalition at the very last minute without negotiating the government agreement did not help. However, Rutten always stood by her pal Turtelboom, whom she had chosen over a number of other hopefuls to become minister. Turtelboom, too, hung on for dear life. First she blamed the socialists in the previous governments for having built up the historical debt with extensive solar panel subsidies – the reason the new levy had to be introduced. Turtelboom also eventually embraced the name Turteltax as a badge of honour – widely considered a strategic mistake. In the end, she tried to lower the tax by scrapping new subsidies for two biomass power plants (see related story, right). Coalition parties N-VA and CD&V would not hear of this, fearing that Flanders might not meet its climate objectives without the plants. When it became clear that Turtelboom could not win this battle, Rutten made up her mind to replace her after all, in what has been described as “sororicide”. Turtelboom’s successor is Bart Tommelein, who had publicly expressed disappointment at not getting the position in the first place. Tommelein, who excelled as federal secretary of state for social fraud, privacy and North Sea concerns, will now become his party’s number one in the Flemish government. On the federal level, he is being replaced by MEP Philippe De Backer, who will also take Turtelboom’s place as Open VLD’s electoral figurehead in Antwerp. Turtelboom, whose career rocketed after she left CD&V for Open VLD in 2003, could spend the rest of her political career as a backbencher. \ Anja Otte

Energy minister resigns

Flemish minister Annemie Turtelboom resigns over electricity tax Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

nnemie Turtelboom (Open VLD) has resigned her post as energy minister in the Flemish government over the “Turteltax”, a surcharge on energy bills. The tax will cost the average family about €100 more for electricity a year. The same afternoon that Turtelboom’s resignation was announced, Open VLD announced that Bart Tommelein, who was until that point secretary of state for social fraud and privacy, would take her place. “When I joined the Flemish government, I was confronted by an enormous mountain of debt caused by green energy certificates,” said Turtelboom at a press conference last Friday, referring to subsidies previously paid for the installation of solar panels and other renewable energy sources.

“While neither I nor my party was at the root of this debt, the case has in the last few months become so personal that I have decided to hand back my mandate to my party.” Turtelboom (pictured) joined the government of Flanders after the regional elections in 2014. She had served several years as a federal minis-

ter: three as justice minister, two as home affairs minister and two as asylum and migration minister. Throughout that period, she also sat on the Puurs municipal council, moving to Antwerp’s city council in 2013. Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois said he was surprised upon receiving her resignation. “I passed the news on to colleagues, and everyone was surprised,” he said. “We are losing a fine colleague with whom I had close personal contact.” Turtelboom’s place as vice minister-president and minister for energy, finance and budget is taken by Open VLD party colleague Tommelein. His post as federal secretary of state for social fraud, privacy and the North Sea now belongs to MEP Philippe De Backer, who inherits dossiers including the privacy battle against Facebook.

Flanders completes record trade mission to India Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois has returned from a weeklong trade mission to India, the largest ever such trip for Flemish businesses. He was accompanied by Flanders Investment & Trade, as well as representatives from 55 companies. The mission concluded with some companies signing export contracts and others making promising contacts. Flemish water company De Watergroep signed a contract for development of the water provision of Mysore, a city in the south of the country with 700,000 inhabitants. The contract involves laying 600 kilometres of pipeline and 70,000 connections. Bakery group Puratos is to extend its existing facility in Pune. The group passed €1.5 billion in sales last year, 20% of it in India; It is one of the major growth markets for the company, along with Turkey, Iran and Japan. Bourgeois laid the first stone of the new development with Belgian ambassador to India Jan Luyckx.

Flemish Minister-President Geert Bourgeois (right) and Belgium’s ambassador to India Jan Luykx (second from right) visit metal seal manufacturer HTMS Futom in Pune

India is also a major growth market for Flemish apples, with the region exporting some 5,500 tonnes in 2015. Belgium as a whole accounts for 30% of all EU exports of apples to India. However, growers are having trouble selling pears to the country. Indian consumers tend to like their pears soft, yellow and juicy, whereas the typical Flemish Conference pear is green and more solid in texture. The development of a pear more suited to Indian tastes is being investigated,

according to the government’s agricultural marketing agency Vlam. The tour took in Pune, Mumbai and Bangalore. There were eight memorandums of understanding signed and 238 B2B contracts. Bourgeois is now looking forward to the next mission to India, this time to Bangalore – where the economy centres on technology – and to the port city of Chennai. “People are very enterprising here, just as in Flanders,” he said. “There

are a lot of family businesses that have often been around for generations, and they do business sustainably.” India is Flanders’ second-largest trade partner outside of the EU, after the United States. It remains the region’s biggest market in Asia, ahead of China, even as exports to India decreased in 2015 by 9.5%. Exports to China also decreased last year, by 9.2%. Belgium, in return, is India’s thirdlargest trading partner in the EU, after Germany and the UK. Flanders accounts for 97% of all of Belgium’s trade with India. “Flemish companies, clusters and organisations have the expertise and knowhow, as well as the state-of-theart products and services to succeed in foreign markets such as India,” said FIT CEO Claire Tillekaerts. “Our FIT offices in Mumbai and Bangalore and our colleagues in Brussels have been extremely active in recent months with the preparation of Flanders’ biggest-ever economic mission ever.” \ AH

Arts committees deliver advice on subsidies

Government parties debate value of biomass plants in Flanders

Arts commissions have delivered their final reports advising how multi-year arts subsidies should be allocated. Flemish culture minister Sven Gatz and his department will now determine how the €86 million a year covering the period 2017-2021 will be divided. More than 300 organisations submitted an application for working subsidies. Project-based subsidies are considered in a different round of spending. The organisations that examined the applications have given a positive advice in 244 cases. “The amount originally proposed for working resources was €105 million a year, but the minister announced that, because of spending cuts, only €86 million was available,” said Mike Naert of Het Depot in Leuven, one of the applicants. “If every organisation gets 20% less, then we’re no further forward.” His organisation is recommended to receive €400,000 a year. Among the highest sums recommended are €3.3 million for Het Toneelhuis in Antwerp, €3 million for the Royal Flemish Theatre (KVS) in Brussels, €1.5 million for Bronks youth theatre, also in Brussels, and €1.3 million for Collegium Vocale in Ghent. Among those not recommended for funding are the Muziekodroom concert hall in Hasselt and the Let’s Go Urban dance school in Antwerp. \ AH

The government of Flanders is divided over whether or not to grant subsidies to build a new biomass facility in Ghent. N-VA approved the construction of the facility in the last Flemish government. The plant would be run by BEE Power and would cost the government €2 billion over the next 15 years – money departing energy minister Annemie Turtelboom would have liked to use to ease the impact of the energy surcharge that came to be known as the Turteltax (see related story above). Liberals Open VLD see no sense in pumping billions into a technology – converting organic waste into energy – that is not sustainable, according to environmentalists Bond Beter Leefmilieu and Natuurpunt. “I don’t think €2 billion in subsidy should go to a single project,” said Open VLD chair Gwendolyn Rutten. “Not only is that not financially sound, but biomass is not even

a green or sustainable solution. It’s actually a form of environmental deception.” A second biomass facility in Langerlo, Limburg, was built but is now for sale by the owner without ever having been put in operation. Guido Camps, former head of the energy regulator Creg, agreed with Open VLD. “Biomass is a bad idea,” he said. “The facilities in Ghent and Langerlo are a neverending story. They are more expensive and dirtier than solar and wind power, and they will never be able to survive without subsidies.” According to minister-president Geert Bourgeois (N-VA), biomass is essential to Flanders meeting its 2020 climate targets. “If we don’t utilise the two biomass centres, we’ll have to build an estimated 1,000 more windmills, which would probably cost as much in subsidy as the biomass plants,” he said. \ AH

\ COVER STORY

maY 4, 2016

Tracing their footsteps

With a trek along the North Sea coast, artist chronicles her family’s exile continued from page 1

to face her own heritage. Her first charcoal animation, A Royal Hunger, deals with King Leopold II’s exploitation of the Belgian Congo. In Taste the World, Morris argues that Africa is marketed as something to be consumed. “Belgians seem to think that they are travelling back in time whenever they go to Africa,” she says. Her 2007 collection of three short films, Bully Beef, tackles selective amnesia and criticises the way artefacts are displayed in the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren. “My three children were brought up in the Flemish school system, but they never learned about colonialism,” she says. Also in South Africa, she continues, “pupils learn about world history and about history after 1994, but they don’t learn about the anti-apartheid struggle. A lot of South Africans born after the apartheid regime still don’t know their history. They feel like they lack identity, which is becoming a big problem at universities”. This historical amnesia is a sensitive issue for Morris, not least because she witnessed the injustice of apartheid as a child. “We had a maid who had her own room, which was really more like a cell,” she says. “She was not allowed to live with her husband and children and was only given one day off a week.” The maid would bring coffee to Morris’ parents’ bedroom every morning. “For me, it was very

ARGOSARTS.ORG

Wendy Morris (pictured below) collected various plants her ancestors might have used and recorded her experiences in a log for future generations

odd,” she says. “We were eating off of different plates, but at the same time it was someone who cared for you and looked after you. Only

when I got to university in Johannesburg, did I start to notice there were movements against apartheid, and I became politicised.” After the first democratic elections in 1994, Morris followed her husband, who was feeling homesick after 20 years in South Africa, to his childhood village of Deerlijk. From there, she continued researching her complex relationship with the past. The Argos exhibition serves as the culmination of this journey. The titular silva rerum, which means “forest of things” in Latin, refers to family chronicles kept by nobles from the 16th to the 18th centuries that were intended to provide continuity between generations. “I don’t have any stories about my ancestors,” Morris says. “No letters or diaries, nothing about my fleeing family. I wanted to recuperate something, give my ancestors a silva rerum of the things they might have wanted to take with them: songs, recipes, something from the land that they lost.” With none of her ancestors left, the silva rerum became a story of the present and a memento for future generations from which they can learn about the past. It is about her walk, her writings in the travel log, the smell of the wild plants she found along the way and the proclamation of her family’s lineage. “I wanted to come back to the

places my family once passed by and where there is now no trace of them to be found,” she says. At the end of the walk, Morris was exhausted, but she could effortlessly recite the names of her family’s 11 generations, as heard in the audio installation at the end of the exhibition.

at the wrong time.” Located in the centre of the exhibition, the videogram helps complete the story, revealing the only real trace Morris found. “The great-great-grandmother of Sarie Marais was one of the Huguenots who escaped France and ended up in South Africa,” she says, referring

With so many people coming to Europe now, I wanted to learn why my ancestors had gone in the opposite direction Off by Heart and Out of Breath resonates with the sense of frustration that we can never fully grasp our past. The pillows in the dream chamber are stuffed with mugwort, a plant believed to cause lucid visions, and visitors are encouraged to lie down. “What’s interesting about these weeds is that they also work as a metaphor,” Morris explains. “They migrate and colonise, but mostly they show up in the wrong place

Until 26 June

to a protagonist in a traditional Afrikaans folk song of the same name. “It seems Sarie Marais might have been my distant cousin.” With the song, her family history comes full circle, connecting fragments of a past that is never truly lost. “It has a special meaning to me, because the Huguenots were exiled from France,” she explains. “They were forced to be silent and were prevented from singing their own songs.”

Argos Centre for Art and Media Werfstraat 12, Brussels

\ BUSINESS

week in business Mining Nyrstar The ailing metals mining and smelting group, based in Balen, Antwerp province, is close to an agreement to sell its mines. The company has been severely affected by the drop in value of its assets and seeks to concentrate on its metals processing activities in Europe, Australia and the US.

Property US Embassy The US embassy in central Brussels is believed to have acquired a new premises: the 54,000 square-metre AXA building on Vorstlaan in Watermaal-Bosvoorde. A move is not expected before 2020 as the building needs to be extensively renovated.

Air Lufthansa The German carrier, which owns 45% of Brussels Airlines, has postponed its decision on acquiring the other 55% of the company until after the summer to allow the carrier to “recover” from the recent events at Brussels Airport.

Biotech ArGEN-X The Ghent-based bio-technology company has signed a $40 million (€35 million) contract with the US pharmaceutical group AbbVie to develop a new cancer drug.

Materials Umicore The Brussels-based materials technology and recycling group is investing €160 million in its plants in Cheonan, South Korea, and Jiangmen, China, to triple the capacity of its production of reloadable NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt) batteries. The new lines should come on stream in late 2017.

Salvage Flinterstar The wreck of the Dutchowned cargo ship Flinterstar, which sank off Zeebrugge last October, is to be salvaged by a consortium of Flemish companies Deme, Jan De Nul and Herbosch-Kiere.

Chemicals Solvay The Brussels-based chemicals group is believed to have won the €100 million contract to supply polymers for the next generation of iPhones, which will enter production shortly. The company has been supplying Apple for the last three years with polymers to protect the inner components of the iPhone 5.

Verhaert wins ESA contract

Space agency’s Technology Transfer Program awarded to Flemish company Senne Starckx More articles by Senne \ flanderstoday.eu

he European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a major contract to a company in East Flanders, to co-ordinate its new Technology Transfer Program. Verhaert, based in Kruibeke, will co-ordinate the elaborate programme, which should lead to a higher return on investment for the billions the ESA spends every year. “Thanks to this contract, we will be propelled instantly to become one of the leading players in Europe with respect to technology transfer and incubation of technological starters,” CEO Koen Verhaert said when the contract award was announced last week. The value of the contract was not disclosed. R&D in space technology often leads to pioneering breakthroughs and surprising applications

in everyday life. Less noisy wind turbines and quick blood and urine tests are two examples of innovations that have arisen from European space research programmes. The ESA believes

NMBS boss to step down Jo Cornu, the business executive brought in to run the national rail authority NMBS in 2013, is to step down after serving less than half of his six-year term. Cornu is 71 and when appointed made it clear he might not finish the term. Cornu was the emergency replacement for the Di Rupo government in 2013 when Frank Van Massenhove, head of the federal social security department, pulled out of the plan to take over from NMBS CEO Marc Descheemaecker. Cornu had a good reputation from previous posts at Alcatel and Agfa Gevaert, but he had no experience with the railways. He set out on a course of modernisation and cost-cutting, putting him on a collision course with rail unions on both counts. The result was an endless series of strikes and disruptive actions that stretched the patience of rail passengers to the limit. No date has been set for his departure, which will be determined “in co-operation with the government,” he announced

on Twitter. And he promised to leave his successor “a clear framework to take control of the NMBS”. “I am grateful for the work Jo Cornu has done since his appointment,” said federal mobility minister François Bellot. “He has assured me that he will carry on with his job until the most suitable moment, in the interests of the enterprise.” \ Alan Hope

De Tijd editor-in-chief to head up Het Laatste Nieuws Isabel Albers, who five years ago became the first woman editor-inchief of a Flemish daily newspaper, will leave De Tijd to take over at the head of Het Laatste Nieuws as of 1 June. The move takes her from De Persgroep’s most prestigious newspaper to its most popular. Albers will head a team of three, which includes current Het Laatste Nieuws editor Wim Verhoeven and deputy-editor Dimitri Antonissen. Her job will be to guide the newspaper towards a more digital future, the paper said. De Tijd sells about 34,000 issues a day; Het Laatste Nieuws sells 309,000, making it the region’s most-read daily. “Het Laatste Nieuws represents the beating heart of Flanders,” said Albers, “whether that’s on your smartphone, your desktop or the paper. How you read it is beside the point. The paper’s straightforward style, accessible in many more options than ever before, is the most important thing.” Albers, 44, was a political editor at De Standaard before being appointed to lead De Tijd, a business daily, in 2011. Under her leadership, the paper saw five years of continuous growth, with a solid digital audience: About one in four subscribers read the paper online only. \ AH

European industry could benefit much more from such research Verhaert will use a specific approach and programme, called TechXfer. This differs from the classical method of technology valorisation in two ways: by diverging from a technology “push model” to a user-focused “pull model”, and through an integration of the complete chain – from opportunity creation to feasibility research, to the development and construction of demonstrators and prototypes. The company is one of the pillars of Flanders’ space-flight engineering sector and is known for its construction of a series of microsatellites used by ESA for Earth observation, known as the Proba family.

Peeters welcomes price cuts for Bancontact payments Federal consumer protection minister Kris Peeters has praised a decision by Atos Worldline – the company that processes electronic pointof-sale payments such as are made with Bancontact – to cut the prices it charges retailers. The changes affect purchases under €10 made with Bancontact or other cards and follow the elimination of the rechargeable Proton card. For purchases worth less than €5, the charge decreases from 5 cents to 2 cents, a fall of 60%. For sales of €5 to €10, the price comes down from 7.5 cents to 5 cents. And to mark the introduction of the new tariffs on 1 June, Worldline is waiving charges on sales of up to €5 for four months. The move could convince retailers who don’t allow purchases under €5 or €10 with Bancontact to change their policy. “I am delighted with this initiative,” Peeters said. “Atos Worldline processes 90 million transactions of up to €5 annually. Now the number of transactions with the card for daily purchases will increase even further.” Atos will also increase its data capacity in Belgium, in the hope of avoiding emergency situations such as occurred in the run-up to Christmas in 2013, when the system went down for hours under pressure from the number of sales transactions. \ AH

Restructure of public broadcaster VRT to save €33.5 million The board of directors of Flemish public broadcaster VRT has approved the “transformation plan” drawn up by management, which calls for 220 job cuts and savings of €33.5 million. The final plan is a slightly toned-down version of the one presented in September last year. That plan, with 286 job losses, 98 staff outsourced to other companies, the closure of local offices in Kortrijk, Antwerp and Hasselt, and savings of €25 million over five years, was described as “a social bloodbath” by unions. VRT, which owns multiple TV channels and radio stations, including één, Canvas, Studio Brussel and Radio 1 and 2, had argued that the plan would provide the stability it needs for the coming years. The final version of the restructure will see fewer jobs cut and most of those will be in the form of not replacing those who retire or quit. Only about 50 actual

redundancies will be required, said the broadcaster. Other changes include catering and child care facilities no longer being handled by outside companies and the creation of 50 new jobs to develop the broadcaster’s digital capacity. According to reports, both the board and unions said there had been less political pressure now compared to last year, which allowed the negotiations to be carried out more in a spirit of partnership. “Sessions with staff garnered some very useful input,” one management source told De Tijd. \ AH

\ INNOVATION

maY 4, 2016

All together now

week in innovation

Flanders’ first climate summit calls on every citizen to do their bit

Antwerp University has launched the Beckett Digital Library (BDL), a new subscription-based platform that collects together books and other materials recovered from the Paris apartment of the famous 20th-century Irish author Samuel Beckett. The project includes letters and original manuscripts, as well as all the volumes he read and referenced, including notes in margins and passages underlined in books and essays. The BDL includes some 1,000 volumes preserved at Beckett’s apartment and in archives and private collections around the world, in addition to scanned notes and annotations.

Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

The government of Flanders recently hosted its first climate summit, as a survey reveals young people in Flanders rate the climate as a huge priority.

he government of Flanders is to recruit interested parties from all sections of society to plan and execute its goals on climate change, minister-president Geert Bourgeois promised at the conclusion of the first Flemish climate summit last week. And he announced a fund of €300 million for climaterelated policies in 2016-2019, including insulation for schools and more green buses for public transport authority De Lijn. The first climate summit, according to Bourgeois in his opening speech, was a recognition that all sectors of society had to work together to achieve meaningful goals on climate change. It brought together representatives of business, finance, agriculture, logistics, academics, research, local government, civil society and committed citizens to consider future policy measures. Bourgeois began by sketching a portrait of “Generation What” – young people between 18 and 25 who were identified by a recent study. “They are realistic, and they understand the world is changing,” he said. “They are ambitious and want to make a difference, to mean something to society.” When asked in the survey what they feared the most, “they answered, in order: losing a loved one, being left alone and climate change,” continued Bourgeois. “More than a job or illness, young Flemish people are concerned about the future of our planet.”

If we don’t act now, the consequences are unimaginable The survey, he said, was a glimmer of hope, but we should not be satisfied. “To think that our children and their children will solve the problem is not just naïve, it’s wilful negligence. If we don’t act now, the consequences are unimaginable – for the environment, for our economic fibre and for our people.” Environment minister Joke Schauvliege then gave a presentation about the state of affairs in Flanders – its environmental goals and its success in achieving them. The region has cut its emissions of greenhouse gases, for example, from 87.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 1990 – and a peak in 1996 of 96 million tonnes – to below 75 million tonnes in 2014. Its Clean Power for Transport action plan has

Discovery yields possible psoriasis treatment © Patrick Vanhopplinus/Hugo Vanderwegen

Environment minister Joke Schavliege (centre) and minister-president Geert Bourgeois talk to the press at Flanders’ first climate summit

seen the introduction of a system of vehicle taxation based on environmental performance, as well as the growth of cycle highways and a new road toll for lorries. “The Flemish government has taken a number of measures to achieve our goals, ranging from the introduction of E-standards for buildings, minimum quality standards for existing buildings, including roof insulation by 2020 and mandatory double glazing by 2023, to the greening of road taxation, the road toll for lorries and subsidies for insulation, solar boilers, heat pumps and clean cars,” Bourgeois added. “Our train is on the right track, but it’s travelling much too slowly.” Following messages from other members of the government, there was a panel discussion of experts in mobility, agriculture, cleantech and culture, considering examples of best practice in areas like multi-modal transport policy, sustainable agriculture and circular carbon dioxide – the idea of turning what is now waste into a useful product. Another panel discussion involved a range of policymakers from local and provincial governments, the Flemish Youth Council and the NGO Bond Beter Leefmilieu. They presented their ideas on matters such as a climate-neutral society imagined by the Youth Council, the importance of horizontal policy co-operation and the importance of local efforts. “Municipal policy, because of its proximity to the citizen, is the means by which climate policy will ‘click’ with the people,” said Eva De Bleeker, alderwoman in Hoeilaart. But, she pointed out, low-CO2 options in Flanders will only become

mainstream if they are also the most appealing options economically. Each minister in the government will now organise a number of round-table discussions with target groups within their own policy areas, to help define goals and the measures needed to achieve them. Then, the government plans a second summit this autumn, where stakeholders will agree to concrete commitments. Finally, a third summit in 2018 will take note of how far the region has come in the realisation of those commitments. Closing the summit, Bourgeois told delegates that climate challenge need not be entirely a story of doom and gloom. “It’s a story of opportunities, for the environment, for our health, for the economy and for our welfare,” he said. “We can turn a crisis into an opportunity. From efforts to improve energy-efficiency, people have to pay less for their energy bills, businesses can produce more competitively, schools and care facilities can cut costs in favour of their social function.” The needs of tackling climate change can also benefit the construction industry and the new technology sector, he said. “A lot of effort has already been expended, and we are a lot further forward than we were 10 years ago. But we’re not there yet.” That’s why, he continued, “I am calling on everyone in Flanders: Think about what this can mean to you; don’t think that your children or grandchildren will be able to solve the problem, don’t imagine you can’t make a difference. You can make a difference. The efforts of all of us together can mean a giant step forward.”

Climate change would increase value of agriculture, says study While farmers in southern Europe will experience significant losses due to global warming, rising temperatures will give agriculture in western and northern Europe, including in Belgium, a serious boost. That’s the conclusion of a study by Steven Van Passel, a business economist at Hasselt University. Van Passel ploughed through both climate and accounting data from more than 40,000 farms in the “old EU”, when the Union was made up of 15 member states. He applied an economic

UAntwerp digitises Beckett’s library

method based on the farm’s ability to adapt to changing temperatures, precipitation and other weather variables. If the global mean temperature rises by one degree, countries like Spain and Italy would lose 5% of their agricultural value through disappointing harvests, the economist concluded. For Greece and Portugal, the loss would be more devastating: 9%. Farms in the UK, Ireland and Scandinavia, on the other hand would increase in value by 10%.

And Van Passel’s study shows a value increase of 8.5% in Flanders. He also found that changes in temperature are a much more powerful driver for economic impact than a decrease or increase in precipitation. The impact of a warmer climate is, overall, positive in spring and autumn, as it lengthens the growing seasons, and negative in winter and summer because of the survival of pests and stress related to heat and drought, respectively.

Researchers from life sciences research centre VIB and Ghent University have made a significant breakthrough in the fight against psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune skin disease that’s incurable and affects between 2% and 4% of the population. The scientists looked at a gene that corresponds to a protein called Malt1, which keeps the immune system under control. However, when this gene carries mutations, Malt1 transforms from a controller into a stimulator, resulting in an overactive immune system. The team used these findings to look for chemicals that could inhibit the function of the Malt1 protein. If the researchers succeed in developing a new drug, it will take several years before it appears on the market.

Researchers speed up mobile networks Researchers from the universities of Ghent and Antwerp have developed a set of new technologies to allow mobile devices to switch connections faster and more efficiently. One of the new technologies is an algorithm that predicts how 4G and wi-fi users will move when they’re travelling and selects the most optimal connection, reducing unnecessary and burdensome connections that slow the switch process. A related new technology is a system that automatically connects users with the fastest wi-fi or 4G connection available. For users, the system could increase network speeds by up to 85%. The scientists think that the technologies can be implemented in the local network in a very short time. \ Senne Starckx

\ Senne Starckx

\ EDUCATION

maY 4, 2016

Onstage education

week in education

Brussels’ Bronks theatre introduces troubled youth to performing arts Sarah Schug More articles by Sarah \ flanderstoday.eu

BRONKS.BE

t’s not always easy to find a cultural institution dedicated solely to kids and teenagers. But since 1991, Bronks theatre, located in an eye-catching, glassand-concrete architectural gem in the heart of Brussels, is one of Belgium’s most successful. Its mostly Dutch-language programme is tailored entirely to youngsters aged four to 18. On top of the wide-ranging canon of plays, which are open to everyone, one of Bronks’ main pillars has always been its multifaceted co-operation with local schools, offering everything from postperformance discussions to longterm collaborative projects. For some children, these activities mark their very first steps into creativity. “We have many kids from poorer backgrounds who would otherwise never get to see the inside of a theatre,” says Kimberley Verriest, a teacher at 4 Saisons primary school in the SintGillis municipality. “The initiative opens up another world to them.” The children, she adds, love the programme. “They are still talking about a workshop we did weeks ago.” The collaboration with schools is primarily intended for children from difficult socio-economic backgrounds. “Better-off families are easier to reach, and parents often visit theatre with their kids anyway,” says Bronks’ communication co-ordinator, Soetkin Van Rossem. The projects, she adds, bring different social classes together, fostering tolerance and mutual understanding. It’s not all sunshine and roses, of course: The mix of cultural and social backgrounds is also a potential source of conflict, but the theatre tries to handle it with pedagog-

ical sensitivity. When a play featuring full nudity caused uproar among students, for instance, Bronks immediately scheduled post-performance talks with the concerned classes. “It was too important to just let it go,” Van Rossem says. For the actors, performing in front of children is an added challenge. “They can be a very difficult audience, because they haven’t learned to laugh at the right time or keep their feelings to themselves,” says one actor. “The younger ones usually scream when there’s kissing on stage; they just find it hilarious.” But making theatre for children is not about dumbing things down, or making it more infantile. Many performances tackle problematic and serious subjects, such as the 2004 school siege in the Russian town of Beslan, where more than 150 children lost their lives. “Putting on a play for nine-yearolds that deals with terrorism was a controversial decision, but after the premiere, people were pleasantly surprised,” says Van Rossem. “Now everybody wants to see it,

and we were even invited to international festivals.” Bronks’ philosophy is based on taking children seriously. The current show Wa Wilder Man playfully explores the question of otherness and the reactions people have to someone who is different – a clever way of addressing today’s refugee crisis. “We believe that kids can handle a lot and are much smarter than many people give them credit for,” says Van Rossem. “Children need to know that life can be hard and isn’t always a fairy-tale. That doesn’t mean we’re trying to make them sad – only make them stronger.” Accordingly, no class goes to see a play without preparation: Either the students participate in a workshop at the theatre, or an artist visits them in the classroom before the show. “It become a more enriching experience with a longer-lasting impact, and the kids understand the subject better,” explains Martine De Gieter from Sint-Josefschool in the Ukkel municipality. Since its founding 25 years ago, the

partnership with schools has been key to Bronks’ philosophy. The theatre was founded by Oda Van Neygen, who previously co-ordinated youth productions at Brussels’ Beursschouwburg arts centre but sought to create a place dedicated entirely to youngsters. Van Neygen stepped down at the end of 2014, but the new directors, Veerle Kerckhoven and Marij de Nys, both former teachers, have promised to continue her legacy. Their first season is marked by Bronks’ collaboration with Brussels opera house De Munt and sound art studio Q-O2, which sees French- and Dutch-speaking classes team up to create a performance based on the Frankenstein story. The play will be presented during the European Opera Days next month. While all types of schools are encouraged to get in touch with Bronks, Van Rossem says the focus remains on students from vocational schools. “These kids often think that theatre isn’t for them,” she says. “We prove otherwise.” Bronks’ music video workshops have proven to be a particular hit with reluctant teens. Under professional guidance, students invent stories and draw up a script, in addition to creating the soundtrack and the dance moves. This not only helps dispel the myth of a dull and antiquated theatre, Van Rossem says, but also gives the students a chance to rediscover themselves. “Lots of them feel lost and don’t know what to do with their lives. They experience negative stuff at school and are torn between different worlds. At Bronks, they are suddenly involved in something that unmasks their hidden talents and makes them feel valued. It’s about being respected.”

Q&A Preben Ver Eecke is a final-year student in computer and cyber-crime at West Flanders University College. He was recently rewarded by social media giant Facebook for finding a vulnerability in its privacy settings You don’t discover something like this by accident, I suppose? No, I’m a bug bounty hunter, meaning that in my free time I check companies’ websites for flaws that might represent a security problem for them. Then I report the issue to the companies, in the hope of a financial reward. Until now, I’d only targeted smaller companies, but my first hacking attempt on a big player like Facebook quickly led to an important result. What sort of oversight did you spot on Facebook? Because of a bug, I managed to change users’ settings concerning what are known as Facebook

tion about the issue until they’ve solved it. Do you also investigate Belgian websites? No, the legislation here doesn’t allow for ethical hacking, and I would run the risk of a big fine. Ethical hacking is still quite unknown here, unlike in the US, where even the Pentagon requests the services of ethical hackers. Hopefully, the Belgian legislation will be adapted soon.

notes, a feature with which you can create more sophisticated posts – with a title and photos, for example. I could make notes that were visible to everyone even if they were only meant for a closed group of friends, and vice versa. After I reported the problem, Facebook immediately fixed it and gave me a reward. What was the amount of that reward? I prefer not to give details, but it was a substantial amount of money. I was also included in Facebook’s “white hat” list. White hat hackers are also known as ethical hackers; they hack websites with

the purpose of uncovering cybersecurity problems, so the companies or organisations can protect themselves better against hackers with bad intentions. To receive these rewards, Facebook forbids you from disclosing any informa-

What are your goals now? I’m now targeting Google, which also rewards bug bounty hunters well. In my later career, I hope to work on cyber-security at a company. I’m also considering moving to the US to start a career in cyber-security there.

First intellectually disabled students at Thomas More

At the beginning of the year, eight students with intellectual disabilities enrolled in a logistics programme at Thomas More University College in Geel, the first school in Belgium to accept students with a mental impairment. The programme itself is not new, but until recently, students with intellectual disabilities were only able to get any kind of training at day centres, often where they live. As part of the programme, students gather once a week on campus for courses on logistics. They also assist at the campus shop or reception desk or at a similar function off campus, and are teamed up with a buddy – either a social worker or student of occupational therapy.

VUB to launch Football Institute The Free University of Brussels (VUB) is launching the International Football Business Institute (IFBI) this autumn to prepare future executives to work in the football industry. Applications are now being accepted from students who already have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. The one-year programme will be offered in English, with lectures from renowned international football professionals such as Grant Downie, head of performance at Manchester City, and Peter Willems, head of marketing and sponsorship at the Union of European Football Associations. Students will also get out of the classroom, with visits to famous stadiums, clubs, matches and conventions. The price for the year is €40,000.

‘Madam Bakster’ is Student-Entrepreneur Laura Verhulst, a 22-year old Ghent University language and literature student who runs an online bakery, has been named Ghent’s Student-Entrepreneur of the Year. Verhulst’s site, Madam Bakster, features healthy alternatives to the typical bakery. It’s the result of an obsession that began when she was 15, she says, and struggling to maintain a healthy weight. A diet helped her lose 25 kilograms, but she still craved her favourite desserts. So she started baking them herself, with healthier ingredients. Customers can order products from the website and have them delivered to their door. Madam Bakster also does catering and products are available to eat or buy at a few outlets in Ghent. \ Sue Somers

\ Andy Furniere

\ LIVING

week in activities Welcome Brussels Discover the lesser-known parts of Brussels during this event, when many places not usually open to the public will reveal their secrets. Among the many activities are a two-hour guided tour in Evere, SintLambrechts-Woluwe, Schaarbeek or Sint-Joost and a bike ride through Evere cemetery to the mill for a cooking workshop. Registration required. 7 May, across Brussels; free \ irisfestival.brussels/ welcome-brussels

Beervelde Garden Days Annual spring garden show on the landscaped grounds of a villa outside Ghent. More than 200 vendors selling hundreds of plants, books, gardening tools and other products. Mini Shetland ponies and facepainting for the kids. Visitors can explore the grounds and forest. 6-8 May 10.00-18.00, Park van Beervelde, Dorp 75; €12 \ parkvanbeervelde.be

Harbour Festival A four-day celebration of maritime culture and traditions, with historic ships, guided walks, local “giants”, children’s activities, carnival attractions, demonstrations and more. Highlights include the North Sea Folk Music and Sea Shanty festival, with participants from Belgium, the UK, France and the Netherlands, and the Fisherman’s Parade on Sunday. 5-8 May, Yachthaven, Zeedijk and Leopoldpark, Blankenberge; free \ havenfeesten.be

Brussels Cafes: The Architecture of Gathering Simple brown cafes have long played an important role in the social life of the local community. Now that they are fast disappearing from the urban landscape, it’s time to evaluate their value to cultural heritage. A guided walk in the city centre (in Dutch). Registration required. 6 May 12.3013.30, meet on Beursplein, Brussels; €5 \ korei.be

Watersports Days In previous years, this was a one or two-day event. This year, participants have the whole of May to try out a new watersport, at more than 100 clubs across Flanders. Offerings include sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, kitesurfing and paddle-boarding. Search the website for activities in your area. Until 31 May, across Flanders; free \ watersportdag.be

\ 10

One dress at a time

New ‘fashion library’ brings top designers to the high street Dan Smith More articles by Dan \ flanderstoday.eu

LESREBELLESDANVERS.BE

landers’ first fashion library has opened in Antwerp. The pop-up shop allows customers to rent unique, sustainable high fashion, wear it, then bring it back. The idea for Les ReBelles d’Anvers came from Emelie Vervecken and co-founder Veerle Spaepen, who believe the clothing industry can be made more sustainable by sourcing items locally. However, the industry has to find ways to keep prices democratic to reduce the appeal of cheap, “fast fashion” retailers. Last November, Les ReBelles d’Anvers received an award from the City of Antwerp as part of its Duurzame Stad (Sustainable City) initiative. The award recognised the innovation behind this business model for the fashion industry and gave Vervecken and Spaepen the funds they needed to test out their concept. “In the first weekend, we hired out more than 100 pieces, which has already created a stock problem,” says Vervecken. “So we’re looking for new labels to join us.” The sustainable nature of the concept has also led to interest from investors, but Vervecken and Spaepen plan to wait. “We want to do the first three months on our own so we can learn from our successes and mistakes,” says Vervecken. “We’ll close the pop-up store on 17 July and then decide how to take the model forward.” Its early success makes it clear that consumers are eager get hold of top-end designs more easily and cheaply. There are two options to use the service, which features

Les ReBelles d’Anvers lets customers hire high-end clothes, a sustainable model that’s bringing customers and designers closer together

mostly women’s but also a smattering of men’s fashion: a subscription for one or three months that offers unlimited rentals or blocks of tickets that let you borrow one, three or 10 items. With prices starting at €50 for a one-month subscription and €35 for a single item, Les ReBelles allows customers to try before they buy. But “the longer your subscription, or the more tickets you buy, the cheaper it gets,” says Vervecken. “For example, the three-month subscription is €120, the same price as a block of 10 tickets.” For emerging designers and established labels, Les ReBelles offers a new distribution channel, bringing creator and customer closer

together. After the shop closes every Thursday, it hosts Confashion, a platform where designers, bloggers and the fashion industry can share their ideas and creativity. On Friday nights, the focus switches back to the customer, with Soiree events. “It’s a party atmosphere where you can get ready for an evening out with your friends,” explains Vervecken. “Enjoy an aperitif while you’re pampered by a stylist, makeup artist, hairdresser or manicurist.” Customers need to register for the event in advance online. The first designers to be featured are ILKECOP, Eline Van Ree, Café Costume, Howlin’, Filippa K, LWTO, Wintervacht and Comme les Loups.

BITE Food-lovers unite for Antwerp’s culinary city-trip For its 10th anniversary, culinary festival Antwerpen Proeft is bringing out the big guns. At the annual food event next week, visitors can meet world-famous chefs from Belgium and beyond and taste their signature dishes. The Belgians have always loved their food – and drinks – but in recent years, foodie culture has truly exploded. Chefs are now celebrities, cookbooks head the bestseller lists and pop-up restaurants sprout like daisies in the spring. Giving in to this national obsession with gradeA grub, Antwerpen Proeft (Taste of Antwerp) has grown from a modest tasting weekend into a four-day culinary extravaganza. This year, Flanders’ big TV celebrity chefs Jeroen Meus and Piet Huysentruyt each have a stand, as do meatball expert Wim Ballieu of the trendsetting Balls & Glory and actor Nathalie Meskens, owner of Antwerp restaurant Yam Thai. Sergio Herman takes time off from his TV gig on Mijn Pop-Up Restaurant to join chef Nick Bril – the pair co-run Antwerp Michelin- starred restaurant The Jane – serving customers at the

Duvel Mini Masters pavilion on Sunday. Roger van Damme of “lunch lounge” Het Gebaar is whipping up his chocolate mousse for the Njam! pavilion. “We’ve really outdone ourselves this year,” confirms festival organiser Ward Ramaeckers. “The festival is called Antwerpen Proeft, but the whole country is represented, and we’ve even invited chefs from Iceland, France and the Netherlands. Belgium has never seen so much culinary stardom combined.”

Les ReBelles have also begun working with Roomer, an elderberry liquor made in Ghent, and Antwerp-based American artist Philippe Stella. Other partnerships will feature unique fashion pieces from famous and emerging designers who work with the LeChaperonUnlimited “slow shopping” initiative. Jewellery shop Zahia has also developed a bead and jewellery collection for Les Rebelles. “Headphone maker Sennheiser came to us with a proposal to rent their headphones at Les ReBelles d’Anvers,” says Vervecken. “They want to show that they care about sustainability in a practical way. So you can now match your headphones to your outfit.”

ANTWERPENPROEFT.BE

The event takes place both in- and outdoors and visitors will be able to release their inner restaurant critic at 40 food stands and about 50 retail stalls. Most dishes cost between €5 and €7.50. “It’s impossible to taste everything, but you can try,” Ramaeckers says with a laugh. “Each visitor creates his or her own menu, and there are endless ways to combine bites. From the classic appetiser-main-dessert to a culinary tour of Europe or a crash course in food-and-beer pairing.” What if you’re completely stuffed, you wonder? Just grab a(nother) beer or cocktail and enjoy some music or sign up for a free cooking lesson so you can try and recreate all this scrumptiousness back home. “There is so much to taste, see and do,” Ramaeckers says. “I’d call it more than a festival: It’s a culinary city-trip.”

5-8 May Waagnatie Antwerp

\ Catherine Kosters

maY 4, 2016

Freeman of London Michel Vanhoonacker of Bruges earns the UK’s noblest title Sally Tipper More articles by Sally \ flanderstoday.eu

In the third instalment of our new series on Flemish people living and working in the UK, we talk to Michel Vanhoonacker, a business consultant who was recently crowned Freeman of London.

n days gone by, Michel Vanhoonacker from Bruges would have had free reign over London. He’d have had the right to walk his sheep across London Bridge without charge, to carry an unsheathed sword in the streets and to be escorted home rather than arrested for being drunk and disorderly in public. That’s not quite accurate, of course: until 1995, foreigners couldn’t be granted the freedom of a British city. And nowadays, the honour is almost entirely ceremonial –

This country took me in, and I’ve been able to give something back that they appreciate though some present-day holders of the title have been known to exercise their right to drive sheep over the bridge for free. But it’s nevertheless a source of pride for newly crowned Freeman of London Vanhoonacker, who first moved to the UK as a postgraduate student in 1991 to study business in Bristol. In the intervening 25 years, he’s helped numerous Flemish companies break into the UK market, become head of the Belgium-Luxembourg chamber of commerce in Great Britain and been instrumental in creating the Flanders Fields memorial garden in London. Remembrance of the war dead is something Flanders and Britain both take very seriously, and the idea for the garden came from three of Vanhoonacker’s friends: Nic Vander-

marliere, the Flemish representative in the giving back is providing employment well as start-ups. “Before, a company would UK, Andrew Wallis, the curator of London’s through helping Belgian companies do busiset up in Flanders, then look at the NetherGuards Museum, and Piet Blanckaert, a ness in the UK. If a company from Belgium lands, France and Germany, before going to landscape gardener from Bruges. or Luxembourg wants to invest, set up a the UK,” he says. “But now with start-ups, “They noticed that an old pond next to company or employ local staff, the chamthey set up in Belgium, and the next step is the museum’s chapel was looking dilapiber of commerce offers various practical London or New York.” dated, and one suggested turning services. Having set up his own businesses in the past, it into a memorial garden for “We support all kinds of compahe says, helps him better support others the centenary of the First nies: We helped a lingerie wanting to do the same. “I can go to a CEO of World War,” Vanhooncompany from Brussels a company and say, ‘I’m one of you, I’m doing acker explains. “For open a shop in London, it myself, what I’m going to tell you here is these things of course for example,” he says. based on my experience.’” you need money, “Then there was Pierre When he joined the board of the chamber, and they thought Marcolini, and a everybody else was a banker or an accountit would be nice if biotech company ant or a solicitor. “The board recognised Flemish companies that was a bit of a problem – though we developing cancer could help. So then I need these other professions, of course,” he treatments. It’s really became involved.” says. “But businesses want to talk to people anybody who wants to It was this project who do the same thing, people who have the come to the UK.” that won the men the same issues and questions.” They help traditional Freedom of the City of Vanhoonacker previously lived in London companies as London, an honour first and, though his work often takes him back presented in the 13th there, he’s happily settled farther century. “To become a freenorth, in the East Yorkshire man of the city, you have to countryside, where his Brithave done something ish wife’s family come from. special,” he says. “In “I’m really a city boy,” he olden times it was says. “So in that respect important as it it’s very strange that allowed you I live where I do. But to take your it’s a beautiful region. sheep across The people are very London friendly, and there’s Bridge withspace and nature.” out paying East Yorkshire also a toll, for has good connections example, so to Belgium. “I’m on economically that boat all the time,” it was a very he says. His children good thing to love going back to have.” Flanders whenever In today’s world, they can. “They feel he says, it’s very more Belgian than limited. “But it’s still British, even though an honour. It’s nice they were born here,” to be able to say this he says. “I always try country took me in, to take them with me and I’ve been able to when I go back, so give something back they don’t lose sight that they appreciate.” of where they come From business consultant to Freeman of London: Michel Vanhoonacker helps Flemish companies break into the UK Something else he’s from.”

50 weekends in Flanders: Weekend by the sea in Nieuwpoort Flanders Today has launched an e-book with ideas for how to spend a year’s worth of weekends. Visit the link above to get your copy of 50 Weekends in Flanders. We’ll also print one of our suggestions every week here. Not many Belgians went to Nieuwpoort in the past, but now it is one of the most fashionable resorts on the coast with some excellent restaurants and stylish B&Bs. The old town is an interesting place to wander, while the huge marina is packed with sailing boats. \ nieuwpoort.be

Walk along the OOSTERSTAKETSEL The beach can be a romantic place if you know where to look. One of the most appealing spots in Nieuwpoort is the far end of the long wooden jetty that juts out into the sea. Constructed in 1865, it has survived two world wars. But the wooden structure is

keepers who died opening the sluices in 1914 to stop the German advance. Escape to KIJKHUT DE ZEEHOND This bird-watching hide is in the IJzermonding nature reserve near the estuary of the IJzer. It has benches where you sit in the dark watching rare birds gather along the muddy tidal riverbank. Sometimes you hear nothing but the screeching of gulls and the click of camera shutters. gradually rotting away and sometimes has to be closed while workers fix the planks. Loodswezenplein Visit ALBERT I MONUMENT You cannot miss this huge circular brick monument outside Nieuwpoort on the banks of the Ijzer river. It was unveiled in 1938 in honour of King Albert I and the Belgian lock-

NIEUWPOORT FERRY It’s fun to hop on the free ferry that takes people across the IJzer estuary. It leaves from the Westerstaketsel jetty and drops you off a few minutes later on the edge of a windswept nature reserve. You can then hike along the beach to Westende and take the tram back to Nieuwpoort. Paul Orbanpromenade

TINYURL.COM/50WEEKENDS

CHARLIE’S LUNCHROOM A cool spot in Nieuwpoort for a quick lunch, this relaxed bistro sports a black counter, recycled wallpaper and solid armchairs. The limited menu includes tapas, lasagne and hamburgers. You can also drop in for a coffee in the afternoon, or a gin and tonic after the beach. \ charlieslunchroom.be

Stay at SUITE 17 Joëlle Swart and her husband run a sleek, modern B&B that looks like a villain’s hideaway in an old James Bond movie. Anyone with an eye for contemporary design will be thrilled by the vintage chairs, concrete floors and modern Belgian art. It even has a sunny terrace and a narrow swimming pool. Breakfast includes home-made jam and eggs fresh from the local farm. \ suite17.be

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Your guide to life in Belgium The spring issue of Th The Thee Bulletin Newcomer is your guide to making the most of life in Belgium. It mixes practical community eff efforts information with features on community orts to clean up Brussels, planning for retirement, family activities around the country and other lifestyle topics.

PLUS our Education Guide 35 pages of interviews, articles and essential addresses of schools, colleges and universities in Belgium.

Pick up your copy at newsstands or at www.thebulletin.be/shop

Your dailY news Sign up now for our daily and weekly newsletters with local headlines, events and features, tailor-made for expats in Belgium

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\ LIVING

maY 4, 2016

Into the wild

week in arts & CULTURE Luc Martens new chair of Faro

European effort brings wilderness back to Sonian Forest Toon Lambrechts More articles by Toon \ flanderstoday.eu

SONIANFOREST.BE

his year, spring arrived at the Sonian Forest with some important news. The forest on the outskirts of Brussels has been integrated into the European Rewilding Network, joining the ranks of such illustrious nature reserves as the Danube Delta in Romania and the Coa Valley in Portugal. “We don’t quite fit the profile of the network’s typical members,” says Patrick Huvenne, the Sonian Forest’s regional manager. “The other forests are much larger and require a very different management approach. It is, however, a welcome recognition of our efforts in recent years to give wildlife and nature a more prominent place in the Sonian.” The membership is an outcome of the Sonian’s co-operation with European counterparts on other projects. The main one is Life+ OZON, which includes a series of measures intended to restore and reconnect the forest. Because of its location in the middle of a very densely populated area, the Sonian is intersected by roads and railway lines, resulting in a phenomenon known as ecological fragmentation. Over the past few years, efforts have been made to reconnect the forest’s isolated remnants. “In Tervuren, for example, we constructed two tunnels under one of the roads so that amphibians can cross safely,” says Huvenne. “Elsewhere, we put reflectors along the roads to prevent animals from being run over.” Other tunnels run under the railway lines, providing animals with a safe passage. “In March, we began constructing a new wildlife crossing, known as an ecoduct, in the Groenendaal area” Huvenne continues, referring to a neighbourhood in the town of Hoeilaart, which borders Brussels. “That should allow the animals to cross the Brussels Ring unharmed.” By 2017, he adds, 10 more crossings will be constructed both under and over different roads that cut through the Sonian. “But our work is definitely not done. The forest still has some man-made barriers, and it is too early to

Doel seeks new owner for church organ

Scottish highland cattle have been introduced to a field near Groenendaal, keeping it from overgrowing

see what effect our work has had on the local wildlife.” One thing is certain: The animals make use of the new passages. “We know this because the tunnels have cameras with which we monitor the projects.” Then, there are the invisible borders that divide the Sonian. The forest spans the Brussels-Capital, Flemish and Walloon regions. While the animals are not concerned with regional divisions, this does call for management co-ordination between different departments. “We are working across regional boundaries,” says Huvenne. “Forests do not exist in isolation. The quality of water or the wildlife crossings, for example, are things that require wider co-operation.” In 2014, the forest managers introduced Scottish highland cattle into the area. The three animals graze in a field near Groenendaal, keeping it from overgrowing. “They bring a more natural

dynamic to the forest,” says Huvenne. In the near future, the Sonian’s managers also plan to extend the forest’s protected areas. As part of the European Rewilding Network, “all these measures should help create a more natural environment,” says Huvenne. Will the public notice the re-wilding of the Sonian Forest? “The ecoducts are very visible, but the other infrastructure will be less obtrusive,” Huvenne explains. “The forest’s appearance is changing, albeit slowly.” The forest reserves will look visibly wilder, he explains, with much more dead wood on the ground. “Elsewhere, we have cleared stretches of land to promote the growth of habitats, such as heath. While these man-made clearings affect how the forest looks, they make up only a small portion of the Sonian. “And besides,” Huvenne adds, “they do contribute to a wilder ecosystem by creating rich and varied habitats.”

New exhibition at PXL School of Arts showcases all things typography tdc.org

Whether it’s an instantly recognisable brand logo or the font that makes your emails legible at a glance as you walk down the street, the importance of typography is all around us. A travelling exhibition aiming to showcase the typographer’s art is in Hasselt, its first ever visit to Belgium, courtesy of the media, art and design faculty at PXL University College. It’s the creation of the Type Directors Club, a New York-based agency that promotes excellence in typography. Every year the club selects the best artwork of the previous 12 months – by up-and-coming students, established artists or creative client-led agencies – and sends it out on tour. The exhibition has previously visited Sao Paolo, Madrid, Beijing and London. And now, it’s Hasselt’s turn, thanks to Ann Bessemans, head of Readsearch, which studies legibility in

order to improve reading among children with dyslexia and visual impairments. “You can see a variety of categories here, from posters and adverts to calendars, magazine spreads and books,” she says. “It really reflects everything that graphic design and typography can be, from all over the world. “Some of the exhibits from Korea or Japan, for example, might not be your style, but you can appreciate them and feel the influence of a different kind of culture,” Bessemans adds. “That’s what’s nice about the Type Directors Club; they don’t just focus on Europe or America.” It’s the first time that PXL has used this exhibition space, a roofedover courtyard with an industrial feel, and the curators have made the most of the three-storey height, with unframed posters above visitors’ heads and viewable from the

surrounding corridors and stairwells. On computer screens set up in one corner, a hypnotic looped

Until 10 June

video displays a variety of typefaces. Their pride and joy is a piece of machinery belonging to the school, a museum piece that was rescued by Bessemans from a builder’s shed. It’s a 1930s Intertype, a magnificent machine that produces slugs of lead with characters imprinted on them, ready to be inserted into a hand-operated press that churns out printed pages one at a time. It’s in perfect working order and was unveiled at the exhibition’s opening. The arrival of the show ties in with the launch of a new international Master’s programme in typography led by the Readsearch group, for which the team are hoping to attract candidates from around the world to Limburg. \ Sally Tipper

PXL-MAD

Luc Martens (CD&V), who just left the position of mayor of Roeselare, has been named as the new chair of the board of heritage organisation Faro. A minister of culture for Flanders in the 1990s, he was responsible during his term for the museum decree and the folk culture decree, two forerunners of the heritage decree. He takes office for five years, replacing ethnologist and emeritus professor Stefaan Top. He will also remain on Roeselare’s city council. Faro is a government agency that protects and supports both tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Flanders. It is responsible for Heritage Day, which takes place every April.

The Antwerp Port Authority is seeking a new owner for the organ currently housed in the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Church in Doel, part of Beveren in East Flanders. All the residents of the village on the left bank of the Scheldt river have been moved out in preparation for demolition to allow for the expansion of the port. The oak instrument was built in 1885 by the Ghent-based organ builder Jan Vergaert. It is mechanical, with two manuals, a pedal board and 14 registers. The organ was listed as a protected monument in 1980. It has been maintained, but the new owner will have to carry out a number of repairs before it can be played again. The organ stands at nearly six metres tall, 3.5m wide and 2.4m deep. Anyone interested can contact the Port Authority until 31 May at overheidsopdrachten@portofantwerp.com.

Visit Antwerp museums via new app The City of Antwerp has launched a new smartphone app that offers guided tours of 15 of the city’s museums, including the MAS, Red Star Line, Middelheim, fashion museum MoMu and the Rockoxhuis. The Antwerp Museum App is free to download for Android and iOS, and works in Dutch, French, German and English. It can be used to plan a trip to a museum and to ask for additional information about works. The app includes text, images, sound fragments and video. The creators promise more venues will be included in later updates. \ antwerpmuseumapp.com

Elfde Liniestraat 25, Hasselt

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\ ARTS

No day without a line

New editions published by the writer who brought rural Flanders to life Bjorn Gabriels More articles by Bjorn \ flanderstoday.eu

STREUVELS.BE

With a re-issue and a new tome, publisher Lannoo is celebrating the life of Flemish writer Stijn Streuvels, who, during his almost 100 years, wrote work after work in praise of the everyday people of West Flanders.

hen Flemish writer Stijn Streuvels was born, photography was a novelty. Just a few weeks before his death, almost a century later, astronauts had reached the moon. And times had changed, too, in West Flanders, where Streuvels spent his entire life. Born in 1871 as Frank Lateur, son of a tailor and a seamstress, Streuvels was raised in a family where boys became either a craftsman or a priest. Streuvels did neither – at least not literally. Like many of his contemporaries, he quit school early to learn a trade. He worked as an apprentice in several bakeries and seemed well on his way to a career making bread and pastries. None too happy about this prospect, Streuvels was also an avid reader and became a self-taught writer. Surprisingly, it wasn’t poet (and priest) Guido Gezelle, his mother’s older brother, who encouraged him to pursue his literary ambitions. His explorations into literature were mainly a private matter, away from the stringent rules and expectations of his devout Catholic family. Streuvels acquainted himself with the great novelists of his time. The Russian realists Turgenev, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky left a big impression. As a would-be writer trying to establish a voice, Streuvels also took a position in the debates concerning French author Emile Zola and naturalist literature. The concept of naturalism affects the reception of Streuvels’ own works up to this very day. Early on, the terms “realist” or “naturalist” often equalled impious, immoral and therefore reproachable literature. While still working as a baker, Streuvels practised his art translating exemplary texts and crafting his own short stories. In literary magazines, he alternately used his birth name and various pen names, but finally settled on Stijn Streuvels. He came into contact with the writers around the innovative periodical Van nu en straks (Of Now and Later), much to the dismay of his mother and uncle Guido, even though these trendsetters embraced Gezelle’s poetry. Streuvels’ literary network grew well beyond West Flanders, and

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Stijn Streuvels had to break from a strict Catholic and working-class upbringing to become a pioneer of Flemish naturalistic literature

in 1899 he made his book-length debut with the short-story collection Lenteleven (Spring Life). Local Catholic critics panned it. In a letter to one of his friends at Van nu en straks, Streuvels wrote of the “scandalous outrage” that had met the baker’s debut: “West Flemish critics start their reviews by saying I’d better check my bread doesn’t burn.” But Lenteleven confirmed to Streuvels that he might be able to live off writing. Until 1905 he combined both jobs, but, after more than a decade at the baker’s oven, he became a full-time writer. Not coincidentally, that same year Streuvels got married and moved into his own home, the Lijsternest (“Lark’s nest”) in the village of Ingooigem, where he would live until his death. At 34, Streuvels turned a page. Year after year, he published new work, while also translating Tolstoy and others, and administering the literary estate of his uncle Guido. In his work room hung the motto Nulla dies sine linea (“No day without a line”), which still encourages diligent work on the task at hand. 1905 was also the year of his first major award, the State Prize for Literature, for his work over the previous five years. In 1910, when the next State Prize was awarded, Streuvels would be triumphant again, this time due to his still most famous novel, De vlaschaard (The Flax Field). De vlaschaard deals with a generational conflict between a young

farmer and his authoritarian father, who refuses to transfer power. Change is nearly impossible in Streuvels’ universe, as man has but a feeble voice when Nature roars. With his tributes to the rural Flemish landscape, Streuvels became the epitome of regional literature, while also surpassing its largely pejorative connotations through his lively descriptions and fatalistic reflections. His stories always portrayed countryside labourers whose lives abided by the circular motion of the agricultural seasons. In the novella Het leven en de dood in den ast (When the Wheel Turns its Circle), Streuvels explicitly presented the dreams and reflec-

tions of three workers in an oast house during their night shift as a literary construction – not only because of the theatrical setting, but also because of his linguistic prowess. Last year, the Royal Academy of Dutch Linguistics and Literature and the Flemish Literary Fund included the novella in their revamped literary canon. And now there’s a new, annotated edition in Dutch and the tribute book Ast, with contributions from contemporary writers such as Koen Peeters and photographer Filip Claus. In recent years, Het leven en de dood in den ast has been translated into Spanish, Afrikaans,

Selected bibliography Lenteleven (1899): Streuvels’ booklength debut developed from the short story “Lente” (Spring). Also the first of his work to be translated into English, as The Path of Life. Langs de wegen (1902): Streuvels’ first novel and allegedly his favourite, about a hard-working stableman who endures various misfortunes. Translated into English as Old Jan in 1936 and The Long Road in 1976. De vlaschaard (1907): The story of a generational conflict between an old farmer and his son, translated

as The Flax Field. Streuvels’ most enduring work. Het leven en de dood in den ast (1926): During the night-shift in a hop kiln, three men reflect on their existence. Translated into English as When the Wheel Turns its Circle. De teleurgang van de Waterhoek (The Downfall of Waterhoek, 1927): Villagers oppose the building of a bridge and the modernisation that comes with it. The amorous storyline provided the Flemish screen adaptation Mira (1971), with one of the most illustrious female roles in Dutch-language film history.

French and English. “There is no English equivalent that I am aware of for Streuvels’ writing, told from the perspective of those who are not well-educated or comfortably off and which celebrates the sense of being alive in the moment,” says Canadian art critic Nancy Baele, part of the team that translated the novella into English. Even though it’s up for discussion to what extent Streuvels actually gave his ever-silent characters a voice in his fatalistic stories, the novella has a haunting quality. “My first impression after reading Het leven en de dood in den ast was the enormous vitality of these people’s lives, and of the story’s powerful atmosphere,” says Baele. “I had the impression I was witnessing a morality play, with man as a fated creature, caught between the desire to satisfy his physical appetites and the longing to give eternal meaning to his life.” Translations have been few and far between since Streuvels’ death in 1969, certainly in comparison with his previous presence in Germany. His ties with German publishers date back to early in his career but took a dubious turn in the Second World War, when Streuvels’ work was incorporated in National Socialistic propaganda. After the war, accusations of collaboration were dismissed, but, to this day, historians, scholars and critics argue about Streuvels’ attitude towards National Socialism. His continuing, and justified, canonisation and celebration tend to avoid that debate in favour of rehabilitating Streuvels as a remarkable stylist and an innovator of Flemish prose. Het leven en de dood in den ast and Ast are published in Dutch by Lannoo

\ AGENDA

maY 4, 2016

Bringing the world’s musical weirdos together

Ha’fest 11-14 May

CONCERT Brussels

Handelsbeurs, Ghent handelsbeurs.be

n 1999, Chantal Acda moved from the Netherlands to Flanders, attracted by a more open and interesting music scene. She quickly became part of the local music community, with her band Chacda, her lo-fi solo project sleepingdog or as half of the duo True Bypass. In 2013, she finally released an album under her own name and followed it up last year with The Sparkle in Our Flaws on the German label Glitterhouse, a reputed refuge for singer-songwriters. At next week’s Ha’fest, organised by Handelsbeurs concert hall in Ghent and dedicated to experimental combinations, Acda (pictured) presents a new project. She won’t be playing at the Handelsbeurs itself, but at Sint-Jacob’s church. And she won’t be accompanied by her usual musicians (guitar, bass, drums) but by

wind instruments, percussionists and a male choir. The idea is to lend her songs a magical, even celestial, touch. Support act that evening is the

Swedish Anna von Hausswolff who’s combining strange organ sounds with electronics. More artic sounds come from Iceland’s Jóhann Jóhannsson, who will accompany his own documentary End of Summer, billed as “a startling look at life at the end of the world”. That same evening, Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire’s violinist, Sarah Neufeld, combines contemporary classical with improvisational and pop. Ha’fest also offers the hypnotising noise of electric thumb pianos played by the Congolese ensemble Konono N°1 and the weird sound mixes of French pianist Christophe Chassol. The festival finishes with a jazzy evening: the crazy Portuguese big band L.U.M.E., the psychedelic jazz rock of Norwegian group Elephants and Taxiwars, the surprising bond between dEUS singer Tom Barman and saxmeister Robin Verheyen. \ Christophe Verbiest

VISUAL ARTS

FESTIVAL

Boris Mikhailov: Ukraine

Extrema Outdoor

Until 5 June

FoMu, Antwerp fotomuseum.be

One of the former Soviet Union’s greatest living artists, Boris Mikhailov gathers more than 300 photos of his homeland dating back to the 1960s. Each of the 10 series in Ukraine introduces a phase in Mikhailov’s career or examines the changes that occurred as Ukraine slowly gained its independence from the USSR. His brilliance lies in his ability to capture the ordinariness of daily life, even under an oppressive regime. Whether it is people on holiday in the Crimea or protesters gathered in Kiev’s Independence Square, there is an everyday nature to the images. You can’t help but wonder what happened to these people.

13-15 May In the early 1990s, a new genre of music called “techno” occasioned a revolution in the way people danced. Exclusive discotheques like Studio 54 were shunned in favour of more democratic alternatives. The underground rave was the place to be. Dutch event organiser Extrema began throwing unconventional parties in those heady

Du Bartas: The swinging fivepiece group from the South of France present their latest album, Cinc, a sultry mix of Mediterranean folk with Moroccan and Brazilian influences. 6 May 20.00, Molière, Naamsepoortgalerij, Bolwerksquare 3 \ muziekpublique.be

FESTIVAL Bruges Airbag Festival: The international accordion festival and platform for local talent features surprising ensembles and adventurous genres. 6-22 May, across Bruges \ ccbrugge.be/airbag

PARTY Ghent

Kelchterhoef, Helchteren (Limburg) xofestival.be

days. The operation has expanded into a family of festivals, each celebrating a different style and a different atmosphere. Extrema Outdoor combines the love of dance music with a passion for camping and environmental awareness. DJs from around the world perform in the open air all day long and into the night. \ Georgio Valentino

VE Day party: Celebration of Victory Day, 71 years since Belgium and the rest of Europe became free from the cruelties of the Second World War, with a swinging 1940s-style party complete with lessons in waltz and lindy hop, live music and even a WW2 victory re-enactment. 7 May 18.00, Cocteau, Jan Palfijnstraat 17 \ ve-day.be

Ghent Kerkhof Opent: The community-run arts and event space is opening its summer garden and throwing a party to celebrate. Food trucks, drinks, play area for kids, petanque, theatre performances and exhibitions, followed by a DJ dance party. 7 May 13.0022.00, Kerk Gent, Kerkstraat 24, Gentbrugge \ kerkgent.be

\ Dan Smith

OPERA

PROCESSION

EVENT

Holy Blood Procession

Living Room Music Festival

5 May, 14.30

5 May, 14.30 bloedprocessiebrugge.be

8 May, from 14.00 As the name suggests, Brussels’ Living Room Festival is a domestic affair. Each edition plants itself in a new neighbourhood, preferably far from the capital’s tourist hotspots and power centres. So this 14th edition takes place in Anderlecht, specifically its Scheut district (served by metro

The Feast of Ascension is a big deal all across the Catholic world, but in Bruges, it’s huge. The reason: the local Basilica of the Holy Blood boasts a relic in the form of cloth steeped in Jesus Christ’s blood (hence the name). Every year, on Ascension Thursday, the Bishop of Bruges and his people celebrate this possession even more than usual, dressing up in Crusader garb and taking the relic out for a stroll through town. Last year’s event was cancelled – without refund – due to weather. Those tickets can now be exchanged for fresh passes to this year’s procession. \ GV

Brussels Across Anderlecht muziekpublique.be

via Jacques Brel station). Ten residents volunteer to host concerts in their houses. Performers include Congolese singer Fredy Massamba, Italian folk music ensemble DisCanto (pictured) and Brazilian percussion trio Ritmus Project. Festival-goers must reserve an itinerary online. \ GV

European Opera Days: Opera houses across Europe open their doors with free activities, tours, workshops, rehearsals and more. Brussels’ De Munt hosts a debate, picnic and numerous performances. 6-8 May, De Munt, Muntplein \ operadays.eu

ACTIVITY Ostend Cruise to Windmolenpark: Unique opportunity to visit the windmill park located 30 kilometres off the Flemish coast by ship while a guide talks about sea transport, marine wildlife and more. Reservation required (cost €37.50/adult). 5 May 9.00-14.00, Rederij Franlis, Hendrik Baelskaai 36 \ franlis.be

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\ BACKPAGE

maY 4, 2016

Talking Dutch

VoiceS of flanders today

Do you want chips with your Atomium?

In response to: Maalbeek re-opens with full service and memorial wall Kris Neyens: Resilience at its best... impressed...

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

t was tough. But two young women from Limburg managed to eat the Atomium in under two hours. Shari Schuermans and Yasmiene Slegers (pictured), both 18, decided to enter a contest run by Marc Peeters, owner of De Broodjeshoek snack bar in Balen, Antwerp province. Peeters recently challenged his customers to devour a food sculpture in the shape of an iconic Brussels monument. Het is een maquette van het Atomium – It’s a model of the Atomium, he explained, die bestaat uit twintig curryworsten – consisting of 20 currywursts, negen bouletten – nine meatballs, vier hardgekookte eieren – four hard-boiled eggs, vier schijfjes tomaat – four slices of tomato, vier schijfjes komkommer – four slices of cucumber, en sla – and lettuce. Het gevaarte is goed voor bijna 6000 calorieën – This colossus is good for 6,000 calories. U kunt de uitdaging aangaan met maximum vier mensen – You can compete with a maximum of four people, of het ook in uw eentje proberen – or you can try it on your own, Peeters explained. Wel moet het monument binnen de twee uur verorberd zijn – But you have to eat the monument within two hours. Easy, thought the two teenagers. We hebben de afspraak dat Shari de curryworsten opeet en ik de bouletten – We’ve agreed that Shari will eat the currywursts and I’ll eat the meatballs, Yasmiene told local newspaper Het Belang van Limburg. We doen dit voor de lol – We’re doing this for fun. It soon became clear that they might have bitten off more than they could chew. Nu ik er vijf op heb – After eating five meatballs, begint mijn broek al flink te spannen – my jeans started to get snug, Yasmiene confessed.

In response to: Students’ notes offer insight into three centuries of education Peter Stuer: Student notes from the 15th century reveal some professors haven’t updated their syllabus in 6 centuries.

In response to: Officers asking for transfer out of anti-terror unit Danielle Robertson: No system is perfect, but it’s rarely down to the officers of the unit. © Tommy Maes/Gazet van Antwerpen

Shari was also starting to feel the pinch after 10 currywursts. We gaan wat wandelen – We’ll go for a little walk, om plaats te maken voor meer – to make room for more. Niet opgeven – Don’t give up, she told her friend. We zijn er bijna – we’re almost there. They were about to admit defeat when two young men came into the snack bar. Met de hulp van de twee toevallige klanten – with the help of the two random customers, kregen de dames het monument op in een tijd van 1 uur en 50 minuten – they gobbled up the monument in one hour and 50 minutes. Ik heb zelf uiteindelijk veertien curryworsten en wat groenten gegeten – I eventually ate 14 currywursts and some lettuce, said Shari afterwards. Nu moet ik dit jaar geen curryworsten meer hebben –I don’t want another currywurst for the rest of the year. Anyone able to eat the monstrosity gets their name in a draw at the end of the year to win dinner for four at the restaurant in the real Atomium.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

John Cleese @JohnCleese Did a show last night in a city called Brussel. I had always thought its name was Brussels, but they assured me there is only one of them.

Claus Dahlgaard @ClausDahlgaard It’s been a fantastic day! Now enjoying a round of quadruple’s at a pub on the square in Leuven...

Andreea Gulacsi @onfoodandwine ah the Belgians ... cycling in #Belgium coming close to a religion with this exhibition in a church in Roeselare

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the last word Too close for comfort Texting pioneer “There is a home-grown species that can carry malaria. If that’s the origin of the infection, she’ll be the first in Flanders in a long time to catch malaria that way.” Professor Marc Coosemans of the Institute for Tropical Medicine in Antwerp is faced with a mystery: A local woman contracted a serious form of malaria without having travelled outside the country

Subliminal suggestion “The colour of blood has a psychological effect. Football teams wearing red have better results than those wearing other colours.” © Belga

TYRED OUT Runners tackle one of the obstacles in the Spartacus event in Boom, Antwerp province, over the weekend. Across the two days, 14,000 people took part, clambering over hay bales, plunging down water slides and dragging themselves along a rope bridge suspended above a lake.

Ghent University philosophy professor Jan Verplaetse has written a book about the human fascination with blood

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Gnomassacre “The gnomes went flying in all directions. I was crazy about them because I got them from family and friends. Each one had enormous emotional value.” About 20 gnomes in Marleen Gorlias’ garden in Koksijde were destroyed when a police car flew out of control and crashed into the garden. Two officers were taken to hospital

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