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june 15, 2016 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ P2

Politics \ P4

One persOn, One Office

SP.A has become the second Flemish party to limit its members to one office at a time, though other parties are unlikely to follow \4

Business \ P6

innovation \ P7

catching up

education \ P9

art & living \ P10

at a standstill

Teaching staff in Flanders don’t remotely match the diversity of their classes, and some educators want to do something about it

Flanders’ only festival devoted to living statues proves just how far the art has come and throws in a few surprises to boot

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Common ancestries

flanders and scotland trace shared heritage at an international conference alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

The University of St Andrews in Fife is hosting a conference that explores the historical links between Flanders and Scotland, including the origin of many Scottish names and the difficulties faced by the first generations of migrants

ith the EU referendum in sight, the British are highly attentive to questions of immigration, be it from Eastern Europe or the Middle East. An upcoming conference, held at the University of St Andrews in Fife, however, reminds us that immigration is not a new phenomenon. Taking as its subject Scotland and the Flemish People, the conference, which is supported by the government of Flanders, studies the extent and influence of Flemish migration to Scotland from 1100 to 1700. It also looks at a fascinating project that tests the DNA of Scots who think they might have

Flemish ancestry. By “Flanders”, the organisers mean the County of Flanders, ruled since the ninth century by the counts descended from Baldwin Iron Arm, and extending from Zeelandic Flanders to Lille in northern France. That little is known about Flemish migration to Scotland has to do with its gradual occurrence, over the course of 600 years. “This slow absorption of the Flemish means that it has been difficult to discern their overall impact on Scotland,” says Alex Fleming, a former executive at the World Bank in Washington, DC. “As a result, there is a question as to whether the Flemish influence has been fully accounted for in conventional histories of the country.” After retiring, Fleming, both a former student and lecturer at St Andrews, began a genealogy project to find out where his name came from. He was disappointed with the lack of

resources on the subject. “I realised I needed the involvement of professional historians and genealogists to do a proper reappraisal of the Flemish in Scotland. So I approached St Andrews, which is home to the Institute of Scottish Historical Research.” Not only did the collaboration lead to the Scotland and the Flemish People conference, Fleming also set up a project called Y-DNA with professor Alasdair Macdonald of Strathclyde University in Glasgow. An important question that the project has sought to address, Fleming continues, is why people left Flanders at various times over that 600-year period and what led some of them to come to Scotland. “Three categories of migrants can be discerned: aristocratic, economic and religiously persecuted.” The aristocrats came over with William the Conqueror, whose wife was the daughter of Count Baldwin V of Flanders, in the continued on page 5

\ CuRRenT AFFAIRs

Brussels ban on plastic bags to take effect next year supermarkets will be first to find alternatives, then other retailers by 2018 alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

ingle-use plastic shopping bags will be banned in the Brussels-Capital Region from 1 September 2017, the region’s environment minister, Céline Fremault, has announced. Initially the ban will cover supermarkets before being extended to all retailers in 2018. The EU has called for member

states to reduce their consumption of plastics, which are made from fossil fuels and generally not biodegradable. Flanders is preparing a similar measure, and Wallonia has already implemented a ban. Meanwhile, the main supermarket chains have introduced a more environmentally friendly

bag, while charging for single-use bags and encouraging the switch to recyclable bags, which can be replaced for free. Fremault has discussed alternatives with retail federations Comeos and Atrium, which represent Brussels businesses. Some of the cost of alternative bags could, she said, be carried by the region.

Opposition Groen welcomed the announcement. “We’ve been asking for this for some time,” said Annemie Maes, member of the Brussels parliament. “We’re happy the minister has finally agreed. Raising awareness is all very well, but it only makes sense if it’s backed up with regulation.” © Ingimage

‘Think before you get a pet’ message of new animal welfare campaign

Introduce road tolls for all vehicles, says Flanders’ Mobility Council

Flemish animal welfare minister Ben Weyts has launched a campaign aimed at families considering a new pet. “An animal is not like a bag of chips that you pluck from the shelf in the supermarket,” he said during a visit to an animal shelter in Steenhuffel, Flemish Brabant. “Think before you begin with animals.” Every year more than 30,000 animals end up in shelters in Flanders after their owners have second thoughts or are unable to care for them. The campaign starts with two online videos; later, flyers will be handed out at shelters, schools and town halls. Weyts was also in Steenhuffel to hand out diplomas to the second class to pass the new course designed to train animal shelter staff, most of whom are volunteers. Animal welfare

The best way for the government of Flanders to reach its climate targets would be the introduction of road tolls for all vehicles, according to the Mobility Council of Flanders (Mora) advisory body. The organisation was responding to a request for an opinion from the Flemish parliament’s climate commission. Mora is made up of representatives from unions, employers, city councils, transport authorities De Lijn and NMBS, environmental organisations and mobility groups such as Fietsersbond and Touring. The opinion recognises that a new way of thinking is going to be necessary if the growth of emissions is to be reversed, Mora said. A new Flanders Mobility Plan would be a useful resource for that, it said.

became a responsibility of the regions with the last set of state reforms, which came into force at the start of the current legislature in 2014. The number of animals in Flemish shelters decreased in 2014 by 14% compared to 2013 – from 36,358 to 31,439 animals, according to government figures. The number of dogs taken in dropped by even more: by 27% from 11,218 to 8,179. The number of animals that had to be put down also fell dramatically, by 35% to 241. For anyone set on getting a new pet, Weyts had some advice: Go to a shelter. “Our own cat came from a shelter, and we don’t regret it for a second,” he said. “My children chose the fattest cat in the place, but it’s a devoted pet and a real family friend.” \ AH

The single most effective measure to reduce emissions, according to the opinion, would be to introduce a road toll for all drivers; at present the toll only applies to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. Mora emphasised that such a move would require careful evaluation of the social and economic impact, as well as a public debate. Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts has already suggested he would be in favour of road use fees for all vehicles and has planned a test project. Mora advised launching the debate as soon as possible. “That would allow the next Flemish government to make the decision whether or not to bring in a toll for private vehicles,” the group said. \ AH

Eagle-owl makes comeback in Flanders The eagle-owl, one of the largest owl species in the world, is making a comeback in Flanders after suffering full extinction, according to Flemish nature conservancy organisation Natuurpunt. At the beginning of the 20th century, the local breeding population of eagle-owls decreased drastically, and after the Second

World War, became fully extinct due to shooting and poisoning. Eagle-owls were part of a largescale breeding programme in Germany, and the species spread into Belgium in the 1980s. In Wallonia, measures to protect birds of prey have allowed the species to grow steadily, and there are now some 140 pairs in the region today.

Since 2005, eagle-owls have also been breeding in Flanders.

Natuurpunt thinks there are seven breeding pairs in Limburg province, and, in just the last year, breeding pairs have been seen in both Flemish Brabant and Antwerp provinces. The comeback of the eagle-owl is remarkable as the species reproduces in mountainous regions or rocky slopes, laying eggs in “scrapes” – crevices or indenta-

11.3 million

Belgian acts at this year’s Pukkelpop music festival in Hasselt in August. They include Bent Van Looy, The Black Heart Rebellion and Ertebrekers

27.5%

of children in Brussels live in a household where nobody has a job, the highest figure in the European Union. In Flanders, the figure is 6.6%, according to employment agency VDAB

inhabitants of Belgium on 1 January 2016, an increase of 58,866, or 0.5%, since the same date in 2015. The Brussels population grew by 1.1%, while Flanders saw an increase of 0.5% to 6.5 million

tions in the ground. They have also been known to settle in old stone quarries and the nests of other birds of prey. The eagle-owl is known for its hunting ability and eats other birds and small mammals, such as hedgehogs and rabbits, which poses no threat to the balance of the local ecosystem. \ Andy Furniere

1,899

months’ wait for compensation for rail pass holders affected by recent strikes, the NMBS has warned, because of the large number of claims

people have signed up to a classaction lawsuit filed by consumer group Test-Aankoop against ticket agencies that sell concert tickets online at prices above face value, which is illegal in Belgium

june 15, 2016

WeeK in brief Flemish public broadcaster VRT has some 50 cases a year of on-air staff being stalked by members of the public, its head of customer service, Linda Van Crombruggen, said. According to the procedure introduced five years ago to tackle the problem, the person is approached and warned their behaviour could be illegal. In 97% of cases, the problem ends there, she said. In the other cases, the stalker is reported to police. Researchers from the Royal Belgian Institute for Natural Sciences in Brussels have discovered a new species of fly in the Jean Massart botanical gardens in Oudergem in Brussels. The fly, christened Drapetis bruscellensis, measures barely two millimetres, has a shiny black thorax and lives on leaves and tree trunks where it feeds on mites and smaller insects. Brussels public transport authority MIVB has approved three new calls for tender for the purchase of electric buses, to be delivered in 2018 for use on three dedicated lines. The buses include some that have to be charged overnight, and others that can be charged via a live network, usually during down-time at terminuses. MIVB will test both before deciding which technology to choose. Three of Belgium’s top restaurants have been named in the world’s best 100 restaurants list. In its first appearance on the list at number 54 is The Jane, Sergio Herman and Nick Bril’s two-Michelin-star restaurant in Antwerp. Three-Michelin-star Hof Van Cleve in Kruishoutem, run by chef Peter Goossens, moves up one place to number 53, while fellow three-star chef Gert De Mangeleer of Hertog Jan in Zedelgem drops from 53 last year to 73 now. The top 50 were due to be announced as Flanders Today went to press, but it is unlikely to include any more Flemish restaurants. \ theworlds50best.com

face Of flanders The government of Flanders is prepared to find the resources to complete the restoration of “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”, otherwise known as the Ghent Altarpiece, whatever may be required, culture minister Sven Gatz told parliament. The full extent of the work required on the 15th-century masterpiece by Jan and Hubert van Eyck will only be known in mid-2018, he said. The restoration work is in its first phase; some estimates say the work on phases two and three could cost €2.5 million more than predicted. The Brussels non-profit Straatverplegers has published a new edition of its map of public toilets and drinking fountains in the centre of the city. The first edition appeared in 2014, since when five new toilets (or urinals) and two new drinking fountains have been added. Volunteers will distribute the maps to homeless people, and it will also be posted in 50 metro stations. It can be downloaded online. \ tinyurl.com/brusselstoilets

TheprisonintheVorstmunicipality of Brussels is full of damp, and fire safety can absolutely not be guaranteed, according to the group that inspected the facility last week. The group was made up of representatives of the Brussels fire brigade, public works, the justice ministry and the buildings agency, and the visit was at the invitation of Vorst mayor Marc-Jean Ghyssels. Prison officers at Vorst have been on strike for 45 days, but the situation in the prison remains calm, director Vincent Spronk said. Ghyssels has threatened to close the facility if the inspection report is too negative. The two Amur leopard cubs born in Bellewaerde in Ypres last month are both females, the park announced following their first medical check-up. A third cub died shortly after being born. Bellewaerde is part of an international conservation programme for the critically endangered Amur leopard, of which there are fewer

Offside going, going, gone

Regular readers will recall the story in March concerning a decision by the City of Ghent to change the way it dealt with licences for the 16 sites on public property leased to frietkoten. The licences come up for auction from time to time, but Ghent was dropping a measure to favour sitting tenants by allowing them to overbid the best offer by 5%. The association of licence holders took the issue to the Council of State, but the council ruled against them. That’s why if you were passing by city hall in Ghent one day last week, you may have been surprised to see people shov-

elling tonnes of raw fries onto the steps of the building by those most in fear of losing their spot – and their livelihood. Christophe Peeters, the city councillor in charge of finance, was disappointed by the action. “This is a painful form of food waste,”

than 60 left in the wild in southeast Russia and northwest China. The park has invited members of the public to suggest names for the new arrivals. \ bellewaerde.be

Women’s experiences are the centrepiece of this year’s edition of GoneWest, the artistic commemoration of the First World War in West Flanders, now in its third year. Taking place in September, the event features Zijkant van de oorlog (Sidelines of the War), a performance told from the point of view of women who lived through it. The concert Ten vrede (In the Name of Peace) features Trixie Whitley and Lara Chedraoui, and Flemish actor Barbara Sarafian presents the musical production Le grand troupeau (The Great Herd) in Bruges and Ypres. \ gonewest.be

The site of the former Ford Genk factory, which closed in 2014, could be home to 1,200 new jobs within 10 years, according to a plan drawn up by the Limburg investment agency LRM that involves converting the site into a modern business campus housing dozens of businesses that would share infrastructure and machinery. The idea builds on notions of “the factory of the future”, including smart robots digitally interconnected to monitor and optimise production processes. The Flemish parliament last week voted to lift the parliamentary immunity of Christian Van Eyken for the second time. In January, Van Eyken, the former mayor of Linkebeek, was formally accused of involvement in the 2014 murder of his secretary’s husband. Since then, new charges have come to light alleging he altered documents to allow his secretary, with whom he had a personal relationship, to obtain a higher salary than she was eligible for. The new charges required a new vote to suspend his immunity, which was passed with only one vote against – Van Eyken’s own.

de vosjes For one, it was the dream of her lifetime. The other was along to help her sister achieve that dream. It was enough: Chloe and Magali Szpyt won the 2016 edition of Mijn Pop-up Restaurant, the televised competition on VTM, last week. Early in the season, star chef Sergio Herman – one of the threemember jury – warned the other five duos about underestimating the quiet and reserved sisters, who he said were like vosjes ( foxes), with sly tricks up their sleeves. The name stuck, and they were known as de vosjes for the rest of the season. The pair and their restaurant, Strombowli, beat the other finalists, Willem Vankrunkelsven and Miette Dierckx of Jalapeño Loco, to win the title and €100,000. Although Strombowli’s Sicilian bowl food consistently scored better throughout the season, viewers were more fond of the atmosphere and owners of Jalapeño Loco, as well as the taquería concept, which was unique in Flanders. Mijn Pop-up Restaurant sees six teams of two without previous experience in running a foodservice business come up with an idea for a pop-up restaurant. They create a menu, hire a staff and run the place for about two months, being eliminated one-by-one by the jury and public vote. This year saw head-to-head battles in three cities – Antwerp,

Genk and Kortrijk – before the two finalists moved to Knokke for the final three weeks. The 20-something Szpyt sisters started off at a disadvantage: They come from Limburg and were posted to Kortrijk, about as far from home as you can go before leaving Belgium. But the Sicilian theme – their mother is of Italian origin – and the engagement of chef Gregory to stand by Chloe in the kitchen would soon bear fruit. The cuisine was upscale and refined, impressing the jury, which also included sommelier Sepideh Sedaghatnia and Studio 100 head Gert Verhulst, again and again. Their final opponents, however, came from behind in the last three weeks with an expanded menu and a Mexican food concept that fit the new beach terrace perfectly. Jalapeño Loco improved to such an extent that Herman named it as the pop-up he thought should win. The other two members of the jury named Strombowli. A sour taste hangs over the competition, however. During the final’s 15-minute voting period, VTM’s site crashed, and thousands of people couldn’t vote. The network announced that it had been hacked but had enough votes to be representative. Willem’s father, former Groen senator Patrik Vankrunkelsven, is looking into the situation. \ Alan Hope

flanders today, a weekly english-language newspaper, is an initiative of the flemish region and is financially supported by the flemish authorities.

he said. “It’s a shame to see a mess made on a public street by sore losers.” Fourteen of the sites were retained by the current owners, but two went to new owners, including one of the most popular: Frituur Jozef on Vrijdagmarkt. Prices skyrocketed because of new bidders, who previously stood little chance of winning because they could always be outbid. Another of the city’s most popular locations, De Gouden Saté in the student quarter, will also change hands, but this time willingly. The owners are putting the chippy up for sale. Price negotiable. \AH

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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 Political renewal

When the far right booked major electoral successes in Flanders at the turn of the century, all other parties felt the need to react. The cordon sanitaire, which prevented Vlaams Blok/Belang from ever taking up office, remained intact, but the general sentiment was that more was needed to counter extremism. As far-right votes were believed to be the result of an aversion to traditional politics, some major introspection followed. Parliamentary commissions were set up to achieve “political renewal”. A recent decision by SP.A is reminiscent of that episode. The Flemish socialists have decided that their politicians should hold only one office at a time. So a mayor of a sizeable city cannot be an MP as well. Decumul, as this is called, was a central element to the politicalrenewaldiscussion,though SP.A has other motives. The decumul prevents a concentration of power. When political functions are divided between a small group of people, the younger generation find it much harder to make a name for themselves. For SP.A, this was especially notable, as the party has been shrinking for some time. To counter this, the instinct was always to rely on well-known names – fewer and fewer of them. The Greens have been using the same decumul rule for years. The party has even been criticised for it, as was the case when Mieke Vogels, a well-known city councillor, “turned her back on Antwerp” to become a minister in the government of Flanders. Other parties are not likely to follow the example. They believe that the most popular politicians should be candidates at the elections. More often than not, popular politicians are mayors. This is why the Flemish parliament is often called “an assembly of mayors”. As for SP.A, the new rule has never been a problem for Daniël Termont, the popular mayor of Ghent who has always refused to take up a parliamentary function. Decumul is much harder on socialists like Peter Vanvelthoven, mayor of Lommel, and Hans Bonte, mayor of Vilvoorde. As an MP, Bonte has become an authority on radicalisation, largely due to his experiences in his hometown. So how did the political renewal fare some 15 years ago? As voters did not seem to care much about it, all that introspection ended quietly. \ Anja Otte

€3.25m for health-care apps federal health minister calls for proposals for trial projects andy furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

ederal health minister Maggie De Block is investing €3.25 million in trial projects to test health-related digital apps. The projects are part of the Digital Health Valley initiative, with the goal of creating the best possible conditions for companies to invest in the development of digital health products. The call for project proposals will be launched at the end of this month. The first trial projects should start by the beginning of 2017. Health-care providers can create proposals in five fields: diabetes, mental health, acute stroke, cardiovascular and chronic pain. The apps can focus on self-management, tele-monitoring or

the use of wearables, for instance. An example of a health-care app is a heart-rate meter that is integrated in a smartphone.

With the trial projects, De Block wants to examine which regulations, legal frameworks and remuneration models are suited to the use of health apps, as these aspects are not yet well developed, she said. As the trial projects progress, the government will draw up possible measures. “Health apps create a win-win situation for patients and health-care providers,” said De Block in a statement. “Patients can continuously follow up their health themselves or let it be followed up more quickly, while the reduction of red tape will help health-care providers to exchange information quickly and more easily.”

Flanders hosts Unesco conference on destruction of heritage in war

Activist groups launch petition for Oosterweel referendum

Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois hosted the international high-level meeting Cultural Diversity Under Attack: Protecting Heritage for Peace in Brussels last week. Irina Bokova, director-general of Unesco, and Federica Mogherini, The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also took part. The two-day conference looked at how targeted attacks on cultural heritage can form part of an ideological or military strategy, with examples including the bridge at Mostar in the wars of the former Yugoslavia, the destruction of the Buddhas of Bamiyan by the Taliban or the damage to the temples of Palmyra by IS. Such attacks have increased in recent years, according to Unesco, which is responsible for the world’s cultural and immaterial heritage. “Our cultural heritage tells us where we come from and who we are,” Bourgeois said. “It is unique and irreplaceable. These monuments and historic artefacts, as well as recordings, living heritage and languages, form our shared memory of our common world.” Thatiswhy,hecontinued,“wecannot watch helplessly from the sidelines while cultural heritage is increasingly threatened and destroyed,” he said. “Obliterating people’s history

The three main activist groups concerned with the Oosterweel LinkprojectinAntwerphavebegun collecting signatures in support of a referendum on the route the road-and-tunnel connection will take. The joint action between Ringland, Ademloos and StRatengeneraal needs to gather 52,000 signatures by the end of October to be able to demand a referendum. The Oosterweel Link is intended to join the left bank of the Scheldt with Antwerp’s ring road, making it easier for harbour traffic to reach motorways to the north, south and east of the city. A previous referendum in 2009 brought an end to the planned viaduct over part of the city centre and the river. The two-tiered viaduct, known as the “Lange Wapper” after a character from Antwerp folklore, would have been a major source of pollution for residents along its course, according to the group Ademloos, whose

The smaller of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in central Afghanistan, destroyed by the Taliban in 2001

has inevitable consequences for their collective identity. Indeed, the role of culture before, during and after conflict cannot be underestimated”. The conference also featured contributions from artists who were forced to flee their homelands and come to Belgium – a poet from Palestine and a musician from Burundi. Other contributors showed how digital technology safeguard monuments and artefacts, and the role of social media in creating new ways for communities to commemorate their heritage. \ Alan Hope

40,000 solar panels could run alongside railway lines Flemish energy minister Bart Tommelein has written to federal mobility minister François Bellot to propose installing solar panels along the railway lines between Leuven and Aachen – a section that could take up to 40,000 panels depending on investors. It would serve as a pilot project that could be extended to the rest of the rail network, Tommelein said. The idea is the latest in the minister’s search for ways in which Flanders can meet its climate targets for 2020, when 13% of the region’s energy needs must be derived from

renewable sources. He came into office just after a biomass plant in Ghent, which could have played a major role in meeting goals, was refused a licence. Since then he has called on homeowners to install solar panels and changed the rules on the energy-saving requirement of new buildings. “SpaceinFlandersislimited,sowe’re looking at all available surfaces,” he said. Those include government buildings, army barracks, schools and municipal buildings. Companies and individuals are encouraged to follow suit. \ AH

name means “out of breath”. The groups oppose the new route as well and want to put the question to the public: “Should the City of Antwerp approve the planning permit for the Oosterweel connection according to the current planned route between Zwijndrecht and the left bank and Borgerhout and Deurne?”. The vote would not be binding on the city council. Earlier this month, the two sides agreed to take six months to study options for the enclosure of the southern section of the ring road. At the time, the activists made it clear they would not be abandoning their campaign. “We would still like to reach a proposal without a referendum,” the groups said in a joint statement. “We don’t want to make trouble. But we do intend to communicate openly about the steps we are taking.” \ AH

Flemish socialist party passes one-job measure The Flemish socialist party SP.A has voted to restrict its MPs to one job at a time. In future, a member of a national or regional parliament, for instance, cannot simultaneously be the mayor or a councillor of a larger municipality. The change to the party’s statutes does not affect mayors of municipalities with fewer than 20,000 residents. The average population of towns with mayors also serving as MPs in 2015 was just over 19,000. For councillors and social aid agency chairs, the threshold is 30,000 residents. In all cases, the exception to the rule is not automatic and has to be approved by the party’s steering committee. Among those currently affected are Vilvoorde mayor Hans Bonte, Bruges mayor Renaat Landuyt and Lommel mayor Peter Vanvelthoven. The reason for the move, said SP.A

party president John Crombez (pictured centre), is to stop the posts from being “blocked” to fresh talent by someone holding multiple posts. But some party members expressed their concern that the new rule could prove to be a competitive disadvantage come election time by removing familiar faces from one or other list. Critics would have preferred the measure to come in the form of a parliament decree, which would affect all parties. \ AH

\ COVeR sTORy

june 15, 2016

Common ancestries

conference at university of st andrews reveals nuances of flemish-scottish history continued from page 1

Norman invasion of 1066. They were rewarded for their loyalty with land. When David I and his Flemish wife ascended the Scottish throne in 1124, the aristocrats started making their way to Scotland, and again later that century, when Henry II of England expelled all Flemings for disrupting English trade. At least that’s the conventional narrative contained in many articles on the subject. But Jan Dumolyn of Ghent University is having none of it. “People always want romantic explanations – either that Flemish knights came over with William the Conqueror in 1066 or, even better, that they were refugees from the Reformation, who were being persecuted by the Catholic Church and had to flee to the beacon of freedom in Britain,” says the history professor. “People look for specific historical events and important figures; genealogists always want to be descended from noblemen.” Dumolyn will address the conference on emigration to England and Scotland, which he says was a story of poor folk. “Flemish people in the Middle Ages were renowned as the best textile workers and for building dykes and reclaiming land from the sea,” he says. “The mass of people who emigrated to the British Isles were anonymous lower classes.” Some might have come as mercenary soldiers, he adds, but this wouldn’t have been linked to any specific historical event. During the Middle Ages, the entire North Sea, he points out, was one economic area, with constant streams of trade and exchange of artists,

tinyurl.com/flandersscotland

from the obvious name Fleming, families like Sutherland, Murray, Innes and Lindsay probably moved north with David I. The Frame family were weavers, and the Dowie family merchants. However, the tracing of family ties also has a genetic component. The Y-DNA project looks at inheritance of the Y chromosome, since surnames are passed from father to son. Comparing the results with documented family history, Macdonald says, it’s possible

published recently. “This evidence will be further reviewed as additional men with the surname Fleming are tested.” Possible explanations for the name are adoption, illegitimacy and new immigrants adopting the name. At the conference, the DNA session will include testimony from some of the families thought to have Flemish roots on their experience with the project. Other sessions will look at diverse questions such as the Flemish

People always want romantic explanations –that Flemish knights came over with William the Conqueror or, even better, that they were refugees from the Reformation scholars and businessmen. And the county of Flanders was already heavily populated and urbanised. In 1470, the county had 705,000 inhabitants, with a density of 72 per square kilometre. Brabant, meanwhile, was the next most populous with 399,000. In Flanders, 35% of the population lived in cities, and almost half of those lived in either Ghent or Bruges. Population growth may be one reason behind the Flemings’ skill at reclaiming land from the sea. The word “Flanders” is thought to be derived from the Germanic word for flooding, which used to happen twice a day at the coast and, as we have recently seen, has a tendency to happen elsewhere. Historians are also interested in tracing names that may have a Flemish origin. Aside

to see where a Scottish family has a line that traces back to Flanders. But, he adds, “we have not been looking at ethnicity or how much ‘Flemish’ DNA an individual might carry in their genome. Such a question is not answerable at present and would be well beyond the scope of the project.” The results are not always positive. Fleming and Macdonald found that the accepted idea that all men named Fleming were descended from Erkenbald the Fleming, who came over with William the Conqueror, could not be true, because not all Flemings carried the same Y-chromosome. “From the evidence of Y-DNA analysis undertaken so far, the Fleming name clearly has multiple origins,” they concluded in a study

influence on Scottish church arc hitecture and the politics, diplomacy and commerce between the two regions. There will also be sessions on religious persecution as a “push factor” affecting emigration from Flanders and on place-names that may have a Flemish background. Dumolyn, meanwhile, will sound a warning against the politicisation of the question of Flanders-Scotland relations. “I’m not saying that’s what the conference will be about, because it is a scholarly enterprise,” he says. “But in today’s context, it’s rather obvious that if you’re a Scottish Nationalist, it’s better to have links with Flanders than with England.” The reality, he continues, is that most immigrants to Scottish towns in the Middle Ages

The conference includes an exhibition of Flemish works from the scottish national Gallery, including jacob jordaens’ “Head of an Old woman, with a Ruff and a Cap”

were English. “Sure, the Flemish were there from the 12th century and were important in creating 12th-century Scottish towns, but obviously there were far more English immigrants. That’s a less popular view, I suppose.”

16-17 june university of st Andrews Fife, Scotland

spOrting partners The influence on Scotland of Flemish migrants was not restricted to place-names, aristocratic families and the weaving business. Golf: Most Scottish historians place the origin of golf in Scotland, while others claim the game originated in the Low Countries, where it was called colf. The first mention of

“golf ” in history is related to James II banning it in 1457. “Colf ”, meanwhile, was mentioned in a poem by Jacob van Maerlant in 1261. It’s possible the game was imported by Flemish migrants, or that Scottish merchants picked it up on their regular trips to the Continent. Then, as now, a game of colf or golf was a good opportunity for deals to be made.

Curling: The practice of sliding a smooth stone over ice and easing its progress by sweeping the ice is thought to have developed as a game in Scotland at the start of the 17th century. But there are 16th-century Flemish paintings illustrating the game. A stone has been found in Scotland that dates to 1511. If it is real, then it is earlier than the earliest Flemish evidence.

Tennis: Did the Scots inherit tennis from the Flemish? Not only has tennis pro Andy Murray’s name been shown to have Flemish links, the game itself may have come from Flanders, in the form of a game known as caetsspel.

\ BusIness

WeeK in business Gas Transport Fluxys

Belgium’s gas network operator is bidding to acquire Thyssengas, Germany’s leading gas pipelines operator, for up to €600 million.

Chocolate Godiva The Brussels-based chocolate group, owned by Turkish Yildiz Holding, plans to open an additional 190 outlets in China over the next three years to further develop its market share in the country that already represents 30% of total sales. Godiva has stores in 90 countries worldwide and expects total turnover to reach €885 million this year.

Property Verlinvest AB InBev’s private equity group has signed a partnership agreement with China Resources, a state-owned holding company, to develop a network of retirement homes and a range of dietary food products in in China. Verlinvest is already a partner in Armonea, Belgium’s largest operator of retirement homes.

Retail Brantano The discount shoe retailer is investing €50 million to renovate the bulk of its 100 stores over the next three years. The company plans to sell 19 of its outlets to the French Chaussea chain and will close three unprofitable outlets.

Food Alpro The Ghent-based producer of soy-based food and drinks, owned by America’s White Wave company, is investing a further €80 million in its Wevelgem, West Flanders, unit to increase capacity of its drinks and yogurt lines and to increase storage space. The company, which also invested €80 million last year, is struggling to meet demand for its products throughout Europe.

Fashion kiabi The French ready-to-wear group has plans to open up to five stores in Belgium’s larger cities over the next 18 months and a further seven later on. The first opening is slated for later this year in the Docks Bruxsel shopping complex in Laken. \ docksbruxsel.be

‘Mystery shoppers’ made legal

investigators to pose as applicants or clients to expose discrimination alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

ederal consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters has approved of new legislation that allows the use of “mystery shoppers” – investigators who pose as ordinary customers to check the conduct of shops and other businesses. Previously, the use of such covert operators was in breach of privacy rules. The concept of mystery shoppers became an issue last year, after it was revealed that temp employment agencies were discriminating against job applicants based on ethnicity. Consumer advocates argued that mystery shoppers could help discourage or uncover such discrimination. “Mystery shoppers are useful in cases of unfair business practices,” Peeters said, to test if sales staff, for example, are giving proper and

complete pre-contractual information, or checking whether the customer is old enough to make the purchase. “The ultimate aim is better protection for the consumer and more confidence in honest business practice.” In related news, a college graduate who had been unemployed for six months changed his name from Mohamed to Kyan and got a job within two weeks, according to an interview in Bruzz. Mohamed Kabendji graduated two years ago with a degree in computer graphics but, despite applying for many jobs, never got an interview until he changed his name. He then had a job offer within two weeks. “Diversity is a reality in Brussels, but sadly discrimination is, too,” said Caroline Mancel of Actiris, the Brussels region’s employment

agency. “Unemployment among people of Belgian origin is under 10%. For people of North African origin the figure is over 30%.”

National Bank suspends accounts Unizo looks into universal with Optima fearing run income for Belgian residents The National Bank of Belgium (NBB) has blocked all current accounts at Optima bank, based in Ghent, in an effort to prevent a run on the bank following its announcement that it was stopping all banking activities. NBB is reported to have turned information on Optima over to the prosecutor’s office in Ghent, which is investigating claims that its main shareholder and board chair, Jeroen Piquer, submitted unusually large expense claims. Optima began as an insurance company and moved into banking with the takeover of Ethias Bank in 2011. Optima announced last week that it was beginning a procedure to resign its banking licence, triggering fears that customers might begin a run on the bank’s resources. Later, the NBB withdrew its insurance licence as well.

NBB was, in any case, on the point of withdrawing Optima’s banking licence in light of alleged mismanagement, which it ultimately did. The state’s guarantee fund for financial services protects bank customers’fundsupto€100,000peraccount. Optima stopped opening new accounts and giving out new loans in 2015. Since then, the value of customers’ accounts with the bank has fallen from €683 million to €90 million. \ AH

‘Mayonnaise’ redefined: 10% less fat allowed The Belgian food industry has brought down the minimum levels of fat and eggs allowed in mayonnaise, with the approval of a new definition by federal consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters. The new minimum for oil content comes down from 80% to 70%, and the egg content from 7.5% to 5%. The changes bring Belgian mayonnaise down to the same levels as some foreign-made mayonnaise. The food industry had complained that overseas manufacturers had an unfair advantage as they were able to use cheaper alternatives. The previous levels were determined by a royal decree passed 60 years ago. “This does not mean that Belgium’s delicious mayonnaise, with its

special taste, is going to disappear,” Peeters said. A new appellation will be introduced – traditional Belgian mayonnaise – for products that meet the higher standard. The Mayonnaise Law is the start of a process of modernisation of food laws, Peeters said. His department, with the food industry federation Fevia, has drawn up a list of 45 laws more than 30 years old that have failed to keep up with changes in food production and consumption and require updating or scrapping. “Our food sector is world class,” Peeters said. “Our legislation has to come into the 21st century.” \ AH

Unizo, the organisation that represents the self-employed in Flanders, has begun a study into a universal basic income. According to Unizo director-general Karel Van Eetvelt, a guaranteed income would help motivate people to work rather than, as many fear, encourage them to remain unemployed. Van Eetvelt said his contacts with freelance workers shows that the large majority are making enough to get by; their main anxiety is for what might happen in the future. “The biggest obstacle for a future

entrepreneur seems to be the lack of a safety net. Well, why not take that worry away?” The study will look into questions like who should be covered by the basic income scheme, how much it should be and how it will be paid for. “I’m calling on politicians and social partners to do the same,” Van Eetvelt said. Meanwhile unions are divided, with Christian ACV in favour of opening the debate and socialist ABVV worried the measure might undermine social security. \ AH

Estonian company to take over Langerlo biomass plant The Estonian company Graanul Invest intends to take over Langerlo NV, the former coalfuelled power plant in Genk, formerly owned by German Pellets, which had hoped to turn it into Flanders’ first biomass centre. The takeover is likely to be a sensitive one, after the government’s decision last month to refuse a licence for another planned biomass facility in Ghent. “The Langerlo power plant is a big step forward in our company’s development,” Graanul Invest chair Raul Kirjanen said in a statement. “We have been on the lookout for projects like this for a couple of years. I hope that this project can help prove that biomass is one of the best ways to make use of existing energy infrastructure and a solid alternative to other renewable energy technologies.” Not everyone agrees, however. “Biomass is a bad idea,” said Guido Camps, former head of local energy regulator Creg. Plants such as Langerlo, he said, “are a never-ending story. They are more

expensive and more polluting than solar and wind power, and they will never be able to survive without subsidies.” The plant in Ghent was counting on €2 billion from the government of Flanders, but the government pulled the plug on the project before the subsidy agreement was official. The agreement for the Langerlo plant – €2 billion over 10 years – is already official. Langerlo, currently run on coal and gas, would first need to be converted and then the plant would be powered by wood pellets. That was German Pellets’ plan, but the company has declared bankruptcy. Graanul is the biggest producer of wood pellets in Europe, and the Langerlo plant would use about 1.8 million tonnes a year at full capacity. “I am glad that a capable investor has been found with solid expertise in forestry, production of pellets, logistics and energy alike,” said Marc Rommans, manager of the Langerlo plant. “We hope that Graanul Invest is able to continue the project.” \ AH

\ InnOVATIOn

june 15, 2016

Show me the art

WeeK in innOvatiOn

Pieter Paul app puts all your arts needs in the palm of your hand lisa Bradshaw Follow lisa on Twitter \ @lmbsie

curartor.com

hough I’m well beyond my student years, I’m happy to say that I still have a good relationship with the Kask art school in Ghent, its lovely little cinema and bright, cheery eatery being open to the public. What I didn’t know is that it also houses an art space called Kiosk and that there is an exhibition there right now that particularly appeals to me. I know this because of a useful little app called Pieter Paul, launched last year but now gaining momentum as both art spaces and the public catch on. It’s a free app available for Android and iOS, and it opens to show a map of museums and exhibitions in my vicinity. The closest one is Kiosk. Clicking on this map pin – it’s red, indicating that the venue is open, rather than grey, which indicates the opposite – I discover in text and images what’s showing. It also shows Kiosk’s opening hours, entrance fee ( free!), where it is and even what it looks like from the outside. I can click on the individual shows for more info about them and the artist – in English, no less. I add the show to the app’s Favourites so I don’t forget to visit. At the museum, I can pull out Pieter Paul again and use its image-recognition technology to tell me more about any piece I see in a show, as a text or as an audio guide. Searching for art to buy is a whole other situation, but Pieter Paul offers the same options. If you’re shopping around at galleries, you can simply scan a work and save an image of it to consider later. The gallery you found it in, the cost – everything is at your fingertips. Currently there are only seven pins in the Ghent area showing museums, galleries and other spaces displaying art, but more are on the way. Many, many more. And not only in Ghent. “It’s been a bit of a struggle to convince arts venues that this app will be useful to them. But the more pins we have, the more spaces become interested,” says Caroline Van Waeyenberghe, managing director of Curartor, the Ghent-based developer of Pieter Paul. While galleries are well-represented, the larger museums take much more time to prepare. “Art galleries have 30 to 50 pieces on display at any given time,” explains Van Waeyenberghe. “But in a major museum, you have 300 to 500 pieces. So we’re working really hard to get all the info ready to go on the app.” And nothing goes up until it’s ready. “Quality is guaranteed,” she says. “The art world is, shall we say, keen on quality. It can’t look like Wikipedia,

A new app developed by Ghent tech firm Curartor tells you what’s on at a museum near you

if you know what I mean. We’ll only put them on when they’re ready to go on.” After Curartor prepares a museum’s presentation, permanent collection and current temporary exhibitions for the app, the idea is that museums and galleries will update it themselves. “They can also use it to invite people to events, like openings.”

get to where you want to be based on your tastes and preferences.” Curartor recently introduced Pieter Paul to the UK at the contemporary art fair Art16. Locations of art spaces in London are expected to pop up soon, and the ultimate goal is to get pins on the map across Europe. Pieter Paul is currently available in seven languages, and the ones offered

It helps you get to where you want to be based on your tastes and preferences Curartor was founded in 2014 by a group of techheads who also liked art. It was spearheaded by creative director Kristof Callebaut, “who had this great idea to make art and art institutes more visible to the public,” says Van Waeyenberghe. Funding comes from the art spaces, who pay a small fee to be on the app. Zoom out on the Pieter Paul map, and art spaces in other Belgian cities pop up. “Say you have two hours to kill somewhere,” says Van Waeyenberghe. “You can see here immediately what is open and what they’ve got on within walking distance of where you’re standing. You get a sneak peek at what’s there. It’s really a guide; it helps you

depend on your location. But English is always an option. Should Pieter Paul prove as successful as its developers expect, other apps will follow. “You could imagine, for example, wanting to know what’s going on around you in design or what clothing boutiques are in the neighbourhood,” says Van Waeyenberghe. “Or you could take a photo of the cover of a book and get information on that book or the author. These would be different apps, but based on the same technology. The possibilities are endless.”

Q&a Simon Amez is an economics student at Ghent University. His Master’s thesis debunks footballing myths about the best time to score and the effect of having a player sent off Why did you choose to investigate football clichés? For me, sport-oriented research is a consequence of my enormous interest in all sorts of sports. I became interested in the scoring aspect after reading a study a decade ago about the “10 do it better” myth: the false claim that it isn’t necessarily bad for a team to have a player sent off. We also debunked this other myth: that a goal scored just before halftime leads to better results. The opposite is true, in fact. What drew me in here was the multidi-

mensional aspect. The methods we used were econometrics, but there is a psychological part, too. So, when is the best time to score? It’s difficult to say for sure, but I did a little preliminary research on my own that wasn’t part of my thesis or research project. There are indications that the best time during the first half to score a goal is between the 26th and the 40th minute. But these results are just my own observations and so aren’t scientifically proven.

Are you planning to study other myths in sport? Unfortunately, no. Sport has been my passion since I was little, and, like so many, I dreamt of a career as a sports journalist. I’d be very happy if I had the opportunity to study other football myths. But we have to be realistic: There are only a few real sports economists, and there’s no chance that, in these times of austerity, the university or the government will spend money on specific research in sports economics. Besides, others are probably better situated to do research in football. Take betting companies, for example, who do a lot of research. Unfortunately they don’t publish

their results and only use them privately, to make money. \ Inter-

view by Senne Starckx

Robot greets hospital patients

Starting this week, a humanoid robot called Pepper is assisting staff at the reception desk of AZ Damiaan hospital in Ostend. This marks a world first in robots being deployed for a reception task in a medical context. The robot was developed by Ostendbased QBMT, the robotics firm that developed the wellknown Zora robot. The hospitals have been using Zora for a couple of years in the geriatrics, children’s and rehabilitation departments, where it has been used to motivate the elderly to exercise in rest homes and to comfort children on their way to surgery. At 140 centimetres, the Pepper generation of robots is larger than the Zora style. The new generation is also more mobile and finely developed for specific tasks.

Biotech firms visit the us

Last week, some 30 firms from the Belgian biotech sector took part in the BIO International Convention in San Francisco, the largest biotech conference in the world. Federal health minister Maggie De Block accompanied the delegation, which was assembled by Bio. be, the federation of Belgian bioscience companies. Bio. be delivered a seminar highlighting the innovations in Belgian biopharma, while De Block discussed the increasing importance of biotechnology and policy measures to support innovations in the sector. The minister also visited biopharma companies in California. American pharma is responsible for some 10,000 jobs in the Belgian life sciences industry.

Online tool helps grow eco-gardens

Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege has launched the new web tool Mijn gifvrije tuin (My PoisonFree Garden) together with the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) and the organisation Velt, which promotes ecological living and gardening. The digital guide helps the public to maintain different types of gardens, including large countryside gardens and small urban gardens, without using pesticides. The tool provides advice on the best place to plant herbs, for example, and on how to avoid moss and weeds on a terrace. “In 2004, we passed the ambitious proposal to outlaw the use of pesticides in public projects by city authorities by 2015,” said Schauvliege. “Now we are focussing on individual gardens.” \ Andy Furniere

\ eDuCATIOn

june 15, 2016

Breaking the monolith

WeeK in educatiOn

experts warn of the lack of diversity among teachers in flemish schools emma Portier davis More articles by emma \ flanderstoday.eu

A recent European Commission report highlights the socioeconomic consequences of the low levels of diversity among teachers in Flemish schools and calls for structural changes.

n its annual socio-economic European Semester reports published last month, the European Commission recommended that the government of Flanders carries out “reforms in the field of education and training and provide training support, especially for people with a migration background”. Teaching in Flanders is a typically white, middle-class profession, and, according to the experts, this leads to schools catering to this segment of society. At the same time, there is a growing number of children in schools from immigrant backgrounds who are not being catered for, education specialists say, with the result that they typically underperform compared to their peers and eventually contribute less to the labour market. But there are fears that increased diversity among teachers and in religious education will have a negative effect on Flemish culture. Big signs stating Wij spreken nederlands hier (We speak Dutch here) adorn many schools, and speaking other languages on the school grounds is forbidden.

the best preparation But the Flemish Community education network Go! says school is just the place where young people should learn about diversity. “It is important that every child learns about social diversity,” says director Raymonda Verdyck. “It is, in our opinion, the best preparation for life in a super diverse society.” It is generally agreed that teachers should be of both genders because they teach both boys and girls. Likewise, diversity experts argue, more effort is needed to increase the number of teachers with an immigrant background. Language arts professor Piet Van Avermaet of Ghent University blames the lack of diversity among teachers partly on the segregation of students at the age of 12 into different tracks of education. Students with an immigrant background are over-represented in vocational schools, the leastacademic track. Although in theory these students can go on to higher education, this is not usually what happens in practice. “They are absolutely not prepared for higher education in terms of academic skills or even proficiency in academic language,” says Van Avermaet, adding that

ku leuven develops interactive lessons

The University of Leuven (KU Leuven) is collaborating with Kortrijk-based high-tech imaging company Barco and online education platform specialist Televic Education to develop technology for interactive learning. The Tecol project, short for Technology-Enhanced Collaborative Learning, will be carried out at KU Leuven’s Kortrijk campus over the next two years. Educative technology such as digital chalkboards and e-learning platforms are currently used for the organisation of courses, distribution of lesson materials and communication between students and lecturers. KU Leuven now wants to use technology to improve interaction during lectures and increase collaboration among students, allowing them to share notes, ask questions and follow lessons during absence.

schools concerned about extreme fasting

many drop out after only one semester. Van Avermaet talks about a waterfall effect, whereby these children fall lower and lower in the educational system and cannot get back up. This is often because of perceived language issues. “Language is frequently used as an argument for this tracking,” he says. Such students may also lack encouragement from their families, who often come from poorer socio-economic backgrounds, says Katrien Mertens, plurality officer at UCLL, the largest teacher training college in Flanders. “If we have students who do succeed, it’s usually because someone has said ‘I believe in you’.” The number of students from vocational education who attend teaching college isn’t high, Mertens says, and many of them often lack social networks to secure an internship. “What we see is that other students use their networks to get a place.” What’s more, in most schools in Flanders, headscarves are banned. “This is a major reason why many Muslim students do not enrol in teaching education,” says Mertens, adding that although they may wear them when teaching Islam, they need to teach another subject to complete their training. Latifa Mahli, a 21-year-old teaching student, says: “When I go to schools to teach, they say they don’t want me to wear a headscarf.” Laughing, she adds that the only schools where she has been accepted are those in poorer socioeconomic areas, with a high ratio of immigrants. And these are the very students she would like to teach. “It was difficult at first, but in the end, I had a good relationship with them.

Being a teacher can make a huge difference,” she says. “When I was in school, it was like we weren’t supposed to feel proud of being Muslim.” Finally, teaching studies don’t appeal to students who do make it into general academic education in secondary school. “They choose law or economics,” says Mertens, “because they believe it offers more job opportunities.”

several initiatives, including citizenship courses and tools to help teachers work with diversity in the classroom. Last January it signed a declaration, together with other education specialists, confirming its engagement in helping youngsters become familiar with other beliefs. One area Mertens is quick to dismiss as a solution is Muslim schools. She says they don’t

If we have students who do succeed, it’s usually because someone has said ‘I believe in you’ There are many initiatives being taken to improve the situation. UCLL has broadened its offer of religious education beyond Catholicism and launched a project with KU Leuven called A-Crew, where a team of students from migrant backgrounds visits children in schools. “During the sessions, A-Crew students tell their stories,” explains Ahmed Chouyouhi, who manages the project. “They talk about the obstacles that they've been through, how they have been able to defy them and about their choice of study. In short, they paint a realistic image about higher education.” The project, set up five years ago, has reaped some interesting and emotional results. Chouyouhi: “A teacher told me afterwards that, during their debriefing of the info session, a number of students cried because they were given the motivation to pursue higher education.” Go Vlaanderen! is also working on

contribute to the goal of learning to live together, but create segregation instead. “It’s an important signal to the government that there is something wrong if we need them.” What is needed, say experts, are improvements to existing schools and improving the status of the teaching profession. Mertens also suggests making students feel welcome, by offering, for example, halal food in canteens. Van Avermaet says further reforms on tracking are needed. He also calls the recent reforms a “missed opportunity” to confirm Flanders as a region with one of the best education systems in Europe. As of now, he says, it is only the best for the best students. To potential students, Mahli has a message: “What you get from the students is just awesome. You will be a role model, and you will help them build a better future. If you really want it, with your heart, then just do it.”

The general director of the GO! community education network in Brussels has expressed concern that a number of young children are very strictly observing Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. According to Jacky Goris, there are children who don’t bring food to school, don’t want to take part in swimming lessons out of fear of swallowing water and don’t want to sing during music lessons. Goris emphasised that this was only happening in a limited number of schools in a limited number of Brussels municipalities: Schaarbeek, Molenbeek and Anderlecht. He says the fault lies with Koran schools in the west of the city, which “indoctrinate young children with fundamentalist nonsense”.

PhD study shows risk of burglaries

According to UGent researcher Marlijn Peeters, the extent to which a house is hidden is the number one risk factor for robberies and not how difficult it is to access. A very tall hedge, for example, makes a house less accessible but actually increases the risk of burglary, she said, because it obstructs the view of the house. Some 75,000 home robberies are reported in Belgium every year. To determine what makes houses more vulnerable, Peeters analysed more than 1,550 homes across Ghent. She compared burgled houses to those that had never experienced a break-in. To decrease the risk of burglary, she advises homeowners to prune their hedges and keep the house in good condition. \ Andy Furniere

\ lIVInG

WeeK in activities night Run and walk Runners and walkers have their choice of distances during this overnight sporting event. Runners can participate in a 10k, half-marathon or full marathon, and walkers can choose from 10, 21, 42 or 100k routes. The latter starts in Torhout and includes Bruges and the surrounding area. Same-day registration possible. 17-18 June, registration 17.00-19.30 on 17 June, Stedelijk Sportcentrum, Industrielaan 2, Torhout; €5-€35 \ nvv.be

Bruegel Carnival A family-friendly folk festival in the spirit of Peter Bruegel the Elder, the 16th-century Flemish painter who specialised in scenes of rural life. See a live evocation of his painting “The Land of Cockaigne”, plus folk games and dancing, giant puppets, live music, theatre, market and more. 19 June 10.00-22.00, Rekkem city centre (West Flanders); free \ breughelkermis.be

Craft workshops for adults The Mot ( formerly Museum of Older Techniques) offers workshops for adults in traditional crafts from June to September. The first two, offered this weekend, are ironsmithing and silversmithing. Make a simple iron tool or a silver ring or pendant to take home. No experience necessary. Registration required via info@mot.be. (In Dutch) 18 June 9.30-16.30, Mot, Guldendal 20, Grimbergen; €65 \ mot.be

Bourgogne des Flandres brewery tour This classic Flemish-style beer is made by blending a top-fermented brown ale with Timmermans lambic. A newly opened brewing facility in Bruges offers tours and tastings five days a week, in English, Dutch, French and German. Tour is wheelchair-accessible. WednesdaySunday 10.00-18.00, Kartuizerinnenstraat 6, Bruges; €10 \ bourgognedesflandres.be

Fermwerm An outdoor theatre festival for children, with an emphasis on storytelling, imagination and nostalgia. Meet Baron von Munchausen, Don Quixote, Quasimodo and other characters, and end the day with a tea dance to live music (dancing lessons provided). 19 June 13.30-18.00, Oude Pastorie, Pastoriestraat 5, Ham (Limburg); free \ ham.be

\ 10

Pretty as a picture

living statues bring lommel to life in annual street theatre festival diana goodwin Follow Diana on Twitter \ @basedinbelgium

Beeldiglommel.Be

he fascination of a “living statue” is twofold. On the one hand, how amazing that someone can stand so still and give the illusion that they’re carved from stone or cast from metal. And on the other hand, how thrilling to see that marble or bronze statue come to life. This weekend, the city of Lommel becomes the backdrop for dozens of living statues during Beeldig Lommel, a unique street theatre festival. The name is a play on the Dutch word beeldig, which means gorgeous or “pretty as a picture”. But beeld also means statue. “Living statues are the main artistic profile of the festival, whereas they are usually programmed as sideshows at other festivals or events,” explains Cindy Daems, one of the festival’s co-ordinators. For the eighth edition this summer, the city welcomes more than 150 local and international artists, presenting more than 60 acts. “We choose the programme based on the wide variety of skills and styles a statue can have: not only the classic artist in one colour who doesn’t move, but also very colourful and interactive groups or duos, with or without music,” says Daems. The statues represent a range of characters, from familiar personalities such as Sherlock Holmes and Mary Poppins to actual statues such as the terracotta warriors from Xian. There are also child statues who will perform in Burgermeester park. Daems explains that the city started giving living statue workshops to local children nine years ago. “Since then, the children,

The theatre festival is a chance for lommel to show a different side to visitors

who are still performing now, have developed more and more skills,” she says. “They started as amateurs, but now they are real professionals.” Visitors follow a designated route through the city, which facilitates foot traffic and ensures that no one misses an attraction. The living statues along the route are joined by other street artists like stilt walkers and musicians. For the first time this year, a food truck festival will take place at three locations along the route. The organisers make a point of ensuring that Beeldig Lommel is fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. The route is wheelchair-accessible, and there are special guided tours for people with physical, visual or

auditory impairments. For the city of Lommel, in northern Limburg on the Dutch border, the festival is the main event of the year and marks the start of the summer tourist season. The area is known for its history of sand quarrying and its nature reserves, such as the Lommel Sahara, created from former mining terrain. With Beeldig Lommel, the city gets to show a different side to visitors, as it welcomes upwards of 60,000 people over the weekend. There’s an evening festival on Saturday and an afternoon edition on Sunday.

18-19 june

Across lommel city centre

bite

Beer drinkers branch out into mixed-up world of cocktails Ask most beer drinkers what they’d like in their beer, and the answer is likely to be “more beer”. But everything has to be innovative these days, so beer cocktails are the latest trend, as members of the beerenthusiast association De Bierminners in Waasmunster are about to find out. They’re a local association and a member of the national beer-drinkers’ federation Zythos, explains club secretary Luc Bastiaens. They’re about 130 in number and split between those aged 50 to 60, and their children’s generation, in their 30s. “It’s a nice balance of men and women from two generations,” he says. The club holds an event every month that is open to the public and organ-

ised by each age group in turn. Beer cocktails, as you might have guess, was the initiative of the 30-somethings. “I think it’s a great idea,” says Bastiaens. “Beer cocktails are on the increase. Gin was very fashionable for a time, and it still is to some extent, but it’s past its high point, and beer cocktails are becoming more important.” But what is a beer cocktail? “It’s a mixture of juices or herbs and other flavourings, mixed with beer – sometimes two beers but more usually one – then topped up with one or other spirit,” Bastiaens explains. “The main ingredient is beer,

but with other flavours added. It’s a question of trial and error, just as it is in all kinds of food pairing. It’s about finding out which flavours go together.” Does he have a favourite he could recommend to Flanders Today’s readers? “The guys who are organising the event let the board members taste some of their ideas, and there were a few that were very easy to drink.” Unfortunately, he is unable to slip us the recipe for one of them – “It has to be a surprise for our members on the night” – but here’s one from the Rodenbach

Bierminners.Be

brewery. It uses the Rodenbach Rosso mix of its old and young brews, adding cranberries, raspberries and sour cherries. \ Alan Hope Rodenbach Rosso beer cocktail 20ml Bacardi Reserva 20ml Cherry Heering cherry liqueur 10ml lemon juice 10ml Grand Marnier Shake together and pour over ice, then top up with 90 to 120ml Rodenbach Rosso

17 june 19.30 Buurtcentrum Veldstraat sombeke

Waasmunster (East Flanders)

june 15, 2016

If the walls could talk

conservationists are working to save flanders’ fading advertising murals toon lambrechts More articles by Toon \ flanderstoday.eu

illboards rarely contribute to a nicer streetscape. At best, they’re not generally aesthetically pleasing, but all too often they’re downright annoying, all these consumer messages crying out for attention. So street advertising isn’t exactly the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions heritage. But for those who pay attention, Flanders is home to a smattering of ancient murals that advertise longforgotten brands. One of them is “Olijfje” on Stationstraat in Londerzeel, Flemish Brabant. The letters are faded but still legible. “Kook elektrisch”, it reads, or “Cook electric”. The figure, who bears a strong resemblance to the character of Olive Oyl from the Popeye cartoons, points to an old model of an electric stove. You can just about make out the symbol “ENB”. After some research, it turned out that the acronym stood for Electricity North Belgium, one of the first power companies. “This painted advertising aimed to encourage people to use more electricity,” explains Edwin Deschepper, one of the people behind DeMurenSpreken (The Walls Speak), an organisation dedicated to the preservation and restoration of old advertising murals. “At that time, connection to the electricity network wasn’t common in Londerzeel, and electricity was mainly used in agriculture for machinery,” he says. “The message encouraged households to switch to electricity, and ENB hoped to sell more electric power. It was actually the beginning of an evolution that continues to this day, to make everything at home run on electric-

“Olijfje” in londerzeel, one of hundreds of old advertising murals still to be found across Flanders

ity.” Olijfje’s old age is also apparent from another detail. Below the mural, the telephone number of the company that commissioned the image can be read. It has only three digits, meaning the mural must be older than 1939, when the system of three digits was extended to five. Ultimately the advert’s age was determined thanks to the testi-

mony of Suzan Vissers, whose grandfather, Jan Stroobants, painted the mural in 1938. He also painted a second advert elsewhere in the village, but that one is as good as gone. DeMurenSpreken began a campaign to restore Olijfje, and via the former Radio 1 programme Peeters en Pichal and the newspaper De Morgen, they launched

an appeal for the public’s help in identifying these ancient murals. “Today we have an inventory of hundreds of advertising murals in Flanders,” says Deschepper. “Of these, there are a dozen that have great aesthetic or historical value. They tell us something about the rise of consumer society.” But it’s not going well for the murals, he says. “There are still some left,

but they’re mostly in a bad state. Usually, only a vague print of the original remains visible. You can easily walk by such ghost murals; but when you start to pay attention, you see them everywhere. Unfortunately, they’re disappearing quickly.” Often such adverts were painted on the sides of buildings, meaning that if another building or extra insulation, for example, is built against that wall, the mural is lost. A number of houses with such paintings have been demolished in recent years, and the old paintings are sensitive to the weather, too. Down the street from Ghent’s Sint-Pieters train station is one of the finest examples of advertising murals in Flanders. On Prinses Clementinalaan, next to the information centre for the station’s massive renovation, is a mural advertising Marouf cigarettes that dates from 1920 and is painted in typical Art Deco style. And in Vilvoorde, another has survived the years, advertising Minerva cars – known as the Belgian Rolls-Royce. “Our campaign has brought these advertising murals to the attention of the heritage sector and the government,” says Deschepper. “Some of them are now protected, such as Olijfje and the mural at Ghent’s station.” But protection status does not mean restoration, he points out, “which is why we are working on local support from citizens to restore these paintings. Apart from their historical or aesthetic value, they are important as an anchor point in a village or a city.”

50 weekends in Flanders: By the sea in Blankenberge Flanders Today has launched an e-book with ideas for how to spend a year’s worth of weekends. Visit our website to get your copy of 50 Weekends in Flanders. We’ll also print one of our suggestions every week here, too. Blankenberge used to be one of the most fashionable beach towns in Europe. But it was hit by a construction frenzy in the 1960s that destroyed much of the old charm. The town has been making a serious comeback in recent years, however; you might be surprised by the new hip beach bars and cool B&Bs.

step out on to the roof terrace where a long curved bench is covered in broken floor tiles. It was inspired by Gaudi’s Parc Güell in Barcelona, although the weather gives away the fact you’re at the North Sea. Elisabethstraat 24 \ belle.epoque.blankenberge.be

\ blankenberge.be

Walk through SINT-ROCHUS QUARTER Blankenberge has some of the finest Art Nouveau houses on the coast lurking among the modern apartment buildings. Clustered around the Sint-Rochus church, several romantic townhouses are decorated with ironwork, balconies and loggias with curious tile pictures. Elisabethstraat

Visit BELLE EPOQUE MUSEUM Three seaside houses from the Belle Epoque period have been turned into an inspiring local museum. You can poke around rooms furnished in bourgeois style, watch flickering films from the turn of the century and

Ride a bike at DE LUSTIGE VELODROOM This old wooden velodrome has been standing on the beach near Blankenberge pier since 1933. The bicycles are eccentric constructions that are almost impossible to ride along the bumpy wooden cycle

tinyurl.com/50weekends

track. Kids love to try out the bikes, or just stand at the side watching others fall over.

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Eat at DE OESTERPUT It’s just about impossible to find this family restaurant, so it still has a local feel. It lies hidden in the dunes to the west of Blankenberge in a building that looks like a fish shed. You sit inside at long tables next to a huge open tank where Canadian lobsters crawl around. It’s a friendly and lively place where locals and tourists feast on huge plates of dripping wet seafood. Wenduinse Steenweg 16 \ oesterput.com

Drink on the PIER The elegant iron pier at Blankenberge was destroyed by a fire during the First World War. The 1930s replacement pier of concrete (pictured) is less beautiful, but it has a large cafe at the far end where you can look out at

the stormy sea or sit outside on the wooden deck when the weather is calm. It is at times one of the most romantic spots on the coast. \ belgiumpier.be

Stay at VILLA D’HONDT This charming B&B in a handsome 1904 Art Nouveau house is just five minutes from the beach. The downstairs rooms have intriguing frescos painted on linen, along with antique furniture and stained-glass windows. The friendly owner provides an excellent breakfast to start the day. Weststraat 92 \ villadhondt.com

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Your guide to life in Belgium Th Thee spring issue of Th Thee Bulletin Newcomer is your guide to making the most of life in Belgium. It mixes practical efforts information with features on community eff 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.

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\ ARTs

june 15, 2016

Refuge in music

Brussels concert halls celebrate the universal language of migration christophe verbiest More articles by Christophe \ flanderstoday.eu

aBconcerts.Be

As part of World Refugee Day, Brussels Jazz Orchestra and Ancienne Belgique are organising a benefit concert to commemorate the resilience and courage of refugee artists, while Muziekpublique releases a new CD compilation.

eferring to refugees as if they are one coherent group makes us forget that there are as many individual stories as there are people. World Refugee Day on 20 June serves as a reminder of that, with commemorative concerts, lectures and exhibitions organised throughout the world. While the refugees may have faded from the headlines of the Flemish media, they haven’t from the hearts of local artists. To celebrate a common bond, Brussels Jazz Orchestra (BJO) and Ancienne Belgique have organised the benefit Artists #withRefugees. World Refugee Day is “an initiative that deserves attention,” says the band’s artistic director Frank Vaganée. “Art has to be rooted in society. Moreover, jazz is one of the rare musical forms that blends easily with other musical cultures.” On World Refugee Day, everyone works for free, he stresses. “All the proceeds go to Music Fund, an organisation that collects and repairs second-hand instruments to donate them to people who need them, like refugees.” Or musicians in conflict zones and developing countries. During the benefit, BJO will be accompanied by the a cappella collective Brussels Vocal Project and the wind ensemble I Solisti del Vento, plus singers Tutu Puoane and David Linx. Joining them on stage will be five musicians from the Syrian Big Band, all of them on the run from the atrocities in their country. One of them lives in Belgium, the others in Germany and the Netherlands. “It was a quest for them to find each other,” says Vaganée, who plays the saxophone. “Most of them didn’t even know where the others were.” Together, they will play a mix, he continues, “of their music and of ours”. At the time of writing, they were planning their first rehearsals. “I am curious to see how we will incorporate Arab instruments, like the oud and the ney, since this will be a first for the BJO. But I trust in the power of improvisation.” One thing is certain: the central composition of that evening will be Vaganée’s album

Hussein Rassim of Iraq is one of many refugee musicians featured in AB’s exhibition Musicians in exile

Two Small Bags, Ten Million Dreams, which has just been released. It was written four years ago when Vaganée asked author and theatre director Michael De Cock to create

of human traffickers.” The concert won’t be the only way AB recognises the country’s refugees. Until the end of June, AB Café is hosting the photo exhi-

It may sound like the biggest cliché, but music really is a universal language that everyone understands a libretto for his new composition. The proceeds will go to the Music Fund. “The context was not linked to refugees, but Michael was already working on the subject, so he decided to write about them,” explains Vaganée. “The harrowing lyrics are about a couple and their child in the hands

bition Musicians in Exile, which chronicles refugee musicians encountered by photographer Johannes De Bruycker and journalist Kasper Goethals, who travelled to a number of refugee camps. “The project started within the journalistic collective we set up called Caravan’s Journal,

which aims to give a human face to stories from abroad,” says Goethals. Travelling throughout Europe, including to Idomeni and Athens in Greece, Calais in France and Maximiliaanpark in Brussels, they met hundreds of refugees and discovered that music plays an important role in their lives. “It’s a means of communicating with their new compatriots, but also with each other,” says Goethals. “It may sound like the biggest cliché, but we discovered it to be true: Music is a universal language that everyone understands. It can brighten up even the most desperate situations.”

20 june Ancienne Belgique

Anspachlaan 110, Brussels

refugees fOr refugees BJO and AB aren’t the only Brussels organisations that have been reaching out to refugees. The venue Muziekpublique, which calls itself “the heart of folk and world music and traditional dance in Brussels”, has just released the album Amerli.Twenty musicians who fled their country and ended up in Belgium have recorded 14 songs. The artists hail from Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Afghanistan end Tibet. “The album is a way to shine a positive light on the refugees,” says Peter Van Rompaey, artistic director of Muziekpublique. “We have met some really good refugee musicians. So

we used all the means possible to reach out to others. We started to work with the repertoire they had already mastered, then, we looked for musical connections.” On some songs, musicians from different backgrounds play together as if they always have. Thanks to this approach, Amerli does not sound like a compilation, but a real album with a continuous flow of music. The internationally distributed CD is an interesting calling card for the contributing musicians. Some have even been invited to play concerts.

The good news, sadly, has a flip-side. If the artists are receiving public benefits, any income earned is deducted from the allowance, even if it’s just a small amount. Since some of them have to incur costs when doing a show, they actually lose money. “Legally, this might make sense, but it doesn’t encourage them to pursue a more independent life.” Proceeds from the sales of Amerli go to two organisations in Brussels that work with refugees: Globe Aroma and Synergie 14.

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\ ARTs

Monsters in the garden

flemish sculptor trades high culture for a quiet life among swamp beasts tom Peeters More articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

A new exhibition at the Middelheim Museum in Antwerp showcases Peter Rogiers’ amorphous sculptures, which he says allow him to remain free of the constraints of the contemporary art world.

eter Rogiers has always avoided being labelled highbrow. “What do you want? I’m a hard rocker from Limburg,” he smiles, illustrating just how down-to-earth he can be as he sculpts the strangest of creatures out of synthetic resin and cast aluminium. A little earlier, the sculptor had confessed to listening to Motörhead and Mark Lanegan when creating his oversized, hybrid images in the studio behind his house. After graduating from Sint-Lukas Arts School in Brussels, Rogiers decided not to move back to Antwerp and spend his evenings in bars with other artists. Instead, he opted for the quiet village of Oud-Heverlee in Flemish Brabant. “I wanted to keep some distance,” he says. Distance is a running theme in the 49-year-old’s life and work. Sitting at his kitchen table, I can see no

middelHeimmuseum.Be

you’re alone in your workplace, you can become a cliché of yourself,” he says. “I try to focus on the essence.” And when that’s not possible, he speeds his motorbike around race circuits, his other passion. Another kind of distance can be observed in Cluster, Rogiers’ new exhibition at the Middelheim open-air sculpture museum in Antwerp. “My biggest challenge was not to end up with garden sculptures,” he says. “That’s why I made large pedestals. They create a bigger mental space, decreasing the overbearing weight of the surrounding nature.” The idea is to give visitors a feeling that they’re in a museum, instead of a park. On the other hand, Rogiers didn’t want his sculptures to be displayed in any logical order. Instead, they form unconventional clusters, while evoking a shared meaning. The absurd compositions, with statues of different scale, colour and material, build a tension and set up a strange, subjective dialogue with the other works in the museum’s collection. Rogiers made a daring choice to place two of his pieces next to a bronze statue by Alberto Giacometti. Their scale varies, with one

It’s not my intention to make a palm tree or a bird. I work on it until a dose of subjectivity appears sign of or reference to his work. “I don’t want to be surrounded by my own art,” he says. “When I finish a piece, it goes to a storage space.” This keeps his feet on the ground, he adds, just like the discussions with his students at the Kask art school in Ghent, where he teaches sculpture one day a week. “When

statuette no bigger than a hand. “I was curious to see if my work would survive next to an icon, without being pretentious,” he laughs. “I think it does.” The artist sees his work as figurative, but then again, the palm trees and the birds, or the small figurines he made for the new exhi-

Peter Rogiers’ new sculpture “Girly Pictures”

bition, could never be the objects they represent. They’re full of abstractions and contradictions. “I grew up with comic books, and at first I wanted to pursue a career in that,” Rogiers says. “But then I went to the art academy, discovered contemporary art, and my life took another turn. But the desire to mix different forms remained.” Take his sculptures of Swamp Things, the amorphous monsters from American comic books. “They are a sort of alter ego,” he says. “Since they change form easily, I can manipulate them in any direction.” The artist generally starts with a raw idea; Rogiers calls it “an excuse to get something started”. But the work really takes shape in the process of making, as illustrated by the Swamp Thing with the head

of Picasso. “I was working on a small sculpture, when the owner of my garage dropped by,” Rogiers says. “He brought a ceramic material that normally gets used as a catalyst for a muffler. If you cut into it, you notice a square pattern. When I finally assembled everything, it reminded me of 1930s Picasso.” The big palm tree in front of the museum is on loan from the city of Dendermonde in East Flanders. Even though Rogiers chose the image to avoid symbolism, local right-wing politicians didn’t like it, as the said it represented something foreign and exotic. This came as a surprise to Rogiers,

until 18 september

MOre visual arts this MOnth nick andrews: within me

The London-born painter is something of an outsider in the Antwerp arts scene, with his collaborations with rock band Dez Mona and author Jeroen Olyslaegers. His often large-scale paintings stand out because of their powerful primal colours (with a lot of blue) and imaginative topics, from jazzy nightlife scenes to more mysterious and surreal portraits and landscapes. A book accompanies the solo show. Until 14 August, De Warande, Turnhout \ warande.be

manmade

In the medieval fishermen’s village of Walraversijde, a mix of local and international contemporary artists, scientists and philosophers look into the Anthropocene, the geological era spanning human existence (and our devastating impact) on the planet. Luc Deleu’s dyke tackles the rise of sea levels; Maarten Vanden Eynde’s satellite dish contains electronic waste; American artist Brandon Ballengée commemorates deceased birds from a local asylum. Until 2 October, Anno 1465, Raversyde, Ostend \ raversyde.be

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alex vanhee

Since its move to a more central location, Brussels record label [Pias] has housed a music shop, an intimate venue and a restaurant. Now it is also hosting a small portrait exhibition by Alex Vanhee, rock photographer for De Morgen. Familiar faces, such as Nick Cave, Moby, An Pierlé and Arno, alternate with band pictures of dEUS, Editors (pictured) and others, often connected to the label’s roster. 17 June to 19 August, SintLaurensstraat 36, Brussels \ facebook.com/chezpias

since he prefers to work with neutral forms. “If I had made a urinal, the reference to Marcel Duchamp would be obvious,” he says. “But a palm tree gets turned into such a stereotype.” Still, his palm trees are not decor. “It’s not my intention to make a palm tree or a bird. I work on it until a dose of subjectivity appears, and it becomes a strange entity. There is no political message; my only goal is the physical experience.” This interpretation is often driven by an urge to contrast. “My palm trees are made of metal, and the aluminium feels very artificial,” he explains. “The material often determines the psychology of the form. For instance, a very expressionist image out of synthetic resin can refer to a toy.” In Rogiers’ hands, material, colour and scale become tools to add layers and sharpen contrasts, and he hopes to achieve an antidote for a lot of contemporary art, which he finds too one-sided and illustrative. Cluster, largely made up of new work, also includes a selection of etchings. “I’ve never shown them before because my sculptures needed neutrality. But the Braem Pavilion turned out to be the perfect location.” But the drawings don’t refer back to the sculptures in any particular way. Rogiers says he doesn’t want to explain what he does, instead showing another angle of the vibe he’s in. “For me, drawing is the ideal distraction from the very physical and time-consuming job of sculpting,” he says. “You get into a sort of rhythm when you start. I like to compare it to motorcycle racing, which is also rather technical and brings me into a flow, giving free rein to my inspiration.”

Middelheim Museum

Middelheimlaan 61, Antwerp

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june 15, 2016

Young at art

cOncert

Mechelsepleinfeesten 23-25 june

Antwerp Enthymion Music: Unique unplugged concert featuring music from the Greek islands and Asia Minor and Greek rebetika songs, with singer Vivi Voutsela, Giannis Karamanis on guitar, Christos Angelopoulos on accordion and Nikolas Milas on violin. 16 June 20.00, LeftBANQ Theater, Halewijnlaan 80

Mechelseplein, Antwerp mecHelsePleinfeesten.org

few years ago, the building belonging to the former Studio Herman Teirlinck theatre school near Mechelseplein in Antwerp was leased to Villanella and redubbed De Studio. It has since increased its appeal as a creative and interdisciplinary hotspot for the young. Next weekend the performing arts organisation specialised in the production and presentation of contemporary arts for children and young adults invites the whole neighbourhood (and beyond) to gather in the square for Mechelsepleinfeesten. The festivities date back to a goodbye party that was organised for actor Jan Decleir, who was leaving as the director of the art school in 2004. After a sabbatical, the event has been revitalised by De Studio with a pleasant mix of summer activities such as barbe-

cues, picnics, a flea market and plenty of theatre, dance and live music. De Studio will collaborate with the Stalker collective, which will ensure plenty of healthy food and provide a cosy, informal environment, decorating the square with long dinner tables and even organising a table tennis and a Twister tournament. But of course, from the opening on Thursday afternoon to the Saturday night Johnny Attack party, the main spotlight will be on a new generation of actors and dancers. But there’s more than just newbies launching their careers. The Antwerp theatre company SkaGeN, will stage their new production Zeestuk (Sea Piece) before the official opening this summer at Theater Aan Zee in Ostend. Activities take place not only on the square: Visitors can enjoy an opera or concert by the experi-

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dance Hasselt

mental Brussels drone duo Razen in the nearby Sint-Joris church or join a not-so-conventional guided tour in the Museum Mayer van den Bergh. \ Tom Peeters

filM

midzomervertellingen gent

Brussels film festival

Every year around the summer solstice a group of modern-day bards gather in the open air at Ghent’s Citadelpark for an afternoon (and evening) of tall tales. The first storytelling session is for the kids. Then, after a late afternoon reception featuring a puppet show by Theater Pistache, the

Citadelpark, Ghent algeHoord.Be

raconteurs reconvene for more tale-telling, this time for the adults. This year’s theme, inspired by the Chinese zodiac, is the monkey. Performers include Katelijne Billet, Fred Versonnen, Tom Van Mieghem and award-winning Dutch-Iranian storyteller Sahand Sahebdivani. \ Georgio Valentino

literature

American artist Richard McGuire changed the face of comics with his experimental 1989 strip Here. Originally a six-page sketch in black and white, Here was recently expanded into a comprehensive, full-colour, 300-page graphic novel recounting the history of the universe from the perspec-

Ghent Flagey, Brussels Brff.Be

The Brussels Film Festival has been celebrating European cinema for 14 years. The current edition boasts some 100 features and short films from more than 20 countries. GuestofhonourthisyearisGerman director Volker Schlöndorff, whose long list of films include The Handmaid’s Tale, The Ogre and the 1979 masterpiece The Tin Drum. A retrospective of his work is on at Cinematek for the occasion. The festival also includes premieres and an Outsiders selection of work by cult directors. If that’s not enough, it’s also loaded with meet-and-greets, debates, master classes, parties and a selection of free, open-air screenings. \ GV

festival Ghent Zaradi Tebe: Free contemporary culture festival with an ecological theme, featuring concerts, circus acts, theatre and poetry readings. 17-19 June, Keizerpark \ zaraditebe.com

faMilY Antwerp

international yoga day Passa Porta, Brussels PassaPorta.Be

tive of one humble living room (pictured). McGuire joins Flemish comic-strip scholar Gert Meesters to discuss Here and his forthcoming Sequential Drawings as well as a multifaceted career that spans not just comics and graphic novels but animation, toy design, musical composition and journalism. \ GV

19 & 21 june In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly recognized 21 June as International Yoga Day, prompting practitioners of the ancient Indian mind-and-body exercise to celebrate with massive yoga meets around the world. On 19 June, group yoga sessions will take place in Brussels’ Kamerenbos and in Antwerp on the field atop the Craeybeckx tunnel. Online registration required for both. On the day itself, Indian spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (pictured), founder of the international Art of Living Foundation, will be in Belgium to speak to the European parliament and later in Antwerp in an event that is open to the public.

Eyes Wide Open!: More than 350 vintage photos reveal 100 years of Leica photography and how its invention in 1925 freed photographers from the limitations of the studio. Features the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa and Bruce Gilden, among others, in addition to original sketches, magazines, books and Leica cameras. 17 June to 14 August, Sint-Pietersabdij, Sint-Pietersplein 9 \ sintpietersabdij.stad.gent

event

richard mcguire 17 june, 20.00

17-24 june

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visual arts

faMilY 19 june, 14.30

Open Air Tango: Annual celebration of Argentinian tango on the square in front of Hasselt’s city hall, featuring free performances, lessons and more. 18 June 17,00, Groenplein

Antwerp & Brussels Brusselsyogaday.Be internationalyogadayantwerP.com

get tic kets n

Harbour tours: Children aged 6 to 12 and their families learn all about the Port of Antwerp through playful games and guided bus tours, free upon advance registration. They fill up fast, so book now. 2 July to 11 September 14.00, MAS Havenpaviljoen, Hanzestedenplaats 19

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event Tervuren Sint-Jansvuur & Heksenverbranding: Folk tradition stemming from the 17th-century witch trials, featuring music played on traditional instruments and song and dance around a giant bonfire (18+). 18 June 21.00-23.00, Flaviramapark, Jezus Eiklaan 74a \ flavirama.be

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\ BACkPAGe

june 15, 2016

Talking Dutch

vOices Of flanders tOdaY

say it with sprouts derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

faceBook.com/sProuttoBeBrussels

t had me puzzled, to be honest. Sprout to be Brussels, imago van Brussel op te krikken – Sprout to be Brusit said on a sign in a Brussels metro station. Now, sels began as a campaign to restore the image of BrusI’m used to Belgians using English expressions I sels en was een initiatief van ondernemingen als Brussels don’t understand. An invitation to a “walking dinner” Airlines, Bpost, de Brussels Hotels Association en ING – is never going to make any sense. But this was and was launched by enterprises such as Bruseven more baffling. sels Airlines, Bpost, the Brussels Hotels I found an explanation in De Standaard. De Association and ING. meest gehate groente wordt een imagocamBut why choose the loathsome pagne – The most hated vegetable has sprout, of all things? Reclamebecome an image campaign, it said. bureau TBWA – The advertising The unpopular Brussels sprout is agency TBWA, dat de campagne being used in a bid to bring touruitwerkte – which came up with ists back to the capital after months the campaign, koos voor spruiten of negative news stories – terroromdat die groente sterk met onze ist attacks, crumbling road tunnels, hoofdstad wordt geassocieerd – transport strikes, you name it. chose sprouts because the vegetable Now Belgians are busy trying to salvage their was strongly associated with our capicountry’s battered image. Positive Belgium, says © Courtesy sprout to be Brussels tal en in het Engels zelfs ‘Brussels sprouts’ one campaign slogan. Share Your Smile, says another. wordt genoemd – and they’re even called “Brussels Er zijn bijna evenveel imagocampagnes als regeringen in sprouts” in English. dit land – There are almost as many image campaigns It might sound like a mad idea, but it seems to be workas governments in this country, De Standaard noted. ing. In eerste instantie verdeelden we stickers onder But one campaign stands out from the crowd. Wie een zestigtal kleine handelaars – In the beginning, we de voorbije weken in Brussel rondliep – Anyone who handed out stickers to 60 or so shopkeepers, said Geert has wandered around Brussels in recent weeks, kon Potargent of Sprout to be Brussels. Zij waren het meest niet naast de spruitjes kijken – must have noticed the getroffen door de voortdurende terreurdreiging – They sprouts. were the ones most affected by the ongoing terror Ze hangen op verkeersborden – They appear on traffic threat. signs, aan ramen van winkels en cafés – in the windows De respons was overweldigend – The response was overof shops and cafes, en zelfs op het grote scherm aan het whelming. De Facebookpagina van de campagne haalde De Brouckèreplein – and even on a huge screen on De al snel 18.000 likes – the campaign’s Facebook page Brouckèreplein. gathered 18,000 likes in no time at all. It looks like we’re ‘Sprout to be Brussels’ begon als een campagne om het all Sprout to be Brussels.

PHoto of tHe week

In response to: Brussels’ ban on plastic bags in force next year Robert Bohn: Game changer for sure.

In response to: Euro 2016: Red Devils set sights on glory in France Beinema Nico: In the absence of my native orange, I am all behind these guys 

In response to: Unizo looks into universal income for Belgian residents Sandro Cˇavrak: This idea will become reality sooner or later, but those who start earlier will have a smoother transition.

Madeline Lindsey @mad_lindsey Knowing that I’ll be living in Ghent this time next week makes me so excited.

Mark Crowther @MarkTWIC Hmm, could have sworn the second Grand Chess Tour event was in Brussels, but apparently it’s in Leuven instead.

Johnny Kelly @intertree Turns out we’re gonna stay a night in Bruges. Which is nice :-)

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the last WOrd too many cooks

“I started out in politics because I think I know better than anyone else. The trouble is, everyone else in politics thinks the same.”

Member of the Flemish parliament and former socialist party president Bruno Tobback

green monsters

“They eat everything – the domestic green frog, salamanders, even small birds. Anything that fits in their mouth.”

According to PXL University College researcher Sarah Descamps, an invasion of American bullfrogs up to 30cm long is threatening local species

short back and sides

“This is my fourth outfit in 26 years. This one makes me look a bit heavier than I am because Alberto is still a fan of the cakes. You can’t try to convince the young viewers that he’s on a diet.”

Koen Crucke, who plays Alberto in the children’s series Samson en Gert, has dropped 44.5kg

ring of truth

“There’s something unnatural about planting your fist in someone’s face.”

Flemish actor Nathalie Meskens trained for three months with champion boxer Daniella Somers for a scene in her new film, Pippa, currently in production

lOcK On The kieldrecht lock – the largest lock in the world – opened in Antwerp on Friday with four days of celebrations led by king Filip. The construction was five years in the making and cost almost €400 million

[C\E \ 16