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AUGUST 24, 2016 \ newSweekly - € 0,75 \ rEad morE at www.flandErstoday.Eu currEnt affairs \ P2

A smile And A teAr

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Finding FAmily

The legendary Toots Thielemans, one of the world’s most gifted jazz harmonica players, dies aged 94

An experimental food lab in East Flanders has pro cooks and hobbyists alike trying high-tech tools to create new tastes

A filmmaker has made both a documentary about the Kakuma refugee camp and an app to help residents find each other

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Medal mania

• Most medals won since 1996 • Best men’s hockey performance ever • Surprise gold in athletics’ most gruelling sport See p11

\ CURRenT AFFAIRS

Surveillance cameras installed at approaches to airport Move will lighten up traffic checks and inspections by security personnel Alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

urveillance cameras were installed on the approach roads to Brussels Airport last week, the office of federal home affairs minister Jan Jambon announced. The use of cameras means that traffic checks and inspections carried out by security personnel will become less frequent. Checkpoints and armed personnel have been present at the airport in Zaventem since the 22 March terrorist attacks, but airport management has been lobbying for a more discreet approach, as armed police and

Trambus takes to streets for test run in Brussels Flemish public transport authority De Lijn has carried out its first test run of the new trambus on its planned route from Jette to Brussels Airport. The aim was to find out what infrastructure changes will be needed along the route. The trambus can use existing tram lines, such as on pre-metro sections of the route and on sections where trams ride in their own reserved bedding, while having the flexibility of buses in other sections, making way at certain times for events such as weekly markets. The test run through the Brussels periphery was a success, said Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts. “We will be investing in the coming years in new road infrastructure as well as alternatives for the car, including cycle infrastructure and public transport,” he said. The Brabant network with the Ring tram is part of that, he added. The Ring tram will travel from Heizel via Koningslo and the centre of Vilvoorde to Machelen and Diegem via Woluwelaan to Brussels Airport. Laying down tramlines, Weyts said, costs a lot of money. The trambus allows a faster and cheaper alternative, though it is intended to be only a temporary replacement, with a full tram service intended for the future. The trambus is due to come into service in 2019. / AH

that security is being scaled down, with cameras being brought in to replace police rather than support them. “It was decided that cameras would be brought in to support staff,” said Eric Picqueur of ACOD Politie. “That agreement has now been changed, which comes as a total surprise to us.” VSOA chair Vincent Gilles noted that “if another attack were to happen, the government and police chiefs would still be held responsible”.

Use of addictive opioid painkillers doubles in decade The use of opioid painkillers in Belgium has more than doubled since 2005, according to Flemish science magazine Eos, using figures provided by medical insurance agency Riziv. The number of doses prescribed increased from 31 million in 2005 to 65 million in 2014. Opioid painkillers, which include morphine and codeine, are very efficient in battling pain but also addictive. The use of them is not without risk, noted the magazine: The prescription-only painkillers cause more deaths in the US than heroin and cocaine combined. In one of the most prominent cases, an autopsy showed that pop star Prince died from the use

of opioid painkillers. The drugs, which are marketed in Belgium under the names fentanyl and tramadol, among others, can be extremely useful for cancer patients or those with severe joint and bone pain, according to Bart Morlion, pain specialist at the University Hospital of Leuven. But they are also being prescribed for headaches and back pain. Pharmaceutical company campaigns “have led doctors to more easily prescribe stronger drugs,” explained Morlion. “Opioids were underused for a long time, but now the opposite has become true.”

His colleague, Catharina Matheï of KU Leuven’s Academic Centre for Family Medicine, said that part of the problem was how modern society deals with pain. “We refuse to accept pain anymore and want a quick solution,” she said. “But we need to be careful that we don’t add to the problem by immediately turning to strong painkillers.” Statistics from Flanders’ drug rehabilitation centres don’t indicate that more people are addicted to opioids than before. But that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s no problem, it said, as many people with an addiction to painkillers don’t seek help. \ Andy Furniere

Brussels to install temporary slaughterhouse for Eid The government of the Brussels-Capital Region will set up a temporary slaughterhouse in the Vroegmarkt wholesale food market along the canal to cope with increased demand during the Muslim feast Eid al-Adha next month. The installation replaces the slaughtering facilities used last year at municipal level. Brussels’ minister for animal welfare has taken over the responsibility for slaughtering facilities from the municipalities. Last year Schaarbeek, Molenbeek, Anderlecht and Brussels-City set up temporary slaughterhouses on local authority property. During Eid, Muslims are supposed to take

150,000

passengers carried to and from the coast by rail on the long Assumption weekend, more than half of them to Ostend. The coast welcomed more than 400,000 visitors

military can lead passengers to actually feel less secure. The presence of reinforced security personnel is also expensive to maintain. The cameras will present a real-time picture of traffic conditions and use automatic number plate recognition. They will be ready in a few days, said a spokesperson from Jambon’s office. “All approach roads will then be covered. Only at particular times will police carry out extra checks. A rapid response team will still be on stand-by.” Police unions, meanwhile, have commented

part in ritual slaughter of an animal – usually a sheep. But the sudden surge in demand has grown too much for regular slaughterhouses to handle. In Flanders, the government has banned ritual slaughter outside of licensed slaughterhouses. Ritual slaughter requires the animal to be conscious, while local regulations require animals to be stunned before slaughter unless the slaughter takes place at a licensed, permanent facility. As permanent slaughterhouses are not able to keep up with demand during Eid, the Muslim community has been lobbying to get the ban lifted during Eid. Flem-

ish animal welfare minister Ben Weyts, however, has said he would like to ban ritual slaughter altogether. In Brussels next month, Muslims will need to register to have an animal slaughtered, and the procedure will be carried out in the new temporary facility. The carcases will be transported to pick-up points in the four municipalities. Customers themselves will not be permitted to take part in the slaughter. It is expected that some 2,500 animals in Belgium will be slaughtered during the feast, which runs from 11 to 13 September. / AH

6.2%

€50

average temperature in Belgium in July, just 0.1 degree lower than the seasonal average, according to the Royal Meteorological Institute. It rained for 10 days, compared to an average of 14.3

cost of a student pass for Brussels public transport MIVB for the new school year, down from €120 last year. The price is now the same as for a second child, while subsequent children ride free

ice creams handed out from 16 vans touring the grounds of Brussels Airport, a gift from airport management to thank staff for their efforts during a busy holiday season

fall in the number of books sold in Flanders in the first half of this year, compared to last year. The best-sellers were Pieter Aspe in fiction and cookbook author Pascale Naessens in non-fiction

august 24, 2016

WeeK in brieF A man who was shot in the leg by police in Ghent last week after he refused to drop his weapon is still in hospital but not in critical condition, authorities said. In a video of the incident in Vlaanderenstraat, filmed by an onlooker, the man can be seen holding what looks like a firearm as police demand several times in Dutch and English that he drop it. Mobility minister Ben Weyts has officially launched a major operation to clean up Flanders’ cycle paths, organised by the roads and traffic agency to prepare for the start of the new school year. Cleaning trucks and agency personnel will clear the paths of rubbish. “I want cycling to school to be safe and appealing,” Weyts said, armed with a trash-grabber and rubbish bag. A serious fire in a building belonging to brewers ABInBev in Leuven spread to the adjacent Orshoven Mills, a 19th-century listed monument. About onequarter of the complex was damaged, the fire service said. The cause of the blaze is being investigated. The complex on Vaartkom was about to be taken over by the city to be turned into a centre for start-ups and small businesses in the creative, artistic and cultural sectors. Police have issued a warning about a new phishing email, meaning a fraudulent attempt to obtain money from email recipients. The mail is designed to look as if it comes from the Dutch police and demands payment of a traffic fine. Most people will ignore the mail, but those who have been in the Netherlands recently may be fooled into paying, police said. Complaints of online fraud in general, including phishing attempts, can be made to police or to the special tip-line of the economy ministry. \ meldpunt.belgie.be

FAce oF FlAnders Two brothers who head an international transport company in Zaventem have been arrested and detained on suspicion of being part of an international drug trafficking ring covering several countries, including Albania, Greece and the Netherlands. Neither the men nor the company were identified. The traffic is suspected of involving cocaine and cannabis worth millions of euros. Sea Life Blankenberge last week welcomed a very unusual visitor: an albino seal, brought in for treatment to injuries. The female seal washed up on the beach at Lombardsijde and was admitted to the Sea Life clinic. Only about three albino seals are born every year, an expert at the centre said. When the seal is healed, she will be released back into the sea. Starting next month, employees of supermarket chain Colruyt will be able to commute to work in the company’s headquarters in Halle in an “office on wheels” – a coach fitted with office equipment, allowing employees to turn their commuting time into work hours. The six-month pilot project is being sponsored by the coach industry federation BAAV and the Flemish mobility institute VIM. Festival-goers at last week’s Pukkelpop in Hasselt marked the fifth anniversary of the storm that killed five people at the festival by displaying images of butterflies throughout the festival sight. Organisers said they had opted for a more subtle and unobtrusive memorial. The number of transmigrants – migrants passing through Belgium on their way to the UK – caught in the first six months of this year is already higher than the figure for the whole of 2015, the federal Office for

oFFside Just say not only me Are you a young person who’s worried about looking bad when your friends pass you a joint and you don’t want any? Are you a parent worried about what your kids may be getting up to when the reefer is going round? Don’t worry, none of you are alone. That’s the message of a pair of videos just released by De DrugLijn with the aim, according to Flemish welfare minister Jo Vandeurzen, of making it easier to talk about pot. Cannabis is by far the most used illegal drug in Flanders, and, according to a poll of schoolaged youths, most users take their first steps at 15 or 16. But the message of the video is based on the data that 11% percent of young people aged 12-18 have used the drug in the past year. That means that 89% have not. “Although it’s the most-used drug, we mustn’t lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of young people aren’t doing it,” DrugLijn co-ordinator Tom Evenpoel

Foreigners said. Already this year, nearly 5,300 migrants have been stopped, compared to 3,915 in the whole of last year. Most migrants are picked up at motorway car parks in West Flanders and in the port of Zeebrugge. In the latest incident, a British couple were caught trying to smuggle six migrants hidden in their caravan onto a ferry. A young giraffe died at Planckendael animal park in Mechelen recently after becoming entangled in a wire fence surrounding the enclosure. Qalimba was a one-year-old female and one of nine giraffes in the park. The park authorities said they would investigate the accident. The first Christmas decorations of the year went on sale last Friday at decor and garden centre Floralux in Moorslede, West Flanders. Christine Mattheuws, chair of the union for the selfemployed NSZ, said the timing was “dubious”, but stressed that a code of conduct for advertising leading up to holidays was not binding. Over at Unizo, the organisation that represents the self-employed, West Flanders director Frederik Serruys pointed out that local authorities, restaurants and other businesses are already making plans for their Christmas decorations. Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts has called for a ban on radar detectors in vehicles, which alert drivers of the presence of speed-traps. The calls comes as Coyote, one of the most popular systems used to detect radar, announced it had passed one million users. Belgian law forbids automatic radar detectors, but Coyote’s system is based on user-generated warnings of any sort of hindrance on the roads, including accidents, foreign objects or speed-traps.

Toots Thielemans Toots Thielemans, one of the world’s most famous jazz harmonica players, has died at the age of 94, his manager, Veerle Van de Poel, announced. Toots was being cared for in hospital after suffering a fall last month and died in his sleep. “He simply died of old age,” Van de Poel said. “His body was tired out. His family was by the bedside.” Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Isidor Thielemans was born in 1922 in the Marollen neighbourhood of Brussels, the capital’s most working-class area. He was a self-taught guitar player and joined in Paris sessions with Sidney Bechet, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, later touring with Benny Goodman. He eventually established himself as one of the world’s best harmonica players – harder to come by than a guitarist – and recorded with everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Billy Joel. He was also known – like Bobbejaan Schoepen, with whom he also played – as a whistler, and his biggest solo hit “Bluesette”, first recorded in 1962, features

him doing both. His harmonica playing featured on numerous film soundtracks, most notably Midnight Cowboy and an uncredited turn in the closing credits of Sesame Street. For all the fame, Thielemans remained close to his community – referring to himself as a ketje, born-and-bred Brussels folk. He was given honorary doctorates by both city universities and was named a baron by Albert II. Thielemans was the public face of the only Brussels regional product recognised by the Flemish government, the bloempanch blood pudding. He was voted 44th in a list of the greatest Belgians of all time and has a street named after him in the Brussels municipality of Vorst, Toots Thielemansstraat. His last public performance was at Antwerp’s Jazz Middelheim in 2014; he had been a patron of the festival since 1981. \ Alan Hope “I feel best in that little space between a smile and a tear” – Toots Thielemans

Flanders Today, a weekly English-language newspaper, is an initiative of the Flemish Region and is financially supported by the Flemish authorities.

druglijn.BE/cannaBiscamPagnE

told Bruzz. It’s the environment they move in – their own peers – that is most likely to have an effect on young people’s behaviour, he said. The message for adults is similar: Drug use among young people in Flanders is not nearly as prevalent as you might think. The videos will be spread on social media and can be viewed at the DrugLijn website, along with other facts, figures and contact details. \ AH

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

Editor Lisa Bradshaw dEPuty Editor Sally Tipper contriButing Editor Alan Hope suB Editor Bartosz Brzezi´nski agEnda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino art dirEctor Paul Van Dooren PrEPrEss Mediahuis AdPro contriButors Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Paula Dear, Andy Furniere, Lee Gillette, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton gEnEral managEr Hans De Loore PuBliSHER Mediahuis NV

Editorial addrEss Gossetlaan 30 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden tel 02 467 23 06 editorial@flanderstoday.eu suBscriPtions tel 03 560 17 49 subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu or order online at www.flanderstoday.eu advErtising 02 467 24 37 advertising@flanderstoday.eu vErantwoordElijkE uitgEvEr Hans De Loore

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5th column Burqini beach

Security, migration and religion again dominate the political debate and divide parties – in the coalition government but also from within. SP.A party president John Crombez was the first to notice after he stated that “people on the left are sick and tired of the tone by which very young Muslims tell us what should be the norm”. Crombez pleaded for a flinks policy. The neologism flinks is derived from links – left – and flink – strict or tough. It is used to denote leftists who believe in law and order. Not everyone in Crombez’ SP.A welcomed his words. Some rejected his “ethnic view on society,” others had more strategic objections. They pointed out what happened to former Antwerp mayor Patrick Janssens, after he banned the headscarf for city workers in public functions. The large Muslim electorate turned its back on the socialists, which is believed to have contributed to Bart De Wever and N-VA taking over city hall. N-VA, too, has found out how divisive discussions about security, migration and religion can be. The party has never kept quiet about these issues, with one proposal after the other. The most recent is a ban of the “burqini” from Flemish beaches, such as those recently enacted by French resort towns. This idea has caused a commotion on social media: Burqinis are rarely, if ever, seen at our coast. It’s the idea, not the practice, that causes offense. Maybe we should also ban white socks in sandals, some joked, as many find them offensive, too. N-VA MP Hendrik Vuye’s objections were more serious. “Curbing freedom should … answer pressing needs”, he stated. Vuye also objected to another N-VA proposal concerning a ban on speech that defended terrorism. “It is a common misconception that fighting terrorism warrants curbing freedom of speech,” he wrote in an op-ed. Vuye’s move was notable, as N-VA is a very disciplined party showing very little dissent. Within N-VA, Vuye was characterised as a “professor, rather than a politician,” who may be frustrated. Some observers, however, see a divide between “legalists”, who may even include minister-president Geert Bourgeois, and hardliners. Others believe that all this internal upset would never had happened if Bart De Wever had not been away on holiday. By Monday he was back, signifying which side he was on by referring to burqinis as wearable “tents”. \ Anja Otte

Lucerna parents face threats

Minister-president addresses political pressure put on Turkish parents Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

lemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois has expressed concern at reports of intimidation of Turkish parents who send their children to schools in Flanders run by the opposition Gülen movement. The intimidation is alleged to come from supporters of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdog˘an. According to reports, parents have been threatened if they do not remove their children from the Lucerna schools, run by the movement behind exiled opposition leader Fethullah Gülen. The movement was blamed for being behind last month’s failed coup in Turkey. Shortly after the coup attempt, Bourgeois

Bourgeois visits the lucerna school in Anderlecht last year

reacted strongly to a suggestion from a spokesperson of the Turkish embassy that the Gülen movement should be investigated. He emphasised again last week that Turkey’s conflict should not be imported to Flanders. “But this has indeed happened; parents are being threatened and put under pressure, with the result that some of them have taken their children out of the Lucerna schools,” said Bourgeois. “Obviously, this cannot be allowed.” He called on the justice system to investigate whether criminal acts had taken place. “These are the rules that apply here, and we cannot tolerate for them not to be respected,” he said.

Search operation fails to turn up leader of 22 March attacks

Mortgage tax reform could affect study grants, says MP

A large-scale search operation carried out in Brussels earlier this month did not lead to the arrest of Oussama Atar, the man thought to be behind the terrorist attacks of 22 March at Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station, it was reported last week. Atar is a cousin of the El Bakraoui brothers, who were involved in the two suicide bombings. He is being sought in connection with his role in the attacks. As the search continued, it was revealed that representatives of the Belgian government lobbied for Atar’s release from an Iraqi prison in 2010. Atar was one of the first jihad fighters to travel from Belgium to the Middle East. He was in Iraq during the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Arrested for arms trafficking, he shared a cell for nine years with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of IS, who now has a $10 million price on his head from the US government. At one point, Atar was on the watchlist compiled by Belgium’s federal office for threat assessment OCAD, but his name was later removed from the list. In 2010, a demonstration took place in Brussels demanding his release, on the grounds that he was severely ill. A spokesperson for the federal

Because of a reform of the woonbonus, or mortgage tax relief, some Flemish students risk losing their study grant, according to member of the Flemish parliament Michèle Hostekint (SP.A). The woonbonus was formerly a federal tax deduction which reduced taxable income. Now that the responsibility for the mortgage tax relief has been transferred to the regions, it has become a tax reduction, not decreasing taxable income. Study grants are calculated on the basis of a family’s taxable income. SP.A’s position is that some students will no longer be eligible for a grant or will be eligible for less. “The regulation for study grants has to be adjusted,”

foreign affairs ministry at the time saidhisillnesshadbeen“confirmed” and revealed that the government had made several approaches to the Iraqis for his repatriation “on humanitarian grounds”. The appeal for Atar’s release was not supported by Amnesty International, despite reports in the media that it was, Amnesty said in a statement. The organisation had expressed concern over the medical treatment available to Atar in Iraq, but had not joined in with calls for his release, it said. Hans Bonte, mayor of Vilvoorde, from where many local jihadi fighters originate, criticised the lack of information exchange between police zones, local authorities and state security, which led to Atar’s name appearing on and then disappearing from the OCAD list, he said. Security forces in Brussels adhere strictly to the list, he said, while local authorities in Vilvoorde keep tabs on a wider range of suspects. “That someone with such a profile can remain undercover is a fundamental problem,” Bonte said. “And once again, Brussels is involved.” The capital’s lack of resources, he said, was the “Achilles’ heel” of the country’s security policy.

\ Andy Furniere

\ AH

New app to help cyclists navigate Brussels The government of the BrusselsCapital Region is working on an app that shows the region’s cycle routes, mobility minister Pascal Smet has announced. In the meantime, Smet plans to place new info signs at the start of each route and at major crossroads to allow cyclists a better overview of their journey. A network of cycle routes was first plannedin1993,butfewerthanhalf of the routes have been completed. The routes are intended to allow cyclists to take the quietest, safest and fastest routes between key locations. Last year, the Cyclehack in Brus-

Hostekint told VRT. “We have to look into the calculation used so that nothing changes for students.” Flemish education minister Hilde Crevits, however, said that she is not planning to change the system. She pointed out that it was the previous federal government, of which SP.A was a coalition partner, that carried out the reform of mortgage tax relief. “The current federal government has taken decisions that have positive effects on the income limits of study grants, like a higher flat-rate deduction,” said Crevits. “It is also difficult to change the calculation system for study grants after each government decision.”

sels project saw cycling organisations mapping the difficulties with cycling in the city and proposing improvements. “I’m a fervent cyclist, but I also didn’t use the routes, even though they’re often the best options,” said Eric Gijssen of Bike Brussels Better. “Brussels cyclists often have their own fixed routes between work and home, and they often include some serious climbs and descents.” Smet now plans to ask volunteers from groups such as Fietsersbond to adopt sections of the route network and report back any dangerous situations or lack of signage. / AH

Government approves funding for digital journalism projects Flemish media minister Sven Gatz has announced available funding of €200,000 for projects that offer creative digital approaches to news reporting. The financing will go to proposals that “renew, extend and diversify the media and take multiple forms”. Funding is particularly aimed at start-ups and small media companies, Gatz said. It will contribute up to 80% of the budget of the chosen projects, to a maximum of €50,000. “Things are moving fast in the media, and the digital revolution

presents its own challenges,” said Gatz. “That’s why I want to lend support to initiatives that offer a sustainable and future-oriented approach to journalism, for the good not only of the media itself, but also the public.” Media companies and organisations have until 26 September to submit proposals for one-year plans in fields such as production, storytelling, data research and income models, as well as crowdsourcing, development of startups and public participation in the media. / AH

\ POlITICS

august 24, 2016

katrien Vandepladutse (left) comes to Pretoria from the office in Maputo in Mozambique and replaces katrien Dejongh, who is returning to Flanders

Crossing continents

it’s all change for Flanders’ diplomatic faces in southern Africa Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

One of the top diplomats involved in development co-operation in South Africa is returning home, to be replaced by her counterpart in Mozambique. They discuss the challenges of the sector and what the future holds.

his month the Flanders representation in South Africa saw the arrival of a new deputy general for development co-operation. Katrien Vandepladutse comes to Pretoria from the office in Maputo in Mozambique, and replaces Katrien Dejongh, who returns to Brussels. Flanders Today spoke to both women as their paths crossed. The General Representation of the Government of Flanders in Southern Africa is based in Pretoria. The office covers seven countries: the Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland. The representation handles all elements that come under the responsibility of the Flemish government: culture, development co-operation, education, science and technology, youth policy, economy and foreign trade. How did you come to represent Flanders in South Africa? Katrien Vandepladutse: I’m a linguist and studied French and Spanish at Ghent University. I worked in Brazil for seven years,

first as a volunteer and afterwards as what they call a co-operant, someone who works with local organisations on capacity building. In 2009, I started to work for the government of Flanders, as a desk officer for Mozambique. Four years ago I was selected to represent the government in Maputo, Mozambique. Katrien Dejongh: I’m an agricultural engineer. I’d been working in the development co-operation sector since forever, in civil society organisations, mainly in South America. In 2004, I came back to Belgium to work in non-profit organisations, and started to work with the Flemish government in a few years later as desk officer for the development co-operation programme with South Africa here in Brussels. So I was responsible for the follow-up of the bilateral programme between the government of Flanders and the government of South Africa. And then two years ago I left to head the programme in Pretoria. South Africa is an important partner for Flanders, isn’t it? KD: Yes, Flanders has always been interested in South Africa. I think it was the first country they interacted with for development co-operation, in 1994. There’s also the language connection. KV: Flanders’ main interest in Mozambique is improving the health status of the Mozambican population, especially sexual and reproductive health. This

year we have also focused on the adolescent population. FlemishMozambican relations are quite important, both for Flanders and for Mozambique. Mozambique is one of our three partner countries for development co-operation, and we invest about €5 million a year in it. Although we don’t have big budgets, Mozambique has a good relationship with Flanders, probably because we are flexible, patient and not too bureaucratic. President Nyusi went to see minister-president Geert Bourgeois this spring, and the visit was very well covered in the Mozambican press. How easy is it adapting to life there? KV: I haven’t found it too difficult to adapt to Mozambique, as we already spoke Portuguese, and I had already lived abroad for some years. We will see what South Africa will bring us, but we are looking forward to the challenge. KD: I’d lived in South America for a long time, so South Africa wasn’t such a big culture shock. That was one of the main reasons we agreed to go to South Africa, because for my husband it was his first time living abroad. When we’re in South Africa we fall under diplomatic rules, so partners are not allowed to work. He also works for the Flemish government, and he took a sabbatical. In South Africa he worked as a volunteer, and he ended up making furniture.

Can you explain a little about how the representation works? KV: In Mozambique I was the only expat at the Flanders office, taking care of everything, with support from one local financial officer, the headquarters in Brussels and Geraldine Reymenants, the general representative. In Mozambique, we work within the Belgian consulate building; in South Africa we have our own office. In South Africa I will be working in an office with three expats and three local people, which makes a huge difference. I have a boss who is in the office, and fields of work are also organised differently: in Mozambique, we support health, and in South Africa we currently support social entrepreneurship and innovation and will move towards climate change from 2017. KD: When I was appointed in 2013, I was head of development co-operation and head of the Flemish International Co-operation Agency (Fica). There were only two of us in the office, myself and a local employee. But then in 2014, Fica was merged into the department of foreign affairs, so we joined the colleagues who were there under the general representative of Flanders, bringing the total up to five. So it’s quite a small office. My particular task was for South Africa, but the office covers seven countries in southern Africa.

Katrien Vandepladutse takes over in Pretoria. What’s up next for Katrien Dejongh? KD: I’m back in the department of foreign affairs, in the policy unit of the division of global challenges. The whole dynamics of development co-operation are being questioned and all actors in development co-operation have to reposition themselves and basically investigate what their new role can be in the new global context. One of the things I will do here is focus on that transition, and specifically look at what other actors are involved in development co-operation and how can we work together, in particular in the private sector. Do you have any advice for your successor? KD: On the one hand, she will still be working on the programme we have now in South Africa, but at the same time she will also have to develop a new programme for the coming five years. The new programme will be geared more towards climate challenges. I hope she can find the smart and strategic link with the social innovation and social entrepreneurship programme that we have now so that it can fit and flow into the new programme. I wish her all the best, of course, because it will be quite challenging.

\ BUSIneSS

WeeK in business Transport Van Hool The Lier-based bus and coach manufacturer is building two additional assembling units, one of them in the United States. The move follows the company’s strategy to seek new markets, specifically future contracts from US public transport authorities.

Food Alpro The Ghent-based producer of soya-based food and drinks has been acquired by France’s Danone group as part of the €10 billion acquisition of the US WhiteWave Foods, Alpro’s parent company.

events Artexis The Brussels-based events and exhibitions organiser has acquired the Dutch Evenementhal, organiser of some 80 events in the Netherlands and operator of three exhibition venues. Artexis already operates the Ghent and Antwerp Expo centres and has extensive activities in Sweden.

Clothing Sioen The manufacturer of protective and technical gear, based in Aardooie, West Flanders, has signed a contract to supply 25,000 jackets and trousers to French firefighters over the next four years. The fire brigades of Paris and Marseille, for instance, will be using Sioen-made equipment.

Supermarkets Colruyt The discount supermarket chain, based in Halle, has sold its French Pro à Pro affiliate to the German Metro group. Pro à Pro is specialised in supplies to professional users such as canteens and much of the Horeca sector in France.

Transport lorry drivers Lorry drivers who pass through town centres in Flanders to avoid road tolls will soon face an increased fine, mobility minister Ben Weyts said. The current fine of €55 will go up to €165. Lorries may only enter town centres if they have business there loading or unloading.

Metals Corialis The designer and producer of aluminium profiles systems, based in Lokeren, East Flanders, has acquired South Africa’s Hinges & Hardware company to expand its activities in the area.

Ford Genk Masterplan to create 2,500 jobs

Plan for former Ford factory will bring business to limburg Alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

The proposed Masterplan for the former Ford factory in Genk has been approved by the government of Flanders, the city and other participants. Genk can look forward to 2,500 new jobs coming to the site of the former plant, which closed in 2014. Under the Masterplan, the site will become a new industrial zone for manufacturing companies, as well as waterway logistics. The campus is located on the Albert Canal and also has road and rail connections. The plan divides the site (pictured) into three parts. The first will be reserved for nature and public green spaces, with five hectares for social functions such as events and sports. The second

zone reserves 40 hectares for the manufacturing industry. And the third zone, alongside

the canal, is for logistics companies and other water-related activities. Operators PMV will now start looking for suitable companies for the first two zones, making sure that they offer both activities complementary to other businesses in the region and employment opportunities. The users of the third site will be selected by NV De Scheepvaart, the Flemish government’s waterways management company. Ford Genk closed down in December 2014 with the loss of some 6,000 jobs in the plant and in companies supplying the factory. One in three of those put out of work are still seeking employment.

Manufacturers unable to fill high-tech job vacancies

Antwerp imaging company wins Pentagon contract

Companies in Belgium’s car sector are having trouble filling vacancies, according to the technology federation Agoria. CEO Marc Lambotte said that the problem is structural. In normal circumstances, Lambotte said, job vacancies for semi-skilled workers are filled within a month, and management vacancies within three months. But technical vacancies are taking twice as long, with some proving impossible to fill with the right applicants. Lambotte pointed to the 500 job vacancies advertised during the Motor Show in Brussels last January, only half of which have been filled, and to Punch Powertrain, which manufactures automatic transmissions in Sint-Truiden. In January, the company was adver-

Flemish company Agfa-Gevaert, the creator and manufacturer of imaging products, has been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract by the American ministry of defence. The company has been contracted to provide a network communications system with archiving for medical images for the Pentagon’s health-care division. The contract is worth $768 million (€688 million). There were seven candidates for the contract, among them Agfa-Gevaert’s US division in Greendale, South Carolina. The

tising 150 vacancies; 80 have now been filled. In the meantime, 100 new vacancies have been added, bringing the number of available jobs to 170. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, Lambotte said, but it’s some distance away. Efforts to encourage young people to study mechanical technology are showing some success, with increases in enrolments in both Flemish and French-speaking schools. / AH

N-VA wants an end to CEO salary cap in state-owned enterprises The salaries of CEOs of government enterprises should be based on performance, and the government should have no prior limits on how much bosses earn, according to N-VA, party member Peter Dedecker said. The federal government is currently seeking a replacement for Jo Cornu, head of the rail authority NMBS. Two years ago the salary of staterun enterprises was set at €650,000 a year, though it later emerged that Dominique Leroy of Proximus and Koen Van Gerven of Bpost both made more when other benefits were considered. Dedecker called for the ceiling to be abolished altogether. “These

companies are working in a liberalised and commercial context,” he said. “Top people have to be paid on the basis of results and customer satisfaction.” His party, he said, would work within the government to make the pay limit more flexible. The minister for government enterprises, Alexander De Croo of Open VLD, however, made it clear he has no intention of changing the limits. Opposition SP.A also opposed Dedecker’s proposal. According to fraction leader Meryame Kitir, the employees who provide successful service and customer satisfaction have seen their salaries held down with the loss of indexation, when they should have risen by 2%. / AH

contract is for five years with the possibility of renewal. The system created by Agfa, based in Mortsel, Antwerp province, will be used by land, sea and air forces, as well as the Marine Corps and civilian employees of the Defense Department. / AH

Flemish government subsidies for business see dramatic increase Direct support from the government of Flanders to business increased over the five years leading up to 2015 from €94 million to €151 million. The figures were provided in a parliamentary answer by economy minister Philippe Muyters. At the same time, the share of available government subsidies paid to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rose from 35% to 42%, Muyters said. Since 1 April this year, the procedure allowing SMEs to apply for subsidy from the government has been simplified. That is one of the factors benefiting SMEs, commented CD&V parliament member Robrecht Bothuyne (pictured). Others factors include effective co-operation with organisations like Unizo, which represents the self-employed, and Voka, Flanders’ chamber of commerce, as well as the education sector,

Bothuyne said. “We are a small business economy,” he said. “Small businesses are our growth engine. If the employment rate is improving in Flanders, it’s largely thanks to them.” Some 70% of jobs in the region are provided by SMEs, he pointed out. But there is still room for improvement, said Bothuyne: The share of the innovation budget for SMEs should be increased to 50%, he proposed, and a promise by Muyters to merge the five provincial innovation centres by 2019 should happen sooner. / AH

\ InnOVATIOn

august 24, 2016

Appetite for innovation

Experimental food lab adds extra flavour to the Flemish culinary scene Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

ProEf.cluB

Maxime Willems gave up a post at Ghent University to develop an experimental food lab that brings together top chefs, cooking novices and aspiring entrepreneurs to test out new recipes and discover the ins and outs of the culinary business.

axime Willems had a promising career as a biologist at Ghent University (UGent). “But I felt my heart wasn’t in it anymore,” he says. “I wanted to indulge my true passion, which is gastronomy.” So when he heard about the Nordic Food Lab, created by renowned Danish restaurant Noma, he decided to bring the concept of a culinary lab to Flanders. Last November, Willems left Ghent for Schellebelle, East Flanders, where he opened the Proef ! food lab on the site of a former catering company. The Innovation Centre of East Flanders, a governmentfunded advisory body, lent a helping hand. The lab’s name is a no-brainer: proef means both tasting and experimenting in Dutch. Willems’ ambition is to revamp the Flemish culinary scene through scientific insights and multidisciplinary collaboration, with the use of technology usually reserved for more rigorous research.

open to anyone

Chefs from top restaurants can use the lab to think up their next masterpiece. Thanks to tailored subscriptions, however, the kitchen is open to anyone, from cooking enthusiasts hoping to impress guests at their next dinner party to entrepreneurs looking to launch a new product or company. Apart from the typical kitchen equipment, there are also high-tech tools like the ultra-sonic probe, used in chemistry labs to break down cells and bacteria, which can extract flavours in a matter of seconds – no cooking required. Proef ! regularly hosts workshops on a variety of topics. In April, Scottish chef Ben Reade, formerly of Noma, gave a workshop on the culinary art of fermentation. As part of a special series, participants can also cook alongside promising chefs, including Kevin Gijsembergt, who used to work for the Luzine restaurant in Leuven but has since started his own culinary evenings business called Fringale. Many of the workshops focus on sustainability. Brussels organisation Forest to Plate, for example, teaches participants to make dishes with wild plants they pick on their own, while the challenge of the trash cooking workshop is to

Proef! is more than just a kitchen. Celebrity chefs teach the art of cooking, while culinary start-ups and entrepreneurs can use the lab for office space

create a tasty dish from ingredients that would normally end up in the rubbish bin, like cauliflower and broccoli stems. Food surplus is also at the centre of an ambitious project that Proef ! started with Hertog Jan, the threeMichelin-star restaurant in Bruges. The goal of the project, which received funding from the Flemish government’s innovation and entrepreneurship agency Vlaio, is to turn Hertog Jan’s unused food into new products. One of the rooms at Proef ! already showcases sweets and vinegars created from the surplus ingredients.

At Proef !, Tavernier developed four new versions of witte pens: in Italian, Flemish, Moroccan and Thai styles. “The kitchen at Proef ! was like a playground for me, with all the tools and expertise I needed to come up with new flavours,” says Tavernier. The food lab also organised a tasting, where participants gave feedback on their favourite recipes. “This helped me with commercialising the product,” he says. Packaged sausages can already be ordered online, but the supply is limited. For all the success, Proef ! is still

The kitchen at Proef! was like a playground for me, with all the tools and expertise I needed Proef ! also offers help to aspiring cooks looking to create their own food start-ups and the entrepreneurs can even set up their offices on site. In the future, Willems hopes to bring his concept to other provinces and create a mobile service to assist chefs in their own kitchens. One of the first supported startups is Monsieur Boudin, which sells witte pens, or white sausages, a barbecue staple in Flanders. The man behind it is Jeroen Tavernier, who divides his time between cooking and working as a communication officer at the Vooruit cultural centre in Ghent.

a work-in-progress. For now, Willems is the only person in the lab with technical know-how. That could soon change, as the lab is launching a collaboration with Food2Know, the agri-food expertise centre at UGent. “Our scientists can provide essential know-how concerning food safety and technology,” explains professor Benedikt Sas, the centre’s chief business officer. “We also have extensive expertise on legislation, including the use of insects in food, which could prove useful.” Sas is certain that the co-operation will benefit Proef !. Among other

things, Food2Know’s research also focuses on reducing food waste, through innovative packaging that shows how fresh the food is in real time. But the expertise centre could also benefit from the collaboration. “Bringing together academic expertise and the chefs’ creativity would undoubtedly lead to new ideas and innovations on both sides,” says Sas. Proef !, for example, could serve as an experimenting ground for UGent students working on related research. On the regional level, the food lab also fits into the Flemish government’s new project, Flanders Food Faculty, which stimulates culinary innovation. This networking organisation, part of the tourism agency Visit Flanders, was established at the end of 2015 by minister Ben Weyts to promote Flemish gastronomy abroad and support chefs participating in international competitions. Flanders Food Faculty also aims to establish an online platform to improve the visibility of projects like Proef ! These include, for example, the Food Pilots organisation, which helps the food industry to optimise their products and processes by providing test facilities, laboratory analyses and scientific advice. The organisation is part of the Flanders’ FOOD innovation platform and the Flemish Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research. “There are already many projects like Proef ! and Food Pilots, but the landscape is still very fragmented,”

saysSofieVanDenBossche,co-ordinator of the Flanders Food Faculty. “We want to, for example, show all interested individuals and organisations how to create a kitchen that can be used for testing new products or organising brainstorming sessions, on both the national and international level.” The supported projects, Van Den Bossche says, will cater to all actors in the food sector, “from the owner of a frituur to the chef of a top restaurant”. Special attention will also be devoted to supporting start-ups, but more on that won’t be known until October. In the meantime, the Antwerpbased innovation consultancy Co-Create is also preparing a similarly ambitious project. Inspired by the success of the Start-up Weekend, an event in Ghent that brought together professionals from different disciplines to pitch ideas for new start-up companies, Co-Create decided to make food innovation a priority in Flanders. The company envisions a large food innovation hub that includes an experience centre, research facilities, a food lab and an incubator for start-up companies. “Centralising expertise and facilities in one place would help put Flanders’ food culture on the global map,” says Askim Kintziger, Co-Create’s project co-ordinator. The company is currently negotiating with various cities and enterprises and will release more information by the end of the year. The hub is expected to launch in 2018.

\ InnOVATIOn

august 24, 2016

The difference a day makes

WeeK in innovAtion

Prize-winning Antwerp app brings volunteers and organisations together ian Mundell follow Ian on Twitter \ @IanMundell

givEaday.BE

n app that matchmakes between volunteers and organisations that need their help is being developed in Antwerp. Called Give A Day, the project received the most votes in June’s Apps from Antwerp competition, winning €20,000 to help make the idea a reality. The app has its origins in last year’s Calais refugee crisis. “There was an organisation here in Antwerp that had collected donations and needed volunteers to go to the camp and help the people over there,” explains Bart Wolput, founder of Give A Day. “So we proposed making a website for them, matching the volunteers with the right project team and things like that.” In the process, he realised that connecting with volunteers and co-ordinating them was a common problem. “So the idea started that we could make something more general that would be available for all non-profit and volunteering organisations.” The first step was to talk to nonprofits about problems they face finding volunteers. “We saw that there really is a need for a platform that matches volunteers with the right organisation for them, based on their interests, location and so on,” Wolput says. The idea of Give A Day is that potential volunteers will be able to register with the app, setting out their skills, interests and availability. They may decide to volunteer alone, or with a group of likeminded friends. These people would then be matched with volunteering opportunities registered by non-profit organisations. In May, Give A Day won a competition run by Qmusic, worth €5,750, to which the team can now add the €20,000 from Apps from Antwerp.

Give A Day will help volunteers find non-profits nearby that need their help

The new money comes with a catch, however: the app must be built by the beginning of October. “It’s going to be tough, but we are on the right track,” says Wolput.

Antwerp, the aim is to cover the whole region. “We are now contacting other cities and we want to deploy it immediately over the whole of Flanders,” Wolput says.

We saw that there really is a need for a platform that matches volunteers with the right organisation for them After beginning with just two people, there is now a team of 10 working on the project. While there are technical hurdles ahead, such as getting the app to mesh with the popular diary programmes, the main challenge is to build the community of volunteers and non-profits. “When we launch, there should already be a supply and demand.” And while it is beginning in

Charities that want to be involved are welcome to get in touch. The Apps from Antwerp competition involved 26 projects, all intended to improve life in the city. The public ballot in June attracted more than 5,000 votes. Second place, worth €15,000, went to Gifts by Sir. This app finds original but appropriate gifts in nearby shops and has them delivered, if necessary. The idea is to help

people with no time to shop or who have trouble thinking beyond a bottle of wine when faced with a house-warming party. The idea also supports local businesses by connecting them with new customers, and helps delivery services develop. Third place, worth €10,000, went to StreetArtAntwerp, which will help people discover street art around the city, at their own pace or by following guided tours between the works. It will also provide a space for local artists to show what they can do. All the winners, plus five runnersup, will get help in the form of marketing, legal and logistics advice, if they need it. The runnersup include apps to help people get out of their digital bubble, to discover historic Antwerp, to form local jogging groups, and to mobilise medical help for people having heart attacks.

Watermills spelt the end for Flanders’ salmon, says researcher A thousand years ago, salmon was still a common fish in the waters of the Low Countries. Just like they do in Scotland, Ireland and Norway today, salmon once swam upstream from the North Sea in Flanders’ rivers, brooks and creeks to spawn in the river beds. The river Maas, for example, was a “salmon highway”, which gave the fish access to the oxygen-rich water of the Ardennes. But somewhere around 1300, the salmon stock started to drop, both in Flanders and the Netherlands. How do we know that? By consulting historical documents, like leases, fish permits and reports from fish auctions – in short, every piece of paper that mentioned salmon numbers and prices. And by analysing archaeological remains like old fish bones. Rob Lenders, an assistant professor in historical ecology at Radboud University Nijmegen, did all that. That’s how he established a clear pattern: from the middle ages, Flanders’ salmon stock suddenly started to drop.

And the decline didn’t stop until the bitter end. By 1900, the salmon population in Flemish and Dutch watercourses was zero. So what drove salmon to extinction? Overfishing and water pollution are both obvious reasons, but on closer inspection, they don’t satisfy. “The Scots fished as much as the Flemish for salmon,” says Lenders. “And serious water pollution only started much later, during the industrial revolution.” According to his research, a totally unexpected

factor finished the salmon off: watermills. “From the year 1000, we see watermills arise at every possible location in Flanders,” he explains. “At one point the total number of mills must have exceeded 10,000.” Flemish-designed watermills were particularly problematic for salmon, as they were generally accompanied by a little dam, to increase the water fall. “Obviously those dams formed a barrier for salmon needing to swim upstream,” says Lenders. But aren’t salmon known for their ability to go against the flow and jump over obstacles? “They are,” Lenders admits, “and the stronger ones will indeed have succeeded in travelling all the way to their spawning grounds. But the dams didn’t only stop the weaker specimens, they also took the current out of the water. As a consequence, the beds of ballast in the upstream parts of the rivers and creeks were covered with a thick layer of sand and silt, which made them unsuitable for spawning.” \ Senne Starckx

Bacteria removes methane from air

A bio-engineer from Ghent University has developed a technique to remove the greenhouse gas methane more efficiently from the air and potentially make it a usable resource. There are various techniques to remove methane from the atmosphere, but they are not yet efficient and are thus expensive. Frederiek-Maarten Kerckhof has now discovered that the bacterial communities found around methane are of crucial importance, as they not only remove methane but can collaborate with bacteria that have other assets, like the ability to remove polluting substances from ground water. This way, methane is removed more efficiently and the bacterial community can be used for water treatment or improving soil quality, for example. Kerckhof is now working on the practical implementation of the technique.

Breakthrough in fight against cancer

A lack of oxygen in tumour cells contributes to the growth of cancer, professor Diether Lambrechts and researcher Bernard Thienpont, who are connected to Flanders’ life sciences research institute VIB and the University of Leuven, have found. A study of 3,000 tumours revealed that a lack of oxygen plays a crucial role in the hypermethylation process, which stimulates the excessive growth of cancer cells. Hypermethylation is what’s called a “epigenetic change” that can strongly interrupt the function of genes, to the benefit of cancer cells. The scientists examined if an improved oxygen supply could halt the hypermethylation process and thus combat the development of cancer, which turned out to work.

letters disappear from company logos

Last week, 95 Belgian companies and organisations removed the letters A, B and O from their logos. It’s part of the Red Cross campaign “Missing Type”, launched to encourage more people to donate blood. The letters refer to the different blood types. Among the participating companies are Brussels Airport, Proximus, Coca-Cola, Belfius and Colruyt. Public transport authority De Lijn is also taking part, as are political parties, local and provincial municipalities and hospitals. Several newspapers removed the letters A, B and O from the mastheads on their front pages. Red Cross Flanders is still looking for 38,000 new donors to maintain this year’s supply of blood. \ Andy Furniere

\ eDUCATIOn

WeeK in educAtion UGent is top Benelux university

Ghent University (UGent) is the highest-ranking Benelux educational institution in the Academic Ranking of World Universities, compiled annually by the Jia Tong University in Shanghai. UGent reached 62nd place – up nine spots from last year, when it was also the top ranking in Belgium. The University of Leuven (KU Leuven) is the only other Belgian university in the top 100 of the “Shanghai ranking”, which lists 500 universities in total and focuses on research performance. KU Leuven was ranked 93rd, down three spots from last year. Antwerp University and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) were ranked 201 and 300 respectively.

Most teachers pay for own supplies

Nine in 10 teachers in Flanders’ pre- and primary schools spend their own money on school materials, including craft supplies, books and class decorations, according to a survey by Christian education union COV. The survey showed that teachers invest an average of €260 in school materials over the course of an academic year, €93 of it in the first month. “The operational resources for primary education are no longer indexed, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for schools to make ends meet,” said COV general secretary Marianne Coopman. “So teachers invest themselves to provide quality materials.” COV has called on the government to stop budget cuts and invest more in the quality of primary education.

Record number of Flemish students abroad

A record 5,325 Flemish students enrolled in higher education spent part of their study year or completed an internship abroad via the EU’s Erasmus exchange programme during the 2015-16 academic year. That is 4.6% more than the year before, according to figures compiled by the education ministry. France and Spain are the most popular Erasmus exchange destinations for Flemish students, attracting nearly 1,300. The Netherlands is the most favoured country for internships, with 240 Flemish youngsters travelling there. Spain is the second-favourite for internships, with 178. During the last academic year, students could go via Erasmus to countries outside of the EU for the first time, with 16 traveling to, among others, the US, Hong Kong, Australia and Palestine. \ Andy Furniere

\ 10

Heading south

Why do so many Dutch students come to Flanders to study? Senne Starckx More articles by Senne \ flanderstoday.eu

ou’ve probably seen the headlines of late: Dutch students are “invading” Flemish universities and university colleges. It’s a well-known fact among Dutch students, particularly those who live in the southern half of their country: A university or college degree is a lot more expensive in the Netherlands than it is in Flanders. Although registration fees have risen in Flanders since the start of the last academic year, the €890 students pay is still half of what’s required in Delft, Leiden, Utrecht or Amsterdam. Moreover, the Dutch government has recently scrapped the basic scholarship. So a university and college “invasion” of our northern neighbours seems a logical consequence – considering the lack of language barrier and that the quality of education between the Netherlands and Flanders is more or less the same. Statistics indicate that there are indeed more and more Dutch students enrolling in Flanders’ institutions of higher education. Last year 4,224 students domiciled in the Netherlands were registered at a Flemish university or college. That’s about 1,000 more than three years ago. The steep rise puts the share of the Dutch in Flanders’ student population up to nearly 2%. But that Dutch legion isn’t spread evenly among the institutions. The closer to the border, the more popular a school is. That’s why more than 7% of all the students at Antwerp Univer-

lower tuition fees, cheaper rent and no numerus clausus : It’s not surprising that more and more Dutch co-eds are heading to Flanders

sity (UAntwerp) are Dutch, while the city’s AP University College has the largest Dutch cohort among Flemish university colleges (4%). Hasselt University and the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) are the runners-up. So how are universities and university colleges, all strong supporters of more internationalisation, reacting to this ever-increasing inflow of the Dutch? “Not so long ago, we were a bit worried,” Peter De Meyer, an Antwerp University spokesperson, tells me. “We couldn’t really estimate how many extra Dutch students would come here. Would it result in a few percentages more, or would it be a tsunami?” The latter would have caused problems, says De Meyer, like overcrowded auditoria and less interaction between students and

their professors. “Fortunately, the increase we saw a year ago was manageable.” If you had to mention one characteristic by which Flemish students differ from their Dutch counterparts, you could probably say that the latter speak up more, says De Meyer. “Somebody who asks a critical question can get a discussion going.” At Ghent University, the number of Dutch students has also increased significantly, but, according to spokesperson Stephanie Lenoir, this is also part of a broader picture. “We saw an increase from 2 to 2.5%, but the total number of nonBelgian students also increased, from 11.5 to 14%. The Dutch story is thus also – partly – an element of the success of our internationalisation efforts.” Lenoir also emphasises another

important reason why many Dutch students come to Flanders. “Several educational programmes in the Netherlands, like veterinary medicine, for example, are restricted by a so-called numerus clausus – only a limited number of students are allowed to enrol. So those who didn’t get into their programme of choice – and it’s more a lottery than an exam – come to Flanders.” But for Lisa De Haardt, who enrolled in her bachelor in social and economic sciences at UAntwerp a decade ago, none of the above reasons applied. De Haardt grew up in Nijmegen, which has its own university, but crossed the border because she couldn’t find an equally interesting study programme in the Netherlands. “I just decided based on the programme,” she says. She went on to earn a master’s in public administration at KU Leuven and now lives in Antwerp. “In my circle of friends back in the day, I was the only one who chose to come to Flanders,” De Haardt recalls. “But from what I heard from my friends, several aspects of student life are just better here. Finding a student apartment is much easier and cheaper, and the cities in Flanders or not so overcrowded as in the Netherlands.” But her decision to leave her country wasn’t entirely inspired by the curriculum, De Haardt eventually reveals. “I also chose to study in Antwerp because it was just something out of the ordinary. It even seemed a bit exotic.”

Q&A Teachers could use Pokémon Go at school as a hook to discuss mobile phone policies.

of students who like to read: One likes comics, the other thrillers. So it’s essential to create a dynamic learning environment that reflects the lives and interests of pupils. That could be books, hobbies, Facebook or a game.

So do you think it’s better to create rules around the use of Pokémon Go at school? Mobile phones, Facebook and games distract pupils in class. So with respect to that, you have to set clear boundaries. Mobiles must be handed over at the beginning of lessons or used only on the playground, for example. But you can also look for a way to use a game as part of a lesson or an exercise. Just make it very clear that the lesson is about mathematics and that Pokémon Go is a tool to learn the concepts.

What if the teacher doesn’t know anything about games? If you yourself game, you can examine how you could use the game in a lesson. Teachers often use their own interests, passions and real-life situations to enrich their lessons and explain certain concepts. Mostly I would recommend that teachers be themselves. So if you’re not interested in games, you don’t necessarily have to incorporate every gaming fad. It’s exactly the diversity of teaching staff that provides pupils with a variety of learning methods.

Jeroen Bourgonjon is a gaming researcher at Ghent University who says that rather than banning the latest digital crazes – like Pokémon Go – teachers should consider using them in lessons Is Pokémon Go just another hype? This is the first game with augmented reality that has been played on such a massive scale. It’s so successful because of a combination of factors: a strong brand like Pokémon, a sophisticated algorithm and nostalgia for Pokémon from the former Game Boy game and trading cards. Prohibiting its use at school would seem to be the easiest solution for teachers… Banning it during school at all times is one option. But that’s not what I would recommend. Pupils have a powerful instrument in their pockets – a mobile phone. And that can be taken advantage of. Adults do it: during a discussion, we might quickly do a Google search or pull out the calculator.

Are games in the class a magic potion for making difficult material easier to understand?

They are no magic potions for motivating students. In a class of 20 students, you’ve got about 15 who occasionally game. Some play shooting games, others Age of Empires and so forth. So you’re not going to reach every pupil with Pokémon Go. The same is true

\ Interview by Sara Frederix

This article was first published in Klasse and is used with permission

\ lIVInG

august 24, 2016

Olympic efforts

WeeK in Activities

Belgium’s athletes clock up personal bests and a handful of medals in Rio leo Cendrowicz More articles by leo \ flanderstoday.eu

elgium’s athletes are coming home from the Rio Olympics with a haul of six medals, including two golds. The country sent 110 athletes to Brazil to compete in 24 sports. Greg Van Avermaet won the cycling road race in Rio, triumphing after six hours and 237 kilometres around winding, cobbled hills. He is Belgium’s first gold medallist in an Olympic road race since 1952. “It was a hectic finale, but in the end, everything went well,” he said. Nafissatou Thiam won a dramatic victory in the heptathlon. The 21-year-old geography student just edged out defending champion Jessica Ennis-Hill in the final 800m race. The heptathlon combines seven track and field events, including hurdles, high jump and the 800m. Thiam was not a favourite, only hoping, she said, to finish in the top eight. “I still can’t believe it,” she said. “I didn’t come here expecting a medal; that didn’t occur to me at all. It’s crazy.” The men’s hockey side, ranked sixth in the world, lost 4-2 to Argentina in the final to leave with the silver medal. While this was the Red Lions’ best finish at the Games since they took home bronze in Antwerp in 1920, it felt like a blow for a side that had enjoyed such a fairy-tale run. “We had so many opportunities today, we should have done better,” said captain John-John Dohmen. “If you don’t score on your opportunities, you cannot win. It’s that simple.” Swimmer Pieter Timmers won silver in the 100m freestyle, with a time of 47.80, breaking his national record and becoming the first Belgian to win an Olympic medal

\ westvlaanderensmooiste.be

Dahlia Garden Open House

The dahlia garden in Mechelen’s Vrijbroekpark is bursting with colour at this time of year. Over the weekend, gardeners and dahlia experts will be on hand to answer your questions as you stroll between the flowers. 27-28 August 10.00-17.00, Provinciaal Groendomein Vrijbroekpark, Ridder Dessainlaan 65, Mechelen; free

\ tinyurl.com/dahlia-garden

Flemish swimmer Pieter Timmers couldn’t quite believe he’d won the silver medal

for swimming since 1996. Timmers, 28, is a seven-time Belgian champion and holder of several records in long- and shortcourse freestyle, but his performance still surprised him. “I knew I had a bit of a chance to medal, and today everything came together,” he told Sporza after the race. “But I couldn’t quite believe it when I saw that ‘2’ next to my name.” Dirk Van Tichelt – the 2008 European champion and a former world number one – secured a bronze medal in lightweight judo. “I’m carrying on with my career,” the 32-year-old said. “I don’t know if I’ll be in Tokyo in 2020, but I’m still having a lot of fun.” Cyclist Jolien D’hoore won bronze in the omnium, earning 199 points over the six disciplines in indoor cycling’s flagship event. “The last

two laps I was absolutely shattered. I was dying,” she said. “I have so often been fourth. This feels so good.” Several tense showdowns saw Belgium just missing a medal. There were two fourth-place finishes in taekwondo: Raheleh Asemani in the women’s under57kg and Jaouad Achab in the men’s under-68kg. The men’s 4x400 relay team came within three-hundredths of a second of winning bronze, with a time of 2:58.52, a new record for Belgium. Three of the four-man team was made up of Borlée brothers – Jonathan, Kevin and Dylan – with Julien Watrin the fourth. Evi Van Acker also just missed out on a medal, finishing fourth in Laser Radial class sailing. She had fought a serious intestinal

infection in July during training – largely believed to have been caused by Rio’s polluted waters – and was penalised by the jury early in the race, which meant she had to start last. Finally, Belgium have won another gold medal – eight years after the fact. After a re-analysis of 2008 blood samples, Russia’s Yuliya Chermoshanskaya was found to have tested positive for banned substances, meaning the entire Russian gold medal-winning 100m relay team has been disqualified. The gold will now go to the Belgians, who won silver in Beijing. Photos on cover, clockwise from top left: Road racer Greg Van Avermaet, photo by yuzuru Sundada/BelGA; Omnium cyclist Jolien D’hoore, photo by yuzuru Sundada/ BelGA; Red Panthers hockey team, photo by Dirk waem/BelGA

bite Top chefs descend on coast for food and drink extravaganza

FlEMiSHFOODBASH.COM

If you go down to the beach in Koksijde on the last Sunday of August, you’re sure of a big surprise. That’s the occasion of the fourth Flemish Food Bash, an event that has rapidly become a highlight of the local foodie calendar. The mastermind behind the event is chef Vincent Florizoone (pictured). Formerly chef-proprietor of Grand Cabaret in Nieuwpoort, he has now returned to the family nest at Brasserie Edison in Koksijde, in semi-retirement from his legendary rock’n’roll lifetyle. “Edison is my mother’s place,” he explains. “I started here when I was 12, taking my first steps in the restaurant business.” In addition to the 12 chefs and 12 bartenders, the Flemish Food Bash also features barbers, tattoo artists,

Best of west Flanders Four days of cycling through the countryside and villages around Roeselaere with stops at points of interest along the way. Choose your distance from road bike, mountain bike or family routes. Additional sports activities for seniors and kids. Register for one day or all four, with the possibility of camping overnight. 25-28 August, across West Flanders; €3.50-€15

special acts and six DJs. The list of names includes chefs from Rouge Tomate in Brussels, Carcasse in

Koksijde, Bistro Bruut in Bruges and Va et Vient in Kortrijk. In charge of the cocktails are mixology masters like Jurgen Nobels and Sofie Ketels, while the wine selection was put together by none other than sommelier Sepideh Sedaghatnia, known from VTM’s second season of My Pop-Up Restaurant. And last but not least, there is the beer, which Florizoone has always given pride of place in his restaurants. “With the Flemish Food Bash, I intend to give beer a more prominent place in Belgian restaurants,” he says. “In the first editions I didn’t have wine, so guests had to drink beer or cocktails.” This time around, half of the cock-

28 August

tails are beertails, made by mixing beer with hard alcohol. “I still think we’re the most famous beer country in the world, and everybody knows it except for us,” Florizoone says. The beer menu was put together by Struise Brouwers, Hedonis, Totem, Vrijstaat Vanmol, Het Geuzegenootschap and In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst. The last one, Florizoone swears, is the “best cafe in the world”, of particular interest to those who love the lambic beers of Pajottenland. The Flemish Food Bash takes place on the beach in front of the Sofie’s Sunset bar. Entry is free, but registration is required. \ Alan Hope

Zeedijk, koksijde

wilderen wheel and walk weekend

On Saturday, cheer on the serious cyclists as they compete in a race starting and ending at Wilderen brewery and distillery. On Sunday, it’s a fun day for the family, with several bike and walking routes, plus entertainment and a bouncy castle. Adults can enjoy Wilderen’s own beers, whiskeys and other spirits on the terrace. 27-28 August, Wilderenlaan 8, SintTruiden; €1 \ tinyurl.com/ Wilderen-weekend

european night of the Bat

Get to know the bat during this annual event of nature activities across Flanders. Take a night walk with a guide and a bat detector, and learn all about the only flying mammal and its nocturnal habits. Most activities are family-friendly. 26-27 August, across Flanders; free \ natuurpunt.be

Sand Day for kids

Lommel has a long history of glass manufacturing, thanks to a ready supply of natural sand. For one day, the city centre becomes one giant sandbox where kids can play, learn and get creative. Everyone will enjoy street theatre and other entertainment, including a closing concert by K3. 28 August 13.30-17.00, Marktplein, Lommel; free \ toerismelommel.be

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What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever done in Flanders? If you can’t think of anything at all, you’d better check out our new e-book

Quirky Flanders offers 20 unexpected – or downright odd – activities or sights across the region you can get busy taking part in right now

Visit the Flanders Today website to download the e-book now! For free!

www.flanderstoday.eu

Best of Belgium Plus expat Directory 2016

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august 24, 2016

You’ve got a match

WeeK in Arts & culture

Flemish filmmaker helps reconnect refugees in Kenya with their families Toon lambrechts More articles by Toon \ flanderstoday.eu

THEiNviSiBlECiTyKAKuMA.COM

short downpour has turned the streets of Kakuma into a muddy pool. This is only a minor nuisance to Lieven Corthouts, who had just returned to this refugee camp in Kenya. The Brussels-born filmmaker’s latest documentary, The Invisible City [Kakuma], is the result of his four-year stay here, and he has come back to show it to its main protagonists. Corthouts, who made two previous documentaries set in Ethiopia, initially planned to live in Kakuma for a couple of years. “But after a while, I realised that I would need more time to tell the story,” he explains. “At first sight, things seemed quite all right in the camp, but, over time, it became clear to me that most young people have set their mind on leaving. I’ve heard stories about going to Europe or the United States, but only later did I realise the full scope of these aspirations.” In the end, it would take Corthouts four years to finish the story of Kakuma, the sprawling refugee camp that is home to some 200,000 people. The name of the camp means “nowhere” in Swahili, and it came into existence 20 years ago to shelter people displaced by the civil war in neighbouring Sudan. Now, Kakuma is also home to a large number of refugees from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia. “I set out to tell the story of a refugee camp that looks like any other, but in reality, Kakuma has all the features of a normal African city,” Corthouts says. “Still, the more I got involved, the more I realised that young people look at Kakuma as a stepping-stone to a better life.” Many youngsters from South

Antwerp’s Waagnatie is hosting Tube Days this week, Belgium’s first event dedicated to YouTube enthusiasts. The event will feature more than 140 popular YouTube “vloggers”, including French beauty products guru Audrey Marshmaloo, Dutch gaming commentator The King 77 and Dutch school teacher Meester Hoefnagels, who uploads videos of his more colourful moments in charge of 12to 16-year-olds. There will be beauty workshops, gaming activities and crafts for children as well as a special Pokemon Challenge. \ belgiantubedays.be

looking for family: Children in the kakuma camp search for relatives with the Find Me app

Sudan, he continues, “come here to get a decent education, something they lack in their own country. Then they move on. Or at least try to.” Their struggle became the focus of the documentary. Corthouts’ previous stays in Ethiopia helped him integrate in Kakuma, and – to gain trust from the different communities – he taught in a school and worked in one of the camp’s many phone shops. It was there that a new idea crossed his mind. “There are three main characters in the documentary,” he explains. “One of them is a young girl whose mother still lives in South Sudan. If the mother were to ever come to Kakuma, it would take her a lot of time and effort to find her daughter.” This is not a unique case, says Corthouts. “Many youngsters who live in the camp have been sepa-

rated from their families. I started thinking of a way to reconnect people who had lost track of each other. Most people here have smartphones, and Kakuma has reasonable internet coverage, so an app seemed do-able.” The UN refugee agency, which manages Kakuma, restricts the camp’s residents from sharing information about their relatives. With the mobile app, people can indicate where they are and who they’re looking for. If there is a match, both parties receive each other’s phone numbers. For security reasons, it takes a few steps to register, but there are already more than 3,000 users and several matches. The Find Me app was developed in collaboration with the camp’s residents. “That it was made with the locals is one of its main advan-

tages,” explains Corthouts. “The staff from the phone shop where I worked helped me map out the concept.” Corthouts has returned to Kakuma to screen his documentary and to fine-tune the app. Several organisations, including the Red Cross, have expressed interest in the project. “It would be great if a big NGO backed the app, especially financially, but it is crucial that it remains in the hands of the refugees. This is the key to its success.” The Invisible City [Kakuma] has screened at film festivals and in schools in Belgium and Nairobi. “It’s been well received by youngsters in both places,” says Corthouts. “After all, the film speaks about the dreams and aspirations of the young residents of Kakuma, and that is something youngsters anywhere can relate to.”

If walls could talk: Graffiti and poop emoji on show at C-Mine One of the summer’s most intriguing art events is happening at C-Mine, the re-purposed coal mine site in Genk. For the exhibition Wow – Writings on Walls, a dozen local and international graphic artists have contributed original works, most of which were painted directly onto the walls. Like the recently opened Millennium Iconoclast Museum of Art in Brussels, the show at C-Mine focuses on a new breed of contemporary artist whose roots are in non-traditional media like graffiti, tattoos, comics and street culture. Many of them are creative multitaskers who have found commercial success designing for advertising and product packaging. The wall-size paintings showcase a veritable who’s-who of international graphic design, including Brooklyn-based Mike Perry, British artist Kate Moross, The Dudes

First youTube event in Antwerp

Factory from Berlin and Brosmind from Spain. Despite the similarity in their approach to art-making, each has a distinct graphic style. For these artists, their style is their signature, lending cachet to their work for commercial brands like Nike or Land Rover. The first mural to greet viewers entering the C-Mine gallery is by French artist Tyrsa, who started

out in graffiti and then studied typography at Gobelins School of the Image in Paris. The work consists of three words spraypainted onto the wall in a trompel’oeil ribbon style: “Walls Can Talk.” This message sets the tone for the rest of the exhibition. Jean Julien, who drew the “Pray for Paris” logo that became an instant internet sensation last year, contributed a cartoon-like painting of a man reaching for his smartphone but held back by a tangle of electrical cords. Mike Perry’s piece shows a rainbowcoloured crowd coming together to form a peace symbol against a background of flowers. Yet other works seem to communicate nothing more than a love of

until 11 September

C-MiNEZOMER.BE

colour, line and shapes. And in the nearby compressor hall, against a backdrop of old industrial machinery, a giant pink inflatable poop emoji by Barcelona-based duo Hungry Castle seems to argue against the need for art to say anything significant at all. The exhibition continues in the first-floor design centre with the artists’ applied designs in decorative arts and commercial products. Among the variety of items on display are packaging for a limited-edition Duvel beer by Ghent design studio Toykyo and clothing with prints by Brusselsbased duo Hell’O. Visitors can pick up books, t-shirts and other artistdesigned items in the C-Mine gift shop. \ Diana Goodwin

C-Mine

Evence Coppéelaan 91, Genk

The nominations have been announced for the World Soundtrack Awards, which takes place in Ghent on 19 October. The awards are part of the Ghent Film Festival and sees world-famous film composers attending the ceremony. Among the five nominees for Film Composer of the Year are American Carter Burwell, who worked on several titles over the last year, including Anomalisa and Hail, Caesar!, and the legendary Italian Ennio Morricone, whose recent work includes the French film Come What May, the Italian film Correspondence and the bloodfilled western The Hateful Eight. Other categories include Best TV Composer and Best Original Song. A Lifetime Achievement award will be given to Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose long list of film scores includes The Last Emperor and The Revenant. The Brussels Philharmonic and Vlaams Radio Koor will perform a selection of Sakamoto’s works.

watou festival to crowdfund

Arts Festival Watou has decided to crowdfund its next festival instead of calling it a day, as it had announced last month. Just before the latest edition of the summer festival that mixes poetry and arts kicked off in July, it learned it had lost its subsidy from the government of Flanders. Organisers are crowdfunding the festival’s 2017 edition, which will be its 37th, hoping to raise €40,000 of a total budget of €400,000. Organisers said they were encouraged by the public’s response to the current edition, with visitor numbers up 15% on last year. It runs until 4 September. \ kunstenfestivalwatou.be

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\ ARTS

The woman behind the man Famous painter’s muse gets long-awaited recognition from unlikely source Rebecca Benoot More articles by Rebecca \ flanderstoday.eu

PETERTHEuNyNCK.WORDPRESS.COM liEsvangassE.wordPrEss.com

Peter Theunynck and Lies Van Gasse have teamed up to create a graphic novel on the life of Hélène Duerinckx, the wife of celebrated painter Rik Wouters, who had a huge influence on his work.

he title of the mesmerising graphic novel by Peter Theunynck and Lies Van Gasse is a reference to the famous sculpture by Rik Wouters, known as “Het zotte geweld” (the wild thing), modelled on his beloved wife and muse Hélène “Nel” Duerinckx. The authors of Nel, een zot geweld are both poets. Theunynck previously wrote the biography of the turn-of-the-20th-century Flemish author Karel van de Woestijne, and van Gasse was an illustrator, making them the perfect duo to create a graphic novel about Duerinckx, an exuberant woman who left a visible mark on art history. Her husband, a world-famous Fauvist painter and sculptor from the same period as van de Woestijne, lived a life scarred by poverty

Nel wasn’t a demure wallflower, but she wasn’t exactly an independent woman either and the First World War. But he was equally consumed by the determination to make art and by his love for Duerinckx, who was the inspiration for most of his work. She was the woman behind the man, his muse and his life. Nel, een zot geweld tells their tale. “When I read Eric Min’s biography of Wouters, I was enthralled by Nel,” Theunynck says. “She was such a strong woman, who played a

Through evocative illustrations and playful writing, Hélène “nel” Duerinckx finally takes centre stage

vital role in her husband’s life and, therefore, in the art scene.” In the Flanders of those days, “women tended to be quiet Catholic girls,” he continues, “but Nel was a woman who wanted to make something of her life”. Theunynck initially wanted to make a movie about her life, so he started working on a script. Realising that the odds of actually turning it into a film were slim, he contacted Van Gasse, who had previously worked with him on the graphic poem Waterdicht (Watertight), for which he wrote the poem and she created the illustrations. Van Gasse, who has a personal affection for Wouters’ sketches, did a lot of research. “I’ve always been drawn to his style and the fact

that he was able to create such an intimate world with so little,” she says. “I was also intrigued by Nel. She wasn’t a demure wallflower, but she wasn’t exactly an independent woman.” Duerinckx supported her husband unconditionally, Van Gasse adds, but she was also opportunistic. “Wouters idealised her in his work, but in our book, I was able to show the other side of this woman who means so much to art history.” The fluent and playful story is brought to life by Van Gasse’s evocative illustrations, which seem to be taken from the 19th century. Reminiscent of Wouters himself, the images are often dark, emphasising the subjects’ despair and intensity. They portray Duer-

inckx as a survivor, a woman whose emotions and sacrifice burst from the pages. “I wanted to reflect Wouters’ works in my own images,” Van Gasse explains. “I tried to create a style that evokes him but at the same time stays true to myself. Referring to existing work is fun, but, on the other hand, Wouters is such a legend to me that it was daunting to create this book, because it also feels like an homage of sorts.” It took Van Gasse two years to finish the illustrations for the book. “It’s a creative dialogue between her work and that of Wouters,” Theunynck adds. “What’s interesting about it is that certain important events that weren’t chronicled by Wouters have now been brought to life. Where we lack certainty and facts, the imagination of the artist can help fill in the missing elements.” Nel, een zot geweld is not a biography of Duerinckx, he continues, “but rather literary fiction in search of the truth. Eric Min, Wouters’ official biographer says that much in the preface to the graphic novel: ‘When the biographer keeps silent, the artist must speak’.” Theunynck appreciated that kind of freedom when creating the story. “My previous biography is an academic document based on facts,” he says. “With Nel, I was able to provide my own interpretation when it came to certain aspects of her life that weren’t documented. It’s a mix of creative fiction and non-fiction.” The authors are now considering more illustrated biographies. “I’ve always been fascinated with painters and sculptors,” Theunynck says, “and ever since I was a child, I’ve been frustrated that I couldn’t do those things myself. I’m a bit like Nel, who was fascinated with the art world but lacked the talent.” Until she met Wouters, he adds. “He became her hands and eyes. It is very similar to my relationship with Lies. I wrote the text, and Lies has wonderfully captured the images that were in my head.”

) is published in Nel, een zot geweld ( Dutch by Wereldbibliotheek

more neW grAphic novels this summer De triomf van het tekenen (The Triumph of Drawing) • Mark Smeets (Scratch Books) At the time of Mark Smeets’ death from leukaemia in 1999, he was considered one of the greatest artists in the Low Countries. His graphic novels were never complete stories, with easily distinguishable main characters, but rather poetic fragments filled with absurd images, plot twists and lovingly executed ideas that resulted in a unique and inventive oeuvre. His style is reminiscent of his greatest influence, Hergé. De triomf van het tekenen is a beautiful collection of work by Smeets and includes previously unpublished work. A work of art. Black Clouds Rolling in: One Sketch a Day • liesbeth De Stercke (Bries) Setting her story in the American south of the 1930s, Liesbeth De Stercke has created an unusual epic about people who fall victim to the Great Depression and must

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helplessly watch as their farm and livelihood is swept away by dust storms. Every day in 2013, De Stercke made a sketch based on photographs, postcards and her own experiences, creating a visual diary chronicling a generation ravaged by nature and politics. There is no chronology in Black Clouds Rolling In; the book is solely comprised of powerful black-and-white images that exude hope and despair. De gouden lijst (The Golden Frame) • Rindert Kromhout & Gerda Dendooven (leopold) Rindert Kromhout was long inspired by the Bloomsbury Group, and this is his attempt to share it with young readers. A married couple, who have everything they desire, ask a painter to create a piece that would perfectly fit their newly acquired golden frame. The painter, however, didn’t feel restricted by the frame when creating the

masterpiece, forcing everyone in the house to look at art and possessions very differently. The story is a bit preachy, but Gerda Dendooven’s vibrant and characteristic illustrations add an extra layer of depth. De roaap van Rubbes (Rubens’ turnip) • Willy vandersteen (Standaard uitgeverij) Published originally as De raap van Rubens in 1977, this is a special edition of the comic strip album. The story was created to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rubens and was originally released in several languages – but not the dialect of its hometown. Until now. Film director Robbe de Hert and screenwriter Eric Kloeck translated this wacky, best-selling tale, in which Lambik goes back in time to work alongside Rubens. The result is a limited collector’s item filled with humour and nostalgia.

\ AGenDA

august 24, 2016

In the key of green

FestivAl

Weg van Klassiek 26-28 August

he farmland and gently rolling hills of Pajottenland and the Zenne valley are the picturesque decor of Weg Van Klassiek, a festival that combines soothing piano sounds with local flora and fauna. The headliners of this fourth edition are Brussels pianist Julien Libeer and a bunch of bats. The latter are hunting insects at the ponds of Gaasbeek Castle. Thanks to so-called bat detectors, their ultrasonic hunting sounds can be heard by humans. This soundtrack is the apotheosis of an evening walk through the castle domain during the Night of the

Antwerp

Across Flemish Brabant wEgvanklassiEk.BE

Bat. It also appears to be the ideal opening act for a Saturday night recital by Libeer (pictured) and cellist Camille Thomas. Right after the walk, the duo will tackle music by Robert Schumann, Gabriel Fauré and César Franck. At the end, there’s “good luck tea” for everyone, referring to the Chinese symbol that means both means “good luck” and “bat”. During other weekend walks, you can stroll around De Wolfsputten in Dilbeek and the fields in Oudenaken, offering contemplation in the green belt west of Brussels ahead of more piano concerts. The evening solo show by Libeer

in Dilbeek appropriately includes Frederic Chopin’s “Nocturnes”, in contrast to his Sunday morning set in the church of Sint-LaureinsBerchem, a duo performance with Brussels-based pianist Elodie Vignon, with works by Ravel, Debussy and Bizet. For nature lovers Weg van Klassiek offers a great opportunity to get acquainted with a talented young (he has yet to turn 30) chamber musician with a keen ear for melodies. For urbanites, it’s a chance to discover a lesser-known part of Flanders at near walking distance from the capital. \ Tom Peeters

visuAl Arts

music FestivAl

China: Grain to Pixel

Maanrock

until 10 September The shift from film to digital photography was a watershed moment for artists around the world. It was especially significant in China, where it coincided with the economic reforms and social transformations of the 1980s. This exhibition, presented by the Shanghai Center of Photog-

China Cultural Center, Brussels cccBrussEls.BE

raphy, showcases 40 works by the country’s leading contemporary photographers and spans over 30 years. The period begins with artists coming to grips with new means of expression and ends with a mature art form reflecting the nuances of Chinese society in the 21st century. \ Georgio Valentino

26-28 August Maanrock turns 20 this year, and Mechelen is honouring its massively successful summer music festival in grand fashion. The free three-day party occupies the city centre with four stages and dozens of (mostly) Flemish acts, ranging from rock to pop to jazz. Headliners include Antwerp rock

Villanova Festival: This launching pad for young artists features theatre, documentaries, installations and more, accompanied by living room concerts and a closing party. 25-27 August, De Studio, Maarschalk Gerardstraat 4 \ villanovafestival.be

Brussels Brussels Games Festival: Thirty-two hours of non-stop free board gaming for all ages and levels, with a diverse range of games: party games, family, strategic, card, roleplaying. 27-28 August, Museum of the Armed Forces, Jubelpark \ brusselsgamesfestival.be

music FestivAl Brussels

Grote Markt, Mechelen maanrock.BE

luminary Admiral Freebee and veteran blues singer Paul Michiels. This anniversary edition features a mini-expo documenting Maanrock’s evolution from humble block party to blockbuster event. And the Kinderstraat gives the young ones plenty to do while their parents enjoy the show(s). \ GV

Fiesta Latina: Samba- and Latino rhythms from Cuba to the Bahamas and from Venezuela to Mexico, fuelled with plenty of southern-inspired dishes and cocktails. 26-28 August, Ter Kamerenbos \ facebook.com/Fiestalatinabrussels

outdoors Antwerp Cultuurmarkt: Info market in preparation for another packed season of cultural activities across Flanders, with 170 stands offering up their agendas and entertainment including music, theatre, comedy, circus and literature. 28 August 11.00-18.00, across city centre \ cultuurmarkt.be

Maldegem

event

stAnd-up

Flower Parade 28 August, 14.30 The coastal Blankenberge boasts sandy beaches, an art deco pier and this unique end-of-season procession. On the last Sunday of August the city organises a Flower Parade complete with large, ornate floats as well as marching bands, orchestras, dance groups and, of course, loads of locally cultivated flora. The tradition goes back over a century and draws some 100,000 spectators. This year’s theme is children’s toys. Visitors are invited to come early for a behind-thescenes look at float preparation the day before the main event and to stick around the day after for a final exhibition before the floats are dismantled. \ GV

Richard Ruben: Mind the Gap Across Blankenberge BlOEMENCORSOBlankEnBErgE.BE

30 August, 20.00 Richard Ruben has been a fixture on the francophone stand-up circuit for over 20 years. Now the celebrated Belgian comedian is tackling a new language: English. It’s not entirely foreign to the Brussels-born funny man. His father was British, and he’s travelled the English-speaking world extensively. Mind the Gap finds Ruben reflecting on the people he’s met along the way and in his rapidly changing hometown. The show is co-written by fellow Belgian comedian Christy Evenepoel. The evening’s opening act is Greco-Dutch performer Soula Notos, member of Utrecht-based comedy collective Het Comedyhuis. \ GV

Black Sheep, Brussels ENGliSHCOMEDyBRuSSElS.COM

Genieten van Maldegem: Get to know this East Flemish municipality and its picturesque countryside during a mountain bike, cycling or walking route, with finish in the leafy Sint-Annapark where a culinary village, concerts and entertainment await. 28 August \ maldegem.be/genieten

concert Brussels

get tic k

ets no w

Garbage: After the successful 20th anniversary tour of their legendary debut album, the iconic 1990s band starts a new chapter in their career with the launch of a new tour to promote the new album, Strange Little Birds. 11 November 20.00, Koninklijk Circus, Onderrichtstraat 81 \ proximusgoformusic.be

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\ BACkPAGe

august 24, 2016

Talking Dutch

voices oF FlAnders todAy

Desperately seeking Pikachu Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

ince the terrorist attacks in March, tourist offices have been struggling to persuade people to come to Flanders. But it seems there is one sure way of getting tourists back to your town. Just look at what happened a few days ago in one tiny town. Nog nooit zoveel volk gezien in Lillo – Never seen so many people in Lillo, ran the headline in Het Laatste Nieuws. No one knew what was happening at first. It was a rainy Monday morning, when suddenly mobs of young people arrived waving around their smartphones. Weer of geen weer – Weather or no weather niemand kan de Pokémonvangers uit Lillo houden – no one could keep the Pokémon hunters out of Lillo. So what is this Pokémon craze all about? Pokémon Go is een spel op de smartphone – Pokémon Go is a game you play on your smartphone, the newspaper explained, geïnspireerd op de razend populaire tekenfilmreeks uit 1996 – inspired by the insanely popular animated film series from 1996, waarbij enkele jongeren jacht maakten op Pokémon – which involves groups of young people hunting for Pokémon. De bedoeling is dat je er zoveel mogelijk vangt – The aim is to catch

as many of them as you can. Although the Pokémon characters appear only on your phone, you “find” them in real-life places. The hunt for Pokémon characters like Rattata and Wartortle has already taken fans to some strange places in Flanders, like the abandoned and forgotten Lillo, one of the villages eaten up by the expansion of the port of Antwerp. Het piepklein havendorpje Lillo werd de afgelopen weken overspoeld – The tiny harbour town of Lillo has been mobbed for the past few weeks omdat daar veel Pokémons gesignaleerd worden – because a number of Pokémons have shown up there. Normaal is het dorpje van zeven straten en 35 inwoners uitgestorven – Normally this village of seven streets and 35 residents is dead maar nu is het aanschuiven voor

een parkeerplekje – but now people are queuing up for a parking place. Not that local businesses are complaining. En gelukkig maar – And a good thing, too, want de horeca krijgt er alvast een boost door – because food and drink establishments are definitely feeling the benefit. Duizenden mensen per dag passeren hier tegenwoordig – Thousands of people are now passing this way every day, one happy pub owner told the newspaper. We zijn wel wat toeristen gewoon – We’re used to getting some tourists maar dit hebben we toch nog nooit gezien – but we’ve never seen anything like this. We kunnen het amper bolwerken – we can hardly cope. Al heel de dag regent het pijpenstelen – It was torrential rain the whole day, geen denken aan dat er nu iemand buitenkomt – no one thought anyone would leave the house, maar toch – but no, overal staan Pokémonjagers onder hun paraplu’s verscholen – Pokémon hunters were everywhere tucked under their umbrellas. Those little characters with funny names might have arrived at the right time to save the Flemish tourist industry.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

In response to Quirky Flanders: Walk through a forest that was once a battlefield Griet Vanhoucke: I can only confirm, nice place!

In response to Letters disappear from logos as part of Red Cross campaign Eugene Kasko: That’s why.

In response to New app to help cyclists navigate Brussels Eric Flanders: Someday, I will return to the land of my people, and ride these paths.

Hannah @winewordslovers I had such a great time there! Thank you @pukkelpop, the 6 hour car journey from Paris to Hasselt was so worth it.

Viki Bell @Vikiibell Exploring Ghent festival on our Europe trip

Bart De Roeck @deroeckie Happy to be back in #leuven #lunchbreak

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the lAst Word Pokémon Stop

Spamming Mathilde

Koen Van Heddeghem of the association of Flemish municipalities on the plague of Pokémon Go hunters

Queen Mathilde was the victim of a fake advertisement in which her image appeared to endorse diet pills

Star quality

Bounty of bunnies

Fans of Rihanna, like 23-year-old Katia, complain the hip-hop star was late and failed to perform live at Pukkelpop

Proprietor Marnick Croes now has 17 rabbits in the garden of the Serpentarium in Blankenberge

“Hopefully the problem will solve itself in September, when students are back at school and the weather is a bit worse.”

“You come for a whole day to a festival, sleep in a tent and then you have to wait hours for someone to play a CD in front of you. That’s not why you come here.”

“The Belgian queen Mathilde has revealed her unbelievable secret in the hope of changing people’s lives!”

“Jordy, Shanti, Daisy, Sandy, Fauwny, Lucky, Looni, Bailey, Kylie, Naomi, Trixie, Gracy, Beauty, Dusty, Nikey and Snowy. Have I got everyone? Ah! Chelsey of course. How could I forget?”

the bright stuFF Some of the 5,000 participants at Saturday’s Color Run in Brussels, a night-time event at the Tours & Taxi site in which runners are pelted with luminous powders throughout the 5km circuit.

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