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november 2, 2016 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ P2

Politics \ P4

Sizzling SomerS

The mayor of Mechelen, Bart Somers, has been nominated for the World Mayor Prize for his city’s outreach to refugees \4

business \ P8

lunar life

innovation \ P9

education \ P10

art & living \ P11

BeaStS of Burden

Where there’s water, there’s life. Or so hope Brussels scientists, who have discovered a hidden sea on Saturn’s moon Dione

As the centenary of the First World War continues, a graphic novelist relates the stories of some very special war-time animals

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In good company

© Courtesy minor-ndako

a brussels-based non-profit lends a hand to unaccompanied refugee minors sally tipper Follow sally on Twitter \ @sallybtipper

The non-profit organisation Minor-Ndako takes care of refugee children who arrive in Belgium alone, giving them the best possible chance to overcome trauma, form connections and start rebuilding their lives.

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report this summer by the children’s charity Unicef showed that for every 10 child refugees who make the journey from North Africa to Europe, nine are travelling alone. In the first five months of the year, more than 7,000 under-18s arrived in Europe via Italy without parents or other adults – twice as many as in the same period last year.

For the past 14 years, the Brussels-based non-profit Minor-Ndako has been offering care and guidance for such

children in Flanders and the capital. By providing shared accommodation, counselling and other practical help, they aim to integrate unaccompanied foreign minors into local life and give them the best possible chance to rebuild their lives.

“In 2002, when we were set up, there was a real lack of care for unaccompanied minors,” spokesperson Semma Groenendijk explains. “Nobody really knew what to do with them, so they’d often end up stuck in massive reception centres.”

The term “unaccompanied minor” has a strict legal definition, referring to anyone under the age of 18 from a non-EU country who is in Belgium without a legal guardian. They may be under the care of an older sibling, other

relative or family friend, but if that person is not the child’s legal guardian, they’re considered to be unaccompanied.

When these minors arrives in Belgium, the government appoints a guardian, who arranges their initial accommodation and represents them in legal matters. Once they’ve been taken in by Minor-Ndako, a teenager is likely to live in a supervised residential group for a year or more, going to school, learning Dutch and getting their asylum process under way.

Then, when Minor-Ndako staff feel they’re ready, they can move on to a shared apartment, where the emphasis is less on care and more on learning to stand on their own two feet.

“There is an assistant, but the youngsters have a budget, continued on page 7

\ CUrrenT AFFAIrs

Suicide figures ‘alarming’

rate of suicide attempts in lgbt community much higher than researchers expected andy furniere more articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

vlesP.be

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bout one-quarter of all gay and transgendered people in Flanders have attempted suicide at least once in their life, according to a survey by the Flemish Expertise Centre on Suicide Prevention at Ghent University (UGent).

Of the 656 gay and 248 transgendered participants surveyed, 26.5% said they had attempted suicide at least once. Among gay people, 22% have tried to end their life, while the rate among transgendered people is nearly 39%.

The researchers told De Morgen that the

Average Belgian’s biological age is six years older due to lifestyle The body of the average Belgian employee is biologically 6.4 years older than the person’s actual age, according to research carried out at the request of insurer Delta Lloyd Life. It was the first such biological age study ever conducted in the country.

Researchers took into account 26 factors linked to longer or shorter life spans. The five factors that are most influential in premature aging are smoking, a poor diet, inactivity, overconsumption of alcohol and stress.

“Smokers, for example, can add seven biological years to their real age, but can somewhat compensate by scoring well in the other

categories,” Ghent University professor Lieven Annemans, who was involved in the study, told De Morgen.

Annemans emphasised that not only physical health but also psychological and socio-economic factors determine biological ages.

“We know that friends and pets have a positive impact on your psychosocial condition,” he said.

Annemans pointed out that business has a crucial impact on the biologicalhealthoftheirstaff.“There is still much room for improvement concerning the mental side,” said Annemans. “Employers can make their staff happier by appreciating and supporting them.” \ AF

statistics are “alarming” and much higher than expected. Among the main risk factors, they said, are homophobic and transphobic violence, the reaction of parents to a comingout and difficulties in seeking professional help.

Jeroen Borghs of LGBT rights organisation Çavaria has called on the government of Flanders to take action. “There should be a targeted suicide-prevention campaign that focuses on transgendered people and young lesbians, who are the most vulnerable groups,” he said.

In response, Flemish welfare minister Jo Vandeurzen has announced that in the coming months he will call on organisations to work together on preventive actions In the report, the UGent researchers emphasise the need to better protect LGBT people with tougher measures against transphobia, for example. They also argue for a plan to create safer school and work environments.

The Suicide Hotline can be reached at 1813 or through the website zelfmoord1813.be.

Wetteren train crash was ‘solely fault of driver’ The train accident and ensuing explosion that took place at Wetteren in East Flanders in 2013 was entirely the result of human error, according to the prosecutor’s office in Dendermonde. The report concluded that no-one can be prosecuted since the only person responsible has since died.

The accident took place just before 2.00 on 4 May 2013, when seven wagons of an 18-wagon freight train derailed, bursting into flames and releasing the toxic substance acrylonitrile. More than 30 people were admitted to hospital after being exposed to fumes, which leaked into houses via the sewer system.

One resident died from exposure

to the fumes. Some 2,000 people in Wetteren were evacuated from their homes, and thousands of blood samples were taken.

The train was on its way from the Netherlands to the port of Ghent.

The Dutch driver died two years after the accident.

According to Katrien Borms of the prosecutor’s office, expert reports had shown that there had been no security breaches or technical faults. “The prosecutor, on the basis of all the elements in the case file, has come to the decision that the accident is solely attributed to the fault of the driver,” said Borms.

The train was travelling at 84km/h at the time of the accident, in an area where the speed limit is

Ensor exhibition curated by Luc Tuymans opens in London Last weekend saw the opening of Intrigue: James Ensor by Luc Tuymans at the Royal Academy of Arts on Piccadilly in London.

The exhibition of works by the famous surrealist was curated by contemporary Flemish painter Luc Tuymans.

Ensor was born in 1860 in Ostend to a British father and Flemish mother. He left school at 15 to study painting at the Royal Academy in Brussels, where he quickly turned his back on academic values and became an important – though scandalous – influence

in expressionism and surrealism.

Living and working back in his parents’ home at the coast, Ensor’s reputation quickly spread across the international art world, and he was ennobled as a baron in 1929 by King Albert I. Painting more than 800 works in his lifetime, his oeuvre is extremely diverse, but his commedia dell’arte depicting grotesque masks – questioning the truth behind a public facade – have been the most enduring.

Ensor died in Ostend in 1949.

In an interview published on the

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James ensor’s “self Portrait with Flowered Hat” (1883)

cost for the repair of damage resulting from the bomb attacks in Brussels and Zaventem in March, as well as contributions to victims’ medical costs, the federal economy minister told parliament

suspects sent for trial by the HalleVilvoorde prosecutor’s office for the spectacular theft of diamonds from a Swissair flight about to take off from Brussels Airport in February 2013

The inauguration of a memorial plaque to recognise the train disaster in wetteren

40km/h. “Given that the driver is now deceased, he can no longer be criminally prosecuted,” Borms said. The case will be officially closed in December by a court in Dendermonde, unless new evidence comes to light. \ Alan Hope

royalacademy.org.uk

website of the Royal Academy, Tuymans pointed out that Ensor is relatively little-known in the UK, despite having been a British national until taking Belgian citizenship late in life.

“His work was informed and deliberate and responded to art history,” said Tuymans. “The moment he portrays himself with the flower hat, he makes a clear connotation with Rubens’ ‘The Straw Hat’, ironic or not.

There are elements of respect and admiration in Ensor’s painting but also disgust and mockery.

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24th

place for Belgium on the Global Gender Gap Index compiled by the World Economic Forum, down from 19th place last year from a total of 144 countries. The list is headed by Iceland and Finland

© sabam belgium 2016/mU.Zee

© nicolas maeterlinck/belGA

He was trying to shake things up, because Rubens was – and is – an icon in Belgium.”

In an echo of that homage, the exhibition includes one of Tuymans’ works, “Gilles de Binche” (2004). It depicts a carnival costume from the Ardennes village, an echo of Ensor’s “The Intrigue” (1890).

The Royal Academy exhibition, which runs until 29 January, includes works borrowed from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts Antwerp, Mu.Zee in Ostend and Ghent’s Fine Arts Museum. \ AH

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more serious accidents involving pedestrians during the winter period, which started last weekend, according to the Institute for Road Safety. Poor visibility in the darker mornings is the main reason

bicycles stolen every day on average in Belgium. The cost of the thefts is also increasing, to a total of €112 million, because of the increasing numbers of electric bikes involved

november 2, 2016

WeeK in Brief Jef Colruyt, CEO of the supermarket chain, has become the first recipient of the Joule Prize, awarded by the Organisation for Sustainable Energy. Colruyt received the prize in the Flemish parliament from energy minister Bart Tommelein.

The prize is awarded to an individual, organisation or company in Flanders that has made a significant contribution to the sustainable consumption of energy.

Colruyt was praised as a “positive trend-setter” that pays “constant attention to the use of energy in daily practice”.

There are too many police zones in Belgium to operate efficiently, and there is not enough personnel to carry out the necessary tasks, according to Catherine De Bolle, chief of the federal police, speaking to the federal parliament’s committee investigating the March terrorist attacks. Belgium has 189 police zones, with a staff De Bolle said is 15% below requirements. By 2019, when planned spending cuts will have been implemented, that deficit will have risen to 24%. “That will have an impact on the implementation of the national security plan,” she said.

An incident in February in which a train in Flemish Brabant travelled 12 kilometres without a driver was the result of human error, a report by rail accident investigators has revealed. The empty train was on its way to Leuven when the automatic brake lost pressure.

The driver stepped out to inspect the exterior of the train without setting other braking systems, and the train started moving again.

Another driver was able to board the train at Tienen and bring it to a halt.

The sculpture of the agonising Everard ’t Serclaes on the Grote Markt in Brussels is back following its removal in 2011 for repairs. The bronze relief had been damaged by being rubbed by visitors, a gesture reputed to bring good luck. ’t Serclaes was a 14th-century alderman of Brussels who saved the city from the clutches of Louis de

face of flanderS Male, count of Flanders, and was attacked on the road from Lennik to Brussels, dying a few days later.

The renovation cost the city nearly €250,000.

Wouter Deprez is recruiting fellow comedians and musicians for an event to raise funds for independent news site Apache.be, following damage claims against the site. Among the claims is one for €100,000 from Bart De Wever’s former chief-of-staff for stories on Antwerp construction projects, and another for €250,000 from real estate developer Land Invest. The site has also started crowdfunding for its legal fund.

delivery staff, at least for the festive season. Last year the company made 80,000 deliveries a day in Belgium, a record it expects to beat this year. In addition, warehouses in Vilvoorde and Sint-Truiden will be enlarged, and a new sorting centre opened in Sint-Niklaas.

An exhibition on the phenomenon of Harry Potter currently running at Brussels Expo has been extended until 8 January. The international exhibition toured 14 cities before arriving in Brussels, where some 275,000 people have visited since it opened in June. \ expoharrypotter.be

© Jasper Jacobs/belGA

\ apache.be/iksteunapache

A number of people personally affected by the terrorist attacks in Brussels and Zaventem last March were updated on the progress of the investigation into the attacks last week. In two sessions, those affected – including injured parties and relatives of the dead – heard from magistrates, police, the disaster identification team and bomb experts. The exact details of what was said are not being revealed while the investigation continues.

Another Belgian has won a large jackpot on the EuroMillions lottery. The man won €50 million in the latest draw, just two weeks after a street-sweeper in Schaarbeek picked up €168 million. The latest winner has asked to remain anonymous.

Belgium’s first restaurant that specifically caters to babies opened in Ghent last week.

Amélie+Moi has a special menu for babies, a play space, changing facilities and a welcoming policy regarding crying and running around. Breast-feeding is also welcome. \ ameliemoi.be

Dutch parcel delivery service PostNL is hiring in Belgium, with the aim of taking on about 100

The logistics firm H Essers has been awarded a hotly contested environmental permit for the extension of its premises in Genk. The application made headlines earlier this year when it was criticised by the popular Flemish comedian Wouter Deprez for meaning the loss of 12 hectares of woodland. The Flemish government told Essers it would have to plant 13.2 hectares in compensation, and the permit was finally issued by provincial authorities.

Flemish media minister Sven Gatz assured regional broadcasters that their subsidies are safe until at least the middle of next year, when a general evaluation will take place. The handful of broadcasters in question are those that are not part of larger media conglomerates such as Ghent’s AVS and Rob TV of Flemish Brabant. Between now and the evaluation, Gatz advised the broadcasters to co-operate to seek economies of scale.

An unidentified insurance company has been fined €56,000 for discrimination against a transgendered woman, when it tried to exclude all costs from a health insurance contract that could be associated with her “gender dysphoria”. The woman took her complaint to the Institute for Equality between Women and Men, which brought the case to court.

Hans van alphen Hans Van Alphen has long been one of Flanders’ most beloved sports stars, his easy charm winning more fans than medals.

The decathlete from Alken, Limburg, announced his retirement last week, at the age of 34.

He is generating plaudits for his graceful retreat from sport after he accepted the inevitability of his persistent injuries.

Atapressconference,VanAlphen said his latest injury would have put him out of action until early February. Combined with the many others over the last three years – including an abdominal strain that kept him from the Rio Olympics last summer – he admitted that his hunger for the challenge had abated. “And a professional athlete without a challenge is not a professional athlete,” he said.

When Van Alphen emerged in 2007, taking silver at the Universiade in Bangkok with more than 8000 points, he promised to dominate the sport. A few weeks later he took part in the World Championships in Osaka where he came 11th, a perfor-

HansvanalPHen.be

mance that qualified him for the Olympic Games in Beijing. “I was immensely proud because I was really still an amateur,” he said His best year came in 2012, with a fourth place at the Olympic Games in London, winning the final 1,500 metres, but coming 10 seconds short of the bronze medal. It was also the year he won the prestigious Gotzis Hypo-Meeting, setting a Belgian decathlon record of 8,519 points.

While Val Alphen didn’t compete in this year’s Olympics, he did inspire Thomas Van Der Plaetsen, his fellow Flemish decathlete who fought back from testicular cancer two years ago to finish eighth in the Rio decathlon this summer.

ValAlphenhasalreadyalteredhis Twitter bio to read “Ex-Decathlete who likes to travel, eat and enjoy life”. Part of his retirement plan is a postgraduate degree in manual therapy. He was optimistic, describing the next stage as “a third career” after studies and competition. “It’s all very exciting,” he said. \ Leo Cendrowicz

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

offSide christmas countdown

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.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, and so are the customers for the latest seasonal sensation from Delhaize: an advent calendar of beers, which, you’ll be surprised to learn, is a first for Belgium.

The package is made up of 24 beers, to be consumed daily from 1 to 24 December. Each bottle is 33cl (except for the Palm at 25cl). The whole package costs €49.99, so even if you’re not going to play the one-a-day game, it’s a pretty good deal for 24 beers.

Aside from Palm, old favourites include Duvel, Leffe Blond and Rochefort 8. Less well-known are

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, Emma Davis, Paula Dear, Andy Furniere, Lee Gillette, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Arthur Rubinstein, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton general manager Hans De Loore PublisHer Mediahuis NV

Cornet, made by Palm. The name comes not from the musical instrument, but from Theodoor Cornet, brewer in the 17th century to the Duke of Maldeghem-Steenhuffel, who went on to found the De Hoorn brewery (a play on his name), which later became Palm.

Most of the Trappists are represented, but in all, the list favours blonds: Karmeliet, Omer, Vedett, La Chouffe and Averbode.

Among the rarities are Wild Jo, made

by De Koninck in its city brewery using both wild yeast and two sorts of dry hops – something otherwise

© Courtesy Delhaize

not found in conventional brewing.

Finally, there are two organic beers: Belgoo amber and Ginette Natural White, a wheat beer. \ Alan Hope

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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\ PolITICs

Mechelen mayor in the running for World Mayor Prize bart somers nominated in competition honouring the world’s best mayors alan Hope more articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

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art Somers, one-time Flemish minister-president and now mayor of Mechelen, has made the shortlist of the World Mayor Prize. The 15 mayors on the list are considered the best mayors in the world.

The biennial prize is award by the City Mayors Foundation, an international organisation that promotes and facilitates open

communication and good practices between city governments.

“It’s obviously great news, and it’s always better to be on a positive list than a negative, but my feet are planted firmly on the ground,” Somers (Open VLD) told VRT. “It’s true, we have our own way of doing things in Mechelen, and we often get inquiries from abroad.”

The nominations are based partly

© Facebook

on a poll and partly on a jury’s determination of certain criteria, such as leadership, vision, environmental awareness, security and economic policy. This year special attention is being paid to the cities’ reception of refugees and the integration of migrants, their “compassion for people who have travelled great distances to find safety”. Also on the shortlist

is Ayman Hallaq, the mayor of the beleaguered Syrian city of Aleppo.

“Mechelen has problems and difficulties like all cities, but we manage to get people to live together in diversity,” said Somers (pictured).

Daniël Termont, mayor of Ghent, came in second place in the 2014 World Mayor Prize. This year’s result will be announced in January.

Regions reach compromise on Ceta trade agreement

Flemish parliament delays vote on ritual slaughter until next year

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau arrived in Brussels at the weekend to sign the EU-Canada free trade agreement known as Ceta. The signing of the pact followed a delay caused by the government of Wallonia.

Last week, Belgium’s regional governments came to an agreement on Ceta, following several days of tense negotiations after Wallonia unexpectedly blocked approval.

The European Commission was forced to give Belgium an extension of its deadline, or see the entire agreement fall apart.

It remains unclear what the functional differences are between the new form of the treaty accepted by the Walloon government, led by socialist Paul Magnette, and the form rejected earlier. According to Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois and former EU commissioner Karel De Gucht, while some clarifications were offered by the Commission, not a word of the actual treaty has been modified.

Magnette’s rejection of the trade agreement led to international headlines and questions

Members of the animal welfare committee in the Flemish parliament have postponed a vote on a proposal to ban the slaughter of animals without stunning – the type of ritual slaughter carried out in the halal and kosher traditions.

The vote was due to take place last week, but the committee said it preferred to wait for the results of negotiations being carried out by the mediator, former Boerenbond president Piet Vanthemsche. The decision to delay the vote was taken by the majority parties N-VA, CD&V and Open VLD. In Flanders, it is illegal to slaughter an animal outside of licensed slaughterhouses without first stunning it with an electrical pulse.

During the annual Feast of the Sacrifice, Muslims are required to slaughter an animal – usually a sheep – and tradition dictates that it be done without stunning the animal.

But licensed slaughterhouses are unable to keep up with demand during the feast.

This lack of facilities in which to perform ritual slaughter has caused problems between religious communities and the government, as well as animal rights organisation Gaia. Now the government of Flanders is prepared to vote on a total ban on slaughter without stunning, even in licensed

some european farmers says that Ceta will put them out of business

as to how a regional government representing some 3.6 million people could torpedo a treaty approved by governments representing 350 million people in the EU. Magnette feared that Ceta would undermine food safety, agriculture and workers’ rights and provide a back-door access to US companies. He echoed other critics of Ceta internationally, some of whom see it as mostly benefiting multinational corporations.

The treaty with Canada was finally signed in Brussels by all 28 member states. \ AH

Waste-water recycling and hydrogen power topics of Flemish Environment Congress Environment minister Joke Schauvliege gave the opening address last week at the Flemish Environment Congress in Mechelen, a biennial event co-organised by the government’s department for environment, nature and energy.

This year’s theme was “co-operation between companies and government pays off,” with workshops based on best practices in the field. Keynote speakers were Marc Dillen of the Construction Confederation and Ignace Schops of Regionaal Landschap Kempen en Maasland.

One of the workshops covered recycling of waste-water for heating and cleaning by Brewery Huyghe in East Flanders. As well as its trademark Delirium Tremens, Huyghe also brews on contract for many other partners and is on its way to becoming the “greenest” brewer in the country.

Other subjects covered were the development of heating networks in Flanders, featuring the city of Antwerp and power supplier

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© nicolas lambert/belGA

slaughterhouses.

Vanthemsche was appointed last summer following the Council of State’s warning that a total ban could be a breach of freedom of religion. His job is to find common ground between supporters of the ban and the religious organisations that oppose it.

N-VA, the party of animal welfare minister Ben Weyts, expects there to be a “definitive and judicially conclusive ruling” available by next summer, ahead of the Muslim Festival of the Sacrifice, which falls on 1 September, 2017. According to committee member Jelle Engelbosch, only a total ban would be acceptable. \ AH

Flanders’ new sports investment plan kicks off with €35 million © Ingimage

Eandis; biodiversity in Lommel in Limburg; hydrogen power in the port of the future; and collection of data on water consumption by chemical industry federation Essencia and the Flemish Environment Agency VMM. Schauvliege also announced a new Green Economy Covenant between private sector partners and the Flemish government to help industry adapt greener measures government the use of energy, water, materials and food. The covenant, the minister said, is based on the example of the Netherlands’ “Green Deal”. \ AH

Flanders’ minister for sport, Philippe Muyters, has approved a 2017 budget of €35 million for the creation of sport infrastructure across the region. The spending includes facilities like swimming pools, sports centres and fields.

Investments in infrastructure in the past, Muyters explained in a statement, were plagued by uncertainty, with potential investors unsure whether the Flemish government would take part in the project, and to what extent. In future, Flanders will set aside €5 million a year for infrastructure projects.

That money will provide support up to 30% of the cost of a project, up to a limit of €1 million per project.

“Previously you never knew if, how and

when Flanders would invest in a particular sort of sport infrastructure,” Muyters said. “That uncertainty is in the past. Everyone now knows that we will have a budget of €5 million every year open to everyone, whether that’s a swimming pool, a sport centre or a hockey pitch.”

For 2017, the government will provide not only the planned €5 million but also an additional €30 million. Organisations can apply for funding based on how any new project responds to local demand and what is already available. “Flanders wants to use its resources as efficiently as possible,” Muyters said, “and so will prioritise projects that provide sports opportunities to as many people as possible.” \ AH

november 2, 2016

Cultural ties that bind

flanders and japan celebrate 150 years of diplomatic relations ian mundell more articles by Ian \ flanderstoday.eu

I

t’s 150 years since Belgium and Japan first established diplomatic relations, an anniversary that is being celebrated with cultural and artistic events in both countries.

Yet the treaty that began it all was a product of its time: an unequal agreement, giving rights and privileges to Belgian traders without returning the favour to the Japanese.

The Belgian treaty was one of a number of unequal treaties signed with Western nations after Japan was forced to open its doors in 1853. At that point it had been a closed society for over 200 years, with heavy restrictions on travel to and from the country. Its only trading partners were China, Korea and the Dutch East India Company.

Friendly approaches from the West had failed to get Japan to broaden its trading relations, so in 1853 the US government sent four heavily armed ships to rephrase the question. Literally outgunned, Japan opened up. Belgium was the ninth nation to sign an agreement with Japan, on 1 August 1866.

Though further diplomatic and trade agreements followed, with fairer terms, the anniversary still resonates. “The date may be symbolic now, but I think it is still quite important,” says Bernard

Flemish musician and composer Jef neve (second from right) and the nagoya University of Arts wind orchestra perform at the recent Taste of belgium event in Tokyo; Arts Flanders Japan director bernard Catrysse (below)

quite an exotic thing to do. But 150 years ago Dutch was an important second language for trade and communication with the West.

The American treaty of 1854, for example, had to be negotiated in Dutch and Chinese, so poorly were English and Japanese understood by the opposing sides. “It is good to bring that up, so people under-

It’s important that we have a dialogue, so there is a genuine exchange Catrysse, director of Arts Flanders Japan. “It was the beginning, and it was the basis of so many other things that came afterwards.”

One of the ways it resonates is in the teaching of Dutch in Japan, which Catrysse concedes is now

stand that, at a certain point in history, Dutch was very important.”

Arts Flanders Japan, based in Tokyo, is the new name for the relocated Flanders Center Osaka.

Set up in 1975, the centre has cele-

brated its 40th birthday along with the 150 years of diplomatic relations.

Events on 14 October to mark both anniversaries during the Belgian state visit to Japan emphasised the centre’s mission to build bridges rather than simply push Flemish culture. “It’s important that we try to have a dialogue with Japan, that we really involve them in what we do, so that there is a genuine exchange,” says Catrysse.

So a focus on fashion looked at the mutual influence of European and Japanese designers in the recent Game Changers exhibition in Antwerp.

Then there was a panel discus-

sion on the different approaches of Belgian and Japanese fashion schools, with a contribution from Yuima Nakazato, a Japanese designer trained in Antwerp.

Food on the day was provided

by Gert De Mangeleer, the Michelin-starred chef from Hertog Jan near Bruges, taking inspiration from Japanese cuisine. And Flemish pianist and composer Jef Neve performed with the Nagoya University of Arts Wind Orchestra.

The teaching of Dutch, meanwhile, has come a long way. “Five years ago, our most advanced students were really interested in translating novels, and so we set up master classes for them and organised seminars,” says Catrysse.

“And from that, two novels were published in translation last week – Monte Carlo by Peter Terrin and Tuesday by Elvis Peeters – and there are three more novels in the works.”

Back in Brussels, a similar mingling of cultures can be seen at WorkspaceBrussels, where In Praise of Waves combines work by Japanese artists in Belgium and Belgians in Japan. So, in one room Karl Van Welden’s video study of the moon over Tokyo looks down on Koyuki Kazahaya’s ghostly images of waves breaking on Ostend beach Meanwhile, Kosi Hidama has changed one room in this typical Brussels townhouse into a Zeninspired winter garden. The show continues until 12 November.

Other highlights include Ukiyo-e, an exhibition of Japanese prints at the Jubelpark Museum until 12 February, and Bozar’s A Feverish Era in Japanese Art: Expressionist Abstraction of the 1950s-1960s until 22 January.

For a broader look at the Japanese avant-garde and its dialogue with the West from the 1950s onwards, there is just time to catch Made in Japan at Strombeek Cultural Centre, until 8 November. In addition to work from the Smak collection in Ghent and loans from private and public collections, the show presents new work from PhilippeVanSnick,Lemm&Barkey, Rumiko Hagiwara and Keiko Sato.

Meanwhile, the Ars Musica festival of contemporary classical music, from 12 to 27 November, will focus on Japan with a rich programme titled Land of the Rising Sound.

It opens with the Brussels Philharmonic performing work by composers such as Toru Takemitsu, Maki Ishii and Dai Fujikura, and continues with pianist Thérèse Malengreau exploring work by composers inspired by Japanese poetry and landscape.

US Election: Join Flanders Today at November’s biggest party americanclubbrussels.org

If you’re one of the lucky 1,000 people with a ticket to the sold-out US Election Night party at the Marriott Hotel in central Brussels, don’t forget to stop by Flanders Today’s table to say hello. As a media sponsor with sister publication The Bulletin, we’ll be on site until well after midnight when the results start rolling in.

After eight years under Barack Obama, all eyes are on the 2016 presidential race, as seasoned Democrat politician Hillary Clinton goes head-to-head with controversial Republican contender Donald Trump.

The US Election Night event is hosted by the American Club of Brussels. “This is one

© A ortsstraat 3, brussels

of our flagship events,” says ACB president Brian Dunhill. His message to the international community: “Come and learn about the democratic process of the presidential

election at a non-partisan event and have an enjoyable experience.”

Security will be high at the event, which features an opening speech by US ambassador to Belgium Denise Campbell Bauer, along with Nato’s Jamie Shea, a regular commentator on international relations. Those with a ticket should keep a few regulations in mind: You must have ID that matches the name on your ticket, and don’t try bringing in a backpack.

Replicating the tussle taking place across the Atlantic, Belgian Democrats Abroad and Republicans Overseas will take to the floor to stage a debate, and there will be rolling

coverage of the election process. A clear winner may not emerge until after the party ends. “We didn’t hear about Obama winning in 2012 until about 8.00,” recalls Dunhill.

It’s not all politics, though. North Carolina bluegrass trio the Kruger Brothers will play American folk music, and US-style refreshments includes West Coast wine and hot dogs. \ Sarah Crew

8 november 20.30-3.00 marriott Hotel

A Ortsstraat 3, Brussels

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\ Cover sTory

november 2, 2016

In good company

minor-ndako gives refugee children a chance at a normal life minor-ndako.be

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and they have to buy their own food and cook for each other,” says Groenendijk. “After that, we have studios where they can live on their own, but we can also help them put down a deposit somewhere and set up in their own place: the kind of stuff you’d normally expect your parents to help with.”

The organisation also helps them find a job if they’re finished with school. “They can also see our psychiatrists, and we can go with them to the town hall to sort out their paperwork.”

Minor-Ndako comes under the umbrella of the Flemish government’s Integrated Youth Care service, and though it welcomes donations to pay for extra-curricular projects, its core activities are government-funded. Indeed, without this guaranteed income, it wouldn’t be able to operate.

Shortly after it was set up, the government asked it to apply its expertise to support local children who find themselves in situations where it isn’t safe or appropriate for them to live at home.

“So it’s not just refugees,” Groenendijk says. “We happen to mostly work with migrant children, but we also work with Flemish children who have parents who for whatever reason can’t take care of them in the short or long term.”

While some of these children go home at the weekends or during school holidays, others have no contact with their family whatsoever. Unless a judge rules that parents aren’t allowed to see the child, Minor-Ndako tries to give

© Courtesy minor-ndako

For the past 14 years, minor-ndako has assisted minors who arrive in Flanders or brussels without a legal guardian

ing,” says Groenendijk. “It helps with integration, but the Belgian kids need it as well. If you can’t spend time with anyone from your family when you’re a child, what else do you have?”

To solve this problem, MinorNdako has created a buddy project, where members of the

Most people have their networks of family and friends; these kids have nothing them as much chance as possible to see their parents. “The goal is to not have them here any longer than necessary,” says Groenendijk.

The centre’s base in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht houses a dozen children, from infants up to age 12. Next door, there is accommodation for the most vulnerable unaccompanied minors between 12 and 18, with space for 10 young people at any time. Staff are there 24 hours a day, and the organisation employs three dedicated psychologists.

An important part of integration is helping young people create a social network. “Most people have their networks of family, friends, colleagues; these kids have noth-

public volunteer to spend some time with a youngster. Some families might take a child for the whole weekend; students might take older children shopping every now and then.

“Some of the youngsters need regular contact, but not all of them do,” explains Groenendijk.

“We’re lucky to be able to really look at each kid and see what they need and adapt to that. It doesn’t have to involve a massive commitment: it could be taking them to the park once a week or just going for an occasional coffee.”

Taking this one step further, the organisation has just teamed up with students of social work and pedagogy at Odisee University

College in Brussels. Eight finalyear students – coached by social workers – will spend eight hours a week for the next year working one-to-one with an unaccompanied minor outside the Youth Care system.

They’ll be helping them with practical issues such as managing their budget and applying for jobs, as well as exploring their social and educational needs.

Nursing students from Odisee are also being recruited as “free-time” buddies.

Despite the visible increase in refugees heading to Europe that caught the public’s attention last year – and the current well-publicised fallout from the closure of the Jungle camp in Calais – the issue of unaccompanied minors is not new. It’s something that professor Ilse Derluyn from the department of social work and pedagogy at Ghent University has been studying for years.

She started working on her PhD in 2002, the same year Minor-Ndako was established. At the time, she explains, there was almost no research being done on the emotional and psychosocial wellbeing of unaccompanied minors.

“It was important to get some insight into how their emotional wellbeing is considered,” says Derluyn, “to explore what kind of problems they have, whether these problems are worse than for refugees and migrants coming

with their parents, and to see what sort of interventions were necessary.”

Perhaps not surprisingly, symptoms of depression and anxiety are very prevalent among such children, with leads to behavioural problems like aggression and self-harm as well as suicidal tendencies.

“A lot of them are very traumatised both by the situation in their country of origin and the journey they’ve had to make,” explains Groenendijk. “As well as practical help, there’s a massive need for psychological support.”

The attention paid to unaccompanied minors in policy terms has always involved trying to limit the numbers who come here in the first place, and limit-

ing their protection, Derluyn claims. Providing care is criticised as being an incentive for more people to attempt to come to Europe.

“While the number of unaccompanied minors has increased over the years, the support they receive has decreased in terms of the number of staff,” she says. “They are also accommodated in larger groups as the more intensive ways of caring for them in smaller units or foster care is limited to certain groups.

“We are introducing subgroups within that overall group of unaccompanied minors. I think this is a change in policy related to an overall hardening of migration policy to all migrants and refugees.”

unaccompanied minorS in figureS •

Between 2008 and 2014, the average number of unaccompanied minors registered in Belgium was eight a day. In the final months of 2015, this reached almost 40 a day Last year, 5,047 unaccompanied minors were registered in Belgium, up from 1,780 the previous year. Of those, 3,099 sought asylum, compared to 765 in 2014

•

• In2015,Minor-Ndakosupported

181 children, 112 of whom were unaccompanied minors. They came from 35 countries, including Afghanistan (44%), Syria (8%), Somalia and Eritrea (5% each) In total the organisation can accommodate 100 young people at any one time Five children were reunited with their families last year, and two were taken into foster care

•

•

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\ bUsIness

WeeK in BuSineSS banking Crelan Crelan, the Brussels-based bank formerly known as Landbouwkrediet, has announced that it will cut some 160 jobs by 2020 in an effort to remain profitable.

The losses will mainly affect offices in Antwerp and Brussels.

banking InG

Most of the offices of Record Bank in Flanders, run by independent franchisees, will be turned into ING outlets, meaning that the region will see no loss of ING branches as a result of the cuts announced recently by the Dutch-owned bank. In fact, the region will see 16 new branches, bringing the total to 391, by 2019.

brewing Jupiler

Leuven-based AB InBev is replacing its alcohol-free N-A beer with a new recipe called Jupiler 0.0%. The move is part of the mega-brewer’s strategy to increase sales of low- and no-alcohol beers to 20% of its turnover by 2025.

Theme parks Plopsa

Plopsa Group, the themepark division of Flemish entertainment giant Studio 100, is building a new park in Poland, inside the Holiday Park Kownaty. There are already Plopsaland theme parks in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.

Aircraft bombardier

Unions representing workers at train and aircraft constructor Bombardier in Bruges said they had received “moderately positive signals” from management over job security in the coming years.

The meeting followed news that the Canadian parent company wants to cut 7,500 jobs. Bruges unions were told their jobs were safe, however, since the plant had been heavily hit by a previous restructuring round.

Food Tiense suiker

Prime minister Charles Michel attended the opening of a new “sugar hub” last week at the Tiense Suiker refinery in Tienen, Flemish Brabant. The 60 metre-high building will house an industrial packaging and distribution facility and manufacturing infrastructure for speciality sugars. It represents an investment of €20 million.

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november 2 , 2016

Leuven wants more shopping council requests tourist centre status to allow for sunday openings alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

T

he city of Leuven has applied to the federal government for the status of tourist centre to allow retailers to open on Sundays. Currently, the city council has the authority to grant 15 Sunday openings a year; if the status is approved, that number would go up to 40 days.

“We want to give businesses in Leuven more of a chance in their battle against e-commerce,” said councillor for businesses Eric Vanderheiden. “In the future, we’d like to have one shopping day per month. The opening hours on those Sundays would be limited to 13.0018.00.”

In related news, retailers and shoppers in the centre of Leuven are still digesting the effects of the new traffic plan that has been phased in since August. The plan is meant to ease up congestion in the centre of town. Initial reactions from retailers have not been positive. The city council, however, is convinced that the plan will benefit local commerce.

A new factor in the equation is Docks Bruxsel, which opened last month. Leuven had filed a complaint against the new shopping and leisure centre before the Council of State, which ruled that the city had no standing to object. Most of the retail shops at Docks

© Courtesy Tourism leuven

are not open on Sundays but will be on two Sundays in December.

Skype fined €30,000 for refusing to release content to authorities

Local fishermen fear loss of access to British waters after Brexit

Internet telephone service Skype, owned by Microsoft, has been fined €30,000 by a court in Mechelen because it declined to co-operate with judicial authorities in a legal investigation.

The case goes back to 2012, when authorities asked Skype for communication records during an investigation into an alleged gang of Armenian criminals.

Skype supplied partial information, including email addresses of those concerned and account information, but not the content of communications.

The company said that informa-

The British exit from the European Union could be a disaster for Flemish fishermen, who fear losing access to the British waters that provide them with 60% of their catch, industry representatives said.

The UK will no longer be part of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which governs fisheries in Europe.

That includes access to national waters and total allowable catches of various types of fish.

The UK would have to negotiate fisheries relations with the EU, as British fishing boats also fish in other nations’ waters, but the Flemish industry is concerned its interests may not be a priority during negotiations.

“We’re making the necessary contacts with colleagues from the sector and with governments,” said director-general Emiel Brouck-

tion was not available in the case of live calls, a claim denied by the magistrate in charge of the case.

According to the prosecution, Skype is liable under the national telecommunications law, which obliges telecommunications providers to work with legal investigations when required.

Skype claimed to be merely a software provider, with no infrastructure or personnel in Belgium.

The court in Mechelen has now rejected that defence. “Skype was a provider of telecommunications services at the time of the events in question,” the court ruled. \ AH

Businesses warned about invoice fraud through postal theft

meldPunt.belgie.be

Federal economy minister Kris Peeters has launched a campaign to raise awareness around invoicefraud,particularly in the business sector. The campaign is also supported by Willy Borsus, federal minister for small business and the selfemployed.

Invoice fraud is committed when mail intended for companies is stolen from mailboxes, post offices or sorting offices. Fraudsters take invoices and change the payment details so that the client, on receiving the mail, will pay the sum into a bank account controlled by the criminals.

Once the forgery is complete, the invoice can be put back into the mail to be delivered as normal.

Figures show that the process is lucrative: Hundreds of companies and individuals have filed complaints with the economy ministry this year, for sums ranging from less than €1,000 to hundreds of thousands. The average amount is €12,000.

The ministries have joined with

business and consumer protection organisations like Unizo and Bpost, which has plans to make its red mailboxes more secure against theft. The campaign has also issued advice on how to avoid being the victim of invoice fraud. The most important is to double check the account number with the original order or the company’s website.

Other red flags include a delay between the date of the invoice and the date it is received. Businesses should not hesitate to contact suppliers to verify details.

Suppliers, meanwhile, should include their bank account details on order forms and avoid printing company information on envelopes.

Victims of invoice fraud can report it online at Meldpunt. All victims are encouraged to file a report, which is automatically passed on to the police and to Bpost. \ AH

aert of the Flemish fisheries federation, which is tackling the issue in conjunction with its Dutch counterpart. “We see that the British want to take back control of their own waters … we need to defend our own interests. The Flemish fishing fleet of about 70 vessels takes about 20,000 tonnes of fish, 60% of it from British waters.”

The Dutch fleet consists of 600 vessels, and the catch amounts to 600,000 tonnes, half of it from British waters. “If Great Britain really does leave the European Union, British fishermen could try to create an advantage for themselves,” Johan Nooitgedagd of the Dutch Vissersbond told Het Laatste Nieuws. “The fishing sector and the Brexit negotiators have to do their best to defend the interests of Dutch, Belgian and French fisheries.” \ AH

© Courtesy Carrefour

Easy-peasy: Carrefour launches new type of store focussed on fresh foods Supermarket chain Carrefour has launched a new type of supermarket – the Carrefour Easy, which will eventually see 100 locations across the country. Two Easy stores are already open: one in Antwerp and one in Lennik, Flemish Brabant.

The new store is something in between the existing Express (up to 400 square metres) and Market (up to 2,000 square metres). With the original hypermarkets, it becomes the fourth format of Carrefour outlet.

Easy puts an emphasis on fresh produce intended for daily purchase – fruit and vegetables but also meat, fish and a wide range of breads and

baked goods – with only a limited range of non-food goods. The stores will also feature promotions adapted to the local customer base.

Like the other smaller formats, Easy stores will have variable opening hours, as well as Sunday openings.

The two existing Easy stores have been testing the concept, and six more will open in Belgium before the end of the year, although Carrefour is not yet revealing the locations.

Carrefour Belgium attracts 650,000 customers a day; the French-owned Carrefour group is the largest retailer in Europe and second-largest in the world after Walmart. \ AH

\ InnovATIon

november 2, 2016

Is there life on… Dione?

WeeK in innovation

local astronomers discover underground ocean on saturn’s moon leo cendrowicz more articles by leo \ flanderstoday.eu

astro.oma.be

I

t is the riddle that has puzzled us Earthlings for eons: is there life on other worlds or are we alone in the universe? An answer may have been found by star gazers in Brussels.

In September, astronomers at the Royal Observatory of Belgium discovered that one of Saturn’s 62 moons may have a liquid ocean.

As water is usually a pre-condition for life, it could mean that Dione, the planet’s fourth-largest satellite, harbours alien life forms.

“Dione could host microbial life because its ocean is in the habitable zone,” explains Mikael Beuthe, the co-author of the observatory’s study on Dione. “Life is so resilient. We now find it in the deepest mines and the darkest oceans, in very improbable places on Earth.

So if we find it in one place, it can be expected in others.”

Beuthe is one of 170 scientists at the observatory in the Ukkel municipality of Brussels who works on a variety of research projects, from astronomy and astrophysics to seismology and meteorology.

Based in Brussels, Beuthe has the classic scientist’s scraggly hair and waves his hands enthusiastically as he explains how he figured out that Dione has a hidden sea.

First, though, he introduces Dione on his computer: It is a beautiful, cratered ball of ice and rock, home to hemisphere-wide ice cliffs.

Dione is twice as large as its sibling moon Enceladus, which had previously been shown to spurt massive jets of water vapour into space from enormous geysers. (Jupiter’s moon Europa plays a similar trick.)

But while Dione is currently quiet, research suggests that its surface shows signs of a more active past. Beuthe used data from Nasa’s Cassini-Huygens spacecraft

© Courtesy nasa

The surface of Dione, with the rings of saturn peeking out from behind

mission. During the spacecraft’s gravity fly-bys, miniscule gravitational changes are used to measure shapes and sizes. “It’s a bit complicated,” he says, and not for the first time.

“Deep space antennas on Earth measure how Cassini’s trajectory changes,” he continues. “It is very precise and uses the Doppler effect. And it can measure disturbances that are just millimetres per second in the change in velocity, out of a speed that is kilometres per second.”

The tiny data changes pointed to something denser under the surface of the ice that could only be a layer of water. “Water is 10% more dense than ice,” Beuthe explains.

“You can see that when you put an ice cube in whisky, it floats.”

Beuthe’s study, which he co-wrote with Attilio Rivoldini and Antony

Trinh for the journal Geophysical Research Letters, suggests a 100-kilometre thick shell of ice floating atop a 65-kilometre deep ocean, which in turn smothers a rocky core spanning approximately 70% of its total radius.

This is far from the only planetary research the observatory is engaged in. It is also helping develop radio technology for the ExoMars mission to search for evidence of life on Mars, which the European Space Agency and the Russian space agency Roscosmos have developed.

ExoMars’ Schiaparelli lander crashed on the Martian surface last month, an event that shocked the entire observatory. But Beuthe says the team is working on the second part of the ExoMars project, to land a rover on the Red Planet in 2020.

Q&a

naturalsciences.be

Frederik Hendrickx is a biologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels whose recent study on salt marsh beetles has determined that differences in behaviour can lead to the formation of a new species What’s unique about the beetles you studied?

We looked at the beetle Pogonus chalceus (pictured), which lives in the Guérande saltwater marshes of west- ern France. One group of these beetles thrives in the marshes that are connected to the Atlantic Ocean and get flooded at high tide. These beetles don’t fly away, but submerge themselves, breathing from air bubbles trapped under their wing cases.

The other group

The Ukkel observatory is spread over a 12-hectare site and opened its doors in 1890. The instruments were transferred from the city’s original observatory, set up by the Dutch King William I in 1826, before Belgium even became an independent country.

Other activities include research into the ice-sheet mass balance and Earth’s geomagnetic field, taken from data collected at the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica research station. The seismology section, meanwhile, measures local ground motion to detect and study earthquakes – sometimes getting readings from a loud concert on the other side of the city.

The observatory is also the home of the Solar Influences Data Analysis Centre, the world data centre for the Sunspot Index. But many associate the observatory with the Tintin comic book The Shooting Star, which sees the hero visit the institution to view the eponymous meteor through one of the telescopes.

Most of the telescopes are no longer in use: Even the biggest one, a majestic metal and glass machine built in Sheffield in 1909, has long ago been surpassed by more sophisticated viewing devices.

The Dione finding is just one of the leads researchers have in their quest for alien life in the solar system. Beuthe warns that they are unlikely to find three-eyed, sevenarmed green monsters.

“We are looking at water-based life forms that are microscopic, including microbes, bacteria or algae,” he says. “But when we find them, it will be the biggest discovery in astronomy since we proved that Earth is not at the centre of the universe. It would totally change our point of view of life.”

lives mere meters away, in the marsh that only gets flooded once a year. But this marsh can stay covered by water for several months. So when the water comes, these beetles fly away to look for dryer spots elsewhere.

© magnus manske

Is there a genetic difference between them?

That’s what we set out to find. We experimented with beetle larvae in our lab, exposing them to artificially created low and high tides or to long periods of drought followed by long-lasting floods.

We found out that behaviour can be learned at the larval stage.

And, strikingly, it didn’t matter whether the larvae were descendants of the underwater or the flyaway variant of the beetle. It was clearly the environment that influenced an insect’s behaviour.

Can this difference in behaviour result in the emergence of a whole new species?

The behavioural patterns determine how the beetles select their habitat. Consequently, as the two groups cease interacting with each other, they also start exhibiting differences on the genetic level. Among the beetles from the fly-away group, for example, we’ve already noticed the presence of a gene for longer wings.

In the long run, the two groups won’t be able to intermate, resulting in two distinct species. You could say that, among the Pogonus chalceus, the genes are actually influenced by the behaviour, which is a curious finding in a world that seems driven by genetic predisposition.

researchers join eU battle against Zika The University of Leuven (KU Leuven) and the Institute for Tropical Medicine (ITG) in Antwerp are involved in two research consortia receiving EU funding to battle the Zika virus. The Zika virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes and can cause microcephaly in babies, has infected people in 73 countries. The three-year ZIKAlliance, of which KU Leuven is a part, has been awarded €12 million.

KU Leuven teams will try to develop antiviral drugs, study the infection of brain cells and investigate the genetic diversity, molecular evolution and geographic migration of Zika viruses. The ZikaPLAN consortium, which includes both KU Leuven and ITG, has received €11.5 million to address knowledge gaps.

new centre unites 300 cancer experts

Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital and the Flemish life sciences research institute VIB have launched the Cancer Research Institute Ghent (Crig). The platform unites some 300 researchers and clinicians in facing the challenges concerned in cancer treatment, as much valuable research and activities are scattered over different campuses. Crig comprises more than 50 cancer research teams and has designated concrete objectives in gathering research and collaborating with clinical and industrial partners. A main goal is to encourage multidisciplinary work and the sharing of expertise, technology and platforms.

big step towards drought-resistant crops

Researchers connected to the Flemish life sciences research institute VIB and Ghent University have made a breakthrough in drought research by discovering how plants cope with dry conditions. The team, led by professor Dirk Inzé – in collaboration with Austrian and German colleagues – looked at the genetic variability of 100 types of the thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana).

While growing these plants under mild drought stress, they performed in-depth cellular and molecular analyses of each plant’s response.

Only a small number of genes were affected in virtually all 100 types of thale cress. These genes are the core of a plant’s drought defence response. The findings could boost efforts to create high-performing, drought-tolerant crops. \ Andy

Furniere

\ Interview by Senne Starckx

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\ eDUCATIon

WeeK in education Catholic education to launch ‘teenager schools’

Construction of the country’s first “teenager school” has started in the Anderlecht municipality of Brussels. Students from the last two years of primary school and the first two years of secondary school will attend the school in a new structure that will see the traditional system of education split from two to three parts.

According to Brussels education minister Guy Vanhengel, the new system will serve to narrow the gap between primary and secondary school, a transition that often causes problems for youngsters. In the teenager school, youngsters will start with one teacher for most courses. Gradually, other teachers will be introduced for specific courses. The school is expected to open in 2018.

visitor centre to help leuven expats

The City of Leuven has announced plans to open a new welcome centre for expats. The International House will provide integration courses, in addition to all the necessary information on settling down, including financial obligations and educational options for children. The initiative is part of the city’s economic development platform, Leuven Mindgate, which aims to boost Leuven’s image as a hotspot for innovation.

A survey among 1,600 expats working in the city – including a large number of university researchers – noted a lack of English-language information on housing, schools and employment opportunities for expats’ partners. The centre is scheduled to open next year.

more funding for truck driving courses

Flemish education minister Hilde Crevits is investing some €250,000 in a truck driving course in secondary education.

There are currently six Flemish schools providing transport studies in professional education (BSO), including KOV Vilvoorde, VTI Kortrijk and TI Sint-Lodewijk Genk. Few students, however, choose this option. In the school year 20142015, 69 students obtained a certificate for the studies, and the number dropped to 59 in the last academic year.

To encourage more schools to launch a transport programme, the government will fund the costs associated with fuel and the use of practice areas. These costs vary between €10,000 and €60,000 a year per school. The decision is part of the Flemish government’s new framework for logistics policy. \ AF

\ 10

We are what we eat

rewards are key to changing bad eating habits, new study finds Paula dear more articles by Paula \ flanderstoday.eu

rewardsymPosium.be

H

ealthy eating campaigns aimed at children don’t succeed in changing bad habits, a group of Flemish scientists has concluded. Experts from a wide range of disciplines – psychology, medicine, public health, bio-engineeringandcommunication science – have completed a fouryear research project into eating behaviour in toddlers, older children and adolescents.

While health promotion campaigns often successfully educate children, parents and schools about healthy eating options, very few lead to a real change in behaviours or weight, according to the Reward project.

Rising childhood obesity has been described by the World Health Organization as one of the most serious public health challenges of the 21st century, but it says the problem is largely preventable. The number of overweight Belgian youngsters is, at one in six, relatively low compared with other European countries.

Current methods to combat the issue treat everyone the same while neglectingindividualdifferencesand environmental factors, such as easy access to tempting but unhealthy food, according to Reward’s senior researcher and project manager, Leentje Vervoort of Ghent University (UGent).

“Most campaigns rely on just one behaviour change strategy – usually raising awareness – while a combination of more strategies is more likely to succeed,” she says. “This means rewarding desirable behaviour, setting a good example and monitoring habits.”

The team, from UGent and the University of Leuven, focused on examining the role of rewards and “reward sensitivity” in children’s eating behaviour. “Reward sensitivity is a personality trait, related to

© Ingimage

A four-year study into eating behaviour among children suggests that combining strategies is the best way to tackle obesity

activity in the dopamine pathways of the brain,” explains Vervoort. “It refers to an individual’s ability to experience pleasure or reward when they are exposed to stimuli like sex, music and palatable foods.”

It continuously monitors the environment for signals of reward, she continues, “responds to positive incentives in the environment and activates behaviour to obtain specific rewards. People differ in the activity levels of these dopamine pathways, resulting in different reactions”.

Traditional health promotion also tends to overlook the effects that our “obesogenic” environment has on eating behaviour, she adds.

This refers to often urban environments that encourage people to eat unhealthily by having an abundance of outlets selling cheap, high-calorie foods. In some areas, an emphasis on driving over walking worsens the problem.

“We should make healthy choices more readily available by making them more easily accessible and cheaper,” says Vervoort, “while

ensuring that the unhealthy options are more difficult to obtain. They could be made more expensive, for example, or put on the bottom shelf in the supermarket.”

The Reward project, funded by the Flemish government’s agency for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IWT), presented its results at a twoday event in Brussels last week. It will lead to specific policy recommendations by various partners, including policymakers, educational institutions, food experts, businesses and childcare services.

A range of tools were developed to helpwithcampaigns,suchasinstruction videos for day-care centres and kindergartens and a cook book with healthy recipes and tips. A further tool, called the Taste Kit, has been designed to help parents encourage pre-school-aged children to enjoy healthy foods.

“This is a crucial period,” says Vervoort. “What is learned during these early years lays the foundations of later behaviour.”

Laura Vandeweghe, a researcher at UGent’s clinical developmental

psychology department, said the manual recognises that “pickiness” in toddlers is common, and sets out a plan to combat it. “The Taste Kit offers an enjoyable, non-coercive and scientifically supported method to teach children to like traditionally disliked foods.”

The purpose, she continues, is to make children eat vegetables “without grumbling or complaining, so mealtime can be a healthy and cosy family moment. The scientific theory behind it is that repeated taste exposures lead to familiarisation and eventually liking, then increased consumption.”

The critical aspect, she says, is familiarising children with the taste by bringing the food into contact with taste buds. Parents shouldn’t force children to swallow the food, as this is usually the most difficult part.

Rewards of stickers motivate the children, who are offered a small portion of the disliked vegetable 12 times over two weeks. “Parents are asked not to become angry or frustrated if the child doesn’t want to taste. If the child tastes, they immediately get a sticker,” explains Vandeweghe.

Since the study began in 2012, scientists have used a number of research methods, including questionnaires about eating behaviour, parenting methods and feeding practices; working directly with children in laboratory studies; experiments in schools; and focus groups with parents, kindergarten teachers and day-care centre staff.

The project comprised four PhD projects and the work of three postdoctorate researchers. Vervoort: “We can help children and adolescents to make healthy food choices, irrespective of their individual characteristics. But we should use suitable evidence-based techniques.”

Universities pull together to secure future for UN institute Ghent University (UGent) and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) are investing in the United Nations research institute in Bruges, in order to ensure its future. UNU-CRIS is one of 13 think-tanks – called UN University campuses – around the world that provide advice to the UN, with a focus on regional integration.

UNU-CRIS was established in 2001 by the government of Flanders, the College of Europe and the UN University organisation. With support from the province of West Flanders, it found a home in the Episcopal Seminary building in Bruges.

Its director since the beginning, VUB professor Luk Van Langenhove (pictured), is about to hand over the reins to a successor, but not before ensuring a future for the institute.

Because of budget cuts, the govern-

ment subsidy for UNU-CRIS has been decreased from €1 million to €660,000 annually,” Van Langenhove explains. “The government recommended setting up a collaboration with a local university, to further embed UNU-CRIS in the Flemish higher education system.”

From next year, UGent and VUB will provide financial support, compen-

sating for the decreased subsidies. It will also contribute to its research, with several professors and PhD students from the two universities working at the UNU-CRIS. The research focus of the Bruges campus will remain the same.

“We mainly examine the effects of regional integration, resulting in the formation of supranational organisations like the EU and the African Union, and how this interacts with global governance,” says Van Langenhove. The think-tank concentrates on areas like peacekeeping, security and trade.

Its research serves to help policymakers. “In a study on the relevance of the Benelux union, for example, we recommended increased involvement of adjoining regions, like the department of Nord-Pas-deCalais in France,” says Van Langen-

cris.unu.edu

hove. “I note now that this advice has been taken to heart.”

UNU-CRIS also analyses the implementation of science diplomacy, or the use of transnational scientific collaborations for diplomatic matters. “The nuclear deal between and Iran and the US, Russia, China, France, the UK and Germany, for example, was prepared through the work of nuclear physicists,” he says.

Researchers at the campus also keep a close eye on the increasing impact of subnational regions, like Flanders and Wallonia. “Global governance is becoming increasingly complex,” says Van Langenhove. “That has been proven again by the fact that one subnational region, Wallonia, can halt the signing of the Ceta trade agreement between the EU and Canada.” \ Andy Furniere

november 2, 2016

Animals under fire

WeeK in activitieS sint-martinus

film and comic tell real-life tales of fur and feathers on the frontline daan bauwens more articles by Daan \ flanderstoday.eu

cHerami.be

F

rom the ruins of Ypres to the rubble of Aleppo, the question of where our beloved pets go while we’re taking cover from bombs is never asked.

The graphic novel Cher Ami

by Flemish actor, director and screenwriter Joost Wynant tells the often absurd but true stories of animals that made history during the First World War. Cher Ami – also the name of the carrier pigeon that saved an isolated US battalion in 1918 – introduces us to three heroes.

Sergeant Stubby is a Boston bull terrier and the mascot of the American Yankee Division. He survives 17 battles, is honoured twice at the White House and is invited for private walks by three presidents.

Jenny the elephant helps carry heavy material behind the frontline for two years after the Germans lose too many of their horses, and baboon Jackie is accidentally approved for battle when his boss enlists.

Wynant bumped into these forgotten stories when he was doing research for a play about the equally forgotten Senegalese battalions who saved Europe in the Great War. “First I stumbled on to the story of Jackie the baboon,” he says, “which set my mind ablaze.

Reading about her, I came across Jenny and the Sergeant. I knew these stories needed to be told.”

The uniqueness and absurdity of the graphic material spoke to the imagination – old pictures of a dog and a baboon in uniform, standing in the trenches alongside the soldiers, guarding the base at night. Wynant realised that these stories could be fully appreciated through a graphic novel.

But the project soon went much further. Before Wynant had the

Every year, Genk celebrates its patron saint with a fiery festival. It all starts after sundown, when the streetlights are dimmed and children take to the streets with a candlelight procession.

The parade ends with a fire show, bonfire and fireworks.

5 November 18.00-19.30, Genk city centre; free \ visitgenk.be

Comic-Con brussels

This is the first time this European convention of comic books, sci-fi and popular culture has come to Belgium. Meet stars from Game of Thrones and Battlestar Galactica, plus cosplay, fan clubs, vendors and more.

5-6 November, Brussels Expo, Belgieplein 1; €22 \ mcmcomiccon.com

big bang Festival

Jackie the baboon was accidentally approved for battle when his boss enlisted

chance to select cartoonists, friends from the Ghent-based band Yuko turned to him for help with a new video. At the same time, both Wynant and the band started thinking of novel ways to publish and sell music.

Combining all in one, Yuko are touring the country with a live soundtrack to the animated film based on the graphic novel.

The novel comes with a copy of Yuko’s album, so fans can relive the performance. Comic book creators Ivan Petrus Adriaenssens and Gustavo Garcia drew the tales of Sergeant Stubby and Jackie.

Award-winning Kazakhstan-born animator Roman Klochlov and his

wife, Anna Heuninck, gave new life to elephant Jenny.

Introducing melancholia was a challenge the couple – known for their vivid and cheerful style –gladly accepted. “The drawing styles differ, but the storyline is always the same,” Klochlov explains. “Something beyond their control changes their lives, and nothing will ever be the same.”

Jenny’s tale, he continues, “starts with humour. She works at the circus and puts smiles on people’s faces. But when the war starts, she is put to use behind the frontline.

The war eliminates any of the joy she once felt.”

While stories of animals fight-

ing in the Great War speak to the imagination, Wynant points out that they were devised to do just that. “This was part of the propaganda of war,” he says. “They were mascots of the regimes to show people back home that even animals are patriots. It worked – and it still does.

“I will never forget one picture I found of Jackie the baboon. On the battlefield with a wooden leg, he looks straight into the camera.

His eyes speak of trauma and pride to such an extent that it is hard to believe this is a real picture of an animal. Despite the propaganda, this was no trickery. That is what we want to show.”

Bite

\ bozar.be

blessing of the Horses

This traditional festival dedicated to Hubertus, patron saint of hunters, starts with a Catholic mass, followed by the blessing of horses in front of the church. Hundreds of horses and riders, plus dozens of horse-drawn carriages and draft horses, take part in this colourful ceremony. 6 November 10.00, Sint-Blasius Church, Warvinge, De Haan; free \ dekust.be

wurst and last: celeb chef’s hot-dog joint fails to deliver Jeroen Meus, the popular TV chef and cookbook author, is the Jamie Oliver of Flanders: a regular guy with a knack for making cooking look easy and fun, and a reputation for serving up traditional, homey fare with a modern twist.

And like Oliver, he’s adding restaurateur to his list of job titles with his “haute-dog” casual eatery Würst. The first branch opened in the centre of Leuven last year. Following a summer pop-up version in Hasselt, a second permanent location recently opened in Ghent.

There are eight gourmet dogs plus a kids’ option on the regular menu. Settling in at the original location, my husband ordered the Mexico ’86, and I went for the Memphis Soul. Both were served on “cornbread” buns, which were actually soft, split-top rolls with a bit of cornmeal in the dough and sprinkled on top.

The Mexico came with tortilla chips stuck incon-

During this day-long music festival, children aged four and up are introduced to a range of musical styles, from classical to jazz to world. In a series of concerts, workshops and installations, kids can sing along, dance and try out instruments. 6 November 13.00-18.00, Bozar, Ravensteinstraat 23, Brussels; €1-€8

© Courtesy würst

veniently into the top of the bun and sliced jalapenos balanced on top of the dog. He prudently removed both before trying to eat it. The other toppings were an indistinguishable mush in the bottom of the bun. The overall effect was rather

wurstdogs.be

bland and didn’t live up to the name.

Mine was much tastier, as the “pulled beef ” (I think the correct term is BBQ brisket, but I digress), coleslaw, sweet relish and crispy onions maintained their separate identities in the bun. The dog itself, though, was soft and characterless.

We decided to share a third dog and ordered the Argentina. This was by far the best of the bunch, with chorizo, artichokes, tomato, rocket and pickled onions for toppings. The beef sausage had some real bite to it, but the ciabatta bun was overly hard and difficult to eat.

I confess I enjoyed my classic New York hotdog with mustard and onions, bought from a sidewalk cart this summer, a lot more. And at just $4, it was less than half the price of these dogs, which range from €7.50 to €11. My advice: Save up and go to Manhattan. \ Diana Goodwin

The story of simon

The Dossin Barracks in Mechelen was a deportation centre for Belgian Jews during the Second World War. In this interactive workshop, children learn about Simon, an 11-year-old who tries to escape from the deportation train. Parents can take a guided tour while their kids are in the workshop. Registration required via the website. (In Dutch) 6 November, 27 December, 7 January 14.00-16.00, Kazerne Dossin, Godwin de Stassartstraat 153, Mechelen; €6-€12 \ kazernedossin.eu

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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 Coming to work in a country with 3 languages is your choice

We will do everything to guide you financially.

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Call us at +32 2 464 66 64 or surf to ing.be/expat

Banking, financial and/or insurance offer subject to acceptance by ING Belgium (or, where appropriate, the relevant insurance company) and to mutual agreement. Terms and conditions (regulations, rates, key information documents for investors or savers and other supplementary information) available from any ING branch or on www.ing.be. ING Belgium SA/nv – Bank – avenue Marnix 24, B-1000 Brussels – Brussels RPM/RPR – VAT: BE 0403.200.393 – BIC: BBRUBEBB – IBAN: BE45 3109 1560 2789. Insurance broker registered with the FSMA under the number 12381A. Publisher: Inge Ampe – Cours Saint-Michel 60, B-1040 Brussels.

\ ArTs

november 2, 2016

Waiting for Spielberg

WeeK in artS & culture

director erik van looy on the importance of patience on and off-screen christophe verbiest more articles by Christophe \ flanderstoday.eu

With the release of his new film, De Premier – a bonus for expats as much of it is in English – Flemish director Erik Van Looy reflects on the ups and downs of his professional career.

T

he Belgian prime minister trying to murder the American president? How far can one stretch the suspension of disbelief that every movie leans on? Pretty far, apparently.

The idea works well in De Premier (The Prime Minister), the new stylish thriller by Flemish director Erik Van Looy. “My films always start from a basic idea that’s bigger than life,” says the Antwerp director, whose previous films were about a professional killer struck with Alzheimer’s (De zaak Alzheimer) and five adulterous men who discover a body in a shared up-market apartment (Loft and its American remake).

his family, who are being held hostage. This last element lends the thriller an important melodramatic edge.

“I totally agree, but in the good sense of the word, right?” Van Looy asks, with a worried undertone. Of course, in the sense that films like Gravity or Interstellar are melodramas, too.

Van Looy (pictured) says that his colleague, director Felix Van Groeningen (The Broken Circle Breakdown, Belgica), whose work he deeply admires, is to thank for that.

“We never worked together, but after Loft he was asked if he could ever make such a film. He answered that he could not because he always starts from an emotion. I was startled because I invest my

Van Looy’s last film was The Loft, the American remake of his hit 2008 movie Loft, which broke box-office records in Belgium.

Though working in Hollywood was a childhood dream-cometrue, the film bombed with both critics and audiences.

As for the lack of ticket sales, “that was due to distribution problems,” Van Looy says, “although I also underestimated the cultural differences at play.

My films always start from a basic idea that’s bigger than life “Thanks to what’s been happening around the world, the premise of my latest film appears less far-fetched now than eight years ago, when I came up with it,” Van Looy says. “Nothing seems impossible these days. Not that I want to suggest that De premier is a serious film about terrorism.”

That’s true enough: Van Looy – also famous in Flanders for his jovial hosting of the hit TV quiz series De slimste mens ter wereld – adds nice touches of humour to the action. And the crux isn’t why the criminals want to kill the American president, but how will the prime minister manage to disobey their orders and save

heart and soul into my films, and I hope the audience fully empathises with the characters.”

But after some thinking, says Van Looy, “I realised that Van Groeningen was right. I generally start with the wheels of the story.

So I tried to make this new one more personal, without giving up the entertainment value or the suspense.”

© Frank Abbeloos

My films don’t have a clear-cut protagonist. My main characters are also far from flawless, and the criminals at times are charming.

It’s the sort of cinema I love to see, but it doesn’t work in the US.” For the moment, he’s not thinking about chasing Hollywood fame. “But you never know what life will bring. If the likes of Steven Spielberg or Tom Hanks propose something, the least I can do is listen. I’m open to more options because I certainly don’t want to make a cheap action flick. I want my films to have more than one dimension, but that’s not an easy sell. If Michael Mann has problems producing his films, I know I have an even lesser chance.”

Eight years ago, Van Looy was lying in a beach chair on Tenerife when he came up with the basic idea for De premier. “I had to wait eight years before I could film De zaak Alzheimer,” he says. “In the end, that was a good thing. The film wouldn’t have been as good if I had made it five years earlier. I learned that I need the time to keep working on the screenplay.

De Premier has confirmed that feeling.”

The characteristic grin returns to his face. “Some directors are geniuses who can make a film every year. I’m not. I may not have Stanley Kubrick’s talent, but I certainly have his patience.”

looking for another hit: erik van looy’s new action thriller should please audiences

revieW: a neW Kind of flemiSh thriller For unknown reasons, a group of gangsters kidnaps the Belgian prime minister’s wife and two children, whom they will kill if he doesn’t murder the American president. A summit in Brussels that same day provides the opportunity.

By linking the prime minister’s distress to his family, Erik Van Looy’s sixth film, De Premier, adds a strong melodramatic dimension to the thriller genre. It’s a first for the director and an interesting change, especially when you consider that love and professional life are more intertwined here than you would normally expect.

This melodramatic twist is the

reason why what on paper looks like an unbelievable idea, works on screen. But there’s more. At 56, Van Looy has grown as a director. Despite the fast-paced editing,

the mise-en-scène remains coherent and transparent. It’s a compliment Van Looy likes to share with his director of photography, Danny Elsen.

Another major trump card is a strong ensemble cast of both English-speaking and Flemish actors. Primus inter pares here is Koen De Bouw (pictured), the De Niro to Van Looy’s Scorsese. He’s at the top of his game, thanks to a performance that’s understated but doesn’t shy away from emotion.

Once you accept the premise of De premier – and I did because of the mysterious dreamy opening sequence – you’re in for one hell of a ride. It’s a thriller the likes of which Flanders has never seen before.

Illuminated manuscripts museum for brussels

The Royal Library of Belgium in Brussels has announced plans to create a new on-site museum. The Library of the Dukes of Burgundy will hold 300 rare illuminated manuscripts from the Burgundian period. Through multimedia displays, visitors will be immersed in the history of medieval Europe. The library is scheduled to open in 2019.

Funding for the project is being provided by the library, Visit Flanders and the Office of Public Buildings. In addition to the museum, the Royal Library will also have a new restaurant on the fifth floor, with a view over the city centre, as well as a new reception area and glassedin terrace facing the garden on Kunstberg.

Coleur Café to move to Heizel

The popular outdoor summer music festival Coleur Café will move from the Tour & Taxis site in Brussels’ canal district to the Heizel site, home of Brussels Expo and the Atomium. Tour & Taxis is undergoing extensive construction and renovations projects and can no longer host the world music festival. The festival, which usually takes place in June, has secured a Heizel location for the next three editions.

Prado show dedicated to Antwerp painter

An exhibition of 15 works by 17th-century painter Clara Peeters of Antwerp has opened at the Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid. It is the first solo exhibition of a woman artist ever to be staged at the prestigious institution. At a time when women were rarely able to reach a professional artistic level and didn’t sell their works on the open market, Peeters managed both. There are only 40 known works by her scattered across the globe in museums and private collections. One of the pieces in the Prado’s exhibition was borrowed from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Peeters was the first to paint her own reflection within a still life, and she was the first to paint a still life featuring fish. The show at the Prado follows an exhibition of 12 Peeters works in Antwerp at the Rockox House Museum. \ museodelprado.es

In cinemas now across Brussels and Flanders (in Dutch and English)

\ 13

\ ArTs

Absolutely Fabuleus

leuven theatre and dance company gives young wannabe performers a chance linda a thompson Follow linda on Twitter \ @ThompsonbXl

fabuleus.be

Dance and theatre company Fabuleus allows young people to throw themselves into the art and opens their eyes to the opportunities it offers.

A

bout 10 years ago, I went to an audition organised by the Leuven dance and theatre company Fabuleus. My memory of the exercises and improvisations is patchy and warped. But I still remember the rush of that day.

The young choreographer who seemed to know exactly where he was going, the freakishly talented 20 other participants, the promise of something new that physically clung to the air – I could almost feel my horizon stretching, like I had just peaked a mountain I didn’t know I was on.

Dirk De Lathauwer says his aim and that of the other Fabuleus founders was always to do exactly that – open the eyes of young people to the opportunity to explore their passion for dance and theatre.

“This is about allowing people who have a particular desire to completely commit to something, to fully grow in something, regardless of whether they will eventually go into it professionally,” he says.

The Fabuleus artistic director makes the analogy of sport to explain the production company’s mission and purpose. “Everybody thinks it’s natural that 14- and 15-yearold athletes who are talented and want to dedicate themselves receive professional support,” he says, pointing to the careers of footballer Romelu Lukaku, tennis player Justine Henin and track and field star Nafi Thiam.

With young people who show potential in theatre or dance, it’s a whole different story.

“When people are artistically talented, that often has to stay in the hobby realm for a very long time. We feel these things are the same – with the only difference that you can get rich from sports.”

Fabuleus was founded by a handful people as a subproject of the Leuven Artforum youth organisation in 1996. Since then, it has developed into an independent nonprofit with its own quarters at the Opek art centre.

The company tours Belgium and Europe and has created 87 shows in the past 20 years, many of which were critically acclaimed by the local press. Fabuleus productions and the organisation itself have won several

© Clara Hermans

A performance of Alleen de grootste nabijheid, by Fabuleus & DoX

awards, most notably the Flemish Culture Prize for stage arts in 2008.

The list of alumni is long, and several of today’s generation of young performing artists took their first steps on stage as part of a Fabuleus production: Ultima Vez choreographer Seppe Baeyens, performance artist Sarah Vanhee, screen and stage actor Maaike Neuville and Karolien De Bleser, a permanent member of Ghent theatre company Ontroerend Goed.

create shows with youth.

“When your starting point is the social lives of young people, and you create a show from improvisations with them, you often end up with playground-type performances, and that’s putting it respectfully,” De Lathauwer says. “What we said was: Let’s instead combine a director or choreographer’s vision, what they would like to narrate, with young people we select through auditions.”

That decision means that De Lathauwer

When people are artistically talented, that often has to stay in the hobby realm for a very long time In the past 20 years, Fabuleus has consistently paired young adults with professional directors and choreographers with the aim of putting on quality productions that can be performed both for the general public and school audiences. That distinguishes it from your typical dance school and amateur theatre groups, as well as conventional theatre and dance companies that sometimes

and his colleagues are constantly straddling two opposing worlds, trying to steady themselves between the pull of business figures, agreements and concerns and offering young dancers and actors a safe, creative space away from all those pressures.

“We don’t have contracts with these young people, but we do have contracts with the cultural centres where we go and perform,”

he says, “so we depend on the performers’ loyalty, on their commitment to do this. That requires us to create a certain atmosphere.

We need to be a kind of house where young people feel as if they are artistically growing, but also one where they just feel good as a person.”

This tension between commercial pressures and working with youth also often means turning down lucrative offers. The lifespan of a show is typically three years – from the very first auditions through the long rehearsal period to the premiere, which tends to be followed by a 50-show tour.

When a successful Fabuleus production ends, it’s typically when local and international requests to perform the show are still pouring in. “Of course, that’s not easy because you have heavily invested in these projects, and you know that if you put on 50 more shows that would really benefit your revenues,” De Lathauwer says.

But no is no, he insists. “We want to end on a high point, so that it never becomes a tedious job,” he says. “You just decide in the interest of the young people: they’ve got to move on; they have to do something different now.”

As for me, I didn’t make it past the final round of those 2007 auditions, but I didn’t incur any permanent scars in the process.

Naturally, I went to see Gender Blender, the show that came out of it, which was choreographed by long-time Fabuleus collaborator Randi De Vlieghe.

Watching it from the audience, I felt as high as I did when I auditioned, amazed to see how much of the raucous, anything-goes energy of that spring day the choreographer and dancers were able to capture on the stage.

De Lathauwer says Gender Blender was a typical Fabuleus performance in that sense, albeit a slightly less conceptual one than the shows they have developed more recently.

“We’ve always made a different kind of theatre, of dance,” he says. “Something very special becomes possible in terms of the level of authenticity and intensity on stage when you bring professional creators and youth together.”

Fabuleus perform Popcorn and Alleen de grootste nabijheid (Only the Closest By) from 7 to 30 November, across Flanders (both shows in Dutch)

more performance thiS month dis-moi wie ik ben Foradditionalproofthatagenerationoffresh, diverse voices has risen up, look no further than GEN2020, a project launched years ago by ’t Arsenaal in Mechelen for young talent of diverse origins. The project is officially over, but continues to bear fruit: In this new production, Aïcha Cissé and Aminata Demba (pictured) explore a conventional coming-ofage question – who am I? – but one that gets a teensy bit more complicated when your parents were born in a different country. (In Dutch) Until 31 January, across Flanders \ tarsenaal.be

the vagina monologues 2.0

’nuff Said #04 (Special 100%maroc) This Antwerp art collective has been perfecting its irreverent blend of comedy, music and spoken word for close to 10 years, bridging mainstream and underground art.

This autumn, organisers have invited local stand-up comedian Latif, US singer and MC Maimouna Youssef, local slam poet Youness Mernissi and UK breakout comedian Luisa Omielan, while the delectable Antwerp rabble-rouser Arbi El Ayachi will oversee the whole affair. (In Dutch and English) 3-5 November in Ghent, Antwerp and Genk \ nuffsaid.be

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This is your chance to see one of those mustsee classics with a Flemish twist. This performance brings together several names that will likely ring a bell – Idol contestant and former TV presenter Sandrine Van Handenhove, actor Nele Goossens and Antwerp rapper Slongs Dievanongs will perform Eve Ensler’s 1996 seminal political play on stage, which remains as relevant as ever. (We see you, Donald Trump.) (In Dutch) 13 November 20.15, Arenbergschouwburg, Antwerp \ arenbergschouwburg.be

\ AGenDA

november 2, 2016

Gimme More

concert

In Search of Utopia until 17 january

L

brussels

m museum, leuven utoPialeuven.be

euven is going to town celebrating 500 years since Thomas More’s Utopia was published in the city, with a major exhibition at M Museum and a series of smaller events.

A rare first edition of the book – smaller than you might imagine, given its impact – is one of the first exhibits you’ll see in In Search of Utopia. It’s returned to the city where it first rolled off the presses back in 1516.

The book describes a fictional island nation, whose name has come to be a byword for an imaginary, ideal world. Its theme of striving for a better existence still resonates today. Many of the works on show portray notions of other realms, be they undiscovered distant lands or heavenly (and hellish) kingdoms, with the promise of hope never far away.

The exhibition is divided into four sections:

© musea en erfgoed mechelen/Collectie Gasthuiszusters

the book and its cultural context, paradise and hell, the world beyond the horizon and scientific inquiry. It contains 80 sculptures, paintings, globes and instruments from museums and collections around the world, with a selection of Flemish Masters and a portrait borrowed from the private collection of Queen

Elizabeth.

Eye-catching pieces include the “Enclosed Gardens of Mechelen” (pictured): intricate cabinets made by an order of nuns containing sculptures, relics and souvenirs of pilgrimages, symbolising spiritual objectives. Thanks to subtle lighting, they seem to glow.

In the 16th century, you didn’t have to go far before you reached the edge of the known universe, and a series of maps and tapestries depict strange lands and mythical creatures.

French cartographer Pierre Descelier’s sumptuous “Mappa Mundi”, on loan from the British Library, is a highlight.

He designed it for the French king in 1550 to illustrate the distant lands that seafarers were beginning to discover. What it lacks in geographical accuracy, it makes up for in beauty. \ Sally Tipper

performance

us election extravaganza

de moed om te doden (courage to kill)

An international cast of stand-up comedians convene to offer their thoughts on a campaign season fraught with absurdity. Britishborn, Antwerp-based performer Nigel Williams shares the view from Europe, while sitcom writer Lois Bromfeld represents her native Canada, and American comic Andy Valvur (pictured)

Arenberg, Antwerp arenbergscHouwburg.be

regales us with stories from the belly of the beast. In addition to jokes, there’s live music by expat folk singer Matt Watts and art by Texan sculptor Tim Stokes. Live coverage of poll results continues throughout the night. The party doesn’t stop until a winner is announced. \ Georgio Valentino

bourla, Antwerp

5-13 november

\ botanique.be

claSSical bruges & Ghent Freedom o(r) speech: A cantata by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen and merry marching music by Argentinian-German composer Mauricio Kagel demonstrate the political power of music, with a new text by Flemish author Dimitri Verhulst, performed by actor Jan Decleir (in Dutch).

4 November 20.00, Concertgebouw, Bruges; 5 November 20.00, De Bijloke, Ghent \ concertgebouw.be

event 8 november, 20.00

Adam Green: Screening of the American singer/actor/ filmmaker’s absurd feature Aladdin, followed by a performance by his indie folk group.

8 November 20.00, Botanique, Koningsstraat 236

toneelHuis.be

Guy Cassiers gets back to basics with his latest work. The contemporary Flemish theatre-maker is known for his bold use of video and technology, but in De moed om te doden (Courage to Kill), he puts down his toys and presents raw human drama. The production is based on Swedish playwright Lars Norén’s family drama Modet att Döda, which revolves around a long-simmering conflict between a father and son. The scenography is bleak and fractured, featuring little besides a few half-pieces of furniture bisected by a black wall.

Cassiers describes the approach as “naked”. (In Dutch) \ GV

viSual artS Antwerp Ensembles: Architecture and Craft: The Flanders Architecture Institute presents various European projects and archive material that specifically highlight the beauty that can arise from the collaboration between designer and builder. Until 15 January, deSingel, Desguinlei 25 \ vai.be

brussels Visions: Series of hypnotic, interactive light and sound installations inside a domed theatre, for the viewing pleasure of spectators of all ages.

Until 5 November, De Hallen van Schaarbeek, Koninklijke Sinte-Mariastraat 22 \ halles.be

familY

viSual artS

concert

Up-and-coming Antwerp artist Michèle Matyn delivers her most ambitious project to date, spending months photographing landscapes around the world, from France to North Ossetia to China.

Noting the structural similarities between the massive geologic formations and our very own internal respiratory networks, she conceived an exhibition in

get tic

Hooverphonic

breathing Holes until 5 february

leuven

m HkA, Antwerp muHka.be

which scale is nothing and space is everything. Breathing Holes is an immersive experience. In between the large-format photos are threedimensional installations, linking the works and creating an environment for Matyn to stage periodic in-situ performances further exploring the links between humans and the natural world. \ GV

21 & 22 december, 20.00 Flemish pop luminaries Hooverphonic are set to inaugurate Antwerp’s newly renovated Elisabeth Centre – formerly the Elisabethzaal – and they’re bringing a few dozen friends with them. The state-of-the-art concert venue will host the band’s core songwriting duo Alex Callier and Raymond Geerts as well as their chanteuse

kets n

ow

elisabeth Centre, Antwerp elisabetHcenter.be

of the moment and a sprawling 42-piece orchestra. Their 2012 concert DVD, drily titled Hooverphonic with Orchestra Live, was recorded in the very same space, so this show is going under “Hooverphonic with Orchestra II”. Tickets for the original single date were selling so quickly, a second date has been added. \ GV

Rode Hond (Red Dog): Annual arts festival for families with children (3+), with opening party featuring Flanders’ famous goose parade, followed by a weekend filled with fun hands-on activities, concerts and performances.

3-6 November, across Leuven \ rodehond.be

partY Antwerp A-Tower Winter Edition: Festive re-opening of one of Antwerp’s tallest skyscrapers as a party location, featuring the cosy winter-themed bar Nagloed, Klub Goud nightclub and fine dining with a view over the city in the top-floor restaurant Noorderlicht. 4 November 19.00-6.00, A-Tower, De Keyserlei 5 \ facebook.com/antwerptower

© wim Daneels

© Tom Abeloos

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\ bACkPAGe

november 2 , 2016

Talking Dutch

voiceS of flanderS todaY

we have lift-off

In response to Brussels welcomes newest shopping centre Vera Buck: Couldn’t someone figure out some new talent in Belgium and give them a chance to start here? They could also have an art gallery for new unknown students and artists to promote jobs and careers.

derek blyth more articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

O

nce you’ve lived here for a few years, you get used to the quirkier aspects of Flanders. So you don’t really think there’s anything unusual about a headline that reads: Politicus laat vliegtuig landen in oude lingeriefabriek – Politician lands plane in old lingerie factory.

The story appeared in the Ghent edition of Het Nieuwsblad earlier this year. Via via – Through word of mouth kwam ik dit zweefvliegtuig tegen een aantrekkelijke prijs op het spoor – I got my hands on this glider for a bargain price, explained liberal politician and entrepreneur Walter Govaert.

It wasn’t the first time he had picked up an old plane.

Govaert kocht zo’n twintig jaar geleden een Boeing 707 – Govaert bought a Boeing 707 about 20 years ago en plaatste die op de parking van complex Gowalt – and placed it in the car park of the Gowalt complex in Wetteren.

Hij gebruikt het toestel voor de opleiding van onderhoudspersoneel in luchthavens – He used the aircraft to train airport cleaning staff.

But he faced a long struggle before he could find a final resting place for his plane. Volgens de gemeente – According to the local council stond het vliegtuig er onwettig – the plane was parked there illegally en zonder bouwvergunning – and without a permit.

Govaerts came up with a cunning solution. Twee jaar geleden – two years ago lieten we de Boeing met zware kranen op het dak van de vroegere textielfabriek hijsen – we used giant cranes to lift the Boeing on to the roof of the former textile factory en plaatsten de neus op een zeecontainer – and rested the nose cone on a shipping container.

That wasn’t the end of the saga. De gemeente stelde echter

In response to Quirky Flanders: Explore the dark secrets of a Brabant castle Marie Demers Barker: This was a favourite spot for us to visit.

Š Courtesy Het nieuwsblad

vast dat de neus van de Boeing – The council, however, maintained that the nose of the Boeing nog steeds over de kadastrale grens van de parking hangt – was still projecting beyond the legal boundary of the parking lot.

Govaert complained that the council’s decision was kinderachtig en schools – childish and pedantic. And he wasn’t prepared to give up without a fight.

Hij liet wel weer twee reusachtige kranen aanrukken – He got hold of two giant cranes once again om het vliegtuig enkele meters te verhuizen – to shift the plane a few metres.

Het is al de vijfde keer in vier jaar dat het toestel – It’s now the fifth time in four years that the aircraft op de site van plaats verandert – has moved to a different location on the site.

As for the latest acquisition, Govaert is sharing it with the community. Ik heb de zwever laten ophangen in de oude Svelta-lingeriefabriek – I’ve hung the glider in the old Svelta lingerie factory. Iedereen kan de gaanderij binnenstappen en het tuig bewonderen – anyone can go into the gallery on Moerstraat and admire the rig.

PHoto of tHe week

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