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february 15, 2017 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.org current affairs \ p2

politics \ p4

Socialist shake-up

BUSiNESS \ p6

innovation \ p7

Power up

education \ p9

art & living \ p10

Fashion forward

As a Ghent city councillor resigns, Flemish politicians are debating how to handle board memberships and their resulting remunerations

A unique kind of library had popped up in Brussels, lending power and hand tools to DIYers who might only need them once

A new museum showcasing some of Manneken Pis’s best outfits has opened near the beloved statuette in Brussels

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A testing dilemma Undercover video reignites debate on using animals in medical research Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.org

The release of an undercover video showing mistreatment of lab animals at VUB has prompted scientists, politicians and activists to consider the future of animal testing in Belgium.

ast November, animal rights organisation Gaia released undercover footage recorded at the Free University of Brussels’ (VUB) animal unit in Jette. Throughout the seven-minute video, shot by an undercover researcher, the unit’s staff handle mice and rats roughly, as other seemingly stressed rodents jump or run around their cages incessantly. In the clip, the investigator, whose identity remains unknown, says that the animals were suffering needlessly in overcrowded cages and from painful deaths. There is

a distinct lack of care by the scientists, we hear, many of whom are unaware of even the most basic regulations concerning the treatment of lab animals. The undercover footage has again intensified the animal testing debate among activists, researchers and policymakers. The government of the Brussels-Capital Region quickly responded to the video, while the government of Flanders announced investments in the development of alternative methods, aspiring to play a leading role on the European stage. According to Gaia’s president, Michel Vandenbosch, the investigation shows there is a need for stricter monitoring, but also for a radical change of mentality among scientists. “We need a new generation of researchers who don’t just reduce test animals to research tools,” he says, “but possess

the empathy to fully realise that these are living, sentient and vulnerable beings.” But at least one scientist believes most researchers already have the greatest respect for lab animals. Dr Adrian Liston of the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) has been an animal rights advocate his entire adult life, he says. When he first entered medical research, he considered participating in a research project that did not use animals so that his dual passions did not come into conflict, but decided against it. “I could not bear being a hypocrite, willing to take advantage of the outcome of animal testing but not to get my own hands dirty,” he says. “Animal testing is the bedrock of medical research. We need to accept that our advances depend on the work done on animals.” continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

Fate of VUB professor ‘unknown’ Flemish minister-president told Ahmadreza Djalali still awaiting trial in Iran Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.org

espite recent news reports, the Iranian professor Ahmadreza Djalali – who teaches at the Free University of Brussels (VUB) – has not received a death sentence, the Iranian ambassador to Belgium, Peiman Seadat, has informed Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois. News emerged earlier this month that Djalali (pictured), who teaches in a joint master’s programme in disaster medicine at VUB and Italy’s Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale, had been sentenced to death in his home country for collaboration with scientists from “foreign, enemy” states like the US and Israel. He was arrested in April last year while visiting family in Iran and spent seven months in isolation, without a trial or access to a lawyer. A petition to free Djalali has received more than

200,000 signatures from around the globe. Flanders conducted an economic mission to Iran last year, following the lifting of international sanctions against the country. Bourgeois spoke to the Iranian ambassador last week about Djalali. “He denied that Djalali has been sentenced to death and said that he is in pre-trial detention,” said Bourgeois. “He assured me that Djalali has the right to a free and fair trial, assisted by a lawyer.” Bourgeois, however, is not fully reassured. “Djalali’s fate is still unknown; I am waiting for more information,” he said. “It is important that this country, with which we want to have good relations, understands clearly that we are very worried about Djalali.” The federal minister of foreign affairs, Didier Reynders, is also taking diplomatic steps.

Government’s Valentine’s Day campaign raises awareness of sexual violence

Belgium to assist UN with study on drones in the aftermath of disasters

On Valentine’s Day, about 100 women, men and children will be raped, just like every other day. With that shocking message, equal opportunities state secretary Elke Sleurs is hoping to raise more awareness around sexual violence in Belgium. The figure of 100 per day is based on the number cited by official reports – about 10 per day – and the assumption that 90% of cases go unreported. The main goal of the media campaign is to convince more victims to report the crime. “It’s the only way to make sure that perpetrators are tracked down and punished,” equal opportunities spokesperson Jeroen Lemaitre told Het Nieuwsblad. Sleurs chose Valentine’s Day on 14 February to get the point across. “We want our message to reach as many people as possible,” said Lemaitre. “In many cases, victims know the perpetrator well.” Tim Smits, marketing and communication expert at the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), says that the campaign can help victims to move forward. “Sometimes people think that rape takes place in a grey zone,” he said. “But it’s not because unwanted sexual contact takes place in a relationship, for example, that it’s not abuse or violence.” Liesbeth Kennes of victims association Wij Spreken Voor Onszelf (We Speak for Ourselves) fears many people will be put off by linking sexual violence with Valentine’s Day. “While we need to convince victims to report the violence,” she said, “I think a positive call would have had more effect.” \ AF

The federal government has agreed to work with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to look into the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – better known as drones – in disaster situations, such as following earthquakes or tsunamis. Earlier this month the UN and the federal government met in Brussels to bring together experts from all sectors to consider the use of UAVs. The UN said drones can be deployed at little or no risk to human safety to collect information and monitor operations in emergency situations. “When disaster strikes, WFP and its humanitarian partners must respond as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said WFP executive director Ertharin Cousin in a statement. “We are always looking to pioneer new practices and technologies so we can overcome the challenges we face in the midst of chaos. Strong partnerships in technology and innovation can foster better, faster and more co-ordinated responses.” The Belgian development co-operation programme has contributed €500,000 to a one-year pilot project for the use of drones in disaster response. “In less than a decade, the cost of responding to humanitarian crises worldwide has increased from €3 billion to more than €20 billion,” said federal minister for development co-operation Alexander De Croo. “To respond to these growing needs, we have to invest more in innovation.” Only 1% of the humanitarian sector’s turnover goes to innovative solutions, De Croo continued. “We need to step up these efforts. That is why Belgium actively supports partners such as the WFP to foster innovation and explore new responses to humanitarian crises.” \ Alan Hope

Optimism over possible Oosterweel compromise in Antwerp The parties involved in considering the future of the Oosterweel connection on the Antwerp ring road could be close to a compromise, De Morgen reports. The official brought in to arbitrate the competing claims of the Flemish government, the city and activist groups has put together the demands of all sides and come up with a compromise, the paper says. The Oosterweel connection was intended to close the incomplete ring road to allow the constant flow of truck traffic out of the port of Antwerp to travel directly north to the Netherlands, rather than making a tour of

the ring to the south as at present. The southwestern quadrant would then be used only by

traffic heading south towards France, or east to Germany. The original plan for a long viaduct over parts of the city came up against opposition by neighbourhood groups, leading to years of protest involving court cases and even a city referendum, in which the viaduct plan was defeated by a public vote. The compromise designed by architect Alexander D’Hooghe would give each side their main demands. The completion of the ring would follow the plan currently on the table, but it would be restricted to local traffic.

For traffic heading away from the city, D’Hooghe suggests a second route – a northern bypass. This would carry traffic through the Liefkenshoek tunnel to the A12, and around Antwerp to the E34 towards Eindhoven and the E313 towards Hasselt. The government is now working on a study of the traffic effects of the new plan, scheduled to be complete by the end of the month. The cost of the new venture has not been released, but De Morgen points out that most of the infrastructure for the northern bypass is already in place. \ AH

59,000

4,322 35%

jobs created in 2016, 17,000 more than in 2015, according to the National Bank. Economic growth was 1.2%, less than forecast, partly as a result of the terrorist attacks in March

counterfeit articles, such as fake designer bags and shoes, seized by inspectors in 2016, 40% more than the year before and an all-time record. The value of the goods was just under €16 million

self-employed people in Flanders is a woman, according to figures gathered by Unizo – a figure unchanged since 2005, despite improvements in conditions for the sector

people contacted help-line TeleOnthaal last year, an average of 335 calls a day and 6% more than 2015. Problems with family or friends were the most common reasons for a call or chat

cremations took place in Flanders’ nine crematoria in the month of January, 19% more than the same period in 2016. Sixty-seven percent of all funerals are now held in crematoria

february 15, 2017

WEEK in brief

face of flanders

The federal parliament has approved a law proposed by migration and asylum secretary Theo Francken that makes it easier to deport foreigners who are suspected of being a threat to national security. The law has created much controversy as it would make it possible to deport someone who had not yet been judged by a court if they were suspected of involvement in terrorism or serious crime. The measure would also apply to those born and raised in Belgium if they are of foreign nationality.

arrangements for domestic and international passengers will be announced later.

The rebate was already available on paper, but the tight rules meant few applications were successful.

Bart Raeymaekers has been appointed as the new director of the federal crisis centre. A former police officer who has been security minister Jan Jambon’s deputy chief of staff for more than two years, Raeymaekers will take up the job on 1 March. The crisis centre is responsible for co-ordinating the reaction of emergency services to actual or potential crises.

Social media site Facebook has reversed its decision to take down a video posted by the non-profit Plan België as part of its campaign against female genital mutilation. Facebook originally took down the video, which uses animation to illustrate its point, because it said it contained adult material, but the site relented following an appeal by Plan België.

The flu epidemic continues to affect more people, with the latest figure of 889 diagnoses per 100,000 residents in the week from 30 January to 5 February, the Scientific Institute for Public Health announced. The institute said the epidemic has not yet reached its peak. Last year’s high point of 734 has already been topped.

Brussels Airlines has received an assurance from the Indian government that the necessary permits will be granted to allow the airline to introduce flights from Brussels to Mumbai starting on 30 March. The company met with civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju in New Delhi last week. The new destination will fill the gap left when Jet Airways left Zaventem to move to Amsterdam.

Mobility minister Ben Weyts has introduced a new plan to stop human traffickers from loading migrants into lorries parked at service points along the E40 between Groot-Bijgaarden and the French border. The migrants are usually heading to the UK. The plan involves designating some sites as long-term parking, as well as installing fences and cameras and employing night-time security guards.

A former US ambassador to Denmark whose son was killed in the 22 March attack on Brussels Airport has criticised the decision that damages for the relatives of those who died will be restricted to Belgian nationals or others living in Belgium. James Cain expressed his concerns in a letter to Patrick Dewael, chair of the parliamentary commission investigating the attacks, comparing the situation with the US response following the attacks of 11 September, 2001, when a fund for all victims was set up. The North-South railway link through the centre of Brussels will be closed to all train traffic from 29 April to 1 May, the NMBS has announced. For the first time in more than 30 years, Central Station will close down for infrastructure works, including the installation of new signalling technology. The link is the busiest in the country’s rail network, with some 1,200 trains a day. Details of alternative

The federal finance ministry has filed an appeal with the Cassation Court against a ruling by the Antwerp court of appeal that strikes down a claim by the customs service against Omega Diamonds. The customs service accused Omega of undeclared trade in diamonds that defrauded the government of billions in duties over a number of years. The court said Belgian rules were in breach of EU law. “We can’t just let this pass,” said finance minister Johan Van Overtveldt. It is now easier for transport companies that carry part of their freight via rail or waterways instead of the roads to apply for a rebate on road tax, after the rules were made simpler by Flanders’ finance and mobility ministers. The so-called combined transport aims to reduce the number of lorries on the roads, leading to less congestion and lower levels of pollution.

OFFSIDE And the winner is… Pop-up restaurant Rekub, Reo Veiling food market, social food project Rabot and the city of Ghent all picked up prizes at last week’s first-ever edition of the Food Waste Awards. Antwerp’s Rekub was named best food waste innovators for its restaurant concept, based on cooking and serving food surpluses, as well as an app that allows shops to announce when they have surplus food on sale at cut prices. Reo Veiling in Roeselare is a co-operative of produce growers and won the title of best food sector business. The co-operative ensures the rapid delivery of food surpluses to social organisations, with inedible waste used in animal

feed or as fertiliser on farms. The project Rabot op je bord in the Ghent neighbourhood of Rabot won best social organisation working on food waste, for its project aimed at improving access

The computer systems at Brussels Airport were the subject of an attempted cyber-attack on 22 March last year, the day of the bomb attacks at the airport and the Brussels metro, the federal prosecutor’s office has revealed. There was, it said, no link between the cyber-attacks and the suicide bombers. The hacker, identified as an American teenager living in Pennsylvania, was unable to infiltrate the airport’s systems. A webshop based in Antwerp province that sells personalised Lego bricks has been ordered by the Danish toy company to stop selling them. Mijnblokje.be personalises the blocks with text or logos to offer as gifts for both personal and business use. The business has been running for eight years without incident, but Lego has now refused to supply any more of the iconic bricks.

foodwasteawards.be

to healthy food by poor people. The project processes food surpluses into high-quality products, in addition to the vegetables grown on its own city garden site. Finally, the city of Ghent was named best local authority for its 2015 campaign to encourage restaurants to provide doggy-bags, called Restorestjes, for customers to take uneaten food home. Every person in Flanders produces at least 314kg of trash a year, much of it consisting of food gone bad before it could be eaten. The Food Waste Awards are organised by Flemish waste management agency Ovam, the Food Surplus Entrepreneurs Network and Antwerp non-profit Komosie. \ AH

Josse De Pauw This week De Helden (The Heroes) premieres in Brussels, the first part of a theatre trilogy that asks the question: What does it take to be a hero, and would I have whatever it does take when the moment comes? De Helden is a monologue by a character who saw a young girl throw herself into a canal and did not jump in to save her. He now questions his own humanity. Monologues are not easy to pull off; the audience’s attention hinges on just one person and very little action. But Flemish actor Josse De Pauw isn’t remotely new to the genre, having been able to keep an audience at rapt attention for decades now. He wrote De Helden with the help of Flemish historian Sophie De Schaepdrijver. De Pauw, 64, was born in Asse, Flemish Brabant, and went to Brussels to study theatre at the Royal Conservatory. It was in the capital that he fell in with a group of young artists that included Dominique Deruddere, Marc Didden and Arno – all denizens of the Dansaert night. He soon helped found the Radeis theatre group and the collective Schaamte (Shame), which would eventually be transformed into Kaaitheater. In the early 1980s, De

Pauw made his film debut in the landmark Brussels By Night, written by Deruddere and directed by Didden. The next decade was filled with roles on TV and in films, including in Deruddere’s Wait Until Spring, Bandini and Crazy Love. In 1999, De Pauw became artist in residence with the Victoria company in Ghent, followed by stints with Het Net in Bruges and Toneelhuis in Antwerp. In 2000, he starred in Deruddere’s Oscar-nominated Everybody’s Famous! His most recent screen appearances were in the movie Everybody Happy and the TV series Chaussée d’Amour. Altogether, De Pauw has been in about 100 stage, TV and film productions. “Logically, I should be feeling more at peace, but the opposite is true,” he told De Standaard in an interview last weekend. “The doubts grow stronger.” He once heard American film director Martin Scorsese asking if he really belonged to these times, he said. “I have the same feeling. Does what I do still mean anything to society. If you think that getting older will mean things are easier, because you’ve made it, then you’re in for a disappointment.” \Alan Hope

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

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\ POLITICS

5TH COLUMN Reds have the blues in Ghent

In Wallonia, what has become known as the Publifin scandal has dominated politics for a few weeks now. Over the weekend, the same dispute hit Ghent, with far-reaching outcomes for the Flemish socialists, SP.A. At the heart of the controversy are intercommunals. These are organisations originally set up by municipalities to take care of matters such as waste collection, water and energy distribution. Over the years, intercommunals have become complicated structures, which lack transparency. Moreover, they are seen as money machines for politicians on their boards. The website Apache last week revealed that Publifin’s associated organisations, Publipart and Publilec, have Flemish politicians on their boards. Among the names of those generously paid were Christophe Peeters (Open VLD) and Tom Balthazar (SP.A), both city councillors in Ghent. Citing a lack of “trust”, Balthazar resigned on Saturday, not just as the city councillor charged with housing and public works, but also as the top candidate for the 2018 local elections, which most probably would have landed him the seat of mayor. The episode left the Ghent socialists bitterly disillusioned. Balthazar has done nothing illegal, but financial ethic requirements are always stricter for those who claim to represent the common people. Ghent mayor Daniël Termont, also of SP.A, experienced that first hand last year, when he was accused of being too close with the bankrupted Optima bank. Also, the greens have turned the pressure up. An alliance between SP.A and Groen, along with the popularity of mayor Termont, was the key to electoral victory in Ghent in 2012. But now Groen wants to distance itself from SP.A’s “old politics”. It remains uncertain whether the parties will join forces again in 2018, as Groen is leaving that decision up to an internal vote. SP.A has traditionally been the strongest party in the bigger cities, but after it lost Antwerp to N-VA in 2012, this era seems to have come to an end. In Hasselt, socialist Hilde Claes was forced to hand over the mayor’s seat to a CD&V politician recently because of a conflict of interest. In Leuven, popular socialist mayor Louis Tobback is set to retire. Losing Ghent, the city where Flemish socialism has its very roots, would be nothing less than a disaster for SP.A. \ Anja Otte

Ghent city councillor – and likely future mayor – resigns Questions about the interests of board members of intercommunals Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.org

om Balthazar (SP.A) resigned from Ghent’s city council at the weekend in reaction to emerging news about payments made to board members of Publipart. Balthazar (pictured) was the city councillor charged with housing, green space and urban development. The leader of the opposition N-VA fraction, Siegfried Bracke, has called for an emergency meeting of the city council in the wake of the resignation, while socialist mayor Daniel Termont cancelled a trip to New York as part of a trade mission. Publipart is a limited company and a subsidiary of the energy intercommunal Publilec. Intercommunals are public utilities that are run by municipal authorities in partnership, sometimes with additional private sector partners. The city of Ghent is a 12% shareholder in Publilec. Because of that stake, two of the city’s councillors – Balthazar and Open VLD councillor Christophe Peeters – sit on the Publipart board. It was recently revealed that the 17 board

members are paid a total of €350,000 a year, or more than €20,000 each. Publipart’s only function appears to be making equity fund investments and taking shares in other intercommunals. It has a number of holdings in oil and gas, tobacco companies and casinos, and lost €2 million in the failed Optima Bank. Termont said that there was no indication that either councillor had done anything illegal, and Peeters remains in post. Publilec is also linked to Publifin, the subject of a

Mental health care programmes for youth to expand Flemish welfare minister Jo Vandeurzen is investing €2 million to carry out an action plan focused on mental health. Most of the funding will go to the prevention and early detection of psychological problems in children and young people. About 75% of all psychological problems originate before the age of 25, said the minister in a statement. His new plan concentrates on dealing with psychosis, suicidal tendencies, eating disorders and addictions. Some of the funding goes to the launch of early detection teams, which consist of psychologists, social workers and other experts in the field. They will assist people between 14 and 35 years old with psychotic episodes. The idea is to react to the first signs of a psychological problem as quickly as possible, preventing the person from having to enter into the mental health-care system. There is also funding allocated to the Tejo network of therapists for youngsters, which is a free service. Another project will provide easy access to the services of a psychologist. The plan further devotes attention to vulnerable groups like children of parents with psychological or dependency problems. There is also a specific project set up for highly gifted youngsters and for accessible help online. \ Andy Furniere

scandal in recent weeks in Wallonia, where about 20 Walloon politicians were found to be receiving stipends for sitting on committees, in some cases regardless of whether they turned up for meetings. That led the French-speaking socialist party, PS, to introduce a rule under which MPs and local councillors would be restricted to one paid post each. Balthazar reportedly resigned because of pressure from his party’s coalition partner Groen, with whom the socialists intend to campaign in the municipal elections in 2018. He was Termont’s designated successor to lead the SP.A-Groen list at the next elections, meaning that, if the party got the most votes, as in past elections, Balthazar would have become mayor. Last year, a commission looking into the bankruptcy of Optima found that Termont had accepted private flights to London and Cannes in a jet chartered by the bank. The commission decided he had done nothing wrong, but described his behaviour as “careless”.

Minister wants to extend flexi-jobs to retirees Philippe De Backer, the secretary of state responsible for social fraud, has announced a plan to extend the new flexijob status to retirees who want to work part time in the hospitality industry. Flexi-jobs, which started in late 2015, are part-time work done in addition to one’s regular job. The tax-free jobs are only available to those who work at least 80% of full time elsewhere and want to supplement that income with part-time work in the hospitality sector, which includes hotels, bars and restaurants. The introduction of flexi-jobs was intended to attract more people to the hospitality and catering industries. De Backer’s plan would extend the status to retired people, to encourage them to remain in or return to work. Last year, some 20,000 people of all ages took up flexi-jobs in the sector, working an average four hours a week at an hourly rate of €11.50 in addition to their regular jobs. By extending the option to the retired, De Backer (Open VLD) hopes to increase the number of such jobs in the sector while retaining the participation of experienced

personnel. Coalition government partner CD&V, however, said that the original governing accord stipulates that flexi-jobs are subject to certain conditions, including a thorough evaluation of any extension of the system. The forecast of 20,000 new jobs was not, according to CD&V MP Stefaan Verkamer, based on a thorough evaluation. Industry federation Horeca Vlaanderen, however, backed De Backer’s plan. “These proposals should eliminate a number of gaps in the legislation,” said Horeca Vlaanderen managing director Danny Van Assche. “We are expecting the government to implement this as soon as possible.” \ AH

Belgium must give visa to Syrian family, says advocate-general The federal government cannot refuse a visa to a Syrian family that is intent on applying for asylum once in Belgium, according to the advocate-general of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The advocate-general’s advice is not binding on the ruling of the full court, but advice is more often followed than not. A couple applied for a visa having arrived in Lebanon from Aleppo last October. The Foreigners’ Office in Brussels suspected that the couple and their three young children intended to remain in Belgium past the 90-day duration of the visa, and turned down the request. Then the couple appealed the case to the European Court (pictured). The advocate-general said the refusal of the visa was against EU law; the charter of fundamental rights says that member

states must issue a visa in cases where a refusal would place the applicant “at risk of torture or inhuman or degrading treatment”. “One of the applicants claims to have been taken by an armed group, beaten and tortured and finally released on payment of a ransom,” the advocate-

general’s advice reads. “The couple maintains that the security situation in Syria in general, and in Aleppo in particular, has deteriorated and point out that, as Orthodox Christians, they are at risk of persecution on account of their religious beliefs.” The Belgian authorities had claimed that member states were not obliged to admit everyone who found themselves in a “catastrophic situation”. In his advice, the advocate-general said that there was “no doubt that the applicants were exposed at the very least to a genuine risk of extremely serious inhuman treatment,” and that as a result, the Belgian authorities were obliged to issue a visa. The Belgian government has yet to respond, other than to point out that the opinion is not binding. The full court will deliver a final judgement at a later date. \ AH

\ COVER STORY

february 15, 2017

A testing dilemma

Investment in alternative methods is crucial, scientists and activists agree GAIA.BE

continued from page 1

one-third of the 120 recognised labs undergoes inspection. Last year, of the 42 that were inspected, 28 were found to be in breach of regulations. In 27 of the cases, the labs were given a warning, while one lab received a fine. Gaia’s campaign gained widespread attention in the media and led to a swift political response. Brussels state secretary for animal welfare Bianca Debaets promised more unannounced inspections. She also ordered an investigation into the VUB’s animal unit and asked its research staff to halt any new tests on animals for a three-month period. She called for an action plan to improve the situation in the lab. The plan, which includes more extensive internal monitoring, has already been approved by Debaets. “But we also expect a structural plan to improve the situation in the long term,” she says. In response, VUB has announced the construction of a new animal unit by the end of 2018, at a cost of €7 million. In the political discussion that followed, Debaets proposed a national register that The mice he uses, he continues, are kept would list all programmes in Belgium that in conditions that would be luxurious for use lab animals. The register, run by all three wild mice. “They have daily health checks regions, would indicate exactly what kind of by trained staff, and the use of each individwork is performed at each facility. ual mouse is assessed by an external ethics This, Debaets says, would facilitate co-operpanel.” ation, not only reducing the number of lab Gaia, however, believes that the current animals required but improving transparlegislation is not strict enough. It does not ency around animal research. prohibit scientists from, for example, carryBrussels opposition party N-VA, however, ing out tests on animals that are not anaesquestioned the need for a register, pointing thetised. out that much of the information is already According to Vandenbosch, of the 240,000 available. The party asked that Debaets lab animals used in Flanders in invest in the development of alterna2015 – more than half of them tives for animal testing instead. rodents – about one in In response, the state secrefive experienced considtary pointed out that she’s been erable discomfort. “In providing a €30,000 annual other words, one in five subsidy to Vera Rogiers, a suffered.” professor of toxicology at In the video, Gaia also VUB, since 2015. Flemish denounced inspecanimal welfare minister Ben tions announced ahead Weyts has also recently alloof time; VUB researchers cated €350,000 for finding alterknew about an inspection native testing methods. at the animal unit about One-third of the a week before it money will go to took place. Vito, the FlemAccordish institute ing to the for technologundercover ical research, inspecto develop an tor, this alternative gave them to the Draize enough test. The obligtime to atory test is quickly used to measmake ure chemiall the cal toxicity in necesthe human eye sary and involves adjustdropping the test ments and substance into the cover up eye of a live rabbit. bad prac“Every year in tices. the EU, no fewer Statistics from than 50 million Flanders do animals are suggest that subjected to unannounced such a test,” inspections said Weyts in a are imporstatement. tant. Every © Courtesy Gaia The other year, at least Animal activist Michel Vandenbosch says scientists have to start treating Liston is the director of Crispr Core, a genome engineering facility at KU Leuven, and doubles as a researcher at the Flemish life sciences research institute VIB. He argues that the Gaia video is misleading. “We are not monsters,” he says. The scientist concedes that there should be more communication between activists and researchers but also points out that lab test subjects already have the strongest legal and ethical protection of all animals. “In order to even start researching on mice,” he says, “I have to take countless training courses and fill in hundreds of pages of animal health assessments.”

In-vitro tests are faster, cheaper and less complicated

animals like “sentient and vulnerable beings”

According to Adrian Liston of KU Leuven, medication that could have serious side effects in humans will always need to be tested on animals first

Mice and rats make up more than half of all test animals in Belgium

€250,000 will go to the creation of an online platform that brings together all European research into alternative testing methods. “There are many alternatives, like in-vitro tests and computer models,” said Weyts. “We will bring together the fragmented expertise and make it accessible to researchers.” The platform is a Flemish initiative but will be managed by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing, encouraging the participation of other European countries. The Netherlands has already expressed interest in the project. “I’ve also been in talks with partners in the animal-research sector and suggested that they financially contribute to specific projects that relate to alternative testing methods,” Weyts says. For now, there is no plan to fund a Belgian centre, a project that was approved in 2009 but has not been realised. “Money that goes to the founding of new structures cannot go to research,” says the minister. Gaia has demanded that the government of Flanders go a step further by investing even more into alternative testing methods and by setting up a detailed action plan on animal research in general. “What we need is a coherent strategy based on a clear vision, one that has concrete goals,” says

Vandenbosch. He also suggests that politicians demand a gradual reduction in the overall number of animals used for medical tests, like mice, by defining limits on specific research domains. “Experts predict that toxicity testing, for example, could soon be carried out without using animals,” says Vandenbosch. “This would also lead to more reliable results.” This approach is in line with a proposal submitted by the Groen party in both the Brussels and Flemish parliaments. Debaets and Weyts, however, don’t agree with such rigid limitations. Liston, meanwhile, says that using animals in research should only be limited if other methods are available. Only this approach, he adds, will safeguard medical progress. “We are constantly refining our methods, from more in-vitro screenings to fewer animal tests,” he says, “for ethical and legal reasons, but also because in-vitro tests are faster, cheaper and less complicated.” He also believes that even as animal research becomes a niche market, there will always be a need for it. “Before we can administer medication that could have serious side effects in humans,” he says, “we will always have to test it on animals first.”

\ BUSINESS

week in business Construction Besix The Brussels-based building group is acquiring the local operations of the Dutch Heijmans company, including its 900 employees. The deal allows Besix to expand its operations in Flanders in the field of road and infrastructure projects.

Grains Boortmalt The Antwerp-based malting company is investing €100 million to expand capacity to 470,000 tonnes a year, making it the world’s largest producer of malt. The company, owned by the French Axéréal cereals group, is also building a research and development facility on the site.

Cars Volvo The Ghent-based assembling unit of the Swedish car company produced 249,000 vehicles last year, 46% of the group’s total production. Volvo Gent, which is investing €200 million to build new models over the next three years, employs some 5,500 people.

Distribution Nike The American sports equipment group is planning an additional distribution centre in Ham, Limburg, next to its existing European Logistics Campus. The new facility, to open in 2019, would add several hundred jobs to the 3,000-strong workforce.

Dredging Deme The Antwerp-based dredging firm has won contracts worth €100 million to develop the naval base facilities in Karwar, on India’s southwest coast. The company is also developing tourism infrastructure on the Malé Atoll in the Maldives.

Plastics Resilux The Wetteren-based producer of PET plastic bottles is being taken over by America’s Bain Capital investment fund for €390 million.

Automotive Punch Powertrain The producer of automotive equipment, based in SintTruiden, is investing €20 million in Zanjan, Iran, to build a gear-box production facility with a yearly capacity of up to 400,000 units.

Port of Antwerp opens maritime training centre in Mumbai New facility will help to professionalise India’s port sector Alan Hope Follow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

training centre set up by the Port of Antwerp to provide maritime education in Mumbai has officially opened, the port authority has announced. The JNPT-APEC Port Training & Consultancy Foundation Centre was opened last week in the presence of local port president Shri Neeraj Bansal and Belgium’s federal development minister Alexander De Croo. APEC has given courses in Mumbai since 2015, organised by the Jawaharal Nehru Port Trust, which runs the largest container port in India. The new centre (pictured) will also be available to professionals from other ports in India. The trust required more trained profession-

als to grow its facilities and came to an agreement with Antwerp’s APEC Port Training

Centre, which has more than 40 years of experience in training port personnel across all departments. Lessons in APEC centres cover such areas as port management, infrastructure development, maintenance and security. “By transfer of know-how, APEC helps developing ports to boost their activities and strengthen the local economy,” minister De Croo said. “This is a way for the Antwerp port community to ensure more economic progress for a middle economy country like India, an approach fully in line with Belgium’s development policy, which aims to reinforce the economic resilience of individuals and society.”

Fresh funding for eco-friendly transport initiatives

Flemish planning agency gives negative opinion on Eurostadium

Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts has announced new subsidies for transport companies that invest to make lorries more environmentally friendly than the law requires. Among the measures available for subsidy are soot filters, selective catalytic reduction systems, which clean exhaust emissions, systems to reduce fuel consumption or noise nuisance, and equipment such as ergonomic seats that improve driver comfort. Subsidies can go up to 80% of the investment, to a maximum of €100,000 over the course of three years, as imposed by EU laws. Investments made since 1 January can be subsidised retroactively. Weyts has also announced a budget of €5.8 billion from now until the end of this legislature in 2019, for roadworks, work on waterways, public transport investment and cycling infrastructure. “Investment budgets for all forms of transport will go up to a historic high,” he said. Nearly half of the total – €2.7

Ruimte Vlaanderen (RV), the Flemish government’s planning agency, has issued official advice to reject an environmental permit for the planned new national stadium at Heizel. The agency issues advice to the provinces, which award permits. While the agency’s advice is never binding, it sends an important signal. The agency looked into the impact on the surrounding area of the construction project – a new national football stadium, massive underground car park and other infrastructure on what is currently Parking C of the Heizel complex.

billion – goes to roadworks. This year alone works will be carried out on 100km of motorway and 450km of regional roads. Waterways will receive €2.25 billion, while public transport receives €816 million, with €300 million for cycle infrastructure. The investment is in preparation for the transport scene of the future, as forecast by the federal government’s planning office. It expects freight traffic to increase by 44% by 2030, with personal transport increasing by 11% over the same period. Traffic congestion, meanwhile, has doubled in Belgium since 2011. This year, 34 major roadworks are planned on the region’s motorways, involving structural maintenance and new infrastructure, such as noise-reduction panels along the A12, a new bridge over the E34 at Assenede and new onand off-ramps at Aalter. On the waterways, the Leie will be deepened and widened as part of the Seine-Scheldt connection, and the bridges over the Albert Canal will be raised. \ AH

Blokker to close one-third of all stores in Belgium The Blokker chain of stores selling household items plans to close one in three of its stores in Belgium – 69 from a total of 190 – and cut 302 of its 900-strong workforce, the company has announced. The Dutch-owned retailer blamed a 20% fall in profits over the last five years, ending in an operational loss of €15 million in 2015, with 2016 likely to be even worse. “I realise only too well that this announcement is extremely difficult for all of us,” said CEO Bernd Bosch. “We want to give Blokker

the resources needed to become profitable again and to ensure the future of our company in Belgium.” All the locations that are closing are in Flanders and Brussels. Customers can consult a map of the shops that will close, although a date for closures has not been set. “The shops concerned are those that consistently suffer a loss,” Bosch said. “But that is not the only criterion. We also looked at the quality of the location and how it has evolved.” \ AH

The ultimate decision will be made by the province of Flemish Brabant. Although the project is being headed by the BrusselsCapital Region, the site itself is on the territory of the municipality of Grimbergen in Flemish Brabant. RV’s main objection concerned a local access road that crosses Parking C. The agency could only issue an opinion to approve the permit if the road were to be scrapped or moved. The advice is a blow to Ghelamco, the developer of the project, which had planned to break ground in early June. \ AH

Most in-store credit offers in breach of regulations, says minister More than six in 10 retailers who offer credit plans are in breach of consumer credit laws, according to a report by the federal economy ministry’s economic inspection unit. Consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters said he would be proposing new measures to tackle the problem. Last year, authorities carried out inspections in 137 shops that offer credit to customers, usually to buy large items such as furniture, TV or large appliances. The shops concerned – both independents and chains – were spread across a number of sectors, including home furnishings, electrical goods and fashion. The inspectors looked at issues such as advertising of consumer credit, information on products and services, registration of the business and obligatory information provided by the store. In 62% of cases, inspectors found one or more breaches of the regulations. Warnings were issues in 118

cases, and further investigation is being carried out in four cases. In 46% of cases, the legally required representative example – to show consumers how much they could expect to pay if entering into a credit agreement – was missing or insufficient. In 34% of cases, the standard information that must be included was in print smaller than legally required. And in 21% of cases the obligatory warning “Attention: borrowing money also costs money” was missing. “We have made it clear that we take the reduction of excessive debt burden very seriously,” Peeters said, presenting the results of the study. “Debt is a Sword of Damocles hanging over our economy, our society and the financial sector. The economic inspection will continue to take action against those who ignore the rules, and in doing so cast a shadow over the whole sector.” \ AH

\ INNOVATION

february 15, 2017

Decision time

week in innovation

Leading climate change scientist says ‘We are in the driver’s seat’

The University Hospital Leuven (UZ Leuven) has finished installing its new €60 million surgical centre, the largest centre in the country. With a total surface of about 10,000 square metres, the new centre can carry out up to 250 operations per day in 33 climate- controlled rooms, equipped with 3D screens that allow surgeons to consult their colleagues elsewhere. One room is devoted to robot surgery, where surgeons can carry out an operation sitting at a console. The hospital has also modernised its postanaesthesia care unit, where patients wake up after surgery, and set up a separate department designed for children.

Emma Portier Davis Follow Emma on Twitter \ @EmmainBrussels

uper-storms, rising sea levels, disastrous flooding: They’re all on the cards and regularly seized on by the media as examples of the doom-and-gloom scenarios we can expect as global temperatures continue their steady rise. But climate scientist Wim Thiery is optimistic: It’s not too late for us all to do something about it. “What I think is key to emphasise is that we have a choice. What we emit will determine how much the world is going to warm up,” says Thiery, who works for the Free University of Brussels (VUB) and was recently named one of Europe’s “top 30 under 30” by Forbes magazine, for his pioneering work on climate-change modelling. “As a society, we need to set ourselves targets and decide which road we want to take,” he continues. “How we will organise our economies, for example, is important. I wouldn’t say everything is lost. I would say that we are in the driver’s seat. We are choosing, and to choose not to do anything is also a choice.” Thiery’s rise to global recognition is thanks to his work on the human effects on climate change, notably the use of irrigation. His work has focused on climate change in the region of Lake Victoria in East Africa, using a modelling system that he operates on a supercomputer. More recently, he has used this in a global approach.

As an individual, you can make a difference. Look at how you live yourself For Belgium, for example, there will be no escape from the effects of climate change. “What I can tell you is that there will be consequences,” he says. “There will be a rise in sea levels. It might be a bit of a rise or a bigger rise. We will see more intense precipitation in the summer, like the thunderstorms you often see after a hot, sunny day. There will be a higher flood risk and a loss

Ban plastic bags, says environment minister Wim Thiery is optimistic that if we all take the right steps now, we can do something about climate change

of biodiversity.” But Thiery is keen to emphasise again that it’s a choice humans have to make. “It’s very important that when we make projections about climate change, we understand that they depend on CO2 emissions.” Even so, he adds that even if were to stop all the cars in the world and the factories chugging out greenhouse gases today, “we will still have some rise in sea levels”. Speaking shortly after the inauguration of Donald Trump – famed for his climate change scepticism – as US president, Thiery doesn’t want to comment on any one politician, but says that climate change is a global problem, requiring a global solution. “It’s very important that everyone collaborates.” And the climate sceptics? “The arguments climate sceptics use can be easily rebutted.” But it’s not just politicians who he wants to call to arms. “If we are going to combat the consequences of climate change, all actors in society need to take measures: politicians, companies and individuals. As an individual, you can make a difference. Look at how you live yourself. Your consumption of meat. How you transport your family.” Another way citizens can take action is to

persuade organisations – their employer or university, for example – to divest their interests in fossil fuel producers. The universities of Leuven and Ghent are starting to follow in the footsteps of Harvard and Oxford in doing this. “You can question where you work. Ask ‘are we making investments in these unsustainable energies?’ Divesting stocks in these industries is a powerful signal that if we want to do research into sustainability, then we do not sustain the oil industry,” says Thiery. While he works on his own diet and transport – avoiding air travel where possible, for example – Thiery is now planning to further his research on irrigation, notably how some of the world’s 45,000 manmade dams are affecting hydrological cycle. “Most of these were built during the 20th century and are changing the redistribution and flow of water. We want to check if they also influence the local climate.” As for the recognition from Forbes, Thiery says: “I don’t care so much personally. For me, it’s a way to get a message across. Many scientists are trying to communicate about climate change, and I hope that this recognition brings some attention to climate science and helps take our message to society.” And what is that message? “We have a choice.”

Power tools to the people: DIY library opens in Brussels Anyone who has embarked on the long journey of buying and renovating a home knows the feeling. In the midst of some construction project – having thought you’d save money by doing it yourself – it becomes clear that you’re in need of some decent power tools. You go to Brico only to realise: They don’t come cheap. These were exactly the thoughts of Olivier Beys, one of the founders of Tournevie, Brussels’ first tool lending library. “Many friends my age have bought a house and are trying to do some renovation themselves. But not everyone has all these expensive tools,” he says. “So we started from a specific need when we began Tournevie in 2015.” For €20 a year, a whole collection of power tools and hand tools are available to borrow. A crowdfunding campaign provided the means to set up the collection. “We have more than 100 power tools and 300 hand tools available,” says Beys (pictured, right). “Solid, professional materials, which are often too expensive for people, or which you only need once.”

New surgical centre opens in Leuven

For the price of a set of screwdrivers, you can get a year-long subscription to Tournevie

The project’s membership has steadily grown. Artists, local projects, allotment gardens, art exhibitions... A network of DIYers has been growing around Tournevie. While the organisation was originally based at Vismarkt in the centre of Brussels, it recently found a new home in the Marollen district. This move opens new perspectives, according to Beys. “It’s a neighbourhood where a lot of people

TOURNEVIE.BE

live in precarious conditions. They don’t have the resources to buy tools or pay a professional, so we want to try to show them the way to Tournevie. Self-reliance is an important value of our project.” Another value is ecological conscience. “The market doesn’t offer a solution for people who need these tools only now and then. Instead, it pushes producers to manufacture cheap, lowquality tools” says Beys. “This is an enormous waste of resources. A communal management system like Tournevie is much more ecologically sound and works against a consumerist society.” Tournevie aims to encourage a do-it-yourselfmentality. In collaboration with another Brussels community organisation, Les Debrouillards, they organise courses for those who don’t know their angle grinder from their belt sander. “By providing access to high-quality tools, sharing skills and putting people in contact with each other, we want to encourage self-reliance,” says Beys. “With the right tools, fixing and creating stuff can be fun.” \ Toon Lambrechts

Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege wants a general ban on plastic bags in shops, which would apply not just to supermarkets but to all shops. A similar measure was recently introduced in Wallonia and will soon come into force in Brussels. Schauvliege is specifically targeting plastic bags with a thickness of up to 50 micron, or the thin bags often found in supermarkets at the check-out. There would be an exception for the thin plastic bags used to collect fruit and vegetables in produce sections, as there currently is no viable alternative available that ensures hygiene. A survey by Radio 2 and Flemish waste management agency Ovam shows that about 70% of residents in Flanders already employ reusable bags for grocery shopping.

Oral hygiene plan for elderly and poor The Flemish welfare minister Jo Vandeurzen is investing €1 million in preventive care to improve the oral hygiene of vulnerable people, including care-dependent elderly people, those living in poverty and people with a disability. “Neglecting oral hygiene is often linked to undernourishment, weight loss, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and other health problems,” said the minister in a statement. He is working with the Flemish Dentists’ Union, the universities of Leuven and Ghent and the Flemish Professional Association of Dentists to examine the specific needs of vulnerable groups to see what measures can be taken. There are also plans for a service in which dentists will visit care homes. \ Andy Furniere

\ EDUCATION

february 15, 2017

Reading, writing, coding

week in education

Coding academies are teaching kids the language of the future Senne Starckx Follow Senne on Twitter \ @SStarckx

coderdojobelgium.be codefever.be

an you encrypt an email so that it can’t be hacked? How do you write a Facebook algorithm? These are some of the questions teachers could be faced with in the classrooms of the near future. As the world becomes ever more digitised, employers are looking for people with specific ICT skills. It’s not a coincidence that big-data analysts and social media experts are among the most sought-after employees. But children in primary and secondary schools only get a few hours a week of computer science, often from teachers who grew up in the preinternet era and lack basic computer knowledge, such as what a microprocessor is. Responding to the challenge, Flemish innovation minister Philippe Muyters recently launched an ambitious action plan to strengthen digital literacy among the region’s youth. The plan, to be rolled out in four stages, is aimed at extracurricular activities, but the minister hopes to broaden it to regular education within the next five years. “Basic knowledge of computer science is essential in our digital world,” says Muyters. “I find it crucial that as many of our youngsters as possible learn how to work with ICT applications, and are also able to grasp the systems that operate them.” As part of the plan, Muyters is freeing up funds for four existing initiatives. “Flanders already has some wonderful projects that teach computer skills to youngsters outside school hours,” he says. “We’re giving those initiatives a much-needed boost.” Among the programmes receiving the funding is the network of Stem academies, co-ordinated by Mechelen’s hands-on science centre Technopolis. The academies organise events that promote interest in science, technology, engineering and maths among young people. Youngsters play with electrodes, chemical substances or even DNA, without realising they’re actually learning how science and engineering works. The plan also provides funding for a new academy dedicated to information and communications technology. It will be managed by CoderDojo, a non-profit initiative that teaches children skills such as programming, writing apps and games and building websites. Every month, with the help of some 300 volun-

teers, the organisation hosts free workshops, called Dojos, at more than 60 locations across the country. “We’ve been around since 2013,” says community leader Bettina Steylaerts, “but thanks to the funds we can plan even more workshops this year and increase the number of coaches and volunteers.” A Dojo workshop is unlike any traditional classroom. “The focus isn’t on teaching but coaching,” explains Steylaerts. “We coach in a very playful and informal way that responds to the demands and needs of the children.” At the beginning of every workshop children formulate their own questions and work together on a solution, or get help from the coaches. “Most of these coaches are volunteers,” says Steylaerts, “but they have strong professional or even academic skills in information technology.” How is Dojo different from a crash course in app development? “We’re definitely more than just a large computer club,” says Steylaerts. “Programming and coding is of course the main component here, but encouraging problem-solving and computational thinking is just as important.” The workshops also put emphasis on more general skills like communication, creativity

and collaboration. These skills, Steylaerts says, “are becoming increasingly important in the digital and global society that we live in”. Those looking for a more traditional and structured programming education can turn to CodeFever, a start-up founded two years ago that offers in-depth courses to children 12 and under. As part of Muyters’ plan, the organisation will receive €1,000,000 to teach programming to 10,000 children over the next five years. The courses will be provided outside school hours, in several cities in Flanders. “Programming is really the basis of our course,” says CodeFever’s founder, Katelijne Duerinck. “First we teach children to think about how algorithms calculate – by iteration, sequence, choices and variables. Then they apply these basic skills to build apps and websites using programming tools and languages like Scratch, Python and Alice.” Duerinck is convinced that programming will soon become as important as reading or writing. “ICT for children and youngsters has to mean more than just computer games, despite their educational value,” she says. “We can’t risk the digital natives of today becoming the illiterates of tomorrow just because they don’t understand computer code.”

Nancy Sabbe is the head teacher at Het Open Groene primary school in Kortrijk, where pupils as young as four have been learning English every week in a playful and creative atmosphere

And why English in particular? We already teach French to the preschoolers from the age of four. As

imitating and not translating back into their own language.

for English, the opportunity was there, and it’s a world language that is used across the global economy. It’s very important in a multicultural world that people can express themselves well in other languages. Many schools in Flanders are very strict about the development of Dutch as a first language and even ban other languages from the playground. Well, that’s not my opinion. The children have lessons in Dutch the whole day. It’s only in the fifth or sixth grade that they start to have

For the sixth year in a row, fewer pupils dropped out of secondary school in Flanders than the year before, according to a new report released by the education ministry. In the school year 2014-2015, 7,676, or 11%, of pupils left school without earning a diploma. Five years ago, that figure was nearly 13%. The decrease – which concerns pupils who have turned 18 and are legally allowed to leave school – is taking place across provinces as well as in Dutch-speaking schools in the Brussels-Capital Region. The most drop-outs are still in the larger cities, with a nearly 19% drop-out rate in Brussels and just over 22% in Antwerp.

Honorary doctorate sparks controversy at UGent

Q&A Why did you decide to introduce English classes? We started last September when our teaching assistant, Anja, returned from China, where she had been giving English lessons to small children. We decided to give her the opportunity to try it out here. We already see that the children have learned a lot in the last six months, with just 20 minutes a week of singing, playing with toys and looking at flashcards.

Fewer pupils drop out of school

“real” lessons in other languages. But the younger the children, the better they are at learning and making the sounds of the language. In the beginning, they are just

How have the parents and kids responded, and would you recommend the programme to other schools? The parents are very happy and very surprised to see how much the children have learned. We have had a lot of interest about it from new parents, and the children love it when Anja comes to the class. The results we have seen are really good. Now we are going to roll it out to the older children in the primary school. As for other schools, I would certainly advise them to do this. It’s wonderful to see how quickly the children learn the language.

The department of Latin American literature at Ghent University (UGent) has spoken out against the honorary doctorate being awarded to Isabel Allende, a Chilean author best known for The House of the Spirits and City of the Beasts. In an op-ed in De Standaard, UGent professor Ilse Logie said that the 74-year-old writer is increasingly a purely commercial author and added that she doesn’t agree that her works have a social impact. UGent’s vice-rector Freddy Mortier told the newspaper that Allende was chosen because she is the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author and a standard bearer of feminist literature. She is scheduled to receive the doctorate on 24 March.

KU Leuven opens new study centre in Bruges The University of Leuven (KU Leuven) has turned a historic building in the centre of Bruges into a study and conference centre. Part of the new Hof Bladelin Campus, the 15th-century city palace, built on the order of Pieter Bladelin, one of the city’s most prominent citizens at that time, expands the presence of the university in West Flanders. Re-opened last week, the building contains four monumental paintings by Giulio Romano, the 16th-century Italian artist who finished the frescoes in the Vatican upon Raphael’s death. Any KU Leuven department can book the new centre for conferences or study days. The spaces are also being rented to external users for cultural events. \ Andy Furniere

\ Interview by Emma Portier

\ LIVING

week in activities Obama and Me: A One-Woman Show While Barack Obama was fulfilling his American Dream as the first black president of the United States, Sylvia Arthur, a black Brit, was in Brussels pursuing the European version. This intimate reading explores the meaning of identity, politics, power and belonging in the postpost-racial 21st century. 17 February 19.00-21.00, Muntpunt, Munt 6, Brussels; €6 \ muntpunt.be

Traces of Antwerp in Brussels Did you know that an Antwerpenaar carved the Baroque pulpit in the cathedral of Brussels? Or that you can find the coat of arms of the city of Antwerp on the Grote Markt? Discover these and other traces of Antwerp in the city centre with a guide. (In Dutch.) 17 February 12.3013.30, meet near the ticket windows in Central Station, Brussels; €5 \ tinyurl.com/ Antwerp-in-Brussels

Beer, wine and whisky festival Meug claims to be a different kind of tasting festival: not just brewers, winemakers and distillers but passionate collectors and connoisseurs will share their stories. There are two events: an after-work party on Friday and a tasting festival on Saturday. 17-18 February, Zuiderpershuis, Waalsekaai 14, Antwerp; €6-15 \ meug.be

Hiking and Biking Fair The ideal place to start planning your active holidays and weekends for the coming year. Lectures and panels with experts, a try-out course for all types of bikes, active travel companies, information about pilgrimages and trekking, and workshops for kids and adults. 18-19 February 10.00-17.00, Flanders Expo, Maaltekouter 1, Ghent; €9.50 \ fietsenwandelbeursvlaanderen.be

Register for Spartacus Run Sign up now for the biggest obstacle course in Belgium. The course covers 10km and includes at least 20 obstacles that you must conquer in order to continue. There’s also a Little Spartacus for kids aged six to 11 and a Junior Spartacus for ages 12 to 15. 30 May to 1 April, De Schorre provincial park, Schommelei 1, Boom; €15-€48 \ hsport.be/spartacusseries

\ 10

Catch a rainbow

Flanders’ only remaining gay bookstore has a new name and location Lisa Bradshaw Follow Lisa on Twitter \ @lmbsie

kartonnendozenlgbt.be

re you in the market for some rainbow flip-flops? How about a calendar featuring hot, scantily clad guys? Or the latest book by Emma Donoghue? What do these things have in common? They are all part of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) culture, which means you’ll find them at Kartonnen Dozen, Antwerp’s new bookshop dedicated to all things queer. Though “new” is a bit misleading. Kartonnen Dozen (Cardboard Boxes) is the reincarnation of Het Verschil, Antwerp’s original gay bookstore, which closed last year. Het Verschil had been open for 19 years and was the only such bookstore left in Flanders. But it fell prey to the same phenomenon that is threatening many independent bookshops: loss of sales due to internet shopping and streaming services. Antwerp resident Bart De Smedt opened Het Verschil in 1996 on Minderbroedersrui in the city centre. In the first few years, it was only open three days a week. “But we eventually had to move to a larger space across the street and open seven days a week because the market just exploded,” says Johanna Pas of the new Kartonnen Dozen. “There were so many new products, and our DVDs were especially popular. But over the last few years, the DVD market has plunged.” The shop was also in a part of Antwerp’s city centre that has suffered a loss of foot traffic over the last few years, she says. Pas, who worked at Het Verschil for 16 years and is now co-owner of Kartonnen Dozen, hopes the new location will breathe fresh life into

the business. She couldn’t have dreamed of a better spot: The shop is on Draakstraat, just around the corner from Het Roze Huis (The Pink House), Antwerp’s gay and lesbian community centre. Managed by Flanders’ queer support network, Cavaria, Het Roze Huis has a ground-floor cafe, Den Draak, which is popular with the LGBT community and neighbourhood residents alike. Upstairs and across the street are offices and spaces to hold events. Kartonnen Dozen on the same street creates a triangle of queer stops. “If we can’t do it here, we can’t do it anywhere!” says Pas with a laugh. Readings and workshops are indeed attracting more people

than ever before. And she thinks that there’s a larger customer base in such a residential neighbourhood. Those familiar with Flemish literature will recognise the name of the shop right away. It’s named after Tom Lanoye’s 1991 coming-of-age novel in which he recounts his own fledgling attempts to connect with other boys. “That book had a lot of impact on people in Flanders, so we named the store after it as a reference to how much influence novels can have,” Pas explains. “A lot of straight people read that book, so he found a way to let them see and feel what it’s like to be gay, to grow up gay here.” Kartonnen Dozen sells both new

BITE New restaurant brings North Africa to Hasselt Hasselt, while home to many a fine dining establishment, is not particularly known for its world cuisine. However, that’s changing with the opening of Tajine, a casual restaurant specialising in authentic Moroccan food. A tagine is the kind of dish that’s deceptively simple and yet will have you coming back for more. Slowcooked pieces of bone-in chicken are simmered in a subtly spiced sauce, for a result that’s tender, moist and perfectly seasoned. Tajine combines two complementary concepts. On one side, there’s an open kitchen and a daily buffet that’s self-service and sold by weight. Most days, the buffet includes a chicken tagine, hummus, salad, chickpeas, bulgur, feta cheese, stuffed vine leaves, bread, tapenade

and olives. Everything is freshly prepared with mostly organic and local ingredients. On a recent visit, there were also two kinds of pie (chocolate and apple), homemade Moroccan biscuits and chocolate muffins, sold by the piece. A range of drinks including Moroccan mint tea are available. You can eat food from the buffet in the restaurant or take it away. It’s a convenient and affordable lunch option, or a quick dinner on the go. But diners can also order from the menu, which has a broader selection of hot dishes available à la carte. Menu items can be ordered at any time, and can also be ordered for takeaway. The tagines include chicken with sweet chermoula (a traditional Moroccan spice blend), lamb with

prunes, and a vegetarian option with vegetables. Bastilla, a personal favourite, is a sweet and savoury chicken or fish pie wrapped in layers of filo pastry. Owner Yousra Rifi first brought her dining concept to Hasselt’s

and used books, fiction and nonfiction, in both Dutch and English. Books can also be ordered on its website. It has a smattering of gifts and an excellent selection of DVDs. Pas is realistic about how bookshops in general are struggling, but insists that these kind of spaces are crucial as a meeting place. And it surrounds one with a sense that their culture is alive and well. “It is so important for people to find reflections of their own lives and who they are,” she says. “It’s been important to me through the years to find references to how I can live. For me, I find that in books and movies. So that’s what I want to give to other people.”

TINYURL.COM/TAJINE-HASSELT

Bampslaan last autumn during the two-month #BAMSTAT revitalisation project. Then, as now, she saw her restaurant more as a social enterprise than as a business. As well as working with local farmers and using imperfect produce that might otherwise go to waste, she is using food to build a community. At the moment, she is helping to provide a haven and job opportunities for female refugees. Her plans include outreach and free meals for the homeless, and anyone who comes to the restaurant on foot, by bike or using public transport gets a 10% discount. So if you’re looking for delicious and authentic Moroccan cuisine, served in a welcoming environment with a side of social justice, Tajine’s the place to be. \ Diana Goodwin

february 15, 2017

Globalisation in question Flemish indie news site seeks ‘answers for a better world’ Benas Gerdziunas Follow Benas on Twitter \ @BenasBenGe

PALA.BE

ccording to Steve Paulussen of Antwerp University, Flanders has several interesting digital news outlets that contribute to media pluralism in the country. “Each of these ‘niche’ sites has a loyal community base, and they are important for holding politicians accountable and in pushing the agenda,” says the media and journalism professor, who specialises in online and participatory journalism and new media. “Without them, our press system would be less pluralistic and less free, and our democracy worse off.” One of these outlets is Pala, an independent media project founded some 18 years ago to “shine the light” on possible solutions to globalisation. Over the years, the Dutchlanguage website has attracted a dedicated following from the academic community and beyond. Pala founder Dirk Barrez (pictured), a journalist with more than 20 years of experience, greets me in a library inside his house in the Sint-Joost municipality of Brussels. As he sits across the table, the conversation on achieving change and addressing the problems of globalisation quickly morphs into early conclusions. “The main ambition for Pala is not only to look for problems, but also to find the answers to a better world,” he says. What is Pala all about? Dirk Barrez: We founded Pala in the late 1990s, when globalisation became a hot topic. You can of course be against globalisation, but you also have to find a way to a better future. This is Pala’s role in Flanders and the wider Dutch-speaking community. Our main objective is to inform people about this increasingly globalised world. In our opinion, it should be more ecological, socially sustainable and based on democratic principles. Most people don’t think that’s possible. But just look at the solar industry. Over the last decade, production has increased 63 times globally; that’s a real change. It is our job to show that these ideas and principles are possible. So… are you against globalisation? No. From the beginning, we also set out to study anti-globalisation movements. Even if you are against globalisation, you should also remain critical of any alternatives. The

problem with Marxist movements, for example, is that they tried to create an alternative system on more than one occasion, and each time it was a disaster – politically, democratically, socially and ecologically. We also saw that neoliberalism – the other alternative – failed enormously in 2008, and again in 2011. We don’t seem to accept that neoliberalism, just like communism, should be relegated to the history books. We have to find solutions that don’t share the shortcomings of those two extremes.

Are you a truly independent outlet? We are independent in the journalistic sense. We started as a one-man project, but we have always worked with other people, movements and organisations. Many of the books we have published, for example, were only possible thanks to other people. If you must join with other forces in society to find answers for the future, it’s a gain. But in every case, Pala is still autonomous. We also aren’t sponsored or subsidised. In that way, we’re an independent two-fold.

What’s Pala’s process in delivering news? We take a journalistic approach. You start with a general idea that you want to write about, and then look for sources to inform you. It’s completely different from “googling” and completely independent from mechanisms that show you information based on their own criteria and algorithms. You need to take control of your own search process.

What tangible effect can outlets like Pala have? Outlets like ours have shed light on many initiatives. Look at the co-operatives that are emerging in the energy sector in Germany, or at worker collectives in Spain that bring together 80,000 people. Many people know nothing about them because they are not covered by mainstream media.

But they exist, and if you know they exist, they can inspire you to take action. But the question of tangible results – I’d really want to achieve them. Sometimes you can measure them, but it’s almost like asking about the theory of change. We are living in an era where communication possibilities are bigger than ever before, with easier access to more information. And still, what’s striking is that we are very slow in responding to it all in an adequate manner. If we look at history, society has been able to come up with alternative social systems in circumstances that were much more difficult – why can’t we do that today? It’s an open question. In 2008, during the financial crisis, even politicians with a social agenda said to people: “I know these policies are not working, but this is the only way we can move forward.” If you’re looking for an explanation to rising populism, there it is.

Ghent exhibition recounts the long road to ending child labour Few of us would argue against eradicating child labour, but look inside the collar of your brand-new t-shirt, and if the label reads “Made in Bangladesh”, chances are it was sewn by children. The sad truth is, child labour is part of most of what we buy today. This is the premise of the latest exhibition at the Museum of Industry, Labour and Textiles (Miat) in Ghent. Without taking the moral high ground, Made by Children: Child Labour Then and Now is guaranteed to jolt the consciences of adults and kids alike. Miat lets 14 children from around the world

tell their stories. A girl from Dhaka, Bangladesh, who started working at the age of nine, shares details about her daily chores as a cleaner for a rich family. A 10-year-old

from San Marcos, Guatemala, sheds light on her long days as a coffee bean picker; a wooden booth exhibits her worn-out clothes, a satchel and some tools. But the real strength of Made by Children is that it doesn’t shy away from Ghent’s own troubled history. As the textile-manufacturing hub for most of the 19th century, it was the city’s impoverished children who did the jobs no one else wanted to do. One booth tells the story of Juliana, a 12-year-old girl who worked at the enormous water-spinning frame, a machine frightening even to grown-ups. While the first part of the exhibition takes the visitors

MIAT.GENT.BE

on a grim journey through the lives of working children, the second leg offers hope by depicting national and international milestones in the abolishment of child labour. From the protests by Ghent’s factory owners to the introduction of compulsory education in 1983, the protection of children seems an all-too recent notion that unfortunately still hasn’t reached many parts of the world. \ Daan Bauwens

Until 7 January, 2018 Miat

Minnemeers 10, Ghent

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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

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www.flanderstoday.eu

\ ARTS

february 15, 2017

Hit the decks

week in arts & CULTURE

DJ Netsky on fun, flying and facing down his critics

Zoo seeks volunteers for massive musical

Clodagh Kinsella More articles by Clodagh \ flanderstoday.org

etween the platinum records and the showstealing sets at the world’s biggest music festivals, Netsky – aka Boris Daenen – is flying high. Quite literally, as it turns out. “I’m training for my private pilot’s licence, and I recently flew over Antwerp,” he recalls with excitement. “My girlfriend was standing on the terrace of our apartment, and I was FaceTime-ing her from the air.” Where does the fascination with flying come from? “My parents tell me that one of my first words – before Mum or Dad – was the Dutch for aircraft,” he says. “I fly so much now, and people always ask, doesn’t it get boring? But I just love watching what aeroplanes do. I’m a proper aircraft nerd.” The 27-yearold began making electronic music in his early teens, and within a few years he’d rolled into the underground drum’n’bass scene – a movement that was then thriving in UK cities like London, Bristol and Birmingham. As an outsider, he found

himself attracting considerable flak and even the odd troll on music forums. “I was the European guy who wasn’t involved in the proper dance scene,” he says. “I wasn’t there every night with my backpack on in a sweaty garage or house party. I was completely detached from the whole scene, and the hardcore drum’n’bass fans in the UK didn’t really get my music. One guy called it drum’n’bass for girls – which I loved!” That dismissive line convinced him that, instead of the harsh, bass-heavy tunes and macho posturing of the traditional drum’n’bass scene, he wanted to create a more tuneful, soulful sound. And if girls in heels came to dance at his sets, it was better than the usual po-faced crowd. “That one quote, that one hater, completely changed my career.” His first two albums, released on the London label Hospital Records – the second went platinum – quickly gained attention, combining ultra-tight breakbeats with the instrumen-

NETSKYMUSIC.COM

tal flourishes and upbeat vocals of the anthemic “liquid bass” style. There were standout sets at US festivals like Ultra and Coachella, and the absurdly catchy 2015 hit “Rio” (the soundtrack for the Belgian team at the 2012 London Olympics), which has so far racked up almost seven million hits on YouTube.

at a festival before a house DJ, or after a rock band, where you really have to win people over. It’s much more fun than playing a festival with 12 hours of drum’n’bass.” While Netsky gigs in Belgium are relatively scarce – in the last few years he’s done just one concert a year, alongside a set at one of the big festivals – be it Tomorrow-

I took a risk without really calculating Last year was something of a departure, with Netsky switching to a major label for his third album, 3, which was released by Sony in Europe and Ultra in the US. A marked progression from his first two records, the blissedout album was laden with hooks, funky beats and stellar guests like Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé. “I took a risk without really calculating it too much,” he says. “Hospital Records, which is a really cool independent label, picked me up from nowhere. But we decided together that it was time for me to go to a label where I could have separate management rather than just being an artist on that label.” He remains sanguine about the inevitable accusations of going mainstream. “A lot of people think I’m taking a more commercial route, but I think the opposite. The easiest thing would have been to keep making the same drum’n’bass and stick to my crowd, but I find it more fun to experiment with completely different stuff. “It’s like playing in front of a crowd

25 February

land, Rock Werchter or Pukkelpop – they’re typically incredible spectacles featuring a full live band, and a proper drum’n’bass MC. For the upcoming show at Sportpaleis, he’s working with the Brussels Philharmonic. “I wanted to get classical elements into the show this time. For each song, there’s a themed act on stage – samba dancers for ‘Rio’ for instance.” Another plus: “We’re going to make the show as long as possible. There will be most of the songs from the last album, but plenty of stuff from before that as well.” Meanwhile, he’s been fantasising about having a second base in Los Angeles. He’s not sure he’s ready to leave Antwerp yet – not least thanks to the city’s restaurants. “I try not to be jaded by living here. I keep thinking that there are more restaurants per capita in Antwerp than anywhere else in Europe,” he says. “It’s one of the big reasons for staying put. Being out on a terrace when the sun’s out, enjoying a beer. You never drive places, you walk or cycle, get pissed and then ride home on your bike.” Try doing that in LA.

Sportpaleis

Schijnpoortweg 119, Antwerp

Q&A Nathalie Teirlinck is a Brussels-based filmmaker whose first feature, Le passé devant nous (Past Imperfect), is in cinemas now. It tells the story of Alice, an emotionally distant young woman suddenly confronted with the six-year-old son she abandoned at birth Why did you want to make this film? This is the film I had to make. It’s with me when I get up, when I go to bed, and all the time in between. I live with Alice. She still surprises and captivates me every day. Alice became the ultimate character to embody the themes I’ve been exploring and that have been inspiring me for years. Which themes are those? I am deeply fascinated by how flexible we are expected to be when it comes to our identity, how each day we take on varying roles to meet societal expec-

those entrenched social roles and certainties. Such as being a mother? I want to reveal what it means to be someone who has chosen to leave everything behind, and who finds herself in a complex confrontation with who and what remains. To abandon and to be abandoned are a connecting thread for all the characters.

tations and norms. I’m also fascinated by the current paradox of a world that is both full of opportunity and yet cripplingly claustrophobic. Openness and vulnerability are increasingly commended as qualities, yet there is a deep anxiety around losing oneself in all the possibilities – the crippling fear of failure. But Alice appears very confident... Although Alice seems to navigate her protected life without too many problems, it’s this fear that lurks deep inside her. Her defence mechanisms are deeply rooted.

She creates for herself a particular order in which it is possible to live without real intimacy or emotional risk. Through Alice, I wanted to explore what happens when you are not able to meet

Your visual language is often oblique, built on associations. Yes, it gives me the space to smuggle in poetry, to play with film codes and expectations, to allow my characters to unfold. Just as in real life, we have to get to know them from dribs and drabs of information; we have to learn to love them. \ Interview by Ian Mundell

Antwerp Zoo is looking for a few hundred volunteers to help celebrate its 175th birthday in 2018. The zoo, which is managed by the non-profit organisation Antwerp Royal Society of Animals, is planning a massive musical for the occasion. Zoo of Life will be directed by Luc Stevens, who has staged numerous musicals and concerts over the years. “Anyone can take part, young or old,” said Stevens. “We are simply looking for people with enthusiasm and who want to feel engaged with this event.” Volunteers are needed to be part of the show and to help with sets, costumes, catering and childcare. Anyone interested can attend an information evening on 9 March at the Elisabeth Center, next door to the zoo. \ zooantwerpen.be

Ghent city theatre renovation underway Renovation work has begun on Ghent’s city theatre NTGent on Sint-Baafsplein in the heart of the city centre. Renovations are being made to existing infrastructure and a new space is being constructed on the side of the building for loading and unloading. The city has owned the 19th-century building since last year and is funding the €4.6 million project, which also includes new technical equipment for the theatre company. The equipment and the loading area are currently not up to today’s safety standards, according to the city. Antwerp’s B-architecten are responsible for the new design. Works are expected to finish in about one year.

Cherkaoui choreographs Beyoncé at Grammies Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, artistic director of the Royal Ballet Flanders, choreographed American pop singer Beyoncé’s performance at the Grammy Awards last weekend. The singer won two Grammys this year – for Best Urban Album and Best Video Clip. Cherkaoui worked with Beyoncé, who is several months pregnant, on the choreography for her songs “Love Drought” and “Sandcastles”. The performance garnered rave reviews, with USA Today writing: “Her visual presentation was in a completely different class from anything else at the Grammys this year, or most other years.” Cherkaoui also worked with Beyoncé last year on choreography for her performance at a benefit concert for the streaming website Tidal. \ Lisa Bradshaw

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\ ARTS

Clothes make the manneken New museum showcases costumes worn by capital’s pint-sized statue Clodagh Kinsella More articles by Clodagh \ flanderstoday.org

ver the centuries he’s amassed enough costumes to rival famed clotheshorses like Lady Gaga, and now much-loved Brussels mascot Manneken Pis has his own dedicated wardrobe museum. Opened last week during a public festival, the new GardeRobe MannekenPis is just up the hill from the statue in the centre of the capital. The icon’s outfits were previously on display alongside the original statue in the Museum of the City of Brussels on the nearby Grote Markt. During last week’s festival, the museum inaugurated its own redesigned Manneken Pis room, with a series of objects and artworks tracing the statue’s eventful history. While the Virgin Mary and Jesus are often clothed, secular statues are rarely treated to their own private wardrobe – and certainly none have a collection on the scale of the Manneken Pis, who sports 130 looks each year (his peacocking is regulated by an official calendar).

1698. His wardrobe was initially rather sparse but spiralled in the 20th century, with cultural and professional associations, charities and foreign embassies all donating costumes. He currently receives 15 new outfits each year – with strict guidelines governing the kind of group that can donate a costume, and a ban on using him as a promotional tool. Owing to his minute proportions (he stands at 61cm) and anatomical quirks – his hands are stuck to his hips, his feet to the statue’s base – fashioning the costumes is a specialist art that calls for canny solutions like staples and Velcro (there’s a dedicated in-house tailor). Arranged into seven sections, the new GardeRobe features 133 outfits from his 965-strong collection. A fireman, miner and beekeeper figure alongside Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse and Dracula. “The idea was to make a representative selection of this whole incredible collection,” explains

We cannot show the oldest preserved costume, given by Louis XV in 1747, because it’s too fragile He was first depicted in dress in a painting of the 1615 Ommegang procession, while the first known gift of a costume was by Maximilian II Emanuel, governor general of the Spanish Netherlands, in

curator Gonzague Pluvinage. “Most of our visitors are tourists, and they’re always very excited to see the costume their country gave to the Manneken Pis. Our first goal was to make the

MANNEKENPIS.BRUSSELS

geographical selection as big as possible.” At its centre is a dedicated European display that, for now, includes the UK. “We’re optimistic people,” says Pluvinage, laughing. The old GardeRobe had 50 fewer costumes and scant room to narrate the statue’s transformation from public utility to symbol of Belgium’s plucky spirit and oddball humour. The new one relates how the collection works, who donates and how the costume tradition started. “We also wanted to give details on, for example, the official dresser of the Manneken Pis, who was first appointed in the middle of the 18th century – it’s still a paid job.” Visitors can get a taste of this unusual work by dressing up their own Manneken Pis. While the modest size of the wardrobe on display is about conservation and limiting the garments’ exposure to light, Pluvinage plans to rotate the display each year. “We couldn’t show the oldest preserved costume, given by Louis XV in 1747, because it’s too fragile,” he says. “Instead there’s a replica. But my idea is to show it later in a special pop-up.” There are several legends purporting to account for the origins of the Manneken Pis. One concerns a boy named Julianske, who supposedly urinated on the fuses of enemy explosives, foiling a 14th-century attack on

the city. Another cites the two-year-old Duke Godfrey III of Leuven, who was hung in a basket on a tree for good luck during a battle in 1142, and peed on his foes – the Berthouts – causing them to lose. The first recorded mention of the daerdmennekenpist (“the place where the child pees”) is found in an administrative text of 1451, relating to the network of water pipes that fed Brussels’ public fountains, which were erected from the start of the 13th century. The bronze statue we know today was created in 1619 by sculptor Jérôme Duquesnoy as part of the fountain’s refurbishment. His baroque interpretation of the urinating boy, a symbol found in ancient Greco-Roman art, was very much the fashion of the day. Duquesnoy’s statue was replaced with a copy in 1965 after a theft – the last in a long line of attempts on the statue’s life – saw him severed above the feet and dumped in the Brussels-Charleroi canal. He was later fished out and transferred to the city museum. © E Laurent

Manneken Pis’s new museum features 133 outfits from a collection of nearly 1,000, including a fireman, miner, Santa Claus and Dracula

New play gives blindfolded audience a different view The central role in the latest production by Theater van A tot Z, written by a director slowly losing his sight, is played by a blind actor. It seems like a perfect fit for a story about a character with a similar disability. Tiresias is based on the ancient Greek character of the same name. Caught peeping at the naked body of Athena as she bathed, his punishment is to lose his sight. At the same time, Athena enables him to see into the future. “This production is about the difference between ‘being blind’ and ‘not being able to see’,” explains writer and director Rudy Goes, who has a blind son and is afflicted by an eye illness himself, limiting his sight over time. So it’s no surprise he’s always been intrigued by the rare combination of Tiresias’ blindness and clairvoyance. The extraordinary features of the main char-

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From left: cast members Anne Van Opstal, Pol Verest and Gregory Van Damme

acter, clearly different from his peers, are somehow typical for the type of plays that Theater van A tot Z likes to initiate, giving their audience – both teenagers and adults – the chance to look at society from another perspective. Theater Van A tot Z developed from a merger between the Vilvoorde-based theatre group Fast Forward and the Educatief Theater Antwerpen. Their joint focus is youngsters and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds. That’s why their participative theatre pops up not only in cultural centres but also in schools and socio-cultural organisations. For Tiresias, the audience will be immersed in the world of the blind. Eye masks will be handed out, and audio description will help people understand what’s happening on stage, to intertwine the world of the

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blind and the seeing. Blind actor Pol Verest is assisted by musical actor Anne Van Opstal and Gregory Van Damme, who featured in the youth TV series Amika. Verest lost his sight in 1978, four years after he graduated with a teaching degree. But it didn’t hold him back. He found a job as music teacher and is the driving force behind the amateur theatre company tejater RESTANT. “Being blind is a disability, but nothing more than that,” he explains. “Some people can sing, some can’t. Some people can see, I can’t. It has a considerable impact on my life, but it doesn’t have to be a barrier.” In Tiresias, he proves he’s right. \ Tom Peeters

Until 22 May Across Flanders

\ AGENDA

february 15, 2017

What’s new, pussycat?

CONCERT

Cat Museum Until 26 March

“T

here are two means of refuge from the misery of life – music and cats,” said Albert Schweitzer. Art collector Françoise Baronian, whose “cat museum” has just opened in Brussels, agrees. “My father loved cats and so have I, ever since I was little,” she says. “So I have collected works of art featuring cats – paintings, drawings, photographs, films, video, books, objects and sculpture.” With friends she created the nonprofit Le Musée du Chat, and this itinerant museum for all things feline has set up shop in De Markten’s gallery on Graanmarkt in the Dansaert district until the end of

Ghent

De Markten, Brussels demarkten.be

March. The show has about 100 pieces by a wide variety of artists, from the daring Japanese contemporary artist Araki to conceptual Belgian artist Marcel Broodthaers. The core of the exhibition is Baronian’s own atypical collection, but it has been expanded by pieces borrowed from other collections. Treasures abound: Chinese artist Wang Du has produced a monumental cat that is about to catch a monumental mouse. There is a very clever collage of tiny Hello Kitty stickers that make up the image of a cat. Not to mention two tall green alien cats walking their dog. And on a window sill is a fabulous

plastic sculpture of a cat in very subtle rainbow colours that looks like it’s disappearing. The Brussels show is the second outing for the collection and will be followed by a show of photos

CLASSICAL

THEATRE

Flemish Symphony Orchestra

Risjaar Drei

18 & 22 February, 20.00

Opera, Ghent & Antwerp operaballet.be

It’s not unusual for the Flemish Symphony Orchestra to revisit works from the 19th century. That’s part of being a classical music ensemble. What is unique about the orchestra’s latest endeavour is that it’s focused not on that century’s typically epic compositions but rather works that draw on the humdrum of everyday life. On the programme are Gustav Mahler’s folk-inspired Wunderhorn-Lieder and Johannes Brahms’ bucolic Second Symphony. British conductor Alexander Joel (pictured) leads the orchestra, which is joined by guest vocalists Barbara Senator and Josef Wagner. One night only in both Ghent and Antwerp.

16 February to 22 April Richard III rides again. The brief reign of the 15th-century English king inspired one of William Shakespeare’s bloodiest dramas. The plot is straightforward – Richard, a misanthropic hunchback, schemes his way to the throne, leaving a trail of dead bodies in his wake – but the dialogue, which featured such

and film at Charleroi’s Photography Museum in 2018 and at Rotterdam’s Kunsthal at a yet-to-be-determined date. Each show is site-specific, so no two are the same. In collaboration with this exhibition, Bozar is hosting a lecture on 18 February by art historian Catherine Mayeur on “feline incursions in contemporary art”. So does Baronian live in a house full of cats? “I have just one,” she says. “She is six months old, and it’s crazy; I forgot how kittens can get into so much trouble. I had to move everything on my kitchen counters because she systematically knocks everything on to the floor, one item after another.” \ Richard Harris

Fulco Ottervanger: Ghent’s newly crowned city composer takes a break from his jazz trio De Beren Gieren and krautpop combo Stadt to perform an improvised solo set on piano in the foyer of one of Ghent’s historical buildings. 20 February 19.00, Handelsbeurs, Kouter 29 \ handelsbeurs.be

CLASSICAL Brussels Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov: Piano-andviolin power duo interpret an eclectic selection of 19thand 20th-century composers, including Polish modernist Karol Szymanowski and experimental American pianist George Antheil. 18 February 20.00, Royal Brussels Conservatory, Regentschapsstraat 30

\ bozar.be

Hasselt Across Flanders toneelhuis.be

memorable lines as “My kingdom for a horse,” has endured through the centuries. This contemporary Flemish adaptation is the brainchild of Antwerp’s Olympique Dramatique and stars two greats of Flemish acting as the king at different points in his life: Peter Van den Begin and Jan Decleir (pictured). \ GV

B’Rock: Harmonic Inspiration: Ghent-based orchestra B’Rock wows crowds with its fusion of early and contemporary music. This programme takes Vivaldi’s Estro Armonico as its point of departure. 17 February 20.00, CC Hasselt, Kunstlaan 5 \ ccha.be

VISUAL ARTS Bruges Peter Jacquemyn: GihrGihr: Flemish jazz musician and visual artist shows a series of sculptures inspired by the totems of the Siberian Chukchi Eskimos. Jacquemyn created the works in collaboration with textile artist Veerle Hommelen. Until 19 March, Pinsart, Genthof 21

\ pinsart.be

\ Georgio Valentino

VISUAL ARTS

FESTIVAL

Gipi: The Power of Emotion

Youth Film Festival

Until 3 September

Belgian Comic Strip Center, Brussels

19 February to 5 March

comicscenter.net

The Belgian Comic Strip Center does more than just chronicle the history of the popular art form. It also celebrates its contemporary stars. This exhibition shines a spotlight on one of today’s brightest: Gipi. The Italian artist, born Gianni Alfonso Pacinotti, became a bona-fide international star in 2006, when his Notes for a War Story won the prize for best comic book at the prestigious Angoulême International Comics Festival. He has since continued his award-winning streak and maintained an enthusiastic fan base across Europe. \ GV

Flanders’ long-standing Youth Film Festival takes over screens in four cities (Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges and Kortrijk). More than 40 movies will be screened as part of a programme helpfully split into age groups, from three-yearolds to 20-somethings. The festival opens in Antwerp with the premiere of the Dutch film Storm,

FESTIVAL Ghent Across Flanders jeugdfilmfestival.be

an adventure set in the middle ages. Other films to look out for include the award-winning Swiss animation My Life as a Courgette and the Swedish film Girls Lost (pictured), in which three girls suddenly find themselves turned into boys. There are also workshops, parties, performances and even a battle of the bands. \ GV

Baglama Festival: Turkey’s version of the guitar is front and centre at this festival, which features a documentary relating the history of the seven-stringed instrument, classes to help you learn to play it and concerts by various artists. 17-19 February, De Centrale, Kraankindersstraat 2 \ decentrale.be

FAIR Brussels Affordable Art Fair: Annual event aims to bring art to the people with workshops, awards, presentations and, of course, plenty of vendors selling works by both established and up-and-coming artists. 17-20 February, Tour & Taxis, Havenlaan 86c \ affordableartfair.com

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february 15, 2017

Talking Dutch

VoiceS of flanders today

Flanders roots for the loveliest lime Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

TREEOFTHEYEAR.ORG

assemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lime tree has seen festivities, war and revolution. But one question remains. Wordt Belgische boom de Europese Boom van het Jaar? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Will a Belgian tree become the European Tree of the Year? You may think there are more important issues in Europe, but not for the inhabitants of one Flemish village. De dorpslinde wordt gekoesterd in Massemen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The village lime tree is cherished in Massemen, explained Het Nieuwsblad. Zijn knoestige stamen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Its gnarled trunk, zijn holle binnenkant â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its hollow core, zijn wollige lenteblaren â&#x20AC;&#x201C; its delicate spring foliage zeggen het zonder woorden â&#x20AC;&#x201C; speak for themselves. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a tree that was around when Rubens was still alive. Hij kreunde van schrik â&#x20AC;&#x201C; It cried out in terror toen de kerk in 1645 in lichterlaaie stond â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when the church went up in flames in 1645; hij vierde feest met de Heren van Massemen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it celebrated along with the Lords of Massemen toen het dorp een prinsdom werd in 1650 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; when the village became a principality in 1650 en hij zag hoe de Franskiljons verdreven werden in 1798 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and it watched as the French were chased out in 1798. Everyone in the village â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part of Wetteren in East Flanders â&#x20AC;&#x201C; knows the tree (pictured). Deze linde verspreidt een heerlijk parfum â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The lime gives off a wonderful smell, prijkt op menig schilderij â&#x20AC;&#x201C; appears in several paintings en nog steeds ontluikt er nieuwe liefde onder de bladeren â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and even now, young love blossoms under its branches. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more, this ancient Flemish lime might soon be the most famous tree in Europe. De dorpslinde van Massemen is een van de zestien bomen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Massemen village lime is one of 16 trees die verkozen kan worden

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tot Europese boom van het jaar â&#x20AC;&#x201C; nominated for European Tree of the Year. Launched in 2011, the European Tree of the Year contest gets entries from countries across the continent. De dorpslinde werd verkozen uit zeven Vlaamse en Brusselse bomen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The lime tree was selected from seven entries in Flanders and Brussels, en haalde in BelgiĂŤ meer dan 6.500 stemmen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and got more than 6,500 votes in Belgium. Ik ben bijzonder fier dat onze linde BelgiĂŤ mag vertegenwoordigen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m extremely proud that our lime will represent Belgium, said Benedicte Vispoel, who entered the tree in the competition. It wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be easy to take home the prize. The Flemish lime is up against the Sycamore gap tree in England, the Russalka oak in Estonia and the venerable sessile oak next to the Nassalevtsi church in Bulgaria. Online voting takes place until 28 February, and the winner is announced in the European Parliament on 21 March. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a blink of an eye in the life of a 450-year-old tree.

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