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JULY 12, 2017 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ p2

politics \ p4

Natural wonder

BUSiNESS \ p6

innovation \ p7

Reversing assumptions

Belgium’s Sonian Forest has been recognised by Unesco as world heritage, an ‘extraordinary evolution of the beech ecosystem since the last Ice Age’

A new training at VUB takes teachers’ assumptions and puts them in perspective, offering a fresh outlook on old themes

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education \ p9

art & living \ p10

Footloose

Though it seems that Luk Van Soom could have been a comedian, the Flemish artist says he was born to sculpt \ 13

All the right moves Red Flames fire up women’s football on their way to Euro 2017 Leo Cendrowicz More articles by Leo \ flanderstoday.eu

After years watching the Red Devils on the field, this summer it’s their turn to strut their stuff: Belgium’s women’s football team, the Red Flames, are heading to the European Championships for the very first time.

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ince their start in 1984, the Red Flames have never qualified for the European Championships, nor the Women’s World Cup, which began in 1991. Nor even for the Olympics.

But at the Euros in the Netherlands, which kicks off this weekend, the Flames have an outside shot at Belgium’s first football prize since the men won the gold at the 1920 Olympics. Forward Janice Cayman thinks they could beat the odds.

“We might be able to do something special,” she says. “We might surprise people. I don’t know if we can go all the way, but we will give everything we’ve got, and take it game by game. Hopefully we will feel good at the end of it.”

Cayman, 28, is one of the most successful Belgian players ever.

Born in Brasschaat, she currently plays for French side Montpellier HSC, and was a Champions League semi-finalist with another French team, Juvisy.

But she recognises the challenge for Belgium. At 22nd on the Fifa Women’s World Ranking, “we’re the underdog team,” she says.

“But we finally got to the Euro finals. It’s something to tick off the bucket list!”

Make no mistake: the Flames are long shots as well as newcomers. Few would rate their chances of raising the trophy on 6 August, after the final at De Grolsch Veste, the home of FC Twente in Enschede.

Bookmakers William Hill put Belgium 12th on its list of likely winners, at 34-1. They lost 2-0 to France in their warm-up match last Friday in Montpellier, and were thumped 7-0 by Spain the week before.

They will play their last friendly on Tuesday this week, just after Flanders Today goes to press, against Russia at the stadium of Flemish side FCV Dender in Denderleeuw.

Many feel that it’s their inexperience at the top level that will count against them in this group. Coached by Ives Serneels, who won the Belgian League title with Lierse in 1996, the Red Flames’ last competitive match was at the invitation 2017 Cyprus Cup, where they finished seventh out of 12.

Their only other tournaments were invitations: the Cyprus Cup in 2015, where they came last of 12, and the 2016 Algarve Cup where they came fifth out of eight.

So they’re well aware of the hard road ahead, as they start off with their match against Denmark next Sunday, followed by

© John Thys/BELGA

continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

Sonian Forest is world heritage Example of extraordinary evolution of beech tree ecosystem since Ice Age Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

T

he Sonian Forest, known in Dutch as the Zoniënwoud, has been added to Unesco’s World Heritage List. The Sonian is uniquely located across all of Belgium’s three regions, taking in Sint-Genesius-Rode, Hoeilaart, Overijse and Tervuren in Flanders.

The decision was made last week at a Unesco conference in Krakow, Poland. “The World Heritage Committee recognised the forest because it represents an example of the extraordinary evolution of the beech ecosystem since the last Ice Age,” minister-president Geert Bourgeois and environment minister Joke Schauvliege said in a joint statement.

Ten years ago, Unesco recognised two virgin beech forests in Ukraine and Slovakia. In 2011, five forests in Germany were added to the list, which now also includes beech forests in

Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Ukraine.

The nomination of the Sonian Forest (pictured) was supported by all three of Belgium’s regions, all of which border the forest.

However, the whole forest is not included – only about 400 hectares that are set aside as protected woodland, where no management is carried out.

“We are extremely honoured that the Sonian Forest has been recognised as world heritage,” said Bourgeois, whose portfolio includes heritage matters. Until now, all Belgium’s entries on the world heritage list – including beer culture and the Aalst carnival – have been man-made. “The Sonian Forest is one of the last remaining untouched parts of our territory, and is included as natural heritage.”

© Donar Reiskoffer/Wikimedia

Red Lions favourites in World League semi-finals

Klein Kasteeltje refugee centre to close down

Belgium’s men’s hockey squad are one of the favourites at the World League Semi-Finals, which kicked off at the weekend. The two-year Hockey World League is nearing its climax, and the semi-finals, with 10 teams, takes place over a fortnight.

The Red Lions have emerged in recent years as a new force in hockey, and last year were only just beaten to the Olympic gold by Argentina in a tense and close final in Rio. The silver was their best finish at the Games.

They came close to winning the Hockey World League final two years ago, but were beaten by Australia. This marks a steady trajectory for the Lions that includes winning hockey’s second tier trophy, the Champions Challenge, in 2011, and their first European Championships final in 2013.

Lions captain John-John Dohmen was crowned the 2016 International Hockey Federation Player of the Year.

Belgium won their first game easily at the week-

The new mayor of Brussels-City, Philippe Close (PS), has announced that he is opposed to plans by the federal government to close the Klein Kasteeltje (Little Castle) centre for asylum-seekers in the centre of Brussels and replace it with a new centre in Neder-over-Heembeek, in the far north of the city.

The plan involves the sale of Klein Kasteeltje (pictured below) for urban development. The 19th-century building on the bank of the Scheldt canal was originally a barracks for grenadiers, stationed in the heart of the city ready to intervene in cases of civil unrest. Its name derived from the 16th-century mansion, ringed by water, that once stood on the site.

The building was used over the years as a detention centre for prisoners of war and a processing centre for young conscripts.

In 1986 it was taken over by Fedasil and turned into a centre for asylum-seekers.

The government argues that the buildings are now unfit for the increasing number of

© Thierry Roge/BELGA

end, a 10-0 victory against Egypt. They were set to play Ireland as Flanders Today went to press. The other teams in the pool are Germany and South Africa.

The event takes place just weeks after Brussels hosted the Women’s World League SemiFinals, with the Belgian squad, the Red Panthers, knocked out on penalties by South Korea in the final eight. \ Leo Cendrowicz

Anderlecht terrorist suspect at large Police are still searching for one suspect following a raid on a house in Anderlecht in Brussels last week. The raid uncovered a major cache of weapons, ammunition and police uniforms.

Four people were arrested in the raid on six addresses in what is being considered by the prosecutor’s office as a foiled terrorist attack. Two men have been released. The two still in custody, brothers Khalid and Akim Saouti, have been identified as members of the Kamikaze Riders, a biker gang made up of jihadists.

Another two of the gang’s members – one of them another Saouti brother – were arrested in late 2015 on suspicion of preparing an attack to take place during New Year’s celebrations. The annual fireworks display in Brussels was cancelled as a result. In that case, the specific charges were dropped but the men were sentenced to six and three years in prison for being members of a terrorist organisation.

In the Anderlecht case, investigators fear at least one member of the conspiracy may have gone underground. Police discovered the operation through phone calls made between the Saouti brothers and a man living near Lille in France that included discussions about weapons in a garage box in Brussels. \ AH

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© Benoit Doppagne/BELGA

€1.3 million

75,000

cardboard ashtrays filled with sand to be distributed at the Flemish coast this summer to help tackle cigarette ends left on the beaches.

They are available free from lifeguard posts

residents using them. In addition, many asylum-seekers spend their days in and around the centre, and the neighbourhood is now known as a place to pick up illegal day-labour.

The new centre in Neder-over-Heembeek – which is also part of Brussels-City – would provide better facilities, the government has said, including a medical clinic and security infrastructure.

“The solution for the centre of the city must not be allowed to come at the cost of the north of Brussels,” said Close. The area, he argued, is already home to the Mena centre for unaccompanied refugee minors, a waste incinerator, a hazardous chemicals factory and a planned new prison.

“It’s time a solution was found for the [Klein Kasteeltje] neighbourhood,” he said. However, rather than turning the potentially lucrative site over to property developers, he would prefer to see it used for public services such as social housing, child-care or a school. \ AH

candidates took part in the latest exam for entry to medical and dentistry studies at a Flemish university. Some 9% of them were from the Netherlands, where places are limited

loss made last year by the Atomium in Brussels as a result of the aftermath of the Paris and Brussels terrorist attacks. The monument attracted 200,000 fewer visitors than in 2015

2,400

square metres of graffiti cleaned off trains and rail infrastructure last year, the equivalent of 15 football pitches and an increase from the 105,400 square metres cleaned in 2015

kilometres from Leuven to Santiago de Compostela, which cancer specialist Johan Swinnen will run in 32 days to raise money for the Leuven Cancer Institute. He leaves on 21 August \ post-voor-compostela.be

JULY 12, 2017

WEEK in brief Planckendael animal park in Mechelen has closed its petting zoo because of the lack of respect shown to the animals by some visitors, a spokesperson has said. The farm included chickens, lambs, goats and alpacas, which have been subjected to having their ears and udders pulled and being chased by groups of children. The space will be used to increase the room for animals kept nearby.

Flemish public transport authority De Lijn will stop accepting cash payments for fares on buses and trams by 2019 or 2020, a spokesperson has announced. All vehicles will be equipped with payment terminals as well as the current option to buy a ticket by text message. The authority wants to save drivers time, which will speed up transport in general, the spokesperson said.

Flemish tennis players Kirsten Flipkens and Yanina Wickmayer were both knocked out of the second round of Wimbledon last week.

Flipkens was defeated 7-5 7-5 by Germany’s Angelique Kerber, after beating Japan’s Misaki Doi 6-4 6-3 in the first round. Spain’s Garbiñe Muguruza never lost serve as she dispatched Wickmayer 6-2, 6-4, in the second round, after the Flemish star had dismissed Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko 6-2 7-5 in the first round.

A VRT investigation has revealed that diesel vehicles that have had the soot filters removed continue to pass motor vehicle inspections.

According to industry federation Goca, Belgium does not have the infrastructure to detect whether the filter is present and working. Removing a soot filter is much cheaper than replacing it if it is faulty. Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts said that he would talk with the industry about measuring emissions.

Hospital insurance fees are set to increase, the federal economy

face of flanders ministry has confirmed, with the cost of a shared room going up by 3.16%, and a single room by 4.35%.

Dental care will also increase by 11%, while children and young people will pay up to 17% more.

The federal government will increase its inspection of lifts in both business and residential buildings following the results of last year’s inspections, which found that only 30% of lifts were in line with the new regulations on safety and maintenance.

Consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters said that lifts found without the automatic-stop sensors now required by law will be taken out of commission by inspectors.

The city of Antwerp unveiled the restored monument to Jan Jacob De Laet in the Sint-Fredegandus cemetery last week. De Laet was a 19th-century poet and politician who figured prominently in the Flemish movement. He was the first member of the federal parliament to take the oath in Dutch.

The ceremony was attended by Jan Peumans, speaker of the Flemish parliament, as well as representatives from the district of Deurne and the city of Antwerp.

Delays are expected on the E40 motorway east of Brussels at the exits for Bertem and Sterrebeek until 15 August due to resurfacing works. Lanes in both directions will be closed, and disruption is expected to extend to the E314 eastbound to Leuven as well as the Brussels Ring.

Eating fish such as eels from rivers in Flanders has been described as “irresponsible” by an expert from the Institute for Nature and Woodland Research.

According to Claude Belpaire, river water is polluted with pesticides, mercury and fire-retardant chemicals that are found in eels and other fresh-water fish

like perch. Despite the problem, 30 tonnes of river eels are sold per year in the region.

Some 130,000 cars in Belgium are still fitted with the software Volkswagen created to falsify the measurement of nitric oxide emissions, according to consumer association Test-Aankoop. When the fraud was discovered in 2015, some 300,000 cars on Belgian roads required a software update, but records show that only 170,000 underwent the process.

The owners of a new restaurant in Ypres have agreed to remove the image of a bomb from their logo, following complaints by the city council and management of the adjacent In Flanders Fields museum. The restaurant is called IeperEat, which is pronounced the same in Dutch as the word yperite, another word for mustard gas, which was used to kill Allied soldiers during the Ypres offensive in the First World War. A Romanian man suspected of the murder of Roeselaere resident Sofie Muylle on the beach in Knokke last January can be extradited to Belgium, a court in his homeland has ruled. The 23-yearold admitted he was in the vicinity at the time Muylle was last seen but denied any involvement.

The federal finance ministry is holding a sale of large lots of alcoholic drinks that have been seized by customs. The sale on 7 August concerns genuine bottles, not counterfeits, which are routinely destroyed. The spirits were seized for non-payment of customs and excise duties, and minimum prices will be set to cover those costs. Brands include High Commissioner whisky, Elite vodka, Grape raki and more and will be sold in lots of 450 to 1,200 bottles.

Of course, no-one has fished out of Bruges since the harbour silted up, but the port of the city is now

Erwin Provoost The new director-general of the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) has been named as Erwin Provoost, who will replace Pierre Drouot starting next January. It would be hard to think of someone with more experience.

Provoost, 63, was born in Ghent and studied at the Rits film school in Brussels. He worked producing TV programmes, including the historical miniseries Rubens about the life of the Antwerp painter, while hosting a music programme on Dutch radio. In 1981, he started his own production company called Multimedia, later known as MMG. As a result, he was in on the ground floor of Flemish cinema’s New Wave. In 1983, he produced the now classic Brussels by Night, by Marc Didden and a young Dominique Deruddere. That was followed in 1985

by Istanbul, another DiddenDeruddere collaboration.

Provoost also turned his hand to more commercial productions,

vaf.be

such as comedies Hector and Koko Flanel featuring the bawdy comic Urbanus. Hector was the top-grossing Flemish film in the country for three years, when it gave up the spot in 1990 to Koko Flanel. That then held the top spot for nearly 20 years.

The producer teamed up with director Erik Van Looy in 2003 to make the popular De zaak Alzheimer (known in English as The Memory of a Killer), after having produced TV series like air-sea rescue drama Windkracht 10 (Storm Force) and cop show Flikken (Cops), the latter for 10 seasons. In 2004 MMG was taken over by production house Eyeworks, which was keen to move from reality shows to fiction.

Provoost is an “outspoken personality with strategic insight, tactical sensitivity, diplomatic talent, broad experience and an independent attitude,” said Drouot. “That is what VAF and the independent audio-visual sector in Flanders needs.” \ Alan Hope

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OFFSIDE Plenty of fish in the sea Flemish coastal fishing towns received the bad news recently that the British government will scrap an agreement reached in 1964 that allows fishing boats from other countries to fish in British territorial waters. The local industry said that the decision, part of Brexit negotiations, was a blow, representing a loss of 10% of the Flemish catch.

But help could be at hand in the shape of a document signed in 1666

by King Charles II, which Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois pulled out of his pocket on a recent appearance on the TV news show Terzake. The document, a so-called privilege, gives permission to 50 Bruges fishermen to fish in British waters in perpetuity.

© Stefan Temmermans/VAF

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

Zeebrugge, which does have a fishing fleet. The document was discovered in the city archives of Bruges in 1963, before the London convention allowing access to foreign boats was signed.

A Bruges city councillor took a boat into British waters and had himself arrested, in the hope of testing the privilege in court. The British declined to prosecute, apparently for fear the 1666 paper would be ruled to be still enforceable.

The chances of the privilege being brought up during Brexit negotiations are slim, a Bourgeois spokesperson admitted. “But it is not impossible that the Bruges fishermen still have some rights,” she said. \ AH

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\ POLITICS

5TH COLUMN We transfer

A classic argument with Flemish nationalists is the annual financial transfers. Flanders “donates” billions every year to Wallonia, its poorer regional neighbour to the south.

That this situation has continued for decades proves that this is not just the result of a temporary economic crisis.

The extra money has kept Wallonia from implementing necessary economic reforms, says N-VA. In 2005, the party illustrated this theory by driving a dozen vans loaded with fake money from Flanders to the StrépyThieu boat lift. This was chosen as a symbol of Wallonia’s “wastefulness”, caused by Flanders’ generous sponsorship.

The argument has always ended with a call for making Wallonia “more responsible” through a new state reform, if not Flanders’ total independence.

Now that N-VA is in power at all levels, it has moved on from such Strépy gimmicks. In 2015, Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois (N-VA), ordered an academic study into the transfers. The University of Leuven produced the study just in time for Flanders’ official holiday on 11 July.

It is the first to examine 20 years – from 2000 to 2020 – of transfers. It found that they amount to between €6 and €7 billion annually. The largest part of that is due to taxation: as Flanders is richer, it pays more.

Social security, too, adds to the transfers: Flanders has fewer unemployed, so there are more people contributing to taxes and fewer receiving benefits.

The Walloon Region is the only net receiver in the country, as the Brussels-Capital Region also contributes.

There is, however, some evolution. Transfers from Flanders decreased after 2015, as the sixth state reform attributed one-quarter of income taxes to the respective regions, giving it an extra share. Also, as Flanders’ population is aging faster, its pensions will take up a larger share in the future.

But €6 billion remains an impressive sum. “It is tempting to calculate what we could do with all that money,” Bourgeois stated as he presented the study. “I have no problem with solidarity, but it should lead to responsibility and decreasing transfers.”

Leuven professor André Decoster warned against misinterpreting the study. “Should the transfers disappear, this will not make automatically make €6 billon available to Flanders,” he said. “This study is an objective calculation of the transfers, but it offers no arguments for fiscal autonomy.” \ Anja Otte

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Paid board positions for city councillors to be cut

New Brussels mayor putting an end to hundreds of outside paid posts Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

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he City of Brussels will scrap nearly 400 posts on boards of directors filled by its councillors in an effort to become an example to other municipalities in creating more transparency in government, said Philippe Close, the new mayor of Brussels-City.

The municipality will scrap 386 paid outside posts from a total of 800. There will also be a reduction in the number of organisations that are run by Brussels-City.

The best known is Samusocial, the agency for the homeless, which was at the centre of the affair that led to the resignation of Close’s predecessor, Yvan Mayeur. There are currently 66 such organisations. Close (pictured) intends to cut that number to 13. The fees paid to councillors who sit on the management of organisations will be standardised at €78 a meeting, with a few exceptions.

© Courtesy Brussels-City

Altogether, the cuts should represent a saving to the organisations of €700,000, Close said. “We are now looking towards the future and aim to be an example of reform in the Brussels region,” said Close. “We need to work on creating a new image together.”

Minister-president Rudi Vervoort plans to

reform the structure of the Brussels-Capital Region, beyond its largest municipality of Brussels-City. Under a plan he has been working on since last year, the number of municipal councillors across the capital’s 19 municipalities would be cut from 139 to 78 by next year.

Larger municipalities like Brussels-City and Schaarbeek would see the number of councillors fall from nine to six. Middle-sized municipalities like Elsene and Molenbeek would go from eight to five, while the smallest – like Ganshoren, Sint-Joost and Koekelberg – would go from six councillors to three.

Vervoort also plans to place all mayors on an equal footing, with each of them earning the same salary as a member of parliament – nearly €120,000 a year, before deductions. Councillors would also all earn the same: 80% of the mayor’s salary, or nearly €96,000 a year.

Flanders contributions to Wallonia steady at €7 billion a year

Record number of calls to benefits fraud line

The Flemish region’s transfers to Wallonia have remained stable at about €7 billion a year, according to a study by the University of Leuven commissioned by Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois. Transfers are tax and social security funds that flow from one region to another.

When the salaries of civil servants are taken into account, the researchers see a downward trend in net contributions from Flanders, from €7.1 billion in 2014 to an estimated €6.6 billion in 2020.

The main sources of the transfers are taxation (€5 billion) and social security (€2 billion). Each household in Flanders pays an average €2,590 a year in taxes to cover the transfers. Brussels contribution is about €1,800 per family.

There are various reasons for the

A record 3,476 calls came in to the federal government’s tip line for suspected benefits or employment fraud in the first three months of this year. The line was launched in 2015 to allow members of the public to report suspicions of fraudulent behaviour, such as misrepresenting living conditions in order to receive more benefits, working while claiming benefits or employers taking on undeclared workers.

“The number of calls has doubled,” said Philippe De Backer, the secretary of state responsible for combatting fraud. “I’m especially pleased that reports of domicile fraud – lying about your registered address to obtain higher benefits – and of social dumping are increasing. Those types of fraud are difficult for the inspection services to uncover. Thanks to the tip-line we’re now able to trace and check those matters.”

Two-thirds of the reports made to the line are found to have some foundation and are passed along to inspectors. Last year the inspections uncovered fraud worth some €5 million, De Backer said.

Reports to the tip-line can be made via phone or online. Callers cannot remain anonymous, but their identities are protected. \ AH

difference in the amount of the transfers. Flanders’ population is ageing faster than those of Wallonia and Brussels and receives more in pension payments. In Brussels, the evolution is in the opposite direction, with the population becoming proportionately younger.

In addition, the last round of state reforms in 2014 saw part of the revenue from income tax turned over to the regions, which also contributes to a reduction in transfers. Flanders, said Bourgeois, can do nothing about the size of the transfers, but the subject “could possibly be a theme at the next elections”.

“The temptation is also to imagine what we might be able to do with an extra €6.5 billion, in areas like welfare, mobility, research and development,” he said. \ AH

Minister pulls license recognising Limburg’s Fatih mosque The mayor of Beringen in Limburg “regrets” a decision by the Flemish minister for integration, Liesbeth Homans, to withdraw the licence for the town’s Fatih mosque. The decision, said mayor Maurice Webers, could have unintended consequences.

The second-largest mosque in the country, Fatih has been the centre of controversy since the attempted coup against Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2016. That revealed deep divisions within the congregation between supporters of Erdoğan and others, including the opposition.

Earlier this year, the state security department recommended pulling Fatih’s licence, which recognises it as an official religious institution with the right to receive subsidies.

“I note that the Fatih mosque in Beringen is deliberately setting particular groups of people against each other, or excluding them,” Homans said in a statement. “It is not the job of a mosque in Flanders to identify people as enemies of the state, or to carry on politics under the guise of religion. That is unacceptable. I will no longer subsidise Turkish conflicts.”

“The mosque will continue to exist, but now it has to look elsewhere for resources,” said Webers. “As far as I can see, the decision by minister Homans could have an effect other than the one she had in mind.” \ AH

Federal government should offer ‘more value for money’ The federal government’s services should offer better value for money, according to the National Bank (NBB). Many other European countries perform better and are cheaper, it said in a study it just released.

The NBB analysed the government’s expenses and performance, comparing it with 14 other countries that have been part of the EU since 1995. The bank warned it is difficult to make direct comparisons between countries.

Few countries make citizens and companies pay as much tax as in Belgium, but Belgians don’t receive top quality services in return. The government should be able to provide the same level of quality with less funding, it says, by eliminating redundancy and applying more ICT innovations.

Belgium came fourth highest for government expenses, but

© Ingimage

11th for efficiency. The government provides the least value for money on public order and security. Belgium spends large sums on police services, courts and prisons, but scores on criminal activity and sense of security are mediocre. The government also scores poorly on mobility.

Belgium scores very well, however, in health care and education. As a region, Flanders has the secondbest performance in education, while the quality of health care and lack of waiting lists in Belgium is top in Europe. \ Andy Furniere

\ COVER STORY

JULY 12, 2017

All the right moves

Belgian women’s football team strike out on a new adventure at the Euros continued from page 1

Norway four days later and hosts the Netherlands four days after that. Belgium managed a cheeky 3-2 win over the Netherlands when they met last year in Leuven.

Euro 2017’s 16 teams will be drawn into four groups of four, with the top two in each section progressing to the knockout phase. Each team will play their three group games in three different venues.

The four groups are: A) Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Belgium; B) Germany (holders), Sweden, Italy, Russia; C) France, Iceland, Switzerland, Austria; D) England, Scotland, Spain, Portugal The Red Flames will be led by captain Aline Zeler of Anderlecht, the most capped Belgian player, currently on 92. The most likely source of goals will come from Wolfburg’s Tessa Wullaert, who holds the Belgian record with 31.

However, they will be without striker Tine Schryves, currently with Swedish club Kristianstads, who is nursing a foot injury.

But there is a strong team spirit among the Flames, Cayman says.

“We’re sort of a little family,” she says. “We all know each other pretty well. It’s fun to go into camp and to live together. It’s cool to experience these Euros with this group of people.”

Cayman says there is a new wind blowing through Belgian football: It lifted the men’s team to the Fifa number one spot in 2015, and it has inspired the women, too. “There is totally a connection,” she says. “The level of players in Belgium just got higher. A lot of players play in different leagues around Europe, and we all just got a little better.

Part of this is also down to the

BeNe League, which brought women’s football in Belgium and the Netherlands together in a single league for three seasons between 2012 and 2015. “The BeNe League was the first step towards a higher level. The league doesn’t exist anymore, but it moved everyone towards a better standard.”

Now women’s football is getting the recognition that it deserves, she says. “It’s getting better and better. Here in Belgium, people are starting to talk about the Red Flames. It’s pretty cool that we’re getting appreciation like the guys.”

It’s still not easy. Cayman went to an all-girls school where she was not allowed to play football. But at 15, she went to Top Sports School in Antwerp, where she played football with boys, including Red Devils Mousa Dembélé (currently at English Premier League side

Tottenham Hotspur) and Radja Nainggolan (with Italian Serie A side Roma).

Last year, Cayman won a title in the US with the Western New York Flash. This was a real achievement: the Americans take women’s football very seriously, and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) is the world’s most competitive.

Cayman says it felt like a different world. “The facilities were perfect for a football player: the field, the cool tub and hot tub, the trainers. I was shocked.”

Now, however, she is focused on the Flames, knowing that Belgian fans will be getting behind her. “I don’t really think of it as pressure, I think of it more as an honour to play with that jersey, with that Belgian flag,” she says. “This is the dream of a little girl to play for her country.”

belgianfootball.be uefa.com/womenseuro

Key Euro 2017 dates 16 July: Denmark v Belgium, 20.45 Stadion De Vijverberg, Doetinchem 20 July: Norway v Belgium, 18.00 Rat Verlegh Stadion, Breda 24 July: Belgium v The Netherlands, 20.45 Koning Willem II Stadion, TIlburg 29 & 30 July: Quarter-finals 3 August: Semi-finals 6 August: Final

Who are the Flames?

The official squad listing for Belgium at Euro 2017 Goalkeepers: Nicky Evrard (AA Gent), Diede Lemey (RSC Anderlecht), Justien Odeurs (FF USV Jena) Defenders: Imke Courtois (Standard Liège), Tine De Caigny (RSC Anderlecht), Laura De Neve (RSC Anderlecht), Laura Deloose (RSC Anderlecht), Heleen Jacques (RSC Anderlecht), Davina Philtjens (AFC Ajax), Lorca Van De Putte (Kristianstads DFF), Nicky Van Den Abbeele (RSC Anderlecht), Midfielders: Maud Coutereels (LOSC), Julie Biesmans (Standard Liège), Kassandra Missipo (AA Gent), Lenie Onzia (FC Twente), Elke Van Gorp (AA Gent), Elien Van Wynendaele (AA Gent), Sara Yuceil (PSV Eindhoven) Forwards: Janice Cayman (Montpellier HSC), Jana Coryn (LOSC), Yana Daniels (RSC Anderlecht), Davinia Vanmechelen (Standard Liège), Tessa Wullaert (VfL Wolfsburg), Aline Zeler (Standard Liège)

© John Thys/BELGA

Forward Janice Cayman (left) celebrates getting to the Euros with the Red Flames

Euro 2017: What the Flames are fighting for In women’s football, Euro 2017 is the show that throws Europe’s finest teams together for a monthlong scrap to find out who will be the continent’s champion. Officially named the UEFA European Women’s Championship and also known as the Euros or the European Cup, the competition is held every fourth year.

Unofficial women’s European

tournaments were held in Italy in 1969 and 1979, with Italy and Denmark reigning supreme, but it was only in 1984, as women’s football grew in popularity, that the first European Competition for Representative Women’s Teams was held, with Sweden winning.

The 1991 and 1995 editions were used as European qualifiers for the Women’s World Cup, before the

group system used in men’s qualifiers was replicated for the women’s game. Originally, only four teams competed. That doubled in 1997, and a further four teams were added in 2009. There will be 16 teams in the 2017 competition.

The most recent Euros took place in Sweden in 2013 and was won by Germany. The Germans dominate the event: They have won eight of

the 11 Euros, including the last six in a row. The only other winners have been Sweden (1984) and Norway (1986 and 1993).

Belgium’s path to Euro 2017 took them through a year-long qualifying campaign between September 2015 and September 2016, playing in a group with England, Serbia, Estonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Red Flames finished

a comfortable second against England, allowing them to skip a play-off and qualify directly for the finals.

The Red Flames only lost one game in their eight qualifiers, a 2-0 home defeat to England. But they also won some memorable matches, including 6-0 and 5-0 victories against Bosnia and Estonia.

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\ BUSINESS

week in business Insurance MS Amlin The Japanese insurer has announced it will open a subsidiary in Brussels, making it the third insurance company to move its European headquarters to the capital following the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

Logistics H Essers The Genk-based logistics company is investing €75 million in a new 160,000 square-metre warehouse on the industrial site that previously housed the Ford Genk factory. The company expects to recruit 420 workers for the project, which has been dubbed Dry Port Genk.

Equipment TVH The Waregem-based supplier of forklifts and aerial work platforms has acquired the German platform rental company Gardemann. The acquisition increases the group’s hold on the German market by 50%.

Brewing Palm Dutch brewer Bavaria is investing €20 million in its brewery in Steenhuffel, Flemish Brabant, which produces Palm. The capital injection will be used to modernise the brewing, fermenting and beer maturing infrastructure. The move follows Bavaria’s announcement of a €2.3 million investment in the Rodenbach brewery in Roeselare, West Flanders.

Packaging VPK Packaging The Aalst-based cardboard and packaging equipment producer made a net profit of €52 million last year, a 30% decrease from 2015. The company has also announced it will distribute dividends of €15.3 million to its shareholders.

Banking VDK The Ghent-based bank has rebranded and changed its name to VDK Bank. It is also in the process of revamping the look of its branches, which are largely concentrated in East Flanders.

Filtration Desotec The EQT VII investment fund has acquired the West Flemish company Desotec, which specialises in mobile activated carbon filters, from the AAC Partners private equity firm for a reported price of €250 million.

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Sportpaleis expansion on hold Council of State rescinds planning permit, citing parking problems Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

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he Council of State has revoked an environmental permit granted by the government of Flanders in 2014 to Antwerp’s Sportpaleis. The permit was approved to allow the concert and event venue to expand and increase capacity.

Sportpaleis wants to increase its capacity from the current 18,400 people to 23,360. The permit was granted by environment minister Joke Schauvliege on the condition that Sportpaleis NV provide sufficient parking on land of its own.

However, when details of the company’s plans were examined, they were found to include a number of parking spaces on public roads, including 900 places near a building owned by the federal police. According to the ruling, the parking conditions of the permit were not being adequately met.

In a related ruling, the Council of State also cancelled the regional planning order allowing logistics company H Essers to extend its ware-

© Courtesy Sportpaleis

house in Genk, a project that was to involve the felling of 12 hectares of woodland. The ruling halts any new development.

Essers intended to add 72,000 square metres to its existing infrastructure, including warehousing and lorry parking. Because the expansion would have meant cutting down trees, the company was required by law to either plant an equivalent of trees elsewhere or pay into the nature fund, which was set up to plant new

forest.

A group of nature conservancy organisations filed a complaint based on a situation created the last time Essers expanded, arguing that another expansion would have an environmentally detrimental effect. In 2009, Essers felled woodland for an expansion, with the designation of another part of their property as a nature “recovery zone”.

However, under a regional planning order approved by the government of Flanders in 2013, that property was transformed into an industrial zone. The Council said that the government “appears to have paid no attention to the environmental cumulative effect of the first expansion”.

Essers said it was “disappointed” by the ruling, while Natuurpunt welcomed the decision. “We are now one step closer to saving the forest,” said Natuurpunt press agent Hendrik Moeremans.

Federal work minister calls for ambitious ‘jobs for all’ plan

Mystery calls against discrimination to be pushed through

Federal minister for work Kris Peeters told VRT radio last week that he would like to see every Belgian working by 2025, an ambition he described as “achievable”.

“According to the federal planning office, the unemployment rate will drop to 6.6% by 2018,” he said. “We want to bring that down to 3% by 2020.” Unemployment in the first quarter of this year stood at 7.6%.

An unemployment rate of 3% is considered the lowest rate possible by economists. A 0% unemployment rate is impossible because of situations such as people switching jobs and graduates who have yet to find a job.

Peeters’ ambition would require the creation of some 240,000 jobs in addition to the 216,000 new jobs the government is already planning for the period. To reach the target, the minister intends to stimulate e-commerce and to eliminate social dumping – where companies based in countries with less stringent labour laws hire staff from that country to perform work in Belgium

Federal labour minister Kris Peeters (CD&V) has announced that he will press ahead with a plan to use “mystery calls” to help tackle discrimination in the job market.

The plan is opposed by coalition partners N-VA and Open VLD. Mystery calls involve inspectors from groups who are regularly discriminated against posing as job applicants. Such groups include people with an immigration background, the disabled and over-50s. When told the vacancy has already been filled, another inspector would then repeat the process to see if they get a different response.

Peeters first raised the matter in 2015, and the government agreed to a resolution to allow employers’ organisations and unions two years to adopt a system of selfregulation. That deadline has now passed.

“The National Works Council has provided me with its advice on mystery calls,” Peeters said. “The social partners are asking for more time to discuss it, but they have had time enough.”

According to a spokesperson for the minister, a selection of organisations, including the Minorities Forum, were asked to provide an

under the regulations of the home country.

A 3% target, said Peeters, would require the co-operation of social partners – employers and unions – as well as the regions. Flemish labour minister Philippe Muyters said he supported the goal but called on the federal government to play its part by reforming corporation tax to encourage companies to invest in employment.

“Flanders has invested a great deal in innovation and improving our competitive position,” he said. “We are calling on the federal government to take the necessary initiatives to back up that policy.”

The employers, represented by the Federation of Belgian Enterprise, are also broadly supportive. “We’d like nothing more,” said director-general Pieter Timmermans. “But it’s going to take a lot of feet on the ground.”

The current business climate is not company-friendly enough, he said, a point agreed by Hans Maertens, the chair of Voka, Flanders’ chamber of commerce. \ AH

Flemish labour minister takes part in ‘stress at work’ experiment Flemish labour and innovation minister Philippe Muyters is participating in an experiment focused on stress at work. Together with 1,500 other participants, the minister’s stress levels will be monitored throughout the day via sensors attached to his body and to his smartphone.

The University of Leuven and nano-tech research centre imec are carrying out the Sweet study, which stands for Stress in the Work EnvironmEnT. Researchers will examine physiological changes to determine what causes stress and how best to deal with it. The ultimate goal is to develop an app that can help people to manage work-related stress.

Last week a researcher visited Muyters at his office to apply the sensors, which are integrated in a wristband and chest patch. The sensors will measure heart activity and skin temperature for five days.

Participants use a smartphone app to record their stress and activity levels throughout the day. The app is also able to collect related environmental data, such as noise and location. \ Andy Furniere

evaluation of the recommendations in the 2015 resolution. “Of the 13 recommendations in the resolution, not a single one has been put into practice,” the spokesperson said.

Unizo, which represents the selfemployed in Flanders, said that it was about to meet with Peeters to discuss its plan for addressing discrimination in the market. “We regret that Peeters has put out this sort of communication and clearly has no desire to wait for employers’ plans to take action against discrimination,” the organisation said in a statement.

Trade union ACV, however, supports the plan to go ahead with the programme. “Self-regulation and fine words are not working, that has become obvious,” an ACV spokesperson said. “We have to find other ways to tackle the huge problem of discrimination.”

The Brussels-Capital Region, meanwhile, has approved its own version of mystery calls. The regulation has two parts: sending two job applications identical except for the use of “foreign” and “Belgian” names; and requests by clients asking service companies not to send Moroccan or Arab staff such as cleaners. \ AH

\ INNOVATION

JULY 12, 2017

Green deal

week in innovation

Flanders set sights on sustainable future with the help of a new agency Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

vlaanderen-circulair.be

E

arlier this year, Flanders began transitioning towards a circular economy, a system that makes more efficient use of materials and energy. The project is spearheaded by Vlaanderen Circulair (Circular Flanders), a partnership of governments, companies and civil society.

Launched in January, Vlaanderen Circulair is already making an impact. Recently, 86 companies and organisations signed the Green Deal pledge, promising to make sustainable adjustments to how they purchase and sell their products.

But the programme dates back to the spring of 2016, when the Flemish government gave its final approval to Visie 2050, a long-term vision plan for the region. Among its seven goals is the promotion of the circular economy under the auspices of environment minister Joke Schauvliege and economy minister Philippe Muyters.

“People always think that the only benefits of recycling and sharing are ecological,” says Dimitri Strybos, a facilitator at Vlaanderen Circulair. “A circular economy, however, offers opportunities for new companies, creates jobs and makes us less dependent on natural resources.”

A circular economy isn’t only about the efficient use of materials. It’s a broad concept that covers the smart use of resources like water, energy, food and even urban space. “We’re running out of space in densely populated regions,” explains Sam Deckmyn, Vlaanderen Circulair’s communication officer. “Intelligent spatial planning would help streamline logistics and mobility policies.”

Vlaanderen Circulair is part of the Flemish Public Waste Materials Agency (Ovam) and aims to provide the necessary expertise on the circular economy and bring together stakeholders. For this year alone, the government has allocated €1.7 million in support of its efforts.

One of the programme’s main projects is the ambitious Green Deal pledge that focuses on promoting “circular purchasing”, or the buying of re-usable materials and sharing them with other organisations. More than 85 organisations and companies, including supermarket chain Lidl and public broadcaster VRT, have promised to set up circular purchasing projects over the next two years.

The companies have pledged to switch to re-usable products, use bio-based or biodegradable materials, share products and services with other organisations and lease products instead of buying them. Forty-seven organisations, including technology industry

Vlaanderen Circulair has created an entire virtual city to help imagine what urban areas could look like in 2050

and sells the parts to aviation companies and other industries.

The third focus area is a project that shows what cities could look like in 2050. It involves running a virtual city known as Reburg.

Reburg features car sharing hubs, wind turbines and rooftop gardens. Its centre is dominated by a white tower called the Industrial Symbiosis Tower.

The tower acts as “vertical industrial park for manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises,” where one company’s waste is another’s resource. A conveyer belt moves the resources up and down the tower, from one business to another.

Next year, the civil society network TransitieNetwerk Middenveld plans to organise presentations and workshops around Flanders on the Reburg concept. Vlaanderen Circulair will also set up a network of Flemish cities and municipalities where participants can share their experiences with the circular economy and help promote new policies in the area.

Vlaanderen Circulair is only a few months old, but the Flemish government’s efforts have already received recognition abroad. Last year, Ovam received the prestigious Circular Economy Award at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos in the Governments, Cities and Regions category.

The agency received particular praise for the way it initiates collaboration between different parties and for its bottom-up approach.

European Commission praises Leuven for culture and creativity Leuven is a model city for creativity and culture, according to a report by the European Commission. The Commission’s first Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor examined how the cultural and creative side of a number of European cities contributes to social development, economic growth and job creation.

Based on 29 indicators in nine areas, the report shows how culture and creativity can be used to improve citizens’ quality of life. The idea is that policymakers and the relevant sectors can learn from cities with a similar profile.

The Commission developed a profile of the ideal European city, mixing the characteristics

© Milo-profi/Visit Flanders

of eight cities. Leuven is considered a prime example for “human capital and education”.

Ghent University (UGent) has launched the umbrella organisation EnerGentIC, which assembles university initiatives in multiple fields. The organisation is active on UGent campuses in Ghent, Kortrijk and Ostend and will focus on the next generation of energy production technology like wind turbines and ocean tides, energy efficiency in buildings and industry, new forms of storage and the intelligent integration of renewable energy in networks. The cluster organisation will encourage collaboration between research groups active in ICT, chemistry, bio-engineering, economy, law, electromechanics, materials and thermic systems.

UGent veterinary department is world’s best

© Courtesy Vlaanderen Circulair

federation Agoria, are assisting the companies with the process.

Circular purchasing is the first of three areas on which Vlaanderen Circulair is focusing its efforts. The other two are “circular entrepreneurship” and “the circular city”.

To encourage circular entrepreneurship, the programme organises masterclasses that teach entrepreneurs sustainable business strategies that can lead to significant profits.

It also wants to reach recent graduates and new entrepreneurs through a boot camp it will hold in September.

Vlaanderen Circulair also provides online resources like Close the Loop, a tool developed for the fashion industry in collaboration with Flanders DC, an organisation that supports creative enterprises in the region. Close the Loop helps designer and producers figure out the entire life cycle of their garments.

“The clothing industry is hugely wasteful, so finding more sustainable strategies would make a major difference,” says Deckmyn. “At the same time, the industry is always looking for innovative solutions, so we hope to see the results of our efforts relatively soon.”

To help start-ups experiment with sustainable solutions, Ovam is in the process of transforming a former dry cleaner in Mechelen into a circular laboratory. Vlaanderen Circulair also promotes success stories like those of w.r.yuma, which produces stylish 3D printed sunglasses from recycled plastics, and Aerocircular, which disassembles discarded aircrafts

New think-tank looks to smart energy

tinyurl.com/citiesmonitor

Other cities contributing to this ideal city model are Paris, Cork, Glasgow, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Copenhagen and Umeå.

There are also good scores for the Brussels-Capital Region and Ghent. Brussels has the secondbest score in the field of “new jobs in creative sectors” for cities with more than 1 million inhabitants.

Among cities with 250,000 to 500,000 inhabitants, Ghent came second in the domain of “cultural vibrancy”, in particular thanks to its large number of theatres and other cultural venues. The city was also praised for its medieval architecture and its lively cultural scene. \ AF

Ghent University (UGent) is home to the best veterinary department in the world, according to the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects. The ranking looks at more than 4,000 universities and takes into account the number of papers published, the number of top publications and the proportion of publications with international co-authors. UGent’s faculty tops the list of the world’s best 200 departments in veterinary sciences. The university also achieved fifth place in food science and technology and was ranked ninth in agricultural sciences. The University of Leuven, meanwhile, made the top 10 in nursing, ranking seventh, and came fifth in library and information sciences.

Tour of Flanders images show climate change Researchers at Ghent University have found a unique way to illustrate the effects of climate change, using archive images provided by public broadcaster VRT. They examined 36 successive editions of the Tour of Flanders road cycle race and discovered that trees on the hills of the course are budding earlier. The researchers compared images of the same trees and plants on 12 hills of the route between 1980 and 2016. Before 1990, the trees rarely had leaves during the race. But after 1990, the trees were full of leaves. The researchers said that the pictorial evidence suggests that the average temperature in these areas has increased by 1.5 degrees Celsius since 1980. \ AF

\7

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IN A CHANGING WORLD,

\ EDUCATION

JULY 12, 2017

Back to basics

week in education

VUB looks to challenge teachers’ perceptions of classroom life Sibylle Greindl More articles by Sibylle \ flanderstoday.eu

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eachers were not always teachers: They were also students at some point.

And no matter what they teach today, they most likely completed a degree that focused on teaching methods. The Free University of Brussels (VUB) is offering training that takes a fresh look at teachers’ assumptions.

Anyone who has a master’s degree and wants to teach in their field in the final years of secondary school needs to complete a teacher-training course. At VUB, where the course is equivalent to a year-long university degree, future teachers can choose from several clusters, one of which is “teacher as a researcher and innovator”.

Nadine Engels, head of VUB’s department of educational sciences, believes that cluster makes sense in a teacher-training curriculum. “In the classroom, teachers need to constantly analyse the effects of their practice.

They need to validate it, or not,” she says.

Even so, she found it frustratingly hard to bring this mindset to the classroom. She wanted teachers to “adopt enquiry as a stance and do more work based on evidence, rather than prejudice”.

She also hoped to bridge the gap between the research that was being done at university and everyday practice in the classroom. Yet she noticed that students would see the cluster as just one more task – something they had to complete before they could finally get their degree.

And there was one image that was deeply ingrained in people’s mentalities: A teacher is a solo player, the one who knows it all.

So Engels decided to tackle those blockages.

Teachers are often expected to be

One aim of the study cluster at VUB is to show teachers that their assumptions are not always correct

the only ones in the classroom with knowledge, but Engels wanted to “break the hierarchy and find solutions together”. With that aim, four years ago she set up a collaborative space populated by teachers, students and parents.

All the stakeholders were involved in what was meant as a more practical approach to teacher training, using teams composed of five to 10 working teachers, three preservice teachers studying at VUB, educators, parents and students.

Schools hosted these teams and submitted a research question for the stakeholders to address, including “how can we improve the relationship between students

and teachers in our school?” and “how can we get our pupils to read in Dutch?”.

Teams would go through an entire research cycle, starting with gathering data through surveys and other methods, with results that were not always what the teachers expected. Engels: “They believed, for instance, that students didn’t care about the feedback they received, but research shows that, on the contrary, students care a lot.”

Another team tackled the problem of students apparently not wanting to read in Dutch. The plan the team came up with was for students to read aloud in Dutch to younger

KU Leuven opens new campus in Bruges The University of Leuven has officially opened its new campus in Bruges. Some 800 students and about 70 academic staff will move to the site behind the city’s railway station in September.

The building, designed by Abscis Architects in Ghent, has 16 large laboratories, 26 classrooms and an auditorium. There is also a student cafeteria and an open study space with views over the railway lines.

In addition to teaching, the campus will host research, mainly in civil engineering, mechatronics and mechanical engineering, and new materials.

“These three lines are very well attuned to the needs of the province and beyond,” said Georges Gielen, vice-rector responsible for the university’s science, engineering and technology group.

“They also complement what is taking place on KU Leuven’s other campuses across Flanders.”

There will also be medical research, focusing on the rehabilitation of people with movement

disorders or neurological conditions.

Behind the celebrations of KU Leuven’s arrival in the city is a more complicated story about the rearrangement of higher education in West Flanders. This begins with the former industrial engineering department of the Katholieke Hogeschool Brugge-Oostende (KHBO), which combined vocational and academic degree programmes at its site in Ostend.

In 2013, reforms to the university college system

children. Serving teachers were convinced it would never work.

“In fact, pupils from the fifth and sixth year of secondary schools were very motivated about reading to younger kids,” Engels says. “We often rely on beliefs, but once we do the research, we discover different things.”

Indeed, none of the teachers would have believed that their own pupils would enjoy reading to younger children.

After analysing the data, the team were able to design actions and help solve the problem. In some cases, parents were involved in interpreting the data and coming up with the actions.

Students sometimes worked as “reporters”, interviewing parents and focus groups. “Students took a central role in improving communication with the parents,” Engels says. “We want to encourage that even more next year.”

With 15 teams, Engels is at maximum capacity, but she is looking to expand. She will soon be working with Erasmus Hogeschool and two adult education centres. Next year, she plans to work at the level of primary schools, with pupils aged from six to 12.

That might still not be enough, as about 30 schools are waiting for Engels’ services, hoping to host the collaborative experience. It’s not just about learning to teach, Engels insists; it’s also about inclusion and social justice: “We want a good education for all students.”

This style of “community-service learning” allows students and community to learn and solve their problems together, across a wide range of disciplines, and the VUB is very supportive of it, Engels says. “Such initiatives should be even more encouraged in Brussels.”

KULEUVEN.BE/CAMPUS/CAMPUSBRUGGE

in Flanders handed the academic programmes to KU Leuven while the professional programmes were taken over by Vives, a university college covering the whole of West Flanders. This was created by merging KHBO and the Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid-West-Vlaanderen.

Since then KU Leuven and Vives have continued these engineering programmes in Ostend, and it is these that are now moving inland to Bruges.

This relocation was on the cards years before KU Leuven got involved, and the site was formerly KHBO’s Sint-Michiels campus.

The reforms also gave KU Leuven control of KHBO’s degree programmes in rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy, taking place at its Xaverianenstraat campus in the Bruges suburbs.

They also move over to the new building.

Meanwhile, Vives plans to send some of its nutrition and dietary science students over to Spoorwegstraat (or the Vives Bruges Station Campus, as it calls the building) to use laboratory facilities. \ Ian Mundell

New UGent rector elections in September

After failing to elect a new rector and vice-rector after seven rounds of voting, Ghent University (UGent) has announced that it will organise new elections in September with new regulations: Candidate duos will not need to obtain a two-thirds majority. UGent’s board of directors has reformed elections, creating a system of a maximum three rounds of voting rather than the previous system’s five rounds. The UGent elections were stopped last week after the only remaining candidate duo, Rik Van de Walle and Mieke Van Herreweghe, stepped out of the race after again not reaching the 66.6% required. Votes not cast for them came back blank, suggesting a vote of no confidence.

Visually impaired pupils win court case A Brussels judge has ruled in favour of three visually impaired and blind schoolchildren who took their demands for assistance in regular education to court.

The judge concluded that the Flemish Community was discriminating against them.

The judge emphasised that the integration of students with special needs in regular schools – the goal of the M decree introduced in 2015 – requires sufficient GON (geïntegreerd onderwijs, or integrated education) support.

The three pupils each received a maximum of six hours of GON support a week, which the judge deemed far from sufficient. He ruled that the Flemish school system must offer between 10 and 17 hours of GON support per week, under penalty of a fine.

Education unions demand pay rise Education unions in Flanders have demanded significant pay rises for teachers and other staff. The negotiations on a new collective labour agreement begin in September, and the unions handed their list of demands over to education minister Hilde Crevits last week.The unions are asking for increases in salaries of 2.4% to compensate for the cost of living. They pointed out that the last such pay rise was in 2003. They are also asking for a higher yearend premium for all education workers, including temporary teachers and university staff, and for more pay during holiday periods, which is currently less than their full salaries. \ Andy Furniere

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\ LIVING

week in activities Clics Koksijde Boys and girls of all ages can join in this giant play area, with 150,000 Clics building blocks in dozens of shapes and colours. There are several themed areas, including Build & Play, Zoo, Dinosaurs, Racing, Heroes, Glitter and Fashion. Participants get a bag of Clics to take home. Until 27 August, daily except Tuesdays 14.0018.00, Casino Koksijde, Casinoplein 11; €5 \ clicskoksijde.be

Historic Coastal Tram Every Saturday and Sunday in July and August, historic trams ride through De Panne, all the way to its western-most district, Adinkerke, on the French border. If the weather is fine, the open carriages are used, and on 21 July and 15 August, a horsedrawn tram takes passengers to the Esplanade and back. Until 27 August 11.0017.00, Oude Tramstelplaats, Loskaai 15, De Panne; €3 \ ttonoordzeevzw.be

Bredene Playday Annual free play day for kids in the coastal town, with professional supervision and a range of fun activities. Jump into the ball pit, learn circus tricks, play giant board games, jump around in the bouncy castles, try out the obstacle course and more. 15 July 13.30-19.00, Paelsteenveld, Bredene; free \ tinyurl.com/bredeneplayday

Medieval Weekend Raversyde is a reconstruction of an authentic 15th-century Flemish fishing village near Ostend. During the annual Medieval Weekend, hundreds of local and international re-enactors set up camp in and around the village. Experience the age of chivalry with sword-fighting knights, archers, craftspeople, musicians and dancers.

15-16 July, Raversyde Provincial Park, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg 636, Ostend; €5 \ raversyde.be

National Ball Celebrate the Belgian national holiday with your friends and neighbours at the biggest outdoor party in Brussels. The fun starts with a free group dance lesson, followed by diverse musical acts that will keep the party going all night long. 20 July 19.00-00.00, Vossenplein, Brussels; free \ balnational.be

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‘Diverse, like Brussels’

Baboes playgroups offer free fun for children and parents alike Paul McNally More articles by Paul \ flanderstoday.eu

baboes.be

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hildren in Brussels have 300 outdoor playgrounds to explore – but spare a thought for the parents. “You always have to run after them and make sure they don’t fall, hurt themselves or run away,” says Ariella de Gennaro, Italian mum to Milo who turns two this month. “Here, I find it relaxing,” she adds, referring to Baboes, a free, multilingual and multicultural drop-in playgroup for any Brussels child four and under.

Baboes was born eight years ago, after a study by the Flemish Community Commission (VGC) found full-time parents often felt lonely, living in apartments and with relatives too far away to help.

The aim was to provide a safe place where kids can play and parents can mix.

“We hear stories about parents who didn’t know anybody in Brussels, and, thanks to Baboes, they made their first friends,” says Gwendoline Vanmanshoven, one of seven supervisors.

Non-profit Opvoeden Brussel opened the first Baboes on Vlaamsesteenweg in 2009, after researching similar schemes in France and Italy. The central Brussels playgroup has since moved near Madou, opposite the Flemish parliament, with branches in Schaarbeek, Laken and, recently, Anderlecht.

Each playgroup is open three or four half-days a week, including in the summer holidays. “It’s an open house,” says Taïs Gomes de Santana, a Baboes supervisor for almost three years. “People should feel welcome and feel that they can just be themselves.”

Baboes, she continues, “reaches different nationalities but also

© Paul McNally

different social origins, from a refugee mum to a local doctor and everyone in between. We bring them together with what they all have in common, which is parenting. That’s really our strength – that it’s so diverse, just like Brussels.”

Parents use Baboes in different ways, she says. Some like to talk to fellow parents and share experiences over coffee while their children explore. Others appreciate having the space to play with their child by themselves.

“We only ask for the child’s name and age,” says Vanmanshoven, pointing to a chalkboard where 10-month-old Otto is playing alongside four-year-old Ewen. “But we don’t ask for the parent’s name or where they’re from. You give and say what you want.”

American Shawn Moss is playing ukulele with his 21-month-old Estonian-born son, Kai. “This is one of the best things in Brussels for kids,” he says. “It’s free, tons of fun, super-educational, interactive and social. I learn a lot watching other parents interact with their children – how they correct, how they teach, how they deal with them when they’re upset. It’s like a school for me.”

He carries around flyers to spread the word to fellow parents – and he is not alone. “We often hear that they are proud to introduce Baboes from one parent to another,” says Vanmanshoven. “There’s a kind of solidarity. Parents want to help each other out.”

Meanwhile, Milo loves the play kitchen, the musical instruments

and hurtling down the slide into the ball pond. “You never really have time to play with everything,” his mum adds. “For the moment he doesn’t really interact with the other kids – but the parents do.”

“It’s kind of a mini-society here,” adds Vanmanshoven. “I see parents doing their best. We might not be changing the world, but, on a modest level, we’re doing something. It’s a nice feeling.”

Baboes has recently become part of the Brussels branch of the Huis van het Kind network, which brings together organisations providing support and information for parents. “We try to create a place where people feel safe,” says de Santana. “Parents tell us that they get a lot from this place, and that makes me happy.”

BITE

Ghent’s new tequila bar is a tasting tour of Latin America The Gentenaars behind the tasting room Proof are at it again. This time Nikkie Delclef and Timon Salomez have opted for a bar with Mexican flair in the historic city centre.

Tucked away in Serpentstraat, just off of the central Vrijdagsmaarkt Palenque is a welcome addition to the local bar scene, offering a rare opportunity to try some 60 different types of tequila and mezcal in a cosy atmosphere.

Delclef and Salomez have always had a passion for spirits. Their philosophy behind Palenque is simple: Turn tasting into a learning experience. Both have travelled extensively throughout Central America, eventually landing in Oaxaca, a Maya region in southern Mexico, where they got their inspiration.

Opened in March, Palenque is a reflection of their travels. The inside

© Courtesy Palenque

feels like a retreat to a different place and time: plants hang over mesh chairs by the bar, while a painted serpent creeps along the brick wall,

decorated with a plethora of colourful artefacts from Mexico. In the small mercadito next door, Delclef and Salomez sell direct-trade items

PALENQUE.GENT

like leather goods, bags and ceramics.

If you’re not sure if tequila is your drink, Delclef recommends easing into it with a vibrant cocktail like a Paloma or a Mezcal Margarita. Aside from tequila, Palenque serves cocktails made from some of the best Latin American spirits, including quality rum, pisco brandy and the Brazilian cachaça.

For snacking, there are chips and homemade salsa; Delclef says they’re thinking of offering more food options in the future.

Many Latin Americans and Spaniards who study or work in Ghent have already made Palenque their regular hangout. Now that summer is in full swing, Delclef hopes to attract more regulars – particularly during this month’s Gentse Feesten. \ Monica Cisneros

JULY 12, 2017

The green city

Take inspiration on turning small places into flourishing urban gardens Bartosz Brzezinski More articles by Bartosz \ flanderstoday.eu

kitchen-garden.be urbangardens.be

A

balcony, a terrace, a windowsill – urban gardening comes in many shapes and sizes. Across Brussels, city dwellers are pushing the limits of ingenuity and innovation, making the most of restricted and unusual spaces to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers.

Take Allan Howard, who’s convinced you can grow veggies no matter where you live.

Before settling in Brussels in 1998, Howard, from Glasgow, spent six years in the Middle East, setting up permaculture projects in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

“Palestinians have so much appreciation for what they grow,” he says, “and it’s the perfect place to grow plants because of the wonderful sunshine.”

The weather in Brussels, he adds, is much less forgiving. “The soil is wet, the climate humid, and we also have a problem with slugs and snails.” Still, he doesn’t let that deter him from cultivating the plot of land behind his house.

Tucked away in a sleepy street near Flagey, the garden boasts tomatoes and cucumbers, alongside beans, courgettes and peppers.

This year, he’s also trying out onions and leeks.

“I’ve always been interested in what you can grow in very limited spaces,” he says. “People assume that a garden has to lie flat on the ground, but tomatoes, cucumbers and beans – they grow upwards.”

Howard has created different levels, “so I can have three separate layers. The top level is for beans, below that I have tomatoes and cucumbers, and on the raised bed on the ground, peppers and lettuce.”

In the far corner of the yard sits a compost bin filled with food waste that Howard uses to replenish the soil. He gets his seeds in the post from an organic supplier in the UK and a nursery in East Flanders and spends about an hour each day tending the plants.

“The hardest thing is to take the first step from never having done any gardening, to just doing it,” he says. “It’s like with chil-

dren: Give them beans to grow in a plastic box, and they actually want to nurture them and protect them. It’s amazing when that happens. And suddenly you realise that gardening is not that difficult. All you need is some seeds, a container and a windowsill.”

Elsewhere in the city, Joseph Ingenito is getting ready to visit one of his clients. The American moved to Brussels in 2006, having previously worked for a San Francisco nonprofit that converted empty spaces into community gardens.

His first job in Belgium was for a landscape architect, who specialised in designing gardens for wealthy people all around

Europe. But Ingenito found it frustrating.

“I thought to myself, why can’t an average person have a nice and affordable garden, even if they lack the space? That’s why I started my own thing.”

To get to his first project, he rented a car and borrowed some tools. Word of mouth spread fast, and he soon had a full-fledged business. The vast majority of his clients are expats.

He creates gardens, he says, using a layering effect, “mixing larger plants with smaller ones in different-sized pots to create this sort of mini landscape. That’s the most effective way to use small spaces.”

Among his most challenging designs was a garden for a small windowsill. “I planted vines on both sides of the window and put some plants on the sill. The whole thing looks like a vignette of a forest.”

One of his favourites plants is the amelanchier, a tree that flowers in the spring, has green leaves throughout the summer and colourful ones in the autumn. For a yearround display, he recommends investing in an evergreen shrub, like the Japanese pieris.

“A garden creates that connection with nature, which we often lack in cities,” he says. “When it starts to blossom, you know spring is just around the corner.”

Comics guide Stripgids returns with new format and focus Since its founding in 1974, Stripgids’ (Comics Guide) mission has been to treat comics as a mature genre through serious journalism. Last year, when the Flemish Literature Fund drastically cut its subsidies, the future of the comics magazine looked bleak.

Now, thanks to a new editorial team of four Flemish graphic artists – Judith Vanistendael, Simon Spruyt, Marnix Verduyn and Marc Legendre – and journalists Roel Daenen and Karl Van den Broeck, the guide is back in a fresh format.

The reborn Stripgids is published by non-profit Strip Turnhout and highlights both the latest trends in the industry and the rich comic heritage of Flanders. Instead of a new issue every quarter, it now comes out twice a year and features in-depth essays and articles.

The journal, filled to the brim with strips by both new and established artists, does away with reviews and news stories, but those can still be found online.

One of the topics covered in the first issue is the trend that sees old classics readapted to reflect the world today.

Amoras, a modern take on the beloved Suske en Wiske series, is a prominent example. “This trend indicates that many publishers prefer

to play it safe during these difficult times for the book industry,” says Daenen, Stripgids co-ordinator. “An updated series can address the nostalgic feelings of older readers, who grew up with these characters, while also tapping into the minds of curious young readers.”

The cautious strategy makes it more difficult for unknown artists to make a breakthrough, Daenen continues, but the young talent featured in Stripgids shows they have much to offer. “This generation is very diverse and many of them enjoy

experimenting,” he says. “These youngsters are doing their own thing.”

Pulp deLuxe, an online magazine focusing exclusively on emerging Flemish talent, is a proof of that, he adds.

Another topic featured in Stripgids is the emergence of graphic journalism, or creating comics from actual events. A frontrunner in the field is Jeroen Janssen, who has covered a range of topics this way, from the Rwandan genocide to the future of Doel, a town on the Scheldt in East Flanders expected to disappear as a result of the expansion of the port of Antwerp.

The guide also devotes attention to digital innovations, highlighting the impact of the platform Screendiver. The website brings together a variety of interactive comics, showcasing the possibilities offered by digital applications.

stripgids.org

Next year, the editorial team is thinking of organising a Comics Day, with activities across Flanders and Brussels. Another plan is to set up a contest for the best bachelor’s or master’s thesis on comics, in collaboration with the annual Scriptieprijs (Thesis Prize) competition in Flanders.

In the meantime, Stripgids has already launched a contest for writers who’d like to see their story adapted into a comic. The contest ends in August and aims to highlight the role of comics scriptwriters.

Stripgids is published in Dutch, but its rich visual content, says Daenen, makes it accessible to nonnative readers. In future editions, the editors hope to go beyond the Flemish borders and cover topics from around the world. They also plan to hire foreign artists and journalists. \ Andy Furniere

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JULY 12, 2017

Oh, Superman

week in arts & CULTURE King of the Belgians nominated for Lux Film Prize

Luk Van Soom’s sculptures tackle life’s biggest questions Sarah Schug More articles by Sarah \ flanderstoday.eu

WARANDE.BE

A retrospective at De Warande cultural centre in Turnhout features sculptures from throughout the good-humoured Flemish artist’s 40-year career

I

f you live in Belgium, you have more than likely come upon a sculpture by Flemish artist Luk Van Soom. While his works have featured in numerous exhibitions, including the 1992 World’s Fair in Spain, the public sphere has been his main playground throughout his 40-year career.

More than 50 of Van Soom’s largescale sculptures can be found in prominent spots all over Belgium and the Netherlands, from the “The Man from Atlantis” near Brussels’ Naamsepoort metro station and the tree on the beach in Middelkerke – which lights up at night-time – to the monumental “Walhalla” statue in front of the federal government’s finance centre on Italiëlei in Antwerp.

But now you can see dozens of them all in one place at De Warande cultural centre in Turnhout, Van Soom’s hometown.

Van Soom thinks big not only in terms of size but also subject matter. “I am interested in life’s big questions,” he says. “In every era, the same kinds of problems arise; everything repeats itself.

That’s why I’m not interested in life on earth in that sense, but in the bigger picture, the universe.

Why are we here? What are we doing here? Why do we feel the need to go to Mars?”

I was born a sculptor. I think in sculpture It comes as little surprise then that religion and science, both looking for answers to these essential questions, play a pivotal role in his oeuvre. Van Soom’s works are full of religious references, from the obvious “Adam and Eve” sculpture, depicting the biblical figures in a close embrace, to the more subtle “With Me You are Safe”, where an overcoat is meant to symbolise saints protecting orphaned children.

But Van Soom doesn’t see himself as a religious person. “Art has always been connected to religion,” he explains. “I’m inspired by the mythology around it. Even as a kid I was fascinated by the stories from the Bible: Jesus walking on water, turning water into wine… For me he was the super-

King of the Belgians by Ghentbased directors Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens is one of 10 films nominated for the European parliament’s Lux Film Prize, which rewards films that powerfully represent issues facing modern-day Europe. A panel of film industry professionals will whittle down the 10 nominations to three later this month, with the winner announced in November.

The final three nominees will be screened during the annual Lux Film Days in 40 cities across all EU member states. King of the Belgians finds solar storms grounding flights in Turkey just when a visiting Belgian king (Peter Van den Begin) must hurry back to his country during a national crisis. He and his entourage must travel by any means possible to get home. The film “addresses the current post-truth era that we live in,” said the festival jury.

Ape Valley opens at Antwerp Zoo De Warande is stuffed with Luk Van Soom’s sculptures, inside, outside and on the roof

man of his time.”

The “Oh, Superman!” sculpture is Van Soom’s own take on the traditional crucifix, which he says is the most reproduced sculpture in the world. “I thought it was time to take him off the cross and replace it with something else.”

So far Van Soom has put some 250 pieces into circulation, one of which he gave to the Pope. “I wrote a letter to our local bishop asking for an audience, but it was meant as a joke,” he says. “I couldn’t believe it when I got the call and was invited to the Vatican.”

This light-hearted approach is typical of his work. Though he deals with particularly heavy questions, Van Soom often adds a dash of humour, fitting well into the tradition of Belgian Surrealism. His favourite movie is, unsurprisingly, The Adventures of Baron Munchhausen by Monty Python’s Terry Gilliam.

His sculptures carry multiple meanings, drawing not only on religion and science but also pop culture, his personal life and literature. In his series of sculptures of gates, he drew inspiration from Franz Kafka’s parable Before the Law, while at the same time referring to the thresholds everyone must pass through during their lives, from birth to death.

There are references to art history aplenty, too, fuelled by Van Soom’s unmistakable admiration for the Old Masters – especially those of the Baroque. Fascinated with

Michelangelo, Giotto and the like, he has travelled numerous times to Italy over the last 30 years.

“That is a place where I could imagine living one day,” he says.

And yet Van Soom has spent his entire life in and around Turnhout. He discovered his love for sculpture at a very early age during a visit to the Middelheim Museum, an open-air sculpture park in Antwerp.

“I was only a kid when I first visited the place, but I realised right away that this was the language I wanted to express myself in.”

At 16, he enrolled in evening classes to learn how to sculpt, and the stage was set. “I never wanted to do anything else,” he says. “I think I was born a sculptor. I think in sculpture.”

After secondary school, he studied sculpture at Antwerp’s Royal Academy and hasn’t stopped creating them since. Every morning, he goes to his studio in the Flemish countryside, just as others go to the office.

“When I don’t work for a few days, I get this itchy feeling,” he says.

“I need to sculpt. It’s my way of communicating and processing my thoughts.”

While some artists working on larger sculptures have an army of assistants, Van Soom takes care of every little detail himself.

He makes his own models and

Until 20 August

researches new production methods, secures deals with bronze casters and organises transportation.

“There are so many aspects to consider,” he says. “I think in my next life I’ll just be a painter.”

His medium of choice has always been clay, which, he says, is more flexible than other materials. “When you carve in stone, it’s done,” he says, “but with clay you can constantly change and evolve, move the leg a bit, position the foot differently.”

The clay mould is then filled with bronze by a local foundry. Bronze, Van Soom says, is one of the most durable and weather-resistant metals, ideal for outside installations.

At the exhibition Luk Van Soom: Achter de wereld (Behind the World) at De Warande, some of his bronze sculptures have been set up right outside the entrance.

One of them features an athlete lifting a barbell – the weights appear to be lifting him up instead of pulling him down.

The retrospective features works from throughout Van Soom’s career. Has he found any answers after 40 years of dealing with life’s biggest questions?

“No, not really,” he says with a smile. “But that’s not the point.

The questions are more important than the answers.”

De Warande

Warandestraat 42, Turnhout

A new open-air terrain has opened for chimpanzees and gorillas at Antwerp Zoo. The animals can reach the area, which is surrounded by netting, through underground tunnels linking it to their inside habitat. Visitors can walk between the 2,000 square-metres of habitat, “offering a very unique view,” said the zoo in a statement.

Limburg artisan wins Zara plagiarism case The retail chain Zara Home has been found guilty of plagiarism for a candle it sold sporting an image created by Limburg woodcarver Patrick Damiaens. The master woodcarver had placed a photograph of the design on his website in 2013. A year later, he was contacted by a colleague who recognised his work on the €16 candles.

Damiaens contacted Inditex, Zara’s parent company, which claimed that the similarity was a coincidence. The image is of a Dutch family herald from the 17th century, reworked by a descendant and registered at the Herald Bureau Nagtegaal in the Netherlands. The descendant joined Damiaens in filing a complaint against Inditex, which was ordered to pay damages and legal costs.

“I am very happy with the result,” said Damiaens, who lives and works in Maaseik.

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To the beat of his own drum Flemish musician Nathan Daems on why he’s happy to be brainwashed Christophe Verbiest More articles by Christophe \ flanderstoday.eu

BLACKFLOWER.BE

Mechelen-based multi-instrumentalist Nathan Daems talks about music’s right and left brain and how multiple creative outlets actually keep him focused.

“I

prefer playing in five different bands to playing in just one that’s continually on tour,” says musician Nathan Daems. “I need the diversity. Not having to stick to one style keeps me focused as a musician.”

Daems, 33, grew up in Mechelen and lives in Brussels. He’s one-third of the Ragini Trio, which plays a mix of Indian music and jazz, and he heads the fivesome Black Flower, which trades in Ethiopian-style jazz.

Besides that, he does odd jobs with a plethora of other groups. He used to play in the festive brass band Orchestra National du Vetex, the Antwerp Gipsy-Ska Orchestra and his own Nathan Daems Quintet.

But that’s enough names. Let’s talk music and, more precisely, musical instruments.

Saxophone wasn’t Daems’ first love. From the age of three to six he played the violin. Or at least he went along to his mother’s violin classes with her, and then started playing it himself. “Strangely, I can’t remember any of that,” he says. “Even my mother can’t say for sure why I stopped playing.”

He does remember his first years playing the saxophone, though. He went to a music academy between the ages of 10 and 14, but then grew tired of it.

“It was because of my teacher,” he explains.

“I learned a lot from him, but he had a very classical, orthodox approach. There was no emotional connection with music.”

At 14, he tossed his saxophone aside, he says, “and started playing Rage Against the Machine

ised the group needed a saxophone player, so he picked up the instrument himself again. He eventually enrolled at the Ghent Conservatory to study jazz, having already studied social work. Since graduation, he’s been a profes-

The ney is one of the most difficult instrument in the world, and for the first few weeks, I just got dizzy from lack of oxygen songs with my friends. For years, I only played guitar, and I discovered the joy of making music in a group”.

In the meantime, at home he played along with his favourite records, over and over. “Unconsciously, this was an intense training of my hearing,” he says.

While playing in a reggae band at 22 he real-

sional musician – something he says he is thankful for.

Always wanting to develop, Daems has just headed to Crete to study for a week with a Turkish musician renowned for his skills on the ney, a Middle Eastern flute. “I loved the sound of the ney, but I only started playing it after I got one as a birthday present,” he says.

“It’s sometimes called the most difficult instrument in the world and I must admit, for the first few weeks I couldn’t get a single note out of it, no matter what I did. I just got dizzy from lack of oxygen.”

Step by step he progressed, and he still practises a few hours a day. Daems still plays the saxophone, of course, and he also plays flute and the kaval, a wind instrument from the Balkans.

It’s clear he constantly needs a challenge. Take the time he played with renowned Flemish flamenco guitarist Myrddin.

“Three years ago, those rhythms were really strange to me,” he says. “When we played, I constantly had to count, and even as I did, I sometimes lost the rhythm. Then recently, I realised that I made it through almost an entire show without having to count.”

In the beginning, he says, “I played what Myrddin told me to, but today we compose together.

It shows, again, how enriching a collaboration can be.”

More new albums this week Graindelavoix

gabbro

Orazio Vecchi: Requiem • Glossa On 2 June 1640, Pieter Paul Rubens’ funeral was held at Antwerp’s Sint-Jacobs church. On this new album, Graindelavoix, the singing collective headed by Björn Schmelzer, presents the music that might have been heard at the funeral. The central piece is the requiem by the Italian Renaissance composer Orazio Vecchi. As usual, the voices of Graindelavoix defy orthodox music practice and instead present these spiritual pieces with an unorthodox emotion.

g a b b r o • el NEGOCITO The rich, deep tone of the baritone sax is one of music’s most beautiful sounds, and the two intertwined that make up the Flemish duo g a b b r o (the name refers to a form of magmatic rock) are a prime example. The seven tracks that Hanne De Backer and Marc De Maeseneer play on their debut are hard to categorise, though there are obvious links with ( free) jazz and contemporary classical music.

Both frivolous and daring, this beguiling album reveals a great talent.

\ graindelavoix.org

\ facebook.com/gabbromusic

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Jazz seems to be the thread that hold Daems’ work together, but he prefers to call it improvisation. “Jazz used to be a musical style – swing in the 1930s – that had a typical groove, like hip-hop or reggae,” he says. “Visit a jazz festival these days, and you’ll hear that jazz is more than a way of making music; it’s an approach of how to play music live. In that sense, classical Indian music is more ‘jazz’ than for instance Glenn Miller, where the solos were fully composed.”

Still, if people categorise him as a jazz musician, he takes it as a compliment. “But I have no idea how the jazz scene is evolving because there is so much interesting music in other genres, too,” he says. “When I listen to music, I must admit, it’s always with a professional ear.

I try to condition my brain into a specific musical style.”

It means he listens for a full year to only two or three albums, all of a certain style. Not 10 times, not 100 times, but more like 1,000 times, with the idea of “brainwashing” himself.

“Most styles of ethnic music you can’t copy as a westerner because you don’t have it in your blood,” he explains. “A few older musicians who I admire taught me that the only option is to brainwash yourself. In the end you’re hearing that music on a microscopic level. And despite what you might think, it’s absolutely not tedious.”

Last year, Black Flower released two albums: Ghost Radio in the spring and Artifacts in the autumn. They are totally different from each other, and from Black Flower’s 2014 debut, Abyssinia Afterlife.

“I wanted to make an album that was less composed and leaned much more towards improvisation,” he says. “And that ends up as different result: The music is much less danceable. It’s something we’d wanted to do for some time, but it would have been weird to mix it with the composed music.”

Although the lack of emotional input from his first saxophone teacher made him turn away from the saxophone for a while, Daems doesn’t see music as only about emotion.

“You know what’s cool about music? You have to find a balance between the left and the right side of your brain. If you attack it 100% rationally, people will say you’re a virtuoso – but that sounds like an exercise. But if I incline too much to the emotional side of the spectrum, I become physically unable to play. A lump in my throat blocks my air supply, and my sound dies. There’s a fine line between emotion and control.”

\ AGENDA

JULY 12, 2017

All of Ghent’s a stage

CONCERT

Gentse Feesten 14-23 July

Brussels

Across Ghent

gentsefeesten.stad.gent

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ll hail the Gentse Feesten. After 174 years, the event billed simply as a “cultural folk festival” continues to maintain the kind of vibe that pulls in one million visitors a year.

Though the city emphasises the 10-day festival’s ability to gather together citizens of every persuasion, this modesty is lost on the masses and the guide books. Gentse Feesten is the world’s largest combination theatre and music festival in the world, and it flexes its artsy-fartsy muscles as much as its mayonnaise and overalls – worn by the girl on the event’s poster this year, her hair decorated with fries.

It’s a place you can see Trixie Whitley in concert one night and a bawdy comedy on stage the next. Spend the day at the Puppet Buskers’ Festival with the kiddos in the medieval Patershol district and the night dancing to techno at Vooruit. Visit the park where you can learn how

to belly dance or to polka, the tent where Turkish people serve you mint tea, the stage where only cover bands are allowed.

Eat frietjes with meat sauce or visit top vegetarian chef Kevin Storms as he heads from his justclosed pop-up to a fancy food truck with a menu specially developed for the “Feesten”. Belly up to the all-jenever bar or to the only-Irish coffee stand.

Don’t miss hip-hop sensation Roméo Elvis at the Boomtown pop and rock stage, but if he’s on against the great Gabriel Rios you’ll have to make a choice.

The variety of the Feesten is indeed madness.

Which is part of its charm. And because you don’t need to buy a ticket – which is what sets off this largely free music festival from all those others across the land – you can just dive in.

Again and again. \ Lisa Bradshaw

CLASSICAL

VISUAL ARTS

Guso Meets Saratoga

Richard Tuttle: Light and Color

18 July, 20.05 Two touring orchestras cross paths in Bruges for a concert of global proportions. The Ghent University Symphony Orchestra may not have travelled far for the event, but the Saratoga High School band, orchestra and choir have come all the way from California to broaden their young players’ horizons. The programme

Concertgebouw, Bruges concertgebouw.be

also spans the Atlantic with early 20th-century works by Spanish avant-garde composer Manuel de Falla and Argentine tango pioneer Astor Piazzolla. Other stops on the Saratoga High School Shadow Tour include Ghent’s Sint-Baafs Cathedral (16 July) and Bruges’ Sint-Salvator Cathedral (17 July). \ Georgio Valentino

Until 5 November Richard Tuttle has been a frequent visitor to Belgium since the late 1970s, but this is his first major solo exhibition here. It’s been two years in the making, too. Not content to simply revisit his earlier works, the American minimalist conceived an entirely new project, incorporating the canvases of pioneering Ostend modernist painter James

Asad Qizilbash and Carlo Strazzante: Intimate Brussels world music venue hosts Pakistani maestro Qizilbash, who crosses South Asia’s cultural divide by performing Hindustani raga on the traditional sarode. Strazzante accompanies on the Indian tabla and the African udu. 14 July 20.00, Art Base, Zandstraat 29 \ art-base.be

MUSIC FESTIVAL Wetteren KID Rock Festival: Forget about Detroit’s dirt rocker of the same name. This summer music festival designed for those aged seven to 12 combines playground fun with street theatre and concerts by the likes of Gers Pardoel and DJ Zina. 14 July, Zuidlaan 151 \ kidrock.be

Mu.ZEE, Ostend

VISUAL ARTS Antwerp

muzee.be

Ensor, to whom an entire wing of host museum Mu.ZEE is consecrated. Tuttle promises a visually stimulating and conceptually edifying dialogue between his 24 original, site-specific works and Ensor’s enduring masterpieces. It is on the level of colour, above all, that Tuttle approaches his illustrious forebear. \ GV

Suzy Embo: Retrospective exhibition of unsung Flemish photographer who chronicled the post-war arts scene in Europe. Includes informal portraits of influential Belgian artists like Pierre Alichensky and international figures. Until 8 October, FoMu, Waalsekaai 47 \ fotomuseum.be

Brussels Art Is Comic: Six European street artists explore the role of dark humour in contemporary pop art through paintings, prints, installations and multimedia. Until 31 December, Mima, Henegouwenkaai 41 \ mimamuseum.eu

PHOTOGRAPHY

MUSIC FESTIVAL

Street Heart

Rock Herk

9-23 July This exhibition collects more than 200 photographs snapped in the streets of Brussels and other Belgian cities by Lila Sylviti, a Greek transplant to the capital.

All the works on display share one common element: a heart. It might be large or small, obvious or hidden, intentional or incidental but the universal symbol of love is there, embodying the vital energy of the city and its communities. It’s not all peace and love, though. The symbol can also be used ironically to underline the potential apathy and ugliness of urban life. Still, where there’s heart, there’s life. \ GV

Brass’Art, Brussels brassartdigitaalcafe.be

14-15 July Billed as Belgium’s oldest alternative rock music festival, Rock Herk has been bringing cutting-edge punk, dance and rap to Limburg since 1983. Over the decades, the event – in Limburg just over the border from Flemish Brabant – has grown into a weekend-long affair with two stages,

FESTIVAL Bruges Park Olmenhof, Herk-de-Stad rockherk.be

dozens of international acts and an audience of 15,000. This 35th edition aims to be the biggest yet.

Headliners include local heros Black Box Revelation, American grunge band Dinosaur Jr and German house duo Booka Shade, recently become a trio with the addition of Irish singer Craig Walker (pictured).

Cathedral Festival: Bruges’ fairy-tale cathedral hosts organ concerts throughout the summer. This week’s star performer is Spanish organist Ignacio Ribas Taléns, whose repertoire spans European history from early church music to the modern avantgarde. Until 23 September, Sint-Salvatorskathedraal, SintSalvatorskoorstraat 8 \ kathedraalconcerten.be

Koksijde International Folklore Festival: Annual free festival that brings musicians and dancers from around the world to the Flemish coast for an openair celebration of cultural exchange. 9-16 July, Theaterplein \ koksijde.be

\ GV

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\ BACKPAGE

JULY 12 , 2017

Talking Dutch

VoiceS of flanders today

The walls have food

In response to: Flanders gets its first beer museum, finally J Robert Miller: I can’t wait for the opportunity to visit.

Every journey starts with the first step. Belgium off all places should have a “beer museum� and now they do.

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

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t’s not exactly fine dining, but the Dutch love the convenience of the automaat – the vending machine. In the Netherlands, you find them in shopping streets and railway stations, dispensing slightly suspicious fried meat products 24 hours a day.

It turns out quite a few Flemings also have fond memories of snacking on something bought from a Dutch automaat. Eten uit de muur – Eating from the wall is wat ons betreft ÊÊn van de beste uitvindingen ooit – is as far as we are concerned one of the best inventions ever, a Flemish writer recently claimed.

Het is snel –It’s fast, handig – convenient Ên vooral: goed voor al je cravings – and, best of all: it satisfies all your cravings. Op elk moment van de dag – At any time of the day.

For some, the fast food vending machines are closely linked to childhood memories. Toen wij vroeger naar de Efteling gingen – When we used to go to the Efteling (a Dutch theme park), was de kroketmuur stiekem onze favoriete attractive – the croquette wall was secretly our favourite attraction.

And now you don’t have to go any further than Antwerp to satisfy your lust for automaat food. Kroket uit de muur – croquette from the wall. Hollandser kan het niet – It doesn’t get any more Dutch than that, ran a headline in Gazet van Antwerpen.

Maar vanaf nu kan je ook in Antwerpen genieten van een snelle warme hap uit een snackmuur – But now you can also enjoy a fast, warm snack from a vending machine in Antwerp.

The kroketautomaat has been installed in the city’s Central Station by Karin Van Mechelen, who runs the

In response to: Water world: Swim with the fishes at a former coal depot Carlo Ratzersdorfer: It’s superbly well done. A very exciting venue for fledgling divers, experienced ones too. 12 meters deep.

Š Photo courtesy ATV

station’s popular chip shop ‘t Spoorfrietje. She insists that the hot food sitting in the automat until 22.00 every day won’t be inferior.

Het smaakt zoals een lekkere Belgische kroket – It tastes just like a nice Belgian croquette of een lekkere Belgische curryworst moet smaken – or a delicious Belgian curry sausage should taste, she told the paper.

Ja, echt Hollands he! – Yeah, really Dutch, eh! said one satisfied customer. Ik ben wel blij dat hier nu ook een snackmuur is – I’m really happy that there’s now a snack wall here. Lekker snel – Nice and fast.

Another customer said he would stick to the traditional Belgian fry stand. Ik vind ze lekkerder van het kraam zelf – For me they taste better when they come from the chip shack. Dan kan je ook nog een praatje maken – And then you can also chat to people, wat ook fijn is – which is nice. Maar snel is het uiteraard wel – But there’s no denying that it’s fast. Betalen en wegwezen – Pay and leave.

Fast or friendly? The choice is now yours to make.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

In response to: Talking Dutch: The walls have food Karin de Kloe: Kelli, this is what I talked to you about (in the late eighties): “Food from the wallâ€?, remember? đ&#x;˜Š

SPF English @SPFEnglish #Flanders as moving and profound as ever, with the bonus of glorious sunshine. #TheSomme

Arturo MoncadaTorres @bioturok Use no. 184 of your bike: coaster for strangers’ beer (yes, in my mind that was beer and there’s no question about that) #Leuven

Tia Danckaert @Tiiaah It was great! #ComicCon #Ghent

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the last word A little for later

Pennies from heaven

“Opening a resealable packet is a psychological barrier that makes us think each and every time.�

“At first I thought they were late payments, but they kept on coming. We’re now talking about several thousand euros that apparently belong to other retailers.�

UGent professor Anneleen Van Kerckhove found that students consumed half as many sweets from a resealable pack as from an open package

Reunited “I knew he hadn’t forgotten me.

When I came in and called his name, he recognised me right away. I cried tears of joy. The happiest day of our lives.�

Š Nicolas Maeterlinck/Belga

SOMETHING IN THE WATER Swimmers took a dip in the Brussels-Charleroi canal in Anderlecht at the weekend, as part of the Big Jump European River Swimming Day. The event takes place all over Europe, to demonstrate a desire for clean water and to familiarise people with the rivers and lakes around them

FrĂŠdĂŠric Borloo of Ukkel was reunited with his Bernese mountain dog, Duc, 18 months after he was stolen from home

Veronique Gyselinck of the Godiva shop in Antwerp is receiving payments from WorldLine payment terminal company that are intended for other retailers

Cutting remarks “In our business, a man has to able to feel like a real man, without the presence of a woman.�

Aksel Wijns of The Men Station barber shop in Ternat is being sued for discrimination after refusing to allow a mother to sit in the salon while her son was having his hair cut

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