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A university for everyone ugent looks back and to the future as it celebrates 200 years daan bauwens Follow Daan on twitter \ @Daanbauwens

Ghent’s university has grown from modest roots to become a leading European institution, and it’s played an important role in the growth of the city. It’s marking its milestone with a series of events.

“T

he tender anarchist who speaks his mind without needing a mask.” That’s how Ghent folklorist Luc De Bruycker describes the typical inhabitant of his city. As much as the city’s festivals and folklore are behind that, Ghent owes at least some of its free-thinking spirit to its university. To celebrate its bicentennial, Ghent University (UGent) is hosting a city-wide festival, while making clear what its future role will be. The university is woven into the fabric of the city, with departments on almost every corner, thousands of its students zipping round the streets on bikes and its vibrant nightlife. But it could have all turned out very differently. If it hadn’t been for King Willem I of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, who ignored committee reports arguing that a state university should be founded in the “more hospitable” (and more conservative) Bruges, Ghent would never have become one of Europe’s liveliest towns and intellectual hubs. On 9 October 1817, Willem’s son, crown prince Willem, officially inaugurated the university in the Throne Chamber of Ghent’s city hall. With just 16 professors and 190 students in four faculties – law, sciences, medicine, and arts and philosophy – the lectures, all in Latin, started a month later. Who of all those present in the Throne Hall would have imagined that the number of students would rise to 41,000 and the personnel to 9,000, that the language would become Dutch and that the number of faculties would grow to 11, across 230 disciplines? UGent now has a reputation around the world. Not only do Erasmus students bid to come and stay in “the Barcelona of the North” – a nod to Ghent’s party culture – professors and assistants also pride themselves on belonging to the only Belgian university to have entered the top 100 of the renowned Shanghai ranking in 2010 and held on to its position ever since. Rankings don’t tell the whole story, of course. Based on data such as the number of Nobel prizes, international publications and citations by other academics, rankings don’t much take into account a university’s other responsibilities, such as offering qualitative education and making a contribution to society. But UGent, it seems, successfully combines its high ranking with a more than satisfactory score on societal contribution. According to history professor Gita Deneckere, the university’s societal role and impact are nothing less than “the leading thread in Ghent University’s 200-year existence, linking its past and present to its future”.

life in the UGent chemistry lab, 1898

So long, print

Flanders Today says goodbye to its weekly print version after 10 years \ 8 continued on page 5

\ CUrrent AFFAIrs

Citizens take on rubbish dumping organisations in antwerp and brussels commit to tackling a growing problem alan Hope more articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

even associations in Antwerp have signed a charter with the city committing them to work to keep their neighbourhoods clear of fly-tipping. The project in Borgerhout and AntwerpNorth aims to tackle the illegal dumping of rubbish, from household garbage to furniture to construction waste, and also involves a premium for drinks packaging collected. It was launched during a conference about fly-tipping in general and plastic waste in particular, which included screenings of the British documentary A Plastic Ocean, which illustrates the environmental consequences

of plastic in the seas and in the food-chain of marine wildlife. Clean-up services in Antwerp collect 5,400 tonnes of illegally dumped waste every year, at a cost to the city of €25 million. A large part of the waste finds its way directly into the Scheldt river via the sewers, waterways and the wind. About 70% of the waste is plastic. Worldwide, annual dumping of plastic waste amounts to an estimated 10 million tonnes. The event also included a display of the Plastic Soupermarket project, a supermarket display made wholly of plastic objects collected from waterways.

Meanwhile, in Molenbeek in Brussels, three youth groups worked with municipal staff last Saturday to pick up rubbish dumped on Alphonse Vandepeereboomstraat. The

action was timed to coincide with festivities in the Heyvaert quarter alongside the canal. One side of the street has no houses, as the metro and train lines between Weststation and Beekkant run parallel. That situation leads to the regular dumping of rubbish. The municipal services provided equipment, and the youth groups invited local people to make their own contribution to keeping their neighbourhood clean. That included hanging “anti-litter guards” on neighbouring trees – home-made masks that will symbolically keep an eye on activities in the area.

Renovated Plant Palace opens at Botanic Garden in Meise

German sub wreckage from First World War found in North Sea

The Botanic Garden Meise, just outside of Brussels, has opened its new Plant Palace following years of fundraising and renovations. The installation houses 10,000 tropical and sub-tropical plant species. Flemish minister for tourism Ben Weyts and his colleague Philippe Muyters, in charge of science policy, inaugurated the new structure at the Botanic Garden at the weekend, following renovation of the northern entrance and a complete makeover of two rainforest installations. The development is part of a master plan for the garden, which involves a complete renovation by 2026. For years, the Botanic Garden was co-managed by the federal and Flemish governments, and the lack of investment saw the site fall into disrepair. When the garden became a fully Flemish jurisdiction in 2014, the master plan for renovations was put into place. “I am enor-

Divers working off the coast of Ostend have discovered the wreckage of a German U-boat from the First World War, West Flanders governor Carl De Caluwé has announced. The wreck appears to have the remains of its crew still on board. The vessel is 27 metres long, six metres wide and lies at a depth of 30m. It is according to marine archaeologist Tomas Termote, the 11th such vessel found in Flemish waters since the war but the best-preserved. “Normally such a submarine had a crew of 22 men and one commander,” De Caluwé said. “All of the portholes are still closed, which suggests that the wreck has not previously been discovered, and that the 23 crew members remain inside.” The vessel is thought to be one of a 19-strong fleet of German U-boats known as the Flemish Flotilla. It was their job to patrol the North Sea and enforce a blockade of British

mously proud that the opening of the new Plant Palace represents the first major step in our master plan for the Botanic Garden,” Muyters said. “Flanders is investing €100 million to turn this into the Botanic Garden of Europe.” VisitFlanders is investing €3 million in a campaign centred on the garden. “We hope to attract visitors from all over the world,” said Weyts. “The Botanic Garden is an international attraction that will strengthen our position as a tourist destination.” \ AH

A German submarine washed ashore at Hastings on the south-east coast of england in 1919

supplies to occupied Belgium. In the end, 15 were sunk by the Royal Navy. What caused this particular U-boat to sink will be determined, though early evidence suggests that it came in contact with a mine. Once the vessel is identified, officials will also be able to identify the crew members. \ AH

Bio-ethics committee rules against infant circumcision The federal government’s Committee for Bio-Ethics has ruled against the circumcision of infant boys for reasons other than medical necessity. Its ruling states that bodily integrity is more important than religious faith. The committee was ruling on a question posed in 2014 by Brussels doctors, who asked whether carrying out ritual circumci-

sion of infant boys was ethically correct. The process is irreversible, has no medical justification in most cases, and is performed on minors unable to give their own permission. The committee has taken three years to give its ruling, it said, because of the religious and cultural importance of the question. “We’re dealing with a very difficult question,” said Paul Schotsmans of the Univer-

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sity of Leuven on behalf of the committee. “On the one hand you have the freedom of religion, which means a parent is allowed to have their son circumcised for religious reasons.” On the other hand, he said, is the child’s right to physical integrity, which is protected by the International Treaty on the Rights of the Child, and in particular its protection from

physical injury. “As circumcision is irreversible and therefore a radical operation, we find the physical integrity of the child takes precedence over the belief system of the parents,” the committee chair Marie-Geneviève Pinsart pronounced. \ AH

€1.5 million

47%

300,000 of branches of BNP Paribas Fortis in Brussels to close under a new restructuring plan that also involves branches merging and some 300 staff being made redundant

solar panels installed in Flanders and counting, according to energy minister Bart Tommelein. But the region needs more largescale installations if it is to meet its targets for renewable energy

approved by the federal Commission for Financial Aid for the victims of the terror attacks of 22 March 2016, in response to 336 applications, of which 150 were approved

rail passengers who pulled the emergency brake in 2016, federal mobility minister François Bellot told parliament, while 84 made use of an emergency door handle

of students in schools in Frenchspeaking Belgium opted for Dutch as a second language in 2014, down from 49% in 2010. The rest have chosen English, pushing Dutch into second place

september 27, 2017

WeeK in brief Mehdi Nemmouche, the man accused of shooting four people dead at the Jewish Museum in Brussels in 2014, did not appear at a committal hearing this week because of health problems, his lawyers said. “Nemmouche is suffering from terrible pain and is sometimes unable to see or hear,” they said in a statement. The problem “could be caused by a tumour,” they said, before claiming that Nemmouche was not getting proper medical treatment. The federal ministry of public health has described as “very unfortunate” the case of an 11-year-old girl who was admitted to an adult psychiatric unit in Ghent last week. According to a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office in Oudenaarde, it was an emergency measure, as no places were available in a youth psychiatry unit. The girl has since been transferred to a children’s unit. According to a survey carried out by the Flemish Energy Agency, 96% of electric car owners are satisfied and would advise others to try it. The main problems cited were distances capable of being travelled between charges and a lack of public charging posts. A Brussels police officer is in custody accused of passing information to terrorist suspects and their accomplices. One such incident involved the brother of Usama Atar, a suspect in the 2016 bombings of Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. The officer is a dispatcher in the Brussels-North zone, which includes Schaarbeek, where the Brussels Airport bombers were staying. Flemish sports minister Philippe Muyters has launched a new campaign aimed at sport halls that offers suggestions for getting parents to join a sport when they

face of flanderS drop off and pick up their kids from the facility. It also suggests that halls work in the other direction: Get parents who take part in a sport to bring their kids along. In Flanders, 60% of adults do not get the recommended 30 minutes a day of physical activity even though in 95% of families at least one member takes part in sport. An investigation has been opened into the death of Claude Van Marcke, mayor of Anzegem, West Flanders. Van Marcke, 48, died last week in an Aalst hospital as a result of complications of what had been described as a routine operation for heart problems. He is reported to have suffered an allergic reaction to an injection given to treat a cardiac arrhythmia. St Paul’s British Primary School in Tervuren has changed its name to ISF Tervuren International School, following a merger with ISF Waterloo. Both schools fulfil the UK National Curriculum and theadaptedInternationalPrimary Curriculum, which addresses the needs of mobile families. The premises currently occupied by Marks & Spencer on Guldenvlieslaan in Brussels will be taken over by AS Adventure and Juttu at the end of the month. The British Marks & Spencer is closing most of its outlets on the European continent. This is the second time the iconic supermarket and department store has left Brussels. It vacated Nieuwstraat in 2002 before re-opening on Guldenvlieslaan in 2015. Hannelore Vens, the Bruges woman featured in the new VTM series Over winnaars climbing the steps of Machu Picchu in Peru on high-tech leg prostheses, is now the proud owner of the legs. Radio station Qmusic helped raise the

€90,000 to pay for them. The anonymity of sperm donors in Belgium can no longer be guaranteed,accordingtoUGentgynaecology professor Petra De Sutter. Fertility clinics are required by law to keep details on the identity of sperm donors, but commercial laboratories in Belgium are not bound by such laws. De Sutter’s statements followed a report that someone had been able to track down their biological father. Unizo, which represents the selfemployed, and four environmental organisations have banded together to contest the Brussels-Capital Region’s plans for the Heizel plateau. The group took its case to the Council of State last year, but now claims the changes ordered by the region for the new shopping complex Neo are merely cosmetic. Among the objections are that the complex will add 65,000 cars to the already congested Brussels Ring Road on an average Saturday. Language laws in Belgium need to be eased up to make way for the advance of English in education and business, according to Pieter Timmermans, director-general of employers’ organisation VBO. “The rules have to be more flexible,” he told students and staff last week at the academic year opening of Arteveld University College in Ghent. “The language wars are a thing of the past.” The mayor of Evere in Brussels has spoken out against a hatch for foundling babies opened by the non-profit Corvia in Lindestraat. The hatch allows people to safely abandon newborns. Acting mayor Pierre Luylle said that abandoning a child is illegal. Antwerp is home to the only such hatch in the country, where nine babies have been left since 2000.

offSide pelty mcpeltface It’s become a trope by now: Ask the public to vote on a name for something, and they’ll take a trip down Comedy Avenue. The UK’s Boaty McBoatface – the name actually given to an underwater research vessel when it won an internet poll – started a wave of hilarity when it comes to naming. SoitwillcomeasnoshockthatPelty McPeltface is one of the submissions for a possible new name for the merged Limburg municipalities of Neerpelt (pictured) and Overpelt, neighbouring towns that have decided to join together. Members of the public offered more than 800 suggestions for a new name, including Dommel-

Johan swinnen For most of us, running one marathon would be considered a heroic enough feat. Last week, Leuven cancer specialist Johan Swinnen arrived in the pilgrimage town of Santiago de Compostela in Spain having run no fewer than 2,400 kilometres. He had averaged two marathons a day for an entire month. Swinnen, 51, is chair of KU Leuven’s department of oncology and vice-president of the Leuven Cancer Institute. In 2011, his own son was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Swinnen promised that if his son, Pieter, was alive in five years – the point at which the risk of recurrence is considered to be significantly reduced – he would run to Santiago in tribute to him and other cancer survivors. Pieter is now 19, and Swinnen kept his promise. He carried with him on his run more than 500 letters from other patients and their loved ones – messages of support in his mission to raise awareness of the importance of cancer research. “I will be carrying all those messages of anxiety and hope with me on the way,” he said before his departure. “The

messages will give me strength at difficult moments. My run to Santiago is a symbol of the struggle cancer patients suffer every day. In fact, what I’m about to do is nothing in comparison to what they have to endure.” Before he reached the end of his epic trek, Swinnen’s rucksack contained another 200 letters from well-wishers he ran into along the way. Swinnen – who the papers are calling “Leuven’s Forrest Gump”, arrived last Friday in Santiago, 32 days after he took off from the Gasthuisberg campus. He was met by his wife and son. Peter Huyberechts, a reporter for Het Nieuwsblad, joined Swinnen for one day, and described the feeling: “My stomach wants to leap out of my body, and you could scrape a pot of salt from my face. Muscles I didn’t even know existed are sending out alarm signals, and I’ve been dreaming of a glass of wine for kilometres already.” That was on day 23. “Come on, Pieter, we’re setting new boundaries,” replied Swinnen. “Try to enjoy it the way I do. Come, only 500 metres more.” \ Alan Hope

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

broek and Pelt aan de Dommel, both inspired by the Dommel river. A jury will present three official nominations next month, and residents will vote on them. The final decision will be announced

in November. Meanwhile, the municipalities of Waarschoot, Zomergem and Lovendegem in East Flanders are also planning to merge. Let the games begin. \ AH

editor Lisa Bradshaw deputy editor Sally Tipper contributing editor Alan Hope sub editor Bartosz Brzezi´nski agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino art director Paul Van Dooren prepress Mediahuis AdPro contributors Daan Bauwens, Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Sarah Crew, Emma Davis, Paula Dear, Mari Eccles, Andy Furniere, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Sarah Schug, Dan Smith, Senne Starckx, Linda Thompson, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton general manager Hans De Loore publisHer Mediahuis NV

editorial address Gossetlaan 30 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden tel 02 467 23 06 flanderstoday@ackroyd.be subscriptions tel 03 560 17 49 subscriptions@ackroyd.be order online at www.flanderstoday.eu advertising 02 467 24 37 advertising@ackroyd.be verantwoordeliJke uitgever Hans De Loore

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5tH colUMn the new people’s party

The past decade has been the age of N-VA. Having started off as a one-man show, Flanders’ now most popular party has thoroughly changed the political landscape. N-VA’s first electoral victory, in 2007, was as part of a cartel with CD&V. The dominating “people’s party” CD&V had been in steady decline and was being seen as interchangeable with the other traditional parties. In opposition, Christiandemocrats CD&V reinforced itself by absorbing the nationalists, who were on the verge of political extinction. It worked. The cartel brought CD&V back to power. Oneministerofstate,however, predicted that CD&V’s little partner would be “like a cactus in its pocket”: poking it into action in the short term, but mostly annoying in the long term. Indeed, the cartel broke up in 2008, as N-VA was disappointed about the lack of progress on state reform. The nationalists went their own way, led by party president Bart De Wever, whose droll wit turned out to be key to future successes. By 2010, N-VA was Flanders’ largest party. This resulted in a deadlock in federal coalition negotiations, as N-VA wanted to use its power to force through institutional changes, which the French speakers refused outright. Misled by hysteria in the French-language press, the outside world feared Belgium would fall apart. But it kept going – and so did N-VA. By the 2014 elections, the party gained a formidable 32% of the vote. It is now not just Flanders’ biggest party, but also the only big party, as all others have been reduced to about 15% of the vote. N-VA has moved on as well. In its early days, it took pride in being a take-it-or-leave party that would not alter its programme to please a fickle electorate. It has changed its focus to economic or migration issues when needed, in line with its expert appreciation of public opinion. Some things have stayed the same, though. As the small opposition party it started out as, N-VA had to shout to be heard. It has kept this fighting spirit to this day, which explains the unafraid, often blunt, tone some of its representatives use. If it secures a good number of mayors in the 2018 elections, N-VA could build up a local grassroots network much like CD&V’s in the 20th century. It would make it the new people’s party. \ Anja Otte

Flanders enters 2018 with €125 million surplus budget

september declaration includes details of expenditures and growth alan Hope more articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

he annual September Declaration by Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois gave the first details of a budget agreement for 2018. The declaration, delivered to the Flemish parliament on Monday, is traditionally when the government sets out its policy priorities at the start of the new parliamentary year. Bourgeois revealed that the government has an estimated surplus for 2018 of €125 million, thanks to strict budget discipline in previous years. The new budget agreement also contained an alternative to the controversial energy tax introduced by former energy minister Annemie Turtelboom. The energy tax was overturned by the Constitutional Court in June this year. The new budget reduces the tax from €100 a year for the average household to about €9.

The government had already announced that the structural balance of the budget sought by Bourgeois (pictured) has been achieved and will now be affected by two items of exceptional expenditure in 2018: spending relating to the transfer of certain powers to the regions and cost of the Oosterweel transport connection in Antwerp. The declaration also included a number of announcements regarding government spending in 2018: an increase of €12.7 million on pre-school education; €5 million for technical equipment for technical and professional schools; €90 million extra for health care and welfare; €12 million extra for the social economy, including sheltered workshops; and €610 million for mobility, schools, welfare infrastructure, and research and development. Flanders is set for recorded growth of 1.8% this

year, Bourgeois said, slightly better than the 1.7% for the country as a whole. Unemployment is down, while 73% of the workforce have jobs. Consumer confidence is higher now than before the financial crisis of 2009, while exports last year topped €300 billion, making Flanders the world’s 13th biggest exporter.

Illegal downloading should be harder, says minister

Brussels rappers launch campaign against cyber-bullying

Federal consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters is considering new legislation to prevent the illegal downloading of films and TV series, his ministry announced. Peeters is looking at ways to block access to internet sites that allow copyrighted material to be downloaded. Internet users can upload content from DVDs or from streaming sites such as Netflix to torrent sites where other users can download content for free. The TV series Game of Thrones, for example, has been downloaded illegally more than any other programme, with millions of users paying nothing to producers HBO. Peeters has proposed setting up a special office to deal with the issue, which would hunt down torrent sites and block access by Belgian users. Similar tactics have been used in the past, with blocked sites like Pirate Bay springing back

The Brussels government and local schools are launching a campaign against online bullying. Using rap music, Brussels state secretary for equal opportunities Bianca Debaets hopes to raise more awareness among young people about the problem of cyber-violence. About one in three young people is thought to suffer from cyber-bullying. Teachers and parents often feel powerless, as the offences usually occur via social media and informal groups. “Many youngsters suffer from cyberviolence, often in silence, without their parents or friends knowing about it,” said Debaets in a statement. “The idea of the campaign is to raise more awareness about the problem and encourage discussion

no programme has been downloaded illegally more than Game of thrones

with another URL. Perfectly legal websites also exist that guide users to the latest illegal download sites. According to Peeters, such legal matters should be handled centrally by the Brussels commercial court instead of by multiple courts as at present. The Belgian Entertainment Association, representing intellectual properties, said the proposal is “a step in the right direction”. According to chair Olivier Maeterlinck, cases involving illegal downloads can take up to two years to be resolved. \ AH

Sudanese officials search Maximiliaan Park for nationals The federal secretary of state for migration and asylum, Theo Francken, has denied that officials of the government of Sudan who are trying to identify Sudanese refugees sleeping in Brussels’ Maximiliaan Park are from the country’s secret service. Francken gave permission for the officials to search for Sudanese citizens in the park, where migrants are staying in a makeshift camp until they can be processed by the nearby Immigration Office. Opposition parties Groen and PS have claimed that the inspectors were representatives of “a dictatorial regime”.

“We are doing what many other European countries do for many African states,” said Francken in a reaction from New York, where he was taking part in the general assembly of the United Nations. “Such an operation with Sudan is not exceptional.” The inspection, his office said, involved three officials from the Sudanese foreign affairs ministry, who are trying to identify Sudanese nationals. The purpose, said Francken, is to allow the Khartoum government to provide the documents necessary for possible repatriation back to Sudan if their request for asylum is rejected. \ AH

among children and in class groups.” The government asked Brussels rappers Mia Lena and Jay MNG to make a song and video clip about the issue. They also set up a competition challenging youngsters to come up with a rap punchline against cyber-violence and share it with the hashtag #rap4respect. The winner will get a place on a hip-hop workshop. Teachers will also get tools to support young victims and a brochure that offers advice about supervising group discussions with students. Debaets wants extra attention for girls as well, as they are more often victims of cyber-bullying than boys. “I don’t want to see digital no-go zones forming,” she said. \ Andy Furniere

More compensation proposed for 2040 ban on new building projects Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege has introduced a proposal to increase the compensation offered to anyone who is affected by a government decision not to allow any new construction projects starting in 2040. Flanders is one of the most populated regions of western Europe, with 477 people per square kilometre. As the creation of housing estateshascontributedtoweatherrelated problems such as flooding, the government has introduced a ban on all new construction on arable land, which will come into force in 2040. New houses can still be built, but only on sites where there is already construction, whether housing or other buildings. Some people

own parcels of land intended for development, and the government plans to compensate them 80% of the price paid for the land (regardless of its current market value). Schauvliege is proposing to increase that to 100%. “You can only create support for greener public space if you compensate people fully for the losses they incur,” she said. Open Vld and N-VA support the change but question how it will be financed. The total bill could come to €1.6 billion. \ AH

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september 27, 2017

A university for everyone

ugent is woven into the fabric of the city – but it could all have been very different iedereenugent.be

continued from page 1

For the bicentennial she wrote the book From the Ivory Tower: 200 Years of Ghent University, which focuses on the institution’s societal role through the ages. The presentation of her book at arts centre Vooruit kicks off the festivities on 8 October. “Many universities are proud of their societal contribution, but in the case of Ghent there’s more to it,” she says, citing the struggle for emancipation from the church and the secularisation of Flanders. As far back as the 1850s, bishops were calling on the government to stop supporting the “godless” teaching of certain professors, which they considered unacceptable for a state university, she explains. These bishops instructed their pastors to tell their parishioners not to send their sons to Ghent but to Leuven’s Catholic university instead. They succeeded in bringing the number of students down, particularly in the faculty of law. “A century later, we saw the same thing happening in the philosophy department,” she says. “Professors Leo Apostel, Jaap Kruithof and Etienne Vermeersch were notorious for their criticism of the power of the church in a nation as Catholic as Belgium. Students attending Kruithof ’s classes attest that ‘their faith dried up like water in the sun’.”

industry.” UGent never lost its fervour in defending controversial issues. Take sex reassignment surgery. “The concentration of knowledge and experts on gender operations at the university hospital is unparalleled in the rest of the world,” Deneckere says. “The hospital’s head of reproductive medicine, Petra De Sutter, who underwent sex reassignment surgery herself, is an icon of the transgender movement. Her very presence at the university and in the media makes the subject something we can talk about in society.” And when discussing contributions to the world, the names Marc van Montagu, Walter Fiers and Jeff Schell shouldn’t be overlooked. At Ghent’s laboratory of molecular biology, Fiers was the first person in the world to decipher the complete sequence of the genetic building blocks of a virus, laying the groundwork for cloning and the study of the human genome. Van Montagu and Shell, meanwhile, developed the first methods for targeted genetic engineering in plants. Van Montagu’s development of transgenic crops resistant to pests and tolerant to new herbicides earned him eight honorary degrees and the World Food Prize. After the book presentation and a live radio debate on 8 October,

the city is invited to join in a varied programme of events to celebrate the anniversary

Many universities are proud of their societal contribution, but in the case of Ghent there’s more to it UGent didn’t shun the thorny topic of language rights, either. When in 1930 it became the first university in the country to decide to teach in Dutch instead of French, it paved the way for the economic prosperity of Flanders in the second half of the 20th century. The move initially led to a decrease of foreign students in internationally renowned disciplines such as engineering. But the university persevered, and the decision, aimed at opening up the institution to Dutch-speaking students, succeeded in its goal of Flemish emancipation. “The democratic recognition of Dutch-speaking students went hand in hand with the spread of Dutch in government institutions, civil service and the private sector,” Deneckere says. “Along with the economic boom after the Second World War, we see the formation of the first fully Dutchspeaking management boards in

the festivities continue under the banner Iedereen UGent (Everyone UGent). There are 250 activities, from interactive science demonstrations and workshops for children to a book market and street theatre telling the story of the university’s many challenges and breakthroughs. “It’s meant to be an experiential celebration,” says university spokesperson Isabel Paeme. “Everyone should be able to find something to suit them. Under the guidance of professors, children can make double helix DNA towers or ‘cure’ a teddy bear. Parents can enjoy short science talks on a variety of themes while alumni can relive their youth by attending a class led by one of their retired professors.” The historical university buildings will open to visitors, and a team of Ghent’s most renowned doctors will debate the passion of work in Het Pand, the heart of the univer-

the “talking box” allowed citizens to voice their thoughts on the university’s social role in the years to come

sity. By 17.00, all performances, debates and lectures will be over, and the day winds down with a birthday concert by local artists with national and international fame, such as Jef Neve, Sioen, Lady Linn and Pascal Platel. And the celebrations don’t end there. Until the end of the year, there will be lectures, events and symposia on a series of questions relating to the university. Of all those questions, the most interesting might well be: What about its future? In line with its history, the university is keen to strengthen its societal role. To find out how best they could carry out that role, a team

of psychologists spent several months travelling through the city’s streets in a caravan. The “talking box” – as the researchers called it – stopped in at residential homes, hospitals, block parties, community events and fairs. Inside the box, participants were filmed while answering questions about what they expect from the university. “The box was not a gimmick, it was a scientific device,” says Ann Buysse, professor at the department of experimental clinical and

8 october

health psychology, who is leading the research. Four hundred people gave their opinions, and their contributions are now being analysed. “The classic model, which assumes that the research done at university can eventually be used by society, is hopelessly outdated,” says Buysse. “The university cannot perform its function without being thoroughly fed by society.” The results of the research will be presented at the University For You symposium on 21 December.

Across Ghent

\ bUsIness

WeeK in bUSineSS media transfer The Antwerp-based TV ad sales company has been acquired by the Fox Network Group of the US, just weeks after winning the local market rights for advertising slots on the French TF1 TV channel.

retail the mint The 15,000 square-metre shopping centre in the centre of Brussels, formerly known as the Monnaie, will re-open in early October following extensive renovations. New tenants include Japanese brand Uniqlo, sport shop Decathlon, the American NYX Cosmetics and Denmark’s Flying Tiger.

retail monki The trendy label, part of the Swedish H&M retailing group, will open its first Belgian outlet in November on the Meir in Antwerp.

Cinemas kinepolis The Ghent-based operator of multiplex cinemas is paying €84 million to acquire Canada’s Landmark Cinema group, operator of 44 complexes with more than 300 screens in central and western Canada. The move is Kinepolis’ first venture outside of Europe, where it operates 48 cinema complexes.

Insurance Ageas The Brussels-based insurance group has signed a strategic partnership agreement with China’s Taiping to further develop its activities in the reinsurance, assets management and infrastructure financing and investment fields in Asia.

Dairy Inex The dairy group, headquartered in Sint-LievensHoutem, East Flanders, is acquiring the Olvarit soy milk brand from France’s Danone group.

biotech thrombogenics The Leuven-based developer of drugs for eye problems associated with diabetes has regained the patent rights to its best-selling Jetrea treatment from Switzerland’s Novartis group. As part of the agreement, Novartis will pay €54 million and invest €10 million in capital in the company.

Chocolate-makers and data-miners are new Export Lions annual awards recognise major strides in international business alan Hope more articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

his year’s winners of the Export Lion awards, which honour companies that have made significant strides in the international market, are in the chocolatemaking and communications business. Klingele Chocolade, based in Ghent’s Evergem district, won the award for the 50 employees and under category. With a €5 million annual turnover, it makes sugar-free and fair-trade chocolate, sold internationally. According to CEO Koen Klingele, the company projects a turnover of €10 million and a workforce of 40, up from 27, by 2020. Klingele is a tropical agriculturalist who began his career at UK-based pest control firm Rentokil Initial. He started the chocolate company in 1995 by deliv-

leeuwvandeexport.be

ering sugar-free chocolate to organic shops in Ghent by bike. Skyline Communications, meanwhile, wins this year’s award for a company employing more than 50 people. It won previously in the category of smaller companies. Founded by Leo Vandenberghe in 1975, the family-owned business based in Izegem, West Flanders, now concentrates on the software package DataMiner, which almost everyone uses without knowing it. Most Belgian websites – and many others across the globe – that use data-mining software make use of

DataMiner. When we click OK to cookies, DataMiner collects data from our computers. With a turnover of €25.6 million a year and 250 employees, Skyline counts at least 1,000 customers. Those include Telenet and Proximus, which © Courtesy klingele together account for the majority of internet users in Belgium. Skyline also has clients in Mexico, Australia, Norway, Russia and the Philippines. Export Lions are selected from nominations made by the export agency Flanders Investment & Trade.

Motorists against road tolls, but employers in favour

Hema drops gender-specific labels from children’s clothing

Only one in eight motorists in Flanders sees road tolls as a solution to traffic congestion, according to a survey carried out by pollster Ipsos for the motoring organisation VAB. A road toll is already in place in Belgium for lorries so that foreign haulage companies pay for the use of the roads. The proposed new tolls would be for private vehicles. The plan would see a switch from the current system, where every car owner pays tax, and replace it with toll stations that would be placed here and there on motorways. Supporters argue that the system would be more fair as drivers who cover more kilometres would pay proportionally more. Tolls would also be higher during peak commuting hours, which traffic experts have said would encourage drivers to seek alternatives.

The Dutch retail chain Hema has decided to drop all gender identification from its products aimed at children. In future, the chain will not describe clothing as being for boys or for girls. “You will carry on seeing pink dresses in Hema, but we will also be stocking tough-guy clothing for girls,” said purchasing director Trevor Perren. The decision, a spokesperson for the chain said, would increase the market for children’s clothing by opening it up to both boys and girls. Hema’s decision follows the announcement this month by British department store chain John Lewis that it would no longer split children’s clothing into boys and girls sections.

The poll, however, shows that 38% of drivers would not adapt their habits as a result of the tolls. And among those who would change their behaviour, 40% would change the hours they commute rather than seek alternatives to the car. Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts is preparing a proposal for road tolls for private vehicles to be presented next year. Meanwhile, polling organisation iVOX also carried out a survey at the request of employers’ federation VBO. Focused on public transport,itfoundthat60%ofemployees thought it was up to employers to organise more sustainable hometo-work transport. VBO came out in favour of road tolls, on the condition they were set according to place, time and the pollution caused by the vehicle. \ AH

Ryanair threatened with lawsuit over cancelled flights Consumer organisation TestAankoop has threatened to take legal action against low-cost airline Ryanair over a decision to cancel a number of flights out of Brussels and Charleroi airports between now and the end of October. The Irish-owned airline claims that the cancellations – 40 to 50 a day – are being made to allow pilots to take accrued holidays. According to a list published last week by Ryanair, the cancellations include flights from Charleroi to Milan, Pisa, Venice, Warsaw, Manchester, Marseilles, Toulouse and Copenhagen. From Brussels Airport, they include flights to Rome and Lisbon. The company said customers who had booked flights would be notified by email. Each passenger is entitled by law to a full refund and

statutory damages of €250 and €600, depending on the distance of the flight. “This is a mess of our own making,” said Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary. “I sincerely apologise to all our customers who were worried over the weekend.” Federal consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters said that he was also considering taking Ryanair to court. “If it appears that the lowcost airline has not met its obligations, then we are dealing with the question of consumers being misled,” Peeters said. \ AH

Hema has stores in Brussels and across Flanders. \ AH

Universities and scientific institutions to share staff The government of Flanders has launched a new research subsidy programme that is to create 125 jobs for young researchers in the next seven years. The researchers will be funded through the new Fed-Twin programme, which has an annual budget of €12.5 million. They will work for both the federal scientific institutions and local universities. The programme was officially launched last week by federal state secretary for science policy Zuhal Demir at the Royal Library in Brussels, one of the 10 federal scientific institutions. The researchers will be employed half-time by a federal scientific institution and half-time by a local university. The federal government will cover salaries and working costs, to the tune of €125,000 a year per researcher for the first five years and €62,500 per year over the next five years. After those 10 years, the funding will come from

the federal institutions and universities. According to Demir, the programme will increase the efficiency of research, as it is easier to streamline research that is carried out both at a federal scientific institution and a university. The universities’ international network should also benefit the federal institutions. “The universities will bring academic know-how and international contacts; the federal institutions among other things their patrimony and experience in working with the general public,” the federal government said in a statement. Because they will have long-term financial support, the researchers will be able to start long-term research projects, expand their network and attract external funding to the universities and federal institutions. \ Andy Furniere

\ InnOVAtIOn

september 27, 2017

WeeK in innovation HIV condition monitored via app

New century, new purpose

waterschei mine in genk becomes a meeting place and business park diana goodwin Follow Diana on twitter \ @basedinbelgium

The redevelopment of the Waterschei mine site in Genk is the latest project aimed at turning Limburg’s old industrial infrastructure into modern, multi-use centres

arlier this month, the city of Genk celebrated the grand opening of Thor Central, the headquarters of a new research centre and business park dedicated to renewable, clean energy. Thor Park has been developed on the site of the Waterschei coal mine, which closed in 1987. It currently encompasses a research facility called Energyville – a collaboration between the University of Leuven, Hasselt University and Flemish research institutes Vito and imec – as well as a start-up incubator called IncubaThor. Thor Central (pictured above) was originally the mine’s main building, housing the offices of the director and engineers. These former offices and common areas, which total 10,000 square metres, have been completely renovated and pressed into service as a modern meeting centre. Another part of the building that housed the mine workers’ showers and lockers, and the room where the miners’ work lamps were stored is still undergoing renovation. The ground floor encompasses a 350-seat auditorium with all the latest tech amenities, plus a reception desk, cloakroom and catering area. The upper floors are home to 16 meeting and conference rooms. There are two large halls for receptions and events, and two restaurants: a casual eatery open during lunchtime, and a more upscale option with a lounge and bar that’s open for dinner seven days a week (see related story, p13). The rooms can be rented by companies or individuals who just need a conference room, or the entire building can be hired for large events and conferences. Paul Olaerts, head of economic development for the city of Genk, explains that the building is more than a congress centre. “We are trying to build a kind of community here,” he says. “The people working in Thor Park can meet here and talk about what they’re working on. The idea is, if you share an apple, you each have half. If you share an idea, you now have two ideas.” During the opening festivities, guides were on hand to point out the building’s original architectural features. In the Grande Salle (so called because the mine’s owners and directors were French-speaking), the cream and ochre paint

tHorpark.be

colours and the original terrazzo floor have been restored. Overhead, a large skylight allows natural light to illuminate the space and the two levels of offices around its perimeter. In the former director’s office, delightful Art Deco details have been preserved, including stained-glass windows, a tiled fireplace and carved flower panels in the wooden doors. The Barbara Hall, named for the miners’ patron saint, features beautiful decorative iron railings and a curved, glass-tiled roof. One of the challenges in restoring the 100-yearold structure is still visible: a 20-centimetre crack runs the length of the building from floor to ceiling. The building literally split into two over time, most likely caused by an unstable ground, the result of mining practices. The architects have chosen to either cover the crack with glass or leave it open in most places, so that it’s possible to peek through the gap in the walls and floor. In the future, Thor Park will also welcome an educational component called T2-Campus, dedicated to technology and innovation, especially in the energy sector. In collaboration with the city of Genk, the local agency for entrepreneurial training Syntra Limburg and employment agency VDAB, this school will offer training in electronics, IT, new energy technologies and energy-efficient building materials.

a former coal mine as a research and business centre dedicated to clean energy. In its heyday, the mine provided jobs for 16,000 workers. It’s hoped that Thor Park will eventually house 7,000 workers in the most innovative and productive sectors of the economy. The redevelopment of the Waterschei mine is the latest project aimed at turning Genk’s old industrial infrastructure into modern, multiuse business engines. More than 10 years ago, C-Mine was conceived as a creative hub and cultural centre on the site of the former Winterslag mine. That mine closed in 1986, one year before Waterschei closed. Today, C-Mine houses a cinema, exhibition space, restaurants, the media and design faculty of the Luca School of Arts, and an incubator for start-ups in creative industries called C-Mine Crib. A third mine, Zwartberg, will eventually reopen as a sort of exotic animal park and art studio under the direction of Limburg-born conceptual artist Koen Vanmechelen. The redevelopment of Genk’s former mining sites, including Thor Park, is being subsidised by Salk, the €217 million investment plan initiated by the Flemish government in the wake of the 2014 closing of the Ford auto plant, which cost the region 10,000 jobs. Many of the workers who lost their jobs then were descendants of the foreign workers who

The architects have chosen to either cover the crack with glass or leave it open in most places, so that it’s possible to peek through the walls The final component of the redevelopment is a business park covering 36 hectares, called MoThor. The offices are geared towards companies active in IT, clean energy, engineering, smart grids and other new technologies. The various components of Thor Park are situated in a green space with picnic areas, cycling paths and walking trails. The former mine’s old slag heaps form the backdrop for a nature and recreation zone covering 30 hectares. The park as well as the common areas and restaurants of Thor Central are open to the public. There is a certain symmetry in redeveloping

came to Limburg in the last century to work in the coal mines. Once again, Genk is hoping to reinvent itself and its work force, and thereby adapt to a changing economy. Thanks to investment in infrastructure and innovation, the city has a shot at becoming a European hub for clean energy and other emerging technologies. Meanwhile, the city is richer by one very impressive and beautifully restored building. Thor Central is the crowning jewel of Thor Park, harking back to the mine’s glory days and signalling the future ambitions of the project.

HIV patients are currently testing an app that monitors their condition. The HIV clinic of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp is testing an app developed by British company Podmedics that shows patients their lab results. The app would allow patients to drop half of their visits to the doctor, and the 18-month pilot project is examining if the method guarantees the same quality of monitoring and if it is user-friendly and cost-efficient. Patients can take more control over their own health with the app, according to ITM HIV specialist Ludwig Apers. “Their health stats are always at hand, including when they visit their GP.”

Animal testing alternatives at new VUb centre The Free University of Brussels (VUB) has established the Innovation Centre 3Rs (IC-3Rs) to develop alternative techniques to testing on animals. The new centre is being run by the In Vitro Toxicology and Dermato-cosmetology department (IVTD). The 3Rs in the name of the new centre refers to the general aim in the scientific world to Refine, Reduce and Replace animal testing. IVTD develops alternative methods on the basis of stem cells derived from tissue. The goal of IC-3Rs is to “increase the visibility of alternative methods by enhancing communication, building the local networks and supporting the development of in-vitro methodologies, throughout the Belgian region and Europe,” said VUB in a statement.

Vegetables on top of new food pyramid

The Flemish Institute for Healthy Living has developed a new food pyramid, which it has turned upside down, emphasising the value of vegetable and other unprocessed foods. On top of the inverted pyramid is the guideline to drink plenty of water. Under this, the pyramid contains foods of plant origin, with dairy, eggs, fish and chicken coming lower on the pyramid, while the smallest section contains butter and red meat. Foods that are not nutritionally sound such as sweets and soft drinks are placed in a separate circle next to the pyramid with the warning “as little as possible”. The circle also contains processed meats, salt, fried foods and alcohol. \ Andy Furniere

\ eDItOrIAl

10 years of Flanders Today

in this final print edition of flanders today, we look back at some of the biggest stories to no government, no problem

In 2011, Belgium made world headlines for having no federal government for a record 541 days, or 18 months. It was the chance for all those regional and provincial governments to show their purpose. As the debates raged on among the most diverse electoral winners in the history of Belgium, most citizens hardly noticed. Everything ran like clockwork. A federal government accord was finally announced in early December 2011, with Elio Di Rupo chosen as prime minister – the first French-speaking prime minister since the 1970s.

we knew him when

Ten years ago, the name Matthias Schoenaerts might have rung a bell, but mostly as the son of the late Flemish actor Julien Schoenaerts. It was in 2008 that Matthias co-starred in Loft, which would break box office records in Belgium for a local production. He went on to make a few more movies and

a TV series, but it was the role of hormone-addicted farmer Jacky Vanmarsenille in 2011’s Rundskop (Bullhead) that turned him from a local star to an international one. The Oscar-nominated film opened all the doors, and Schoenaerts went on to acclaim in such French, British and American films as Rust and Bone, Far from the Madding Crowd, Suite Française and A Bigger Splash.

\ Lisa Bradshaw

life after ford

Bad news came from the US car manufacturer Ford in 2012: It was closing the plant in Genk, Limburg. At the end of 2014, the factory closed, with the loss of 10,000 jobs, counting those in the plant itself and in local suppliers. The province, the Flemish government and the EU rallied to create as many job opportunities as possible. Together, they have invested more than €376 million in the site, which is to become a hub for the manufacturing industry and waterway logistics. Demolition of the factory began last month. \ Alan Hope

workers at Ford Genk mark the plant’s last day at the end of 2014

death of a giant

matthias schoenaerts wins hearts at this year’s Venice Film Festival

In 2008, Flanders lost its most famous writer, and one of its most enduringly idiosyncratic celebrities – Hugo Claus. He was famous for his work, of course, with the Second World War masterpiece The Sorrow of Belgium getting him all the way to Nobel’s shortlist, but he was also known as a “character” – rarely without a controversial remark on his lips or a new lady friend on his arm. One of his best tricks was lying to journalists, knowing they would publish any story he told. The 78-year-old left life the way he lived it – on his own terms. Suffering from Alzheimer’s, he chose to die by euthanasia. \ LB

the making of a saint

We sometimes call people a saint when they’ve helped us out in some way, but it’s the real stand-outs who have the title officially bestowed upon them by the Roman Catholic church. One of them is Father Damien, a 19th-century priest from Tremelo, Flemish Brabant, who established a community for people with leprosy who had been quarantined on the Hawaiian island of Molokai. He is remembered for providing an example of how to treat all people with respect and dignity. He died of leprosy himself in 1889 at the age of 49. Father Damien was canonised by

Pope Benedict XVI on 11 October 2009. \ LB

tragedy in switzerland

On 13 March 2012, 22 children and eight adults died when a coach carrying staff and pupils from two Flemish primary schools crashed in a tunnel on the way home from a skiing trip in Sierre in Switzerland. The accident led to a day of national mourning in Belgium. Both bus drivers were among the dead, and the cause of the singlevehicle crash has never been determined. The Swiss government officially closed the investigation

editorial: tHe end of an era Saying goodbye after 10 years of print Whether on paper or on a screen, you hold in your hands the final issue of the print version of Flanders Today, exactly 10 years after it began. It was October of 2007 when I found myself putting together Flanders Today’s very first cover story. I had been working for the venerable The Bulletin, Belgium’s – and continental Europe’s – very first Englishlanguage newsmagazine. For an American journalist fresh off the boat, it was a great job. But there was one problem: It focused on Brussels, and I lived in Ghent. I was a bit of an anomaly at The Bulletin. I was the only one who didn’t live in Brussels, and the only one who

didn’t speak French. And then the publisher was awarded the government contract to produce Flanders Today. Management came down to editorial looking for someone who spoke Dutch. A colleague pointed at me. I joined the editor-in-chief, Derek Blyth, to come up with editorial strategies. The government of Flanders owned the title, but full editorial control was in our hands. There were two goals: Give international journalists who didn’t speak Dutch an idea of what’s going on north of Brussels, and inform expats in Belgium and investors and officials living outside of it all about the region.

And we did. I became editor-inchief in 2011 and carried on Derek’s mission of balancing news with feature articles on all things Flem-

ish, from the latest breakthroughs at the Institute of Tropical Medicine to grassroots movements changing urban scenes to the latest exploits of enfant terrible artists like Jan Fabre and Wim Delvoye. For 10 years, Flanders Today has given me the opportunity to provide expats living in the region with what I felt was missing when I arrived here: Information crucial in getting us connected to our communities. Along the way, there have been some key players that have made Flanders Today what it is today. Alan Hope has covered current affairs, politics and business for us since the beginning. Deputy editor Sally Tipper has spent blurry-eyed nights and week-

ends subbing text. Linda Thompson became our first sub-editor when we needed more help after the new website was launched four years ago. And Bartosz Brzezinski followed her lead after she moved on. Andy Furniere has spent years honing our coverage of the science and education sectors. Like expats do, we created a community. And hundreds of thousands of readers soon joined us. And don’t worry. The print version is coming to an end, but we’ll still be online at flanderstoday.eu. Together with the government, we are still working on exactly what we’ll look like in the future. We’ll see you there.

\ Lisa Bradshaw

september 27, 2017

have happened in the region over the past decade

flanderstoday.eu/arcHive

terrorism came to brussels in march 2016

without attributing blame, while a group of parents hired their own investigators, who said that they believe the driver was suicidal and deliberately drove the bus into a wall in front of a turn-out area in the tunnel. \ AH

a picnic for pedestrians

Work has recently begun on converting the central avenues and surrounding streets in the centre of Brussels into a pedestrian zone, after two years of constant controversy and legal challenges. The streets have been closed to traffic since 2015 as plans were made to develop a new surface, green space and infrastructure such as benches and fountains. The pedestrian zone is the ultimate outcome of the revolutionary movement Picnic the Streets, which took over Beursplein multiple times in 2012 to persuade the Brussels-City council to ban traffic from Anspachlaan. When put into effect, the zone caused serious controversy, especially among residents and business owners. Part of it was even opened back up to traffic following pressure from the Metropole Hotel. \ AH

lest we forget

In 2014, Flanders launched its extensive four-year commemoration of the centenary of the First World War. Much of the war was fought on the front lines around Ypres in West Flanders, known to the Allies at the time as “Wipers”. The Western world is joining in the commemoration, and the government of Flanders has pitched in to make sure the world can pay its respects in the best way possible: applying for world heritage status for 18 sites, creating memorial gardens in London and Canberra using soil from Flanders’ fields, and promoting the In Flanders Fields museum in Ypres. \ AH \ flandersfields.be

red devils top the charts

Football has never been bigger than it is today, with millions watching broadcast games and players transferring for the price of a Moon rocket. Amid all this, the Red Devils have somehow become a global giant, reaching the number one spot in the Fifa world rankings in November 2015. Despite only reaching the World Cup quarter-finals the previ-

Flanders and the world marked the centenary of the First world war

ous summer, stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and Eden Hazard propelled them to the top of the charts. In April 2016, Lionel Messi’s Argentina overtook them. Of course, next year’s World Cup in Russia could see the Red Devils return to the top… \ Leo Cendrowicz

of November 2015 arrested. Three of the four men involved in the Brussels attacks died at the scene, while one fled the airport and was later arrested. The most lasting effect of that terrible morning is

the continued presence of armed soldiers on the streets of the capital, which will continue, it was recently announced, until at least 2020. \ AH

when the world mourned for brussels

On Tuesday, 22 March 2016, Belgium’s worst collective fears came true when suicide bombers blew themselves up at Brussels Airport in Zaventem and at Maalbeek metro station in the European quarter of the capital. Thirty-two people were killed and more than 300 injured. Four days earlier, house searches had been carried out in Brussels, and the chief suspect in the Paris attacks

22 children died in a 2012 bus crash in switzerland

Our first issue: Flanders finds the X factor

The cover of the first issue of Flanders Today, dated 17 October 2007, examined the region’s growing film industry and how both a new promotions agency and tax shelter were finally giving it the boost it needed. The film Ben X by Nic Balthazar had won three awards at the Montreal World Film Festival before becoming the number one film in Belgium the week we went to press. The issue also included an introduction to long-time actor Jan Decleir and a summary of Flemish movies released that year – including Dagen zonder lief, known in English as With Friends Like These, the second film by Felix Van Groeningen. He would of course go on to make the box

office smash De helaasheid der dingen (The Misfortunates) and the Oscar-nominated The Broken Circle Breakdown.

two years of controversy and counting… the brussels pedestrian zone

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\ eDUCAtIOn

september 27, 2017

Catch a wave

WeeK in edUcation

blue growth maritime summer school brings the world to ostend

Students from University College Leuven Limburg (UCLL) have developed an app to detect epileptic seizures in children that are difficult to recognise. When children get absence seizures, they are unconscious for a few seconds and stare straight ahead without reacting to anything. The students developed a solution to register the seizures so that parents, teachers and doctors understand when one is occurring. Children wear a headset that monitors their brain activity, and when they suffer a seizure, the adult receives a signal on a bracelet via the app, helping them to take action in time. The students won UCLL’s annual Moving Minds Award, which rewards innovative work.

andy furniere more articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

Ghent University is working to boost marine and maritime research around the globe with its two-week Blue Growth summer school for international researchers, while also spotlighting the work of local companies.

ver the last couple of weeks, two dozen young researchers from around the world assembled in Ostend to learn all about maritime and marine research as part of a unique English-language summer school organised by Ghent University (UGent). This marks the second consecutive year that UGent has organised the Blue Growth summer school at its GreenBridge campus in Ostend, where it concentrates its marine and maritime research activities. The name Blue Growth refers to the application and commercialisation of new technologies and innovation in fisheries, marine science and engineering. Ghent’s summer school is the only programme in Europe that provides instruction on such a wide array of underwater topics. “We can offer such a broad scope because UGent has a wealth of expertise in these areas,” says Noémie Wouters, UGent Blue Growth liaison officer at the GreenBridge science park. During the first week, students were immersed in various maritime subjects like coastal engineering, shipping and the use of offshore wind parks, waves and tides to generate energy. During the marine-focused second week, the students learned more about marine litter, blue biotech and spatial planning. “But we link the two modules by showing the impact of offshore wind turbines on life in the ocean and by illustrating how engineers increasingly integrate their constructions into the

the Greenbridge campus in Ostend

the summer school participants attended talks by local companies and researchers but also got close to coastal infrastructure in rubber boats

natural environment,” explains Jeroen De Maeyer, co-ordinator of the summer school’s maritime module. “We also emphasise the social relevance of research, for example in dealing with rising water levels.” The big difference with last year’s programme is a bigger emphasis on entrepreneurship at the request of Flemish dredging company Deme, one of the summer school’s sponsors. Deme staff gave several lectures and organised a closing networking event. “We see major potential in blue growth, including the trend of combining different functions in engineering constructions,” says Frank Verschraegen, a project director at Deme. “Projects that, for example, protect our coasts but also generate energy are more efficient and have broader societal support.” During the summer school, Deme presented its Coastbusters project, which aims to construct reefs from seaweed, worms and mussels in the North Sea. This will help prevent heavy storms from sweeping away tons of sand from the

student app helps with ‘invisible’ seizures

Flemish coast. The students also attended talks by other local companies, from big enterprises like electricity network operator Elia to smaller ones like the Ostend-based Laminaria, which is working on technology to harness energy from waves. The summer school’s 20 participants also visited two local aquaculture companies, Imaqua and TomAlgae. The participants learned how research consortium projects funded by the European Commission are run in a workshop on the Met-Certified project. It aims to increase the adoption of insurable and therefore bankable marine energy projects through the development of internationally recognised standards and certification schemes in the sector. Blue Growth also included multiple interactive activities. To better understand the challenges of marine spatial planning, for instance, the students took part in a debate in which they had to defend the interests of conflicting parties. For example, one student would represent an environmental organisation, while another represented an industry player. Students had to submit a report, evaluated at the end of the programme, in which they applied the theory discussed during lectures to solve a practical problem. At the end of the two weeks, the students received a certificate that will earn them study credits in their home universities. The students’ busy schedule also included more adventurous outings, such as travelling from Blankenberge to Zeebrugge by rubber boat to get a closer look at coastal infrastructure like breakwaters. Blue Growth organisers hope that the 24 participants, who hailed from countries around the world,

including Mexico, Iran, Turkey, Russia and Spain, will use the insights gained to improve maritime and marine research in their own countries. In addition, experts from the European Commission also attended the summer school. Summer school participant Afshan Khaleghi, in any case, was impressed by a speaker who explained how salinity in water can be used as an energy source. “We have large salt lakes in Iran, but we are not using them for energy production,” says Khaleghi, an Iranian coastal engineering expert. “With relatively simple methods, we can tap into this potential.” For next year’s edition, Blue Growth organisers hope to attract more students from developing countries by offering them grants. “But we are already keeping the costs as low as possible in order to make the summer school accessible,” emphasises GreenBridge’s CEO, Marianne Martens. Fees for the one-week programme are €300, while the full two-week programme costs €500. Apart from Deme, the summer school is also supported by Flanders Knowledge Area, the agency for mobility and co-operation in higher education, and the City of Ostend. It has applied for funding from Vlir-UOS to be able to offer students financial aid next year. The government is also developing GreenBridge’s status as the place to be for blue growth research through the construction of the Flanders Maritime Laboratory. This research centre will include a wave tank, a coastal and ocean basin and a ship simulator and will be open to companies and government agencies as well as researchers. Construction of the laboratory started this year, and it is slated to open in the summer of 2019.

women must make up 1 in 3 professors at VUb The Free University of Brussels (VUB) is to introduce a quota system that will require one in three professors to be a woman. More action is needed to get more women to the top of academia, VUB rector Caroline Pauwels said in an interview with the newsweekly Knack. The decision to introduce a quota flowed out of administrators’ realisation that they would fail to realise their aspiration of having 33% female professors by 2021. “We noticed that the percentage had only increased by one percentage point in the last 10 years – from 27% to 28% – so we will not reach our goal at this rate,” Pauwels told public broadcaster VRT.

Dual-learning system to start next year

The government of Flanders has approved the final version of the dual-learning decree, the system in which secondary school pupils will be able to combine their studies with training at a company. Starting on 1 September 2018, dual learning will be available to all professional (BSO) and technical (TSO) schools as well as part-time education centres. Participating students aged 15 and older will spend a minimum of 14 hours a week at a company. The goal of dual learning is to show pupils how their studies relate to the workplace, which the government sees as a way to reduce the dropout rate and help fill bottleneck jobs. \ AF

\ 11

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\ lIVInG

september 27, 2017

All you need is hope

WeeK in activitieS Drawing Days

gentenaars point way to better world, one interview at a time daan bauwens more articles by Daan \ flanderstoday.eu

ZwiJgenisgeenoptie.be

f not for hope, the heart would break, a Greek proverb goes. A new online interview series launched a year ago puts a similar premium on an optimistic attitude. Under the banner Zwijgen is geen optie (Silence is Not an Option), Gentenaars Anthony Bosschem and Tom Mahy have been releasing long, in-depth and inspiring interviews with people who have demonstrated exceptional civic virtue and commitment, or resistance to injustice. In short, they are offering a platform to people who are committed to building a better world. The first series of 23 interviews posted to their website attracted over 500,000 views. A trailer for the first interview of the second series, in which retired journalist Walter Zinzen comes out strongly against the political discourse around immigration and refugees, was shared more than 1,500 times in the space of a couple of days. Bosschem and Mahy took very different career paths. Bosschem is a tech whiz kid who created online content and platforms while still in college, and was declared one of the 50 most promising entrepreneurs by financial newspaper De Tijd a couple of months after graduating. Mahy is a trained philosopher and director who has worked on several international TV series. They had been trying to figure out a way to work together for 12 years. It was the birth of their children that finally made it happen. “One year ago, Tom became a father,” says Bosschem. “Four months ago, it was my turn.” According to both men, the link between becoming a father and

In each episode, tom mahy (left) and Anthony bosschem interview a Fleming who is doing something to make this world a better place

wanting to create a better society is as straightforward as can be. “You start thinking about the world in a different way,” Mahy explains. “The responsibility of being a parent makes you less detached, less cynical and more

hands-on. The world is on fire, and a lot of things are fast deteriorating.” That’s a realisation that can easily lead to despair, Mahy concedes – until you start talking to people who have solutions. “We set out

to find these people,” he says. “We called them up and quite literally asked: Can we interview you to become inspired? Can we please fill up on hope?” Bosschem and Mahy run the project – a full-time job for both – from a rustic metal container on the Dok grassroots multi-purpose site in Ghent. Although the series has found appeal and an audience, the project is not yet generating revenue. The proceeds from workshops the pair give in schools and during festivals keep them going, if only just. They are contemplating conducting live interviews in front of a paying audience as well as a crowdfunding campaign to keep the project going. Current funds are due to run out in January. Despite such financial worries, the two are adamant that they will finish their wish list of 200 interviewees. “They are the ones who ultimately keep us going,” Bosschem says. He gives the example of psychologist Marjan Gryson of Touché, which provides aggression therapy to prisoners. “I cried during the interview. Tom cried during editing. And when I saw the final version, I cried again. That doesn’t happen with just any job.” When asked whether their project will succeed in making the world a better place, the two are modest. “Even the smallest thing you do for the better has an impact,” Mahy says. “We are shining a light on a neglected undercurrent of commitment and engagement in Flanders. Things are happening that need to be seen. Because they offer hope.”

bite genk restaurant pays homage to region’s mining past If you think a coal mine is no place to find a great dining experience, think again. A new restaurant in Genk is an exciting addition to Limburg’s restaurant scene that also pays tribute to the province’s industrial past. Partaasch is located on the first floor of Thor Central, the main building of the former Waterschei mine site (see related story, p7). A double staircase leads up to a spacious landing where the restaurant’s stylish bar, lounge and dining room are arranged in a U-shape behind glass walls. The décor was inspired by the valuable coal that the miners brought to the surface, known as “black gold.” Black leather banquettes, marbletopped tables and touches of gold hint at the Art Deco origins of the building. The name Partaasch is taken from the French word partager, meaning “to share,” in a nod to the mine’s directors, who came from Wallonia. This is the main concept here, with a “sharing menu” offering a choice of three to six courses to

be eaten by everyone at the table. Each course is communally served on one platter. We chose the three-course menu for €40, with paired wines for an extra €18 per person. Our meal got off to a slow start, but the wait was made worth our while with a succession of excellent amuse-bouches. First up, a sliver of smoked sardine nestled in a bed of pearl couscous, followed by a minicroquette of duck confit. Next, two savoury soesjes or puffs filled with crab meat that looked exactly like lumps of black coal were served on a wood-handled shovel, in a witty reference to the building’s original tenants. Our first course was langoustines with avocado and citrus, the sweet shellfish perfectly balanced with the tang of grapefruit and orange. The main course was presa, a tender cut of neck pork, with cauliflower, black garlic and cordyceps mushrooms. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection, the flavours and textures combined with

partaascH.be

Love to draw? Take part in one of more than 100 drawing-related activities spread over three days in Ghent. The Bijloke site is the festival centre, where you can try body painting, nature sketching, printmaking or attend Dr Sketchy’s Anti-Art School. 29 September to 1 October, Bijloke, Godshuizenlaan 2, Ghent; free \ drawingdays.be

mechelen beer Festival Try one of 150 beers from 36 breweries on Grote Markt or refine your palate at the exclusive tasting and beer-pairing sessions at local brewery Het Anker. There will be live bands playing at Het Anker all weekend. Register for beer sessions in advance (€20). 29 September to 1 October, Grote Markt and Het Anker, Guido Gezellelaan 49, Mechelen; free \ bierfestivalmechelen.be

kuurne Donkey Festival The citizens of Kuurne in West Flanders have been called ezels, or donkeys, since time immemorial. Every year, they celebrate their nickname with four days of festivities. A fun run, half-marathon and weekend-long entertainment culminates in the choosing of a Donkey King. The party closes on Monday with fireworks. 29 September to 2 October, Kuurne city centre; free \ ezelsfeesten.be

Antwerp bushcraft weekend Whether you’re concerned about the zombie apocalypse or just want to become more self-reliant, this event will teach you everything you need to know about surviving in the wilderness without running water or electricity. Bring your warm clothes, tent, food, water and tools. Price includes workshops and firewood. Advance registration required. 30 September to 1 October, Lippelo (Antwerp province); €25 \ tinyurl.com/bushcraftweekend

Autumn plant Fair

a deft hand. For dessert, there was an upside-down lemon tart with meringue and pistachio ice cream. The danger in sharing dessert is that each of us was racing to get our fair share before it disappeared. The set menus are great value, and fun besides. But if you’re on your own, all dishes are also available à la carte. \ Diana Goodwin

The oldest plant market in Flanders takes place at the Arboretum in Kalmthout. Local and international collectors and nurseries offer new, unusual and rare plant species for sale, plus gardening tools, books and accessories. Guided tours of the arboretum every hour. 1 October 10.00-17.00, Arboretum Kalmthout, Arboretum 8; €8,50 \ tinyurl.com/kalmt

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\ Arts

WeeK in artS & cUltUre Association calls for quality chef labelling The food industry association Horeca Vlaanderen has called for a labelling system to allow customers to differentiate between restaurants with qualified chefs and those without. Flanders leads the world in the number of Michelin stars per capita and is home to the only two three-star establishments in Belgium. But on 1 January, it will become possible for anyone to open a restaurant without any form of qualification at all. Horeca Vlaanderen intends to introduce its own system of quality ratings in the course of 2018.

penis spotted in maya the bee cartoon

A very perceptive parent in the US recently complained on Facebook that a penis was clearly etched into a hollow log in a Maya the Bee cartoon, produced by Flanders’ own Studio 100. Although subtle, the penis can indeed be seen behind Maya as she peers out of the log in episode 35, which was first released in 2013. Netflix pulled the episode in response, and Studio 100 is working on a fix for it, calling it “a misplaced joke” by a cartoonist. “I suppose they had a good laugh over it,” CEO Hans Bourlon told Gazet van Antwerpen. “Of course I’d rather they hadn’t done it. It’s not professional.”

lady Gaga drops complaint against radio Gaga Lady Gaga has dropped her complaint against the European Union Intellectual Property Office regarding the title of the TV show Radio Gaga. Created by the Flemish production house De Chinezen for VRT, the programme finds two interviewers travelling to specific destinations – a psychiatric facility, for instance, or a prison – in a mobile studio. They then conduct interviews with ordinary people who have extraordinary stories. The interviews are sensitive and touching, and the format of the show has been sold to other territories. The title was protected under EU copyright laws earlier this year, but Lady Gaga filed suit in June, claiming some fans might think she has something to do with it. “To our amazement, she has now withdrawn her opposition to the copyright,” said Harald Hauben of De Chinezen. Lady Gaga now owes €300 in costs to the production house.

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Painting in the now

in life and in art, flemish artist tinus vermeersch refuses to plan ahead christophe verbiest more articles by Christophe \ flanderstoday.eu

Hopstreet.be

Flemish artist Tinus Vermeersch, subject of a show at Hopstreet Gallery in Brussels, takes an unusual approach to his work, making snap decisions to produce figurative paintings that don’t easily give up their secrets.

o say that Tinus Vermeersch was raised in an artistic family is to put it mildly. His father, his mother and two of his brothers are artists, and his grandfather José was a painter and sculptor. Even so, “I never had the ambition to become an artist,” Vermeersch tells me, sitting in his studio, which is in a barn next to his house in the pastures bordering the West Flemish city of Roeselare. But he did, and a remarkable one at that, as a small but arresting show at the Hopstreet Gallery in Brussels demonstrates. An expanded show with a larger selection of works will open at the Directeurswoning art house in Roeselare in December. His parents never pushed Vermeersch or his brothers to become artists, he says. But art was ubiquitous in their home and the most natural of things. “Not that we didn’t play outside or watch TV; we did,” he says. “But in my memory, the four of us were always drawing. When we drew, we liked to imitate my father’s and grandfather’s work.” At one point, Vermeersch, now 41, realised that drawing was the thing he liked the most, so in the fourth year of secondary school, he

Untitled, oil on panel, 25.5 x 31.5 cm

drawings,” he says. He didn’t want to put all his work out into the world quite yet, so he included only his ink drawings in the show. That decision appears to have been a smart one – his work received high praise, and Hopstreet, a contemporary art gallery focused on young and emerging artists based in Europe, asked if they could represent him. Since then,

After a pause, he adds: “Maybe I started using tempera out of fear. When I started painting, I thought that oil paint had a lot of gravity. It’s steeped in history, and it’s much more complex to work with.” Many of the works he created in this previous period appear to show landscapes, but Vermeersch notes that he didn’t model them after real-life examples or photos.

I don’t paint to create images, but the other way round: I create images so I can paint switched to a study programme in arts education. After graduating, he studied painting for two years at the Kask art school in Ghent and sculpture for three years at the Luca art school in Ghent. “I had no clear goal, except that I wanted a job that involved drawing. That could have been creating illustrations.” He completed a one-year stint as a teacher, took odd jobs as a freelancer and created work in his spare time that he didn’t show. In 2005, an exhibition featuring the work of the Vermeersch family changed his life. He was 28 at the time. “At that point, I was making cartoons, illustrations and ink

interest in his work has continued to grow, and art is Vermeersch’s main occupation today. The new show – just three sculptures and eight miniature paintings – captures an important change in Vermeersch’s oeuvre. After having worked with tempera paint for years, he is here presenting a series of works in tempera, the standard in painting until the beginning of the 16th century. Vermeersch explains that he likes to quickly paint one layer after another, and tempera dries very quickly. “I can keep on painting without waiting. Working with tempera for me is also more akin to drawing than to painting with oil.”

“They originate from the motion of the painting,” he explains, moving his hand from left to right. “I want to fully master the material I work with. When I begin, I don’t know what I will paint, but I want to be sure that I know how to.” Beginning a work with no conception of what it will be seems rather uncommon, but not for Vermeersch. “With the new works, I only knew I wanted to paint figures, but whether they were going to have round heads or not, and be coloured red or green – those things I decide while work-

until 28 october

ing on the painting.” Whatever those in-the-moment decisions, the end result can always be interpreted in multiple ways. “I don’t want it to be too obvious,” he says. “I like this ambiguity.” On second thought, he quickly adds: “It should be painted distinctly; it’s the meaning that’s equivocal.” Many of his paintings bring to mind Renaissance art and the Flemish Primitives – and for good reason, Vermeersch says. “Not that I can’t enjoy some contemporary art, but I have more of an affinity with what happened before the 18th century. The subjects of those works often don’t interest me, but I’m fascinated by the sublime way they’re painted. If you think of the Flemish Primitives or Renaissance paintings, there isn’t much variation in the subjects. With contemporary art, I have the impression that the content prevails.” Does that mean that the subject of his paintings isn’t the most importantaspect?“WhatIpaintisimportant because you always want to create an image,” he nuances. After a pause, he adds: “It’s not that I paint to create images, but the other way round: I think I create images so I can paint.”

Hopstreet Gallery

Sint-Jorisstraat 109, Brussels

\ AGenDA

september 27, 2017

A fish without a bicycle

concertS

The Future is Feminist 29 september to 22 december

russels arts centre Beursschouwburg is presenting an autumn season of performances, screenings, workshops and other events that explore the world from a feminist perspective. The months-long programme is inspired by the women’s marches of January this year, which fostered an inclusive and broadly feminist approach to issues as diverse as immigration, racism and the environment. Following this lead inevitably involves some strong opinions, but the organisers promise to create a safe space in which everyone is welcome. “A place where you can search for meaning and

beursschouwburg, brussels beursscHouwburg.be

find like-minded feminist souls,” they say. The performances begin with #negrophobia, an investigation of the black body in Western culture, created by Nigerian-American artist Jaamil Olawale Kosoko. It’s followed in early October by Princess by Eisa Jocson (pictured), which analyses Snow White from a Philippine perspective, and Florentina Holzinger’s Apollon Musagète, a “post-baroque” ballet about female beauty and the boundaries of the body cult. The highlight of the film programme is Craigslist Allstars by Samira Elagoz. It records the results of the Finnish director’s

bizarre encounters with men contacted through the internet. Video art loops in Beursschouw-

dance

viSUal artS

l’oiseau de feu

evy raes

7-28 october

brussels

Opera Gent and Antwerp operaballet.be

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui headlines a triple bill of contemporary ballet with the world premiere of L’Oiseau de Feu (The Firebird). The celebrated Flemish choreographer’s latest work resurrects the firebird of Russian folklore with a score borrowed from Igor Stravinski’s breakthrough ballet of the same name, which premiered in Paris in 1910. The programme also features Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite’s Ten Duets on a Theme of Rescue and Moroccan-Canadian artist Édouard Lock’s The Heart of August, based on the classical myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. The common theme is rescue and redemption. \ Georgio Valentino

until 21 January Ghent’s outsider art museum invites Flemish photographer Evy Raes to explore dementia. The condition and its hallmark memory loss have been studied by psychologists and neuroscientists for generations, but the everyday experience of dementia remains difficult to grasp. Raes worked

burg’s Black Box throughout the season, alongside the exhibition Growth Record by Belgo-Japanese artist Lisa Spilliaert. This records the early years of a Japanese child who, in another life, might have been Spilliaert herself. Later in October there is a minifestival of “indigenous electronics” curated by Brussels music producer Zoë McPherson. For younger feminists, a Kids’ March includes a workshop on making banners, placards and pamphlets, followed by a march around the block and a disco. Later kids’ events look at gender roles and propose alternatives to Zwarte Piet. \ Ian Mundell

We Stood Like Kings: The Brussels-based post-rock quartet present USA 1982, a brand new soundtrack experience for the American cult classic film Koyaanisqatsi, played live in front of the screen. 3 October 20.00, Bozar, Ravensteinstraat 23 \ bozar.be

Opwijk (Flemish brabant) Ulrika Spacek: East London’s alternative rock band with three guitarists present their second album, Modern English Decoration, a blend of postpunk, krautrock and shoegaze. 3 October 19.30, Nijdrop, Kloosterstraat 9 \ nostamusic.be

viSUal artS Aalter

museum Dr Guislain, Ghent museumdrguislain.be

with people in its early stages to attempt a series of visual representations of dementia as seen from the inside. As the degenerative disorder distorts perception in a daily confrontation with reality, so the artist manipulates her photography with various effects. \ GV

Biennial Contemporary Art Exhibition: A selection of works by promising young Flemish artists, offering them the chance to present and sell their works alongside those of established artists. 7-15 October, Poeke Castle, Kasteelstraat 38 \ rcaalter.be

brussels The New Wave of Flemish Comic Strips: Exhibition revealing the emergence of a new generation of gifted and creative comic strip authors whose works have been translated into several languages and lauded for their artistic and merit and quality writing. Until 3 June 2018, The Belgian Comic Strip Center, Zandstraat 20 \ stripmuseum.be

MUSic feStival Ghent

feStival

perforMance

buda vista #11 5-7 october Kortrijk’s cultural centre Buda presents the 11th edition of its biannual performance festival. The event focuses on theatre, dance, film and installations that were at least partially created in-house. Many of the works have already toured the world, but some are brand new. Among the weekend’s eight performances is New Zealand-born, Brus-

John cleese buda, kortrijk budakortriJk.be

sels-based choreographer Kate McIntosh’s In Many Hands, which premieredatBuda10.Inhercapacity as Buda Vista Special Guest, McIntosh also draws back the curtain on the creative process behind the piece, which enters a strange world of making sounds with unexpected objects and examines the way different people hear and listen. \ GV

30-31 may

get tic k

ets no w

ethias theatre, Hasselt and kursaal, Ostend livecomedy.be

John Cleese promised to bow out gracefully with last year’s soldout The Last Time to See Me Before I Die tour. He didn’t. The 77-yearold British comedy legend has instead extended the tour into 2018 “due to outstanding health conditions”. Cleese needs no introduction, but if he did need one, it would certainly mention his role as founding member of seminal sketch comedy collective Monty Python and creator and star of the hit 1970s British sitcom Fawlty Towers. The showbiz veteran has also appeared in numerous films, from A Fish Called Wanda to the James Bond and Harry Potter franchises. \ GV

Klinkeroever 2017: Third edition of the free festival featuring more than 40 bands from a range of genres, performed in venues along Ghent’s “rive gauche”, left of the Leie. 30 September to 1 October, Ajuinlei and Onderbergen \ gentlinkeroever.be

partY meise Party Sundays: The Botanic Garden celebrates the completion of the first stage of its master renovation plan with nine weekly parties featuring a tropical atmosphere, complete with South American music and African food. Sundays until 26 November, Botanic Garden, Nieuwelaan 38 \ plantentuinmeise.be

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\ bACkpAGe

september 27, 2017

Talking Dutch

voiceS of flanderS todaY

the last word

Brussels CSC @BRUSSELS_CSC Please note if you’re flying Ryanair – the flights for Brussels are not on the list of cancelled flights. So we’ll see you next Wednesday

derek blyth more articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

elcome to the final Talking Dutch column of the final print edition of Flanders Today. Back in 2007, when the newspaper was launched, the goal was not only to keep Englishspeaking locals up on the news but also to reveal what made Flanders interesting and unique. We knew many of our readers weren’t fluent Dutch-speakers, so we added this column. We didn’t necessarily plan to explain the finer points of grammar, such as the tricky distinction between u – the formal “you”, and jij – the informal “you”. We were just trying to give our readers some reasons to discover and enjoy the Dutch language. What we really wanted to do was to explain Flanders through its language. And we’ve had a lot of fun doing so, especially when it comes to the annual competition to find het lelijkste woord van het jaar – the worst word of the year. This year’s crop of hated words included bejaarden – old people, bubbles – sparkling wine, absoluut – wrongly (to some) used to mean an emphatic yes, and leuk – nice, which people objected to because het klinkt zo Hollands – it sounds so Dutch. The survey is interesting because it shows yet again that a language is not something fixed and frozen for all time. It keeps evolving, depending on how people decide to use it. New words emerge all the time. Some become part of the fabric of everyday speech, while others are stamped out pretty quickly by public opinion. Sometimes a new word comes along that captures a shift in society. Just a few years ago, we noticed the appearance of the word ontdoping – meaning a kind

BBC Scotland News @BBCScotlandNews A “lost” portrait by Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens is rediscovered in Glasgow’s Pollok House after 400 years

of reverse baptism. It referred to Catholics in Belgium renouncing their religion. More recently, the compound word bakfietsouder has emerged to denote ouders – parents, who take their kids to school on an old-fashioned bakfiets – cargo bike (literally baker’s bike). You might think this is a positive development that will help to relieve congestion and pollution, but the word is more commonly used sneeringly about hipsters in Antwerp and Ghent. A few months ago, Radio 1 asked listeners to come up with a Dutch word for mansplaining: het fenomeen waarbij een man iets uitlegt aan een vrouw wat ze al lang weet – the phenomenon where a man explains to a woman something she already knows (and often knows more about than he does). Someone suggested manoloog. Another listener came up with expliqheren – a clever blend of expliqueren – to explain and heren – men. Someone else proposed mandacht – a neat modification of aandacht – attention. Sadly, none of the proposals was very popular, so we appear to be stuck with mansplaining. Leuk. And that’s our final word on the subject.

pHoto of tHe week

In response to: Women must make up one in three professors at VUB John Snow: It would make a lot more sense to strive for the most qualified rather than having quotas on sex and skin color.

In response: Vegetables on top of Flanders’ reconfigured food pyramid Patrick Moynihan: Unless I choose to search for a very select restaurant that serves vegetables with a meal, I choose to eat all my healthy meals at home.

In response to: Three times more extreme heat by 2040, says KU Leuven Joanna Trinh: That is kinda scary...

In response to: Hema drops gendered labels from children’s products Daniel Vidal Ayres: Amazing decision! Babies are babies! I ♥ Hema!

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tHe laSt Word clean break

easy riders

“Wet wipes are the sewers’ worst enemy.”

“It’s good that there’s finally some clarity. Most people had no idea what the situation was, and that caused problems.”

Bjorn Verdoodt of sewage treatment company Infrax, which has started sending warnings to residents about the wipes, which cause one blocked pipe in three

big breakfast “This is so great; it’s Mechelen at its best. Next year we will succeed in breaking the record.”

Mechelen mayor Bart Somers, after 89 nationalities at a breakfast failed to break the world record of 102, but did break the European record

Roel De Cleen of Fiertsersbond on a new law that states that vehicle insurance is not required for hoverboards, monowheels and electric bicycles

Home and away “I’m Belgian in heart and soul, so I belong here.”

A jet-lagged Matthias Schoenaerts made it to Brussels for the premiere of his latest film, La Fidèle, at the weekend

WelcoMe to brUSSelS A project by a collective of artists in brussels’ maximiliaan park shows solidarity with refugees arriving in belgium

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