Shaping artSpolicyFlanders’ culture ministerhas launched a call forcitizens to join a panel thatwill advise on arts policy

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innovation \ P7BusinEss \ P6currEnt affairs \ P2 Education \ P9Politics \ P4 art & living \ P10

Every year, when spring is just in the air, somethingextraordinary happens in the Flemish countryside. Dustycobblestoned streets and narrow roads that wind aroundhilltops across the region fill with cyclists to compete inwhat is considered a “classic” race in this part of the world.

It seemed as if the sun waited for the start of the Flemishcycling season tomake its first real appearance this year.No wonder pro cyclists seemed happy and relaxed on

Ghent’s Sint-Pietersplein when the season opener OmloopHet Nieuwsblad kicked off on the last day of February.All the important races – from the Omloop and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne to Dwars Door Vlaanderen, E3 Harelbeke,

Ghent-Wevelgem and the Three Days of De Panne-Koksijde– lead up to the region’s most celebrated race, the one inwhich even non-fans take an interest: the Tour of Flanders,which traditionally takes place on Easter Sunday.TV reporter Michel Wuyts cracked his usual jokes as heintroduced the riders for the Omloop when they appearedon stage in Ghent to sign the start sheet.The fans, meanwhile also seemed ready. A few days beforethe Omloop, the sponsoring newspaper Het Niewsbladpromoted its cycling season guide by giving away a freeKwaremont beer with every newspaper.The Kwaremont, for the uninitiated, is not just a tastyblonde beer, it’s also one of the most devilish climbs in the

Tour of Flanders. Riders have to complete it three timesduring their six-hour-plus performance.Despite all the stories about wide-spread doping and theoverkill of live cycling coverage on Flemish TV, the popu-larity of the sport continues to increase. For Walter Planc-kaert, team manager of Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise anda former pro cyclist himself, this is explained simply by thesheer number of challenging races at this time of the yearin Flanders.“All over theworld they refer to Flanders as themain cyclingregion,” says Planckaert, “since all of our races have spectac-ular routes through the very heart of the countryside.” Addto that no entrance fees for fans and pro cyclists who are far

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adopt-a-treeAn orchard in West Flanderswill care for your sapling intoadulthood and invite you to pluckthe fruits of its labour

thoSe ScarySultanSBozar exhibition beautifully portraysthe centuries of fear and fascinationsurrounding the Ottomans

Let the cycling games beginwith no shortage of races or fans, cycling in flanders just gets more and more popular

tom PeetersMore articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

© Belga

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\ CURRenT AFFAIRs

Brussels minister-presidentRudiVervoorthasannouncedthe signing of an agreement

with Groupe PSA to buy the Citroënbuilding overlooking IJzerplein inBrussels. The purchase brings thecreation of a modern art museumin the capital one step closer.The agreement itself does not solvethe impasse between the Brus-sels-Capital Region and the federalgovernment. The latter is insistenton returning the country’s modernart collection to the Royal Muse-ums of Fine Arts complex. Thatwould leave Vervoort with verylittle to populate the new museum

he wants to establish in the canalarea as part of a local redevelop-ment.Opinions also differ on the use ofthe Citroën building (pictured).Last month a debate organised bygreen parties Groen and Ecolo sawproposals to turn the Art Deco siteinto an urban factory, an artists’village of workshops and studios,a cultural centre with public spaceand a business centre incorporat-ing an architecture school.Question marks also hang overthe suitability of the building asa museum. The five-storey glassfaçade, for example, is made of

single glazing, which is not suffi-cient for a museum interior andwould require the permission ofthe federal monuments authorityto renovate.“With an enormous investmentin sun blinds and climate control,that problem could be solved,”heritage consultant Leon Smetstold Brussel Deze Week. “But thatwould be contrary to the wholegigantic display window conceptof this glass and steel architecture.It would require so much moneyone has to wonder if it would notbe better to just build a whole newbuilding altogether.”

City buys Citroën buildingBrussels region purchases former car showroom and offices for new modern art museum

Parents of some of the children who died inthe school bus crash in Switzerland threeyears ago this month have created a foun-dation to raise money for further investiga-tions into the accident.“With theStichtingBusrampSierre,wewantto collect the funds needed for further inde-pendent research into the true facts behindthe disaster,” said Paul Schilders of Lommel,whose son Luc, 11, died in the crash. “Wewill do our utmost to clarify the real causes[of the accident]. We want to ensure such adisaster never happens again, and we wantaction to be taken if it should turn out thatthere are failures in the certification ofpeople involved in passenger transport.”Children from two schools – in Lommel,Limburg,andinHeverlee,adistrictofLeuven– were returning home from a skiing holi-day inMarch2012when their coach crashedin a tunnel in Sierre, in the Valais canton ofSwitzerland. The accident was the worst inBelgian history: 22 children aged 11 and 12were killed, together with four members ofschool staff and two coach drivers.The Swiss prosecutor in charge of the inves-tigation, Olivier Elsig, concluded that theaccident had been caused by a momentarylapse of attention by the younger of the twodrivers, who was behind the wheel at thetime. No blame could be attached for caus-ing the accident, he said.Some of the parents of the victims have

never been satisfied with that result, believ-ing that thedriverwas takingmedication fordepressionandmayhavedriven thebus intothe tunnelwall deliberately.Their suspicionsled to them insisting on the removal of thenames of both drivers from a monument inSwitzerland to the victims.The Swiss have closed the case, and the newfoundation website speaks of “a number ofcrucial aspects such as the bizarre trajec-tory of the bus in the last metres and theuse of anti-depressives by the driver, werenot or were barely investigated by the Swissauthorities”.Meanwhile in Switzerland, a memorialservice took place last Friday, the third anni-versary of the crash. A remembrance cere-mony was also held in primary school ’tStekske in Lommel, and at the Sint-Lamber-tus school in Heverlee. \ AH

investment approved by Flem-ish culture minister Sven Gatz forthe renovation of the cinema andconcert hall De Roma in Antwerp

KU Leuven’s ranking in the list ofthe world’s best universities, theonly Belgian university in the top100. Above 50th place, universitiesare ranked in groups of 10

alcohol content of a newHoegaarden beer being developedby Leuven-based AB InBev. Thebrewer also plans a new mini-crateof Jupiler and a new rum-flavouredbeer called Cubanisto

candidates taking part in theQueen Elisabeth Music Compe-tition for violin, which begins inMay. Two entrants represent Flan-ders: Armenian-born HrachyaAvanesyan and Fien Van denFonteyne

people in Ghent would not rentto someone named Mohammed,and three out of four would notrent to someone living on benefits,according to a study by UGent’ssociology department

Foundation to raise funds for moreinvestigation into bus crash

alan hopeFollow Alan on Twitter \ @AlanHopeFT

€517,500 top 60 1 in 3

© De standaard

© POOl/Reuters/Corbis

A boy stands near the coffins of two of the victimsof the bus crash in sierre during a ceremony at sint-Pieters church in leuven on 22 March, 2012

Streets across Brussels will be equipped with a further 300 security cameras by the end of this year,bringing the total to more than 1,000.The number of cameras surveying the streets is up to the local districts to decide, and all but two –Oudergem and Watermaal-Bosvoorde – are adding cameras. Brussels-City currently has the most,with 230 now and 20 more to come, serving a resident population of nearly 170,500.Molenbeek will have more than 200 by the end of the year, for a population of fewer than 95,000.According toMolenbeekmayor Françoise Schepmans, public opposition to the cameras has almostdisappeared. Ten years ago, she said, therewere often complaintswhen anewcamerawas installed.“Now people are almost begging for more,” she said.Anderlecht is awaitinganother108 this year. “Weneed thecamerasbecause thereare somanymetrostations in the municipality,” a spokesperson told De Standaard. “The area around the RSC Ander-lecht football ground also requires extra attention.”In Anderlecht, the new cameraswill be placed onmain roads, on squares and around South Station.Among the installations is a new type of camera that can pan 360 degrees. \ AH

More than 1,000 cameras on Brusselsstreets by end of year

City authorities inMechelenare looking into extra securitymeasures at large construction sites aftertwo young people died when a building due for demolition collapsed on them.Four youngsters between 11 and 18 years old entered the site of a former factory and began drivingaround on forklifts, recording some of their antics to upload to Facebook. When one of the forkliftscrashed into a pillar, part of the building came down, and two of them were killed. The two otherssurvived because the truck they were in had a sturdier safety cage, which protected them from thefalling rubble.According to city councillor Marc Hendrickx, it remains unclear how the four gained access to thesite. An investigating magistrate has been appointed to examine the circumstances of the accident.“There are several such large constructionprojects in theMechelen area, each ona former industrialsite due to be demolished or rebuilt,” Hendrickx said. “We are doing everythingwe’re legally requiredtodo,but it couldbeweneed to lookagainwith thecontractors to see ifwecan takeadditionalmeas-ures to make sure no-one can gain access to such sites.” \ AH

Security at construction sites questionedafter two die in building collapse

march 18, 2015

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face of flanderS

Most cartoonists never get toshow their faces; who wouldever know if they’d bumped intoCharles Schultz or Bill Watter-son in the street, or stepped onMarjane Satrapi’s toes in thetram?Kamagurka is a little more visi-ble thanmost, and in fact a docu-mentary about him made forthe VRT’s Koppen has just beenawarded a prize in Amsterdamby the Stichting Verhalend Jour-nalistiek – the Foundation forNarrative Journalism. In the film,Kamagurka travels to West Flan-ders to ask people how things aregoing for them.Thefilm’s title,Oeist?, means “How’s it going?” inthe local dialect.Luc Charles Zeebroek was bornin 1956 in the coastal town ofNieuwpoort. He studied art inBruges, then went on to the FineArts academy in Ghent, thoughhe never graduated, havingalready found his path in life.On an outing to Paris as a youngteen, Zeebroek dropped in at theoffices of Hara Kiri, the satiri-cal magazine that would soonbecomeCharlie Hebdo. It was thestart of a relationship that sawhim camp out at the magazinefor several days every month.The influence of the Frenchmedia cartoon tradition – slap-

dash, scurrilous, ribaldandraun-chy – remained with him whenhe became the house cartoonistofHumomagazine in 1975, at theage of 18. Readers complainedin droves, which only served tocement his image as a rebelliouscult hero.Now known by his pen name,Kamagurka, he still draws forHumo and has been voted BestCartoonist in the magazine’sPop Poll every year since 1978.The name Kamagurka, he onceexplained, sounded like a judoterm andwas easy to pronounce.A partnership with fellowcartoonist Herr Seele led to radioshows, TV programmes and thestrip Cowboy Henk, for whichSeele provided the drawings andKamagurka the text. He’s alsostrayed into painting and thea-tre.VRT’s documentary, which airedhere last November, takes himback home to his roots in WestFlanders and strips away themore manic aspects of his publicpersona. The film, said the Foun-dation for Narrative Journalism,“stayed with us because it waswonderfully told, informed thepublic on a major subject andallowed the universal mean-ing of a small message to comethrough”. \ Alan Hope

Kamagurka

What happened to Jagger?Jagger, whose official name wasThendara Satisfaction, was anIrish setter – but not just anyold Irish setter. At the start ofthe month, Jagger won a silvermedal at Crufts, the prestigiousdog show held in Birmingham,England. Just days after return-ing home to Tongeren, home ofhis owners Willem and Alexan-dra Lauwers, Jagger suddenlycollapsed and died.According to the vet, Jagger(pictured) had ingested blocks ofmeat adulterated with a poisonused against snails. “Our dogs areworld champions,” Willem Lauw-ers said. “But you don’t makefriends in this world by being

successful. If you want to havea go at me, then you smash mywindows. You don’t kill our pet,surely?”As the international mediaappeared on the Lauwers door-step to explore the murky under-belly of the dog show world,Lauwers played down his accusa-tions. “Hopefully, Jagger was justthe wrong dog at the wrong place

at the wrong time,” he said. “Wecertainly don’t want our hobby tobecome grounds for suspicion.”Mylee Thomas of Essex, ownerof one of two Shetland sheep-dogs also poisoned, is convincedthat her dog was deliberatelytargeted. Her Myter Eye to Eyewon first place. A winner fromanother category was also fedpoison.“The top dog and the top bitchwere both taken ill minutesbefore theywere due to compete,”Thomas told the Daily Mail. “Youwould have to know which dogswere which. I think it’s driven byjealousy.”Jagger remains the only fatality todate. \ AH

the curious incident of the dog in limburgoffSide

WeeK in briefThe federal government loweredthe terrorism threat level fromthree to two lastweek.Thatmeansthe threat is now seen as “average”rather than “serious”. The terror-ism alert level was raised to three(out of four) on 16 January, follow-ing a major anti-terror opera-tion in Verviers, Liège province,in which two armed men werekilled.Theheightened alertmeantincreased security for police andgovernment buildings, as well asJewish synagogues and schools.

Supermarket chain Delhaizehas suspended the extra secu-rity measures introduced follow-ing the acid attack on a clean-ing person in one of its Antwerpstores, after a man suspected ofbeing the attacker was arrestedin France. The suspect, revealedlast week to be Jelle F, a 42-year-old lawyer from Amsterdam, isexpected to be extradited shortly.

Flanders’ local observatorieshavereported a rush on the specialsunglasses used to observe asolar eclipse, an event due tohappen on Friday, 20 March.Looking at the sun withoutprotection could lead to severedamage to the eyes or even blind-ness, warn optometrists.

Four people on the island of GranCanaria have been detained forquestioning by local police inves-tigating the death of West Flan-ders businessman PhilippeVandendorpe at the end of Febru-ary. Vandendorpe died afterconsuming a drink spiked with asedative. The drinks were servedto Vandendorpe and a friend bytwo prostitutes, apparently witha view to knocking them outand robbing them. Instead bothmen became seriously ill andwere rushed to hospital whereVandendorpe died. Police havearrested both women and twomen: the bar owner and a localcivil servant.

Municipal libraries are notabout to close down en massefollowing the removal of the obli-gation for all town councils toprovide library facilities, accord-ing to Luc Martens, chair of theAssociation of Flemish Cities andMunicipalities. The governmentof Flanders passed a measurelast week allowing local councilsthe freedom to set budget prior-ities for culture. Councils have,however, set out their policy plansfor the rest of their term to 2018,Martens said. They also realise theimportance of culture and librar-ies, with one-fifth of the popula-tions using libraries. “You don’tjust throw something like that onthe scrap-heap,” he said.

The new Marks & Spencer storein Brussels will open in the newGuldenvlies complex on 7 May,the company announced. Marks& Spencer disappeared from theBrussels landscape 14 years agowhen it closed its Nieuwstraatstore after disappointing sales.The company also confirmedthat the store will include a foodsection.

The Flemish dredging group JanDe Nul has won a contract to lay148 kilometres of cable under theNorth Sea to join up the offshorewind turbine park Race Bank, twooffshore substations and coastalinstallations in the UK. The powerproducedwill be enough to supply400,000 homes. Jan De Nul’s cableinstallation ship Isaac Newton,with a capacity of 10,500 tonnes,will carry out the operation.

Belgium’s rail network is oneof the safest in Europe, accord-ing to Luc Lallemand, CEO of therail infrastructure company Infra-bel, speaking last week to thefederal parliament’s infrastruc-ture committee. Lallemand wasreporting on the implementa-tion of recommendations madeby the special commission on rail

safety set up after the Buizingencrash of 2010. Work on the auto-mated braking system TBL1+ willbe complete by the end of the year,he said, while the installation ofthe EU’s improved ETCS systemis being carried out and will becomplete by 2022.

A coach full of skiers from Flan-ders rode 680 kilometres out ofits way last week after the driverkeyed in the Spanish town of LaPlagne into the GPS instead ofthe ski resort of the same namein the French Alps. Passengerssaid they thought the driver wastrying to avoid French motor-way tolls when he deviated fromthe normal Dijon-Lyon route. Thebus company said the passengersdidn’t mind losing a day of skiing.“The atmosphere on the bus wasgood, and there was more thanenough to drink,” a spokespersonsaid.

A police magistrate in Vilvoordelast week refused to pass sentenceon a man in a wheelchair appear-ing before him because the manhadnoaccess to thecourtbuild-ing without being carried in byothers. Magistrate Luc Brewaeyssaid that not being able to attendone’s own trial unaided was abreach of the European treaty onhuman rights.

Kom op tegen kanker, the annualanti-cancer campaign run bypublic broadcaster VRT, haschanged its name this year toIedereen tegen kanker (EveryoneAgainst Cancer) and has invitedeveryone to get involved in fund-raising. Since everyone can getcancer, explained meteorologistand patron of the action FrankDeboosere, everyone should beinvolved in fighting it. The action,which runs from 30 March to 26April, will aim to raise more thanlast year’s €20.6 million. About41,000 people are diagnosed withcancer every year in Flanders.

© Tomas Vandecasteele/wikimedia

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

The logo and the name Flanders Today belong to the Flemish Region (Benelux Beeldmerk nr815.088). The editorial team of Flanders Today has full editorial autonomy regarding the contentof the newspaper and is responsible for all content, as stipulated in the agreement betweenCorelio Publishing and the Flemish authorities.

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Flanders’ culture minister, Sven Gatz, plansto set up a citizens’ panel to shape arts policyacross the region. The new plan, announcedlast week, has already received an enthusiasticresponse from the public.Gatz (pictured) plans a panel of 150 peoplewho will make recommendation on culturepolicies. “We are looking to set up a represent-ative group comprising arts enthusiasts aswell as ordinary members of the public.” Thefirst meeting has already been scheduled forSeptember.Theminister said thathewas inspiredby recent

citizens’ initiatives such as the G1000 meetingin 2011, which brought together 1,000 Belgiansto discuss national politics. “The panel’sconclusions can be presented in debates inparliament and discussions in the media, aswell as influencing the minister’s policy state-ments,” said the spokesperson.The aim is to open up culture to everyone andensure that cultural organisations reflect theneeds of the citizen, Gatz’s cabinet explained.Anyone can apply to take part in the panel; thefinal list of 150memberswill be drawnup by anexternal organisation. \ DB

Culture minister launches citizens’ panel to shape art policy

\ POlITICs

An unusual proposalThe joint presidents of theFrench-speaking green partyEcolo have introduced a novelidea: why should their partynot merge with Groen, theFlemish greens? “If we haveone project, we should haveone structure too,” they saidlast week.It is one of the things thatpuzzles outsiders aboutBelgian politics: Why arethere so many parties? Takethe liberals: the Flemish liber-als have their own party, OpenVLD, their French speak-ing counterpart another, MR.Flemish Christian-democratsform CD&V, French-speak-ing Christian-democrats havetheir own CDH.There are two socialist parties,French-speaking PS and themuch smaller Flemish SP.A.Even this is a simplification, asall these political families alsohave German-speaking coun-terparts.The only parties that lacka related side across thelanguage divide are the Flem-ish nationalists N-VA and thefar-right Vlaams Belang. Thereis FDF, which defends Frenchspeakers’ interests, but theyare antagonists rather thancounterparts.This multitude of parties isthe result of more than 60years of history, during whichlarge traditional partiesbecame federalised along withBelgium’s institutions. It alsoexplains the often painstakingprocess of government forma-tion, which involves coalitiontalks between four to eightparties.Although the counterpartsshare ideologies, they oftenfeel uncomfortable being asso-ciatedwith the other side. SP.A,for instance, often blames itslack of popular support onthe confusion in voters’ mindsbetween them and the muchlarger PS, which has an imagein Flanders of being outdated,and even crooked. CD&V, too,prefers to remain at somedistance from CDH, which itdeems unpredictable.The ecologists are an excep-tion: In the federal Parliamentthey form one group with bothFlemish and French speak-ers. This comes easier to thegreens, as they care little aboutsensitive institutional mattersand have a shared alternativeand nonconformist status.Sensibilities may differ,though: Ecolo is a tad moreleftist than Groen. Also, itsinterests lie mostly in Brussels,with specific views on divisiveregional issues such as flightroutes.Groen president MeyremAlmaci haswelcomed co-oper-ation, “much needed in thesetime of polarisation andconflict,” but has yet to acceptthe proposal. \ Anja Otte

5th coluMn Union to strike on 22 Apriltrains, post and schools will be affected by industrial action

The socialist trade unionfor public sector workers,ACOD, has called for a

general strike on Wednesday, 22April. The action, which will affectrail, post, school and governmentoffices across the entire country,is in protest at recent federalgovernment policies.The actions are in response tocost-cutting measures, includingthe change to rules on early retire-ment. The union is also protest-ing at a lack of investment in thepublic sector, which has led to arise in work-related stress, saidthe union.“This is not a political strike,”said ACOD chair Chris Reniers.“We are calling on members totarget the various governmentsas our employers”. She said thatshe hoped the other public sectortradeunionswould join the action.VSOA, the liberal trade union forpublic sector workers, said thisweek that it will not join the strike.The Christian trade union for

public sector workers, ACV, saidit would decide before the end ofMarch.The federal minister for publicservices, Steven Vandeput, saidthat the reforms and austeritymeasures are necessary to ensurea balanced budget. But he insistedthat he was open to constructivedialogue.

More proteststhis monthIn related news, 8,000 workersrepresenting the country’s threelargest unions demonstrated onMuntplein in central Brusselslast week in protest at proposedpension reforms.Union leaders said that furtherprotests were planned thismonth to show their oppositionto government measures such asforcing thosewho take early retire-ment when they become unem-ployed to continue searching forwork. Public sector unions plan

actions on 19 and 29 March involv-ing demonstrations, leafleting andpetitions.The protestors are also upset atcuts in the public sector and thewage index freeze.Theyhave calledon the government to implementa so-called “tax shift” to move taxfrom labour to capital gains.

The Christian union held a furtherdemonstration in Brussels’ mainshopping street, Nieuwstraat, call-ing for an increase in spendingpower to reinvigorate the retailsector. But they criticised propos-als for more student jobs and moreflexible opening hours to allowSunday shopping.

derek BlythMore articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

© kristof Van Accom/BelGA

The socialist trade union for public sector workers will strike on 22 April

The Flemish-Dutch CulturalTreaty Committee, set up topromote cultural co-opera-tion between Flanders andthe Netherlands, has handedits collective resignation tothe respective ministers –in the case of Flanders, tominister-president GeertBourgeois. The announce-ment came from the commit-tee’s chair, Maastricht mayorOnno Hoes.The committee was initiatedto implement the culturalco-operation treaty signedby the Netherlands and Flan-ders in 1995. Five represent-atives from Flanders andfive from the Netherlandswere charged with advisingboth governments on cross-border cultural activities.Last year, however, therewerefew requests for the commit-

tee’s advice. At the sametime, the committee hascomplained that its resourceshave been cut in half over thecourse of a decade, to thecurrent €131,000 a year.The treaty, which saw thecreation of De Buren in Brus-sels and Flemish culturehouse De Brakke Grond inAmsterdam, will remaindespite the committee’s resig-nation, though how each willbe affected is as yet unclear.Earlier this month, theDutch youth orchestra Ricci-oti made a week-long tourthrough the Netherlands andFlanders to mark the 20thanniversary of the treaty. Thefestival Beste Buren is alsocurrently taking place, anexchange of cultural talentbetween the two regions.\ Alan Hope

Flemish-Dutch culturecommittee collectively resigns

The annual drink-drive campaign BOB could be on the verge of disappear-ing. BOB – the notional designated driver who stays sober all evening toget his or her friends home safely – could be phased out in Flanders after a20-year run.Road safety is one of the matters that passed from being a federal responsi-bility to a regional one under the most recent state reforms. Flemish mobil-ity minister Ben Weyts is reported to have contacted a number of advertis-ing agencies to ask them to submit ideas for a new drink-driving campaign.BOB is “a strong brand,” according to Weyts’ party colleague Jan Jambon,who as federal interior minister would have been in charge of the campaignwithout the reforms. “The Flemish region is organising a public tender, and Ithink the strength of the brandwill be one of the criteria theywill be judging.I think anyone who wants to do better will have their work cut out for them.”Whatever Flanders decides, the Brussels-Capital Region is determined tocarry on with the BOB campaign, according to secretary of state for roadsafety Bianca Debaets.The region would go ahead in co-operation with the Belgian Institute forRoad Safety (BIVV), one of the co-owners of the BOB brand. “The BOBcampaign has been around for 20 years, and the concept has proved itsworth in Belgium,” said Debaets, “as well as in other countries, like Germanyand the Netherlands. I think it’s important to create coherence and for all ofus to move in the same direction.”BOB was also defended by Bart Somers, mayor of Mechelen. “I would findit incomprehensible if the BOB campaigns, which save lives, were to vanishbecause of some discussion over divisions,” he said. \ AH

BOB drink-driving campaignunder threat in Flanders

march 18, 2015

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Let the cycling games beginflemish cycling has mass appeal, both inside and outside of the region

continued from page 1

more approachable than your typi-cal big-contract football player,and the sport’s appeal becomesmore obvious.I’m at Hotel Weinebrugge withPlanckaert, just outside Bruges,where the Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise team is preparing for theopening weekend. Oliver Naesen,24, and Bert Van Lerberghe, 22 –two cyclists who are both complet-ing their first spring classic as pros– are here, too.Both say competing in the Omloop(pictured on the cover) is a dreamcome true. As a teenager, VanLerberghe, from Waregem in WestFlanders, oftencheered theprosonduring local races, and theOmloopused to pass Naesen’s home villageof Berlare in East Flanders.

“A lot of youth races visit the sameroads, so we are familiar with theobstacles on the route,” explainsNaesen, who received a racingbike as a present from his dad inthe same year Flanders’ cyclinghero Tom Boonen won the WorldCycling Championship, nowalmost 10 years ago. “The maindifference will be the speed of thepeloton. In youth categories, wewere at the front or ahead of thepack; now our main objective willbe following.”Both say they learned a lot during

their first months on the team.“Never sit at the back of the pelo-tonwhen you approach a hill,” saysVan Lerberghe.“And if you have to pee, wait untilthe peloton agrees to pee withyou,” Naesen adds with a smile,“because doing it alone, you riskbeing left behind by the peloton.”Both Van Lerberghe and Naesenhope to finish in the first pelotonat the opening spring classic andperhaps even help team leaderEdward Theuns towards a goodperformance.Planckaert acknowledges that thegap between youth races and onewith world-class riders such as

Boonen and British cyclist BradleyWiggins is a big one. But for Planc-kaert, it’s a learning curve.“They don’t have to perform imme-diately,” he says. “We are a ProCon-tinental team [second interna-tional cycling division] and giveour talents a few years to develop,preparing them for a possibletransfer to aWorldTour team [firstdivision].”Still, the Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise team delivered an excel-lent performance last year, toppingthe ranking for both Pro-Conti-nental teams and Pro-Continen-tal riders, while six team memberswere able to sign contracts to join

larger teams.“Letting go of your biggest talentsis not always easy for a teammanager, but we get a lot of credit,”Planckaert says. “We can show ourface everywhere, since we alwaystry to ride an entertaining race andbecause our riders are very well-mannered.”Tom Van Asbroeck is one of theriders Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise lost to a Pro-Tour team,this time in the Netherlands. “Hisnew team director told me he wassurprised that Tom made a pointof shaking his hand. I told him weprepare our riders for life, not justfor the race.”General manager ChristopheSercu adds that “giving youngFlemish talents the chance tomake their debut as pros and grad-ually develop has another impor-tant objective: We want to repre-sent Flanders abroad as a qualitycycling destination. I see a poten-tial for growth there. ”It’s no coincidence then that the24-rider strong squad, whichincludes a number of trackspecialists, completed a doublerace programme, with one teampreparing the season in Franceand Spain and another in Qatarand Oman. “We are proud ambas-sadors of this cycling-crazy regionin Europe,” says Sercu.The main Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise partners are the govern-ment of Flanders and the insur-ance group Baloise. This will markthe 21st consecutive year thatthe government has sponsored acycling team, setting an examplefor other regions and projects suchas Wallonie-Bruxelles and the new

Dutch Roompot team.“Our main stakeholders share ourgoals: a good mix of sports results,TV publicity and a positive, cred-ible image,” says Planckaert. “InFlanders there is no better wayof getting your name out therethan sponsoring a cycling team.Research done by our sponsorsproves that.”Half of the team’s €3millionbudgetgoes to fixed costs such as racingequipment, rolling stock, hotels,flight tickets and so on. There’struly no comparison betweenpresent-day amenities for profes-sional cyclists and those of yester-year, says Planckaert.He remembers, for instance,changing in cowsheds and dirtygarages, asking people for waterto wash with or even bringing hisown from home in the 1970s andearly ’80s.“Now you know why we werecalled ‘convicts of the road’,” hesmiles. “There’s a reason why myriders are so relaxed: Everything isdone for them, and after the racethey can shower on the luxuriousteam bus.”“We really only have to focus onthe race,” confirms Naesen, whoused to be a full-time courier andsays he has not once regretted hiscareer switch. “In February, I wasaway from home for 20 days. I leftwith €50 in my wallet, and it wasstill there when I returned.”

“Wins are for later”As he had hoped, Naesen finishedthe Omloop in the first pelotonin 31st place, five minutes behindBrit Ian Stannard. “In the end, Icouldn’t do much for Edward, whotook 14th. We both sat à bloc,” hesaid after the race, using a termoften heard after cycle races todescribe having given your all.A fewdays later, Naesenwould pulloff a top-10 spot in Wallonia’s firstfull-day race of the season, justify-ing his presence on the team rosterof theTour of Flanders. “That beinga longer race with tougher andmore international contenders, Iwill be happy just to avoid a DNF[did not finish] there,” he says. “Awin can always come later in theyear.”Van Lerberghe, meanwhile, endedthe Omloop in a second pack 10minutes behind the winner. “I feltstrong and, with a bit more luck, Iwould have been able to finish inthat first peloton,” he says. “Butbecause at a certain moment Ihad to dodge a rider in front of me,almost ending up in a creek, I wastoo far behind when the bunchstarted to break at the Taaienbergclimb.”He discovered in the process howanunexpected incident can lead tojust the situation you were work-ing hard to avoid. Another lessonlearned.

\ COVeR sTORy

www.cyclinginflandErs.com

We prepareour riders forlife, not justfor the race Both Bert Van lerberghe (left) and Oliver naesen say competing as pros in the Omloop Het nieuwsblad was a dream come true

© TDwsport© TDwsport

© Tim de waele/ CORBIs

Fans can get close to road racers in a way that is rare in other sports – a factor behind cycling’s popularity

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\ BUsIness

Banking nGThe local affiliate of the Dutchfinancial institution is invest-ing up to €1 billion over thenext four years to renew its ITinfrastructure.

Biotech GalapagosThe Mechelen-based biotech-nology company is believedto be a potential target of atakeover bid by the US-basedpharmaceutical AbbVie orJohnson & Johnson groups.Shares in Galapagos have shotup some 50% since the begin-ning of the year, valuing thecompany at over €700 million.

Chemicals solvayThe Brussels-based chemicalsand plastics group has signeda partnership agreement withthe Swiss 3A Compositesdeveloper of core materialsand speciality foams used inthe automobile and aviationindustries, replacing struc-tural parts with light-weightproducts.

Fast Food exkiThe Brussels-based healthyfast food chain recently inau-gurated its second restaurantin New York and has plans toopen a further 20 stores in thecity over the next few years.It also plans three outlets inParis this year.

Property developmentArt & Build

The Brussels-based firm hasbeen selected for the devel-opment and project manage-ment of a €528 million hospi-tal in Nantes, France. The newfacility, slated for opening in2023, will have 1,380 beds.

Retail H&M HomeThe Swedish apparel group isopening a home furnishingsand decoration store in Ghentthis week, as well as one inBruges next month

waste managementkatoen natie

TheAntwerp-based port logis-tics group has acquired 75%of the shares of the Vilvoorde-based Indaver waste manage-ment company for €416million from the Dutch Deltafirm.

WeeK inbuSineSS Start-up sector presents De Croo

with list of demandstech sector promising 10,000 new companies and 100,000 jobs

Representatives from Belgium’s techstart-up sector have handed over a list offive demands to Alexander De Croo, the

federal minister for the digital agenda. The sectorbelieves its proposals will lead to the creation of100,000 jobs in five years.De Croo (pictured) was paying a visit to TechStartup Day in Brussels, an annual trade fairfeaturing speakers, workshops and networkingevents. The five demands are outlined below.1 The creation of a new type of company withlimited liability to get start-ups through the earlyyears, after which they could switch to one of theexisting types of companies.2Thecreation of a newplatform thatwould allowthe consumer direct access to the products –including hardware and software – and servicesof the start-ups.

3 Efforts need to be made to motivate youngpeople to learn both programming and enter-prise, by instructing them in the possibilitiesoffered by creating their ownbusinesses, andhow

to go about it.4 The rules governing subsidies for companies inthe tech sector and start-ups in particular haveto be simplified.5 Finally, the start-ups call for an increase inconfidence and pride in Belgian entrepreneurs.De Croo praised the sector for the creativity notonly of its enterprise but also of its proposals forthe future. The start-ups reckon the above fivechanges could see the creation of 10,000 newcompaniesand100,000new jobswithinfiveyears.De Croo promised to work together with thesector to achieve as much as possible. On 20April he will publish the first version of his digitalagenda, following a round of talks with the Digi-tal Minds for Belgium task force, a group of entre-preneurs, CEOs, academics and venture capital-ists recently established by his ministry.

alan hopeMore articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

© Courtesy Alexanderdecroo.be

Shoe-shop chain Schoenen Torfs has once againbeen named Best Employer in Belgium in thecategory of 500 or more employees. The annualaward is organised by Vlerick Business Schoolin conjunction with Jobat and the Great Placeto Work Institute Belgium.This is the sixth year that Torfs, named afterCEO and founder Wouter Torfs, has won overthe award’s 13-year history. The shoe storechain, based in Sint-Niklaas, has more than 80outlets in Brussels and Flanders.Torfs iswell-known throughout the retail indus-try for its people-oriented policies, includingongoing training for shop staff. According toTorfs’ philosophy, the quickest way to customersatisfaction is to present them with a model ofstaff satisfaction.“Torfs constantly strives to satisfy both itscustomers and its employees and feels that thetwo go hand in hand,” commented Dirk Buyens,

professor of human resources management atVlerick. “The company calls this ‘360 degreeconsideration’. This year, the focus was mainlyon leadership.”The award is given on the basis of a poll ofemployees regarding their confidence inmanagement, their pride in their achievements

and their satisfaction with their workplace.Vlerick also carries out its own analysis of eachcompany’s human resources policies.Following Torfs in the top three this year areemployment agency Accent Jobs and fast-foodchain McDonald’s Belgium.In the category of businesses with fewer than500 employees, the award for best employerwent to EASI, a developer of business softwareand apps, with offices in Nivelles and Leuven.EASI also made the top five last year.This year EASI came in ahead of the previouswinner, business consultancy AE in Leuven,and productivity and time efficiency consult-ant Protime, based in Aartselaar. “EASI offersits employees the chance to become sharehold-ers in the company,” said professor Buyens. “Notonly does this create a greater sense of commit-ment within the company, it also strengthensmutual relationships over the long term.” \ AH

Torfs wins Best Employer award for sixth time

Torfs is well-known throughout the retail industry for its staffsatisfaction ratings

Antwerp Port Authority has brokenground on what will be the larg-est onshore wind turbine park inBelgium. The park on the left bankof the river Scheldt will consist of 15turbines in the first phase, enough tosupply power to 35,000 households.The park will grow to reach 40 or 50turbines, the port authority said in astatement.ThestartingshotwasgivenonSundayby Flemish energy minister AnnemieTurtelboom; Antwerp’s alderman forport affairs, Marc Van Peel; and MarcVan de Vijver, mayor of Beveren, EastFlanders, where the park is located.Thedecision tobuild the turbineparkwas taken in 2011 in an agreementbetween the port authority and theLinkerscheldeoever company to forma temporary consortium. The firstpermits were granted in 2013, follow-ing discussions with the airspace andaviation authorities. The construc-tion contract went to Siemens, and

work started at the end of last yearon the foundations for the first 15turbines.“With this project we are taking animportant step towards the EU targetof 13% of energy consumption fromrenewable sources by 2020,” Turtel-boom said.The turbines are 115 metres fromground to axle, with a rotor diameterof 113m. Each 3-megawatt turbine isequipped with a heating system toprevent the formation of ice on therotors in cold weather.The income from the energy gener-ated by the turbines will be investedby theport authority in energy-savingprojects and theco-financingof inno-vative energy concepts. “So we canall make a contribution to the crea-tion of a low-energy port for the 21stcentury,” Van Peel said.The 15 turbines will be delivered inOctober. The cost of the first phase is€70 million. \ AH

Work starts on country’s largestwind turbine park

PhDresearcherYannVerhellenofAntwerpUniversityhas calledonpolicy-makers to develop educational projects that focus on product placementto raise awareness of the advertisement technique among young people.Product placement is the indirect promotion of branded goods andservices by integrating them in TV programmes, movies or other media.Verhellen examined how product placement can be used effectivelyin various online and offline media. He analysed the effect of combin-ing product placements with other forms of advertising in cinemas, onYouTube and in TV broadcasts.One of his first conclusions is that product placement works well if itis combined with very short messages, just before a TV programme. “Itusually has a connection to the story or the action in the TV programme,”he said.The way the placement is carried out plays a role as well. “It costs a lot ofmoney to prominently showcase a brand,” said Verhellen, “but that is notalways the best method”. For famous brands, this strategy actually worksagainst it because viewers have the feeling that their viewing activity isinterrupted. For lesser known brands, the strategy works better becauseit is conceived as a new experience.Verhellen also pointed to the social responsibility to protect youngsters.A study among teenagers, he said, demonstrated that 31% didn’t recog-nise sophisticated combinations of product placement and other formsof advertisement as convincing communication techniques, while theywere in fact verymuch influenced by them. “Policymakers should developeducational kits specifically focused on this issue,” he said. \ Andy Furniere

Students should learn aboutproduct placement, says researcher

march 18, 2015

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In the autumn of 2012, a few months after theHiggs particle was finally discovered at theEuropean Laboratory for Nuclear Research

(Cern), the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) – themost powerful particle accelerator in the world– went into hibernation.Since then, the LHC, which sits in a 27-kilome-tre tunnel underneath Geneva, has had a seri-ous upgrade: Its superconducting cables wereimproved so they can carry current up to 11,000amperes, and its magnets were reinforced sothey can transform that huge electrical powerinto a super-strong magnetic field.While the Higgs particle was discovered inparticle collisions with an energy of eight terae-lectronvolt (TeV), the LHC’s collision energy hasnow been increased to 13 TeV. One TeV corre-sponds to the energy of a mosquito in flight.That’s nothing, of course, until you realise thatthis energy is crammed into a space that’s amillion times smaller than the mosquito.This energy, by which billions of protons aresmashed against each other in the LHC, is thesame as that which existed a few moments afterthe Big Bang. The enlarged “energy window”enables physicists to get closer to the verymoment of the birth of the universe – to approx-imately 0.00000000000001 seconds after the BigBang.But for the several thousands of physicistsworking at Cern, the institute that oversees theLHC, these huge collision energiesmean that it’smore likely to produce exotic particles than everbefore.One of Cern’s regulars is Petra Van Mulders, aFlemishphysicist attached to theFreeUniversityof Brussels (VUB) and a postdoctoral researcherof the Research Foundation Flanders.Last summer, Van Mulders, who’s only 30, wasappointed as the leader of an 80-strong team –making her one of the youngest executives everat Cern. It’s her mission to optimise the iden-tification of the b quark, a massive elementaryparticle that was discovered in the 1970s.“The b quark is well understood, but the prob-lem is that we can’t say for certain that we’redealingwithabquark in thedetectorornot,” sheexplains. “These particles don’t carry nametags,so we have to study their properties to develop

better identificationmethods. You can compareit with anthropology, where external featuresare often insufficient to identify a human fossil.”Of course, Van Mulders hopes the LHC will shedlight on unknown territories in particle physics.“New physics phenomena can appear in twoways in the LHC,” she says. “Either we discoverone or more new particles, or we see deviationsfrom what is expected from the Standard Modelof particle physics – the theory that unites allforces of nature, except gravity.”The precise reconstruction and identificationof the b quark, she continues “is crucial forsearches for new physics beyond the StandardModel, since the new particles are unstable andwill decay to the Standard Model particles”.Some of these new particles the LHC is aimingfor are dark matter particles. Van Mulders: “TheStandard Model and its particles only explain5% of the total amount of matter and energy inthe universe. By chasing new particles, we aretrying to understand the remaining 95%, whichconsists of dark matter and dark energy.“From the movement of stars and galaxies, weknow there is much more matter present inthe universe than could be explained by atoms

or visible matter. So we are certain that othermassive particles must exist.”But if the Standard Model can’t say anythingabout dark matter, where do these mysteriousparticles fit in? “The larger energy window willshed light on someof the StandardModel exten-sions,” she explains. “The most popular theoriesbeyond the Standard Model include anothersymmetry of nature, so-called supersymmetry.In most supersymmetric theories, a dark mattercandidate is present. Therefore, researchersfocus on these theories, searching for signs ofnew physics phenomena.”While experimental physicists like Van Mulderslove the LHC for its colossal particle-creatingpower, theoretical physicists fear the machinefor its merciless debunking of their hypotheses.“It’s hard to tell whether or not we will unravelthe true nature of dark matter at the LHC,” saysVan Mulders.However, one thing is certain: “Even in theabsence of a discovery, we will learn a lot aboutwhat the possible extensions of the StandardModel should look like. Many theories will beeither excluded or severely constrained.”

In search of dark matterflemish scientist Petra van mulders leads new adventure at cern

Chemists retrieve rareearths from lampsChemists from the Univer-sity of Leuven have developeda new method to retrieve themetals europium and yttriumfrom discarded fluorescentand energy-saving lamps.The rare earth elements areused in red lamp phosphor,a substance that transformsultraviolet light into red lightand is used in TV screensand fluorescent lamps. Untilnow, recycling processesmostly focused on removingthe poisonous mercury fromdiscarded fluorescent andenergy saving lamps becausethe recuperation of europiumand yttrium was so complexand expensive. The research-ers worked with an organicsolvent that consists of ions,or electrically charged parti-cles.

number of dieticiansdoubles in four yearsThe number of dieticiansworking in Belgium hasmore than doubled in fouryears, public broadcasterVRT has reported. There arenow 4,500 registered dieti-cians, compared to 2,000 in2011. According to the Flem-ish Professional Associationof Food Experts and Dieti-cians, this is in direct corre-lation with the increase inpeople with weight prob-lems. Dieticians work withpatients on their nutri-tional habits and in the treat-ment of certain diseases, likecancer and diabetes. Peopleare also consulting dieticiansmore often for food allergies.Following the trend, morestudents are choosing to studyto become dieticians.

Flemish children areafraid of trafficEight out of 10 childrenbetween the ages of six and14 consider traffic danger-ous, while nearly half (46%)are scared of getting hurt onthe road. The figures are theresult of a survey by TV chan-nel VTM and the Institute forMobility at Hasselt University.It asked 5,510 children and13,482 parents about theirperception of how childrenand adults behave in traf-fic, their experience on Flan-ders’ roads, and how muchroad safety was discussed athome and school. Most (83%)parents also think traffic isdangerous for young children.Half think their child is tooquickly distracted, and twoout of three feel their childcan’t accurately estimatethe dangers of traffic. Mostparents (79%) and children(69%) feel there should bemore attention given to roadsafety at school. \ AF

WeeK ininnovation

\ InnOVATIOn

Mieke Uyttendaele is a professor of food safety and security at GhentUniversity. She is one of the co-ordinators of European Veg-i-Trade,which looked at the impact of climate change on fruits and vegetables

What impact will climate changehave on food security?Because of global warming, periodsof heavy rain will become more andmore frequent; we can already seethat happening now. As a conse-quence, fields will become morevulnerable to flooding. Since theVeg-i-Trade project took off in 2010,experimental fields in two partnercountries, Brazil and Spain, havebeen hit by flooding.On the lettuce that was growing inthese fields we found an increasedconcentration of faecal bacterialike E. coli and salmonella – germsthat can cause serious food poison-ing. However, three weeks after theflooding, the contamination wasgone. This was probably due to the

sunny weather and the high dose ofnatural ultraviolet light, which killsgerms.

So warmer temperatures are agood thing for food security?Not necessarily. Particular bacte-ria – salmonella and campylobac-ter, for example – show season-dependent peaks. When summeris in the air, we observe more casesof food poisoning. This is due tothe heating of the surface waterand an increased activity in nature.Vermin, wild birds, cattle grazing…all these factors contribute to ahigher risk of food contaminationby animals that carry pathogenicgerms.A modified local climate can also

lead to the introduction of newinsects, or the extension of theactivity of existing pests, fungi andplant diseases. Because of this,farmers have to use more pesti-cides. But higher temperatures will

in turn lead to a faster breakdownof the residues of these chemicals.So everything’s connected. Theimpact of climate change on ourfood security will often depend onthe local balance between positiveand negative effects.

Are some fruits and vegetablesmore vulnerable than others?In general, leafy vegetables andfruits with a soft skin, like tomatoesand peppers, are the most sensitivetoclimatechange.Thesecropsneeda lot of water and are quite suscep-tible to infections from bacte-ria and fungi. Bulbous plants, likeonions, and stem and stalk vegeta-bles such as leeks and carrots areless vulnerable. These crops have aharder surface, and they carry anti-microbial substances that form anatural defence against germs.\ interview by SS

Q&a

httP://homE.wEB.cErn.ch

senne starckxMore articles by senne \ flanderstoday.eu

© Jimmy kets

Petra Van Mulders and her team are chasing new particles and other discoveries at Cern in Geneva

OFFER THE WORLD TO EVERY BELGIAN,AND BELGIUM TO THE WORLD.It is the smallest countries that produce the greatest travellers. For example, there’s Tintin: the most famousreporter in the world, a Belgian and above all, an exceptional host. As a tribute to this globetrotter, BrusselsAirlines is launching “Rackham”, a beautiful Airbus wrapped in the colourful style of Tintin. May we alwaysremember the adventurer that lives deep within us.

©He

rgé/Mou

linsa

rt20

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march 18, 2015

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The power of persuasionPioneering initiatives convince schools of importance of debating

andy furniereMore articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

Brussels studentschoose to livein leuvenMany students at Dutch-speaking universities andcolleges in Brussels preferto live in Leuven, accord-ing to TV Brussel. At OdiseeUniversity College, morethan one in three studentswho rent a student room doso in Leuven, while at theLuca School of Arts, one infive prefer to live in Leuven.For students at Dutch-speak-ing institutions in Brussels,Leuven is the second-mostpopular city to live in outsideof Brussels. According tothe report, students chooseLeuven for its more student-friendly atmosphere and thefeeling that it is safer.

Religion classes nolonger obligatoryBelgium’s ConstitutionalCourt has ruled that childrenshould not be required to takereligious or ethics lessonsin primary and secondaryschools. Parents can nowrequest that their children donot participate. A year ago,a Brussels couple took theissue of obligatory lessonsin religion to the Constitu-tional Court, claiming thatit constituted a violation ofreligious freedom in schools.The Constitutional Courtsupported the claim. Previ-ously, primary and secondarypupils had to choose whichreligion to study; studentscould also choose an ethicsclass instead. In Flanders,parents can request that theirchildren not follow such acourse, but they must providedetailed reasons. The rulingalso states that the obligationto explain the reasonconflictswith the European Conven-tion on Human Rights.

Gender action plannot yet deliveringThe gender action planlaunched by the Univer-sity of Leuven (KU Leuven)last year is not yet havingany effect on the number offemale staff. The proportionof women among the newlyappointed academic staffactually decreased from 40%to 35%, according to vice-rector Katlijn Malfliet in thestudent newspaper Veto. Thegoal was to see women takeup half of KU Leuven’s newappointments, leading to a30% ratio of female profes-sors in 10 years. KU Leuventrained department heads ingender-neutral staff policiesand set them to work on newselection procedures. Malflietsaid gender representativesstill had to be assigned to thebio-engineering and archi-tecture faculties. \ AF

WeeK ineducation

\ eDUCATIOn

While debating skills are widelypromoted in schools in the UK and theUS, this is not yet the case in Flanders.

Flemish not-for-profit organisations and certainschools hope to expand debating culture inthe region by organising competitions andestablishing a Flemish debating expertise centre.On Saturday, at the Brussels Parliament, 12students from the third grade of secondaryeducation competedwithwords just as seasonedpoliticians do there. They were the six teams ofstudents who made it to the regional final of theFlemish humanist debating competition.The contest was organised primarily by thehumanist youth organisation Hujo, deMens.nu,the umbrella organisation of humanist associa-tions in Flanders and Brussels, and DigiMores,which unites teachers of ethics lessons from alleducation networks. Qualifying rounds were setup in Limburg, Antwerp province, East and WestFlanders and Brussels.In January, about 25 teams of three studentsassembled in Bruges’ Royal Athenaeum for asimilar debating contest. The Athenaeum organ-ised the competition with the Royal Athenaeumof Tervuren, inspired by the Junior ChamberInternational’s Debating Cup, which is no longerheld.

In the contests, students have to argue in favourof or against a given statement, on topics thatmostly relate to situations that are high on thesocial agenda. Students may have to formulatetheir opinion on efforts to re-integrate formerjihad fighters in society, or on subsidies forthe cultural sector in times of economic crisis.Students are judged on the structure of theirargument, their rhetorical skills and their knowl-

edge of the topic.Gradually, the contests are convincing schoolsabout the importance of teaching students toargue in a skilful way. Veerle Maniquet, Dutchteacher at the Royal Athenaeum of Tervuren,prepares the participating groups by givingworkshops.“Debating is already part of teaching activities,but not all teachers are able to integrate it intotheir lessons in an effective way,” she says. Debat-ing can be part of Dutch, history, social under-standing and ethics lessons.Maniquet points out that British research high-lights the advantages of debating for students. “Itshows that debating helps to develop communi-cative skills, to increase self-confidence and totake on ambitious higher education studies,” shesays. “Because they have to examine topics fromdifferent angles, youngsters get a more nuancedview about important social themes. Such anopen attitude is essential if they are to play apositive role in a democratic society.”According to Eline Lowier, co-ordinator of thehumanist debating competition, debating exer-cises also help students to reflect more criticallyon statements made in the media. “With skillsacquired through debating, youngsters alsobecome more conscious of the consequences of

their own statements on social media,” she says.Serge Goussaert, who co-ordinated the JuniorChamber’s Debating Cup, is convinced thatdebating skills improve the quality of bothpersonal and professional lives. “If people areable to voice their opinion in a good way, thisprevents a lot of frustration,” he says. “The skillscan also be very useful during job applicationsand can help people to participate in the deci-sion-making process at work.”Goussaert is currently striving to reintroducedebating activities in the Chamber’s work andhopes the Debating Cup can be revived. Accord-ing to Lowier, Hujo is considering setting updebating clubs, where people can practise theirskills.Dicky Antoine of the Royal Athenaeum of Brugesalso has ambitious plans. “We are joining forceswith different partners to found a Flemish debat-ing expertise centre this year,” he says. The centrewill be the Flemish counterpart of the DutchDebate Institute, which provides expertise toFlemish initiatives. He also hopes to establish adebating contest with participants from Flan-ders and the Netherlands.Those in Brussels who wish to try debating canvisit the free Brussels Debaters club, which holdstraining and debates in English.

BabsGoethals of training centre Arktos co-ordinates the Plus projectin Lier, which works to reduce the number of young people leavingschool without a diploma

What led to the launch of thePlus project?We have noticed that there’s aneed for extra support for second-ary school students, teachers andschool staff to prevent the esca-lation of problems at school.Arktos has been working for sixyears to help pupils with behav-ioural problems to integrate, butwe could no longer carry out thisproject alone. We joined forceswith different partners to create amore powerful team that shouldimprove the results.

How do you provide guidanceto individual pupils?The pupils are often no longer

motivated to go to school, havedifficulty following the rulesor have problems dealing withacademicpressure.We’vereceived32 requests for help since webegan in November and currentlywork with about 10 youngsters aday. We work full-time with indi-vidual pupils outside of school fortwo-week periods.In the morning, we help themwith school tasks, so they don’tfall behind. In the afternoon, wetry to provide valuable insightsabout life through workshops. Weshow the necessity of rules, boosttheir self-confidence and teachthem to work in a result-orientedmanner. For example, we give

cooking or woodworking lessons,like some pupils have at school,and demonstrate the right way ofworking and behaving. After twoweeks, students can still receive

guidance from us, but not full-time.

Do you also help in the class-room?We sometimes help class groups,in both secondary and primaryeducation, when there is a partic-ularly disorderly class, for exam-ple. We try to match studentparticipation with the expec-tations of teachers by leadingdiscussions on the problemsand reflecting on possible solu-tions. We also provide trainingto school staff on things such ashow to deal with conflict situa-tions. In cases of specific conflictsbetween a teacher and student,we try to restore the relation-ship by organising meetings atwhich they talk over the issues.\ Interview by AF

Q&a

www.dEBatwEdstrijd.BE

© Courtesy Hujo vzw

The Brussels qualifying round for the humanist debating contest

An open-mindedattitude is essentialif students are to playa positive role in ademocratic society

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\ lIVInG

Down on the farmthe annual night of history brings flemish agriculture to life

On 24 March, the annual Nacht van degeschiedenis, or Night of History, willbring together historians, local experts

and the public across Flanders to learn aboutand celebrate our common past. The focus thisyear is on agriculture and fisheries – a wide-ranging theme that also encompasses activitieslike beekeeping, dairy farming and viticulture.The event is sponsored by Flemish culturalorganisation Davidsfonds, with various localchapters offering activities around the historyof their respective areas.Anumberof these tendtowards the prosaic, with dozens of lecturesabout “the history of farming in our village” andguided tours of a local farm. But many othersoffer unique experiences or present history ina surprising way.For instance, in Izenberge, West Flanders, chefPeter Dieryck will prepare a First World War-era meal, while a historian from the Centre forAgrarian History explains how certain cropswere saved by farmers and how they wereprepared during the war.In Roosdaal, Flemish Brabant, a performanceby Walter Evenepoel in music and spokenword evokes the hardships endured by farmersduring the Napoleonic wars, when farm build-ings and crops were requisitioned by Frenchsoldiers.The night isn’t just about Flanders’ agriculturalpast, however; it’s also dedicated to the presentand future of farming. In Ichtegem, West Flan-ders, the latest technologies used by modernfarmers, like computer-driven sprayers, willbe explained. In Hamme, East Flanders, RenéCusters from the Flemish Institute for Biotech-nology will talk about the pros and cons ofgenetically modified organisms.Therewill alsobeopportunities to experience, ifjust for a few hours, the life of a Flemish farmer.In Stevoort, Limburg, the Farmer for One Nightprogramme combines real-life stories, tips onagricultural practices and a visit to a distillery,ending with en boerenhap en een stevige slok (afarmer’s snack and a stiff drink).In Wambeek, Flemish Brabant, watch a videomontage about farming in the 1960s and ’70s,hear stories about farm life and finish with a

tasting of local specialities from a nearby farmand brewery.For those interested in a particular crop,there are presentations about witloof farm-ing in Flemish Brabant, and on the history ofthe flax industry in West Flanders. Visit a fruitfarmer and an auction house in the orchardsof Haspengouw in Limburg. In Lier, Antwerpprovince, take a tour of the greenhouses of PaulVercammen’s asparagus farm, one of only fivein Flanders.For those who like a drink with their history– and who doesn’t – “beer professor” Denisde Keukeleire will talk about the cultivationof hops, along with a tasting of hoppy beerspaired with cheeses, in Aalst. For those whoprefer grape to grain, historian Bart Minnenwill reveal the secrets of wine-making in Hage-land. Afterwards, learn a few drinking songs ata performance by Canticum Novum and putyour new knowledge to the test during a winereception.Home gardeners haven’t been forgotten, either.

At Tongerlo Abbey, near Antwerp,WimLybaert,host of the popular TV programme De moes-tuin volgens Wim, will talk about the historyof certain vegetables and share tips on how togrow them.There are several presentations on “forgot-ten vegetables”, old varieties that are makinga comeback. In Destelbergen, East Flanders,“plant whisperer” Raf Willaert will talk aboutthe health benefits of herbs and plants.Other highlights include a programme aboutFlemish artist Alfred Ost, who painted scenesof rural life between 1910 and 1945 (in Reet,Antwerp province), a visit to a private collec-tion of old-timer tractors and motors (in West-vleteren, West Flanders) and a lecture on thehistory of frietkot culture – including every-thing you ever wanted to know about Belgianfries – followed by a tasting (in Kuurne, WestFlanders).With almost 250 events, there’s somethinghappening in every corner of Flanders. Someactivities require a fee or advance registration.

I can’t keep a houseplant alive. Andyet Iverymuchromanticise the ideaof having a bunch of fruit trees outback, drooping with fresh produceripe for the picking. In fact, I’d prob-ably have an orchard already if itweren’t for all the knowledge andmaintenance required, from plant-ing and pollinating to pruning andspraying.That’s why this recent initiativefrom a generations-old family fruitfarm in West Flanders caught myeye: Fruit farmers Els Lambrechtand Arne Baart are offering spacein their orchard in Sint Eloois-Vijve(part of Waregem) to the generalpublic.For €25 a year, plus a one-off regis-tration fee of €5, your very ownsapling will be invited to put downroots among rows of already boun-

tiful trees. And the best part is thefarmers will take care of it year-round. That leaves the fun part foryou, including christening the treewith a personalised nameplate and,come autumn, plucking baskets ofthe fruit for yourownconsumption.You have until the end of March toorder a tree. This year the desig-nated planting days fall on 6 and 11April, when there will be a lot morethan just tree planting going on.

Expect a festive family atmospherecompletewithworkshops for build-ing birdhouses and insect hotels,children’s theatre and tastings.Before ordering a tree, you’ll have todecide on one of four types: Golden(sweet apple), Jonagold (sweet, juicyapple), Elstar (slightly sour apple)or Conference (pear). After the offi-cial planting day, you’ll receive aninvitation to more events on thefarm throughout the year, such as

a spring picnic under the blossom-ing trees, an autumnwalk or a fruit-picking demonstration.During the harvest period, some-where in September or Octo-ber, you’ll get a message when it’stime to come and enjoy the fruitsof another’s labour. And becausethe first year in the life of a fledg-ling fruit tree is not guaranteed tobe productive, the farm will at thevery least send you home with abox of freshly pressed apple juiceand three kilograms of fruit fromanother tree.At the endof the year, you’ll be giventheoption toextendyour treeadop-tion for another year. A fruit treewith a name on it, now that wouldmake a memorable gift for a specialbirthday, communion, wedding,mother’s day… \ Robyn Boyle

biteyour own fruit tree

kuringen horse marketThe tradition of an annualhorse market here goesback to the year 977. Horsesare still bought and tradedat the market, along with agypsy horse show, Belgiandraft horse demos, a carou-sel, live music, line danc-ing and more. 21 March;Prinsenhofweg, Kuringen(Hasselt); free

\ www.paardenmarkt-kuringen.be

leuven winksThe city reveals its culturalside during a day of guidedtours and open houses.In the morning, choosebetween small group toursof the Stella Artois brew-ery or M Museum, amongothers. In the afternoon,museums and cultural sitesoffer activities and musicalperformances. Registrationrequired. 22 March, 10.00-18.00; across Leuven; €10

\ www.knipoogdag.be

solar eclipseOn the morning of 20March, Belgium will expe-rience a partial eclipse ofthe sun and all of Flanders’public observatories willhold special viewings. InAntwerp, watch from theroof of theMAS. See websitefor locationsandtipsonhowto safely observe an eclipse.20 March, 9.00-12.00; free

\ www.eclips2015.be

Regionalspecialities walkA guided 8km walk throughthe Faluintjes countryside,an agricultural area east ofAalst. Along the way therewill be stops for local foodand drink. Afterwards,enjoy a traditional dish ofhop shoots with poachedeggs. 22March, depart 13.00-15.00; Trefcentrum Moor-sel, Bergsken 1, Aalst; €5 forwalk with three tastings (€8for meal)

\ www.faluintjes-pikkeling.be

45th annual Brabantbee marketThe afternoon begins with aplant exchange where noth-ing is sold, only traded orgiven away. Then the publicauction begins, includ-ing bees and beehives.Refreshments and vendorsof beekeeping supplies onhand. Those who wish tobid on bees must registerin advance. 22 March, 14.00-18.00; Meubelen Verhaegen,Grote Baan 115, Betekom;free

\ www.isabovzw.com

WeeK inactivitieS

www.mijnfruitBoom.BE

diana goodwinMore articles by Diana \ flanderstoday.eu www.davidsfonds.BE

© Courtesy Davidsfonds

march 18, 2015

\ 11

Calling all foodiesEntrepreneurs are looking for ideas for a sustainable Brussels food scene

What will the Brussels food scenelook like in 2025? If you have aninteresting, innovative answer to

that question, the non-profit Creativity forBrussels wants to hear from you.Brussels Urban Food is the theme of a newcampaign aimed at tapping into the hivemind of the capital in what Jean-PatrickScheepers, the man behind the initiative,calls “urban brainstorming”.Here’s how it works: you send in your ideato their website before 31 May. Then theprocess of drawing up a longlist of applica-tions begins – about 20 or 30 of them.“First we’ll weed out everyone who doesn’tfit the submissions criteria,” says Scheep-ers, a Brussels entrepreneur. “Then we’ll seehow many we still have, and I will set up acommittee to look into whether the innova-tion criteria are being met.”He’s not trying to be harsh, but he’s “afraidwemight receive lots of submissions for repeatsof existing projects, and we are looking fornew ideas. So we’ll check to make sure thatthe projects we put before the public arenew”.

Other than being original, your idea has tobe applicable to the Brussels-Capital Region,be sustainable and have something to dowith the issue of food.But don’t think this is the way to get yourrestaurant off the ground. “When we talkabout ‘food’, it’s about production, trans-portation, consumption – not restaurants inparticular,” Scheepers explains. “But in thefirst stage, we’re looking to see whether anidea is viable or not. Of course, if your ideais to say everybody should eat for free in 10years … well, it’s a nice idea, but it’s nevergoing to happen.”Feasibility is another factor the jurywill keepin mind, Scheepers says. “Is it too utopic? It

also has to be sustainable,” he adds. “If youridea depends on everyone eating bananasor basil from Vietnam, then that’s not reallysustainable.”Depending on how many applications arereceived, the list will be whittled down toabout 30. “For the moment, we have a lotof people requesting information sheets, sowe probably will have too many projects,”Scheepers says.From 20 June to 15 July, members of thepublic can vote for their favourite project onMyMicroinvest.com, an online crowdfund-ing platform that will help the winners raisefinancing for their projects. Points will alsobe determined by a professional jury andthree finalists nominated.The company is different from other crowd-funding platforms like Kickstarter, explainsGilles van der Meerschen from MyMicroin-vest, because of the way it combines fundingfrom members of the public willing to invest

€100 or more with investment from profes-sional and institutional investors.In return for investment, MyMicroinvesttakes an equity share in the start-ups itfunds, unlike other platforms that offer, say,a subscription to a new magazine or the CDproduced by an up-and-coming band.“Our funders do actually take shares in thecompany they’re investing in,” Van der Meer-schen explains. “That’s the major difference.The other difference is that we’re the firstplatform to be fully regulated by the FSMA,which is the financial market regulator inBelgium.”His own research, however, shows five of thetop areas for this sort of funding, and noneof them involves the food industry. They arescience and R&D, the environment, IT andcommunications, e-commerce and socialentrepreneurship.But aspects of the food landscape couldcome under the definition of social entre-

preneurship, van der Meerschen says. “It’sa niche at the moment, but I’m hoping thiscampaign will give rise to some interestinginitiatives to make our lives better. Thereare all sorts of initiatives coming out rightnow all over the place, such as people grow-ing food on top of buildings, but they’re allworking on their own. This is why we needto bring them to another level.”Helping them along the way will be fourUrban Food ambassadors: Maxime Everaert,owner of organic eatery Yeti; Agnès Bonfond,developer of the Sophie a soif range ofdrinks; urban farmer Gaël Loicq and Carlode Pascale, who teaches cookery classes.The three finalists will see their projectsexhibited at the BIP information centre onKoningstraat in July and August, then duringthe Eat! Brussels festival in September, andfinally at Brussels Week during the ExpoMilano in Italy in late September, where thewinner will be announced.

Two thousand university-collegestudents in five Flemish cities tookto the streets last week to map theaccessibility of public spaces forwheelchair users. The data willbe used for the development of amobile application, according tothe non-profit On Wheels.The students examined accessibil-ity in about 12,000 public placessuch as government buildings andrestaurants in Antwerp, Eeklo,Ghent, Hasselt and Kortrijk. The

students examined three specificaspects of accessibility.They checked entrances to facili-ties, including the width and the

presence of stairs. Inside, theylooked at thewidth of the passage-ways and the ability to turn aroundin a wheelchair. Finally, studentschecked whether the toilets wereaccessible and adapted to theneeds of wheelchair users.Thedatawill be integrated into theappOnWheels, whichwill provideusers with specific information onthe accessibility of public spaces.The city of Ghent is also a partnerin the project. \ Andy Furniere

Students map accessibility of public spaceswww.onwhEElsaPP.com

© Courtesy Handicare

alan hopeMore articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

www.crEativity.BrussEls

I’m hoping it willgive rise to someinterestinginitiatives to makeour lives better

What sort of initiatives dothe ambassadors hope to seecome out of the urban brain-storming?

“Anything that’s beautiful, good,simple and authentic.”Drinks developer Agnès Bonfond

“Innovative projects I wouldnever have thought of.”Urban farmer Gaël Loicq

“Real solutions for local eatingin and around the city on a largescale.”Carlo de Pascale

“Real concepts thought throughby people passionate aboutsustainable food. Ideas thatmake me dream.”Maxime Everaert

aMbaSSadorS’hopeS forbruSSelS urban food

© stampMedia

Brussels Urban Food founders say that most existing initiatives, like this city farm in Turnhout, operate like little islands

Sign up now for ourdaily and weeklynewsletters with localheadlines, events andfeatures, tailor-made forexpats in Belgium

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Your dailY news

march 18, 2015

\ 13

\ ARTs

Urban encountersfestival invites visitors to discover heartbeat of multilingual Brussels

The biennial Passa Porta festivalreturns to the capital next weekwith a sprawling programmethat includes established andlesser-known writers, endurancestorytelling and even a yogasession. The festival’s directorsays the event is as much aboutdiscovering the city as it is newauthors.

At the end of the month,international literaturehouse Passa Porta hosts

the fifth edition of its eponymousbiennial festival. The philosophybehind the event is to offer topquality writing in numerouslanguages, opening up theworld of literature to Brussels’multicultural, internationalaudience.Passa Porta’s roots go back to1998, to Het Beschrijf, a centre forFlemish literature. Festival direc-tor Ilke Froyen takes up the story.“We wanted to put literature onthe stage,” she explains. “We helda festival that year, but we neededstructure and wanted to breathemore life into it, so that it wasn’tjust a one-shot thing. We weremore ambitious and wanted aproper international house thatwas fit for Brussels.”The organisers worked with boththe Flemish and francophonegovernments, and, in 2004, PassaPorta was born – a centre tosupport authors in their work andameans of bringing thatwork to anaudience, alongside a multilingualbookshop. The first Passa Porta

festival was held three years later.“Passa Porta was designed as ashowcase of international litera-ture, and the festival reflects ourphilosophy,” says Froyen. “It’s apassport to world literature and ameeting ground for people fromaround the country, whateverlanguage they speak. Brussels isreally the only place we could be.”People are intrigued, she contin-ues, “by the diversity and all thelanguages used in this city; it’s agathering of a very mixed audi-ence. During the festival, texts willbe translated and projected in vari-ous languages. It’s an opportunityfor people to feel the heartbeat ofthe city.”This year’s theme is Now and Then,

encompassing ideas such as theauthor as time traveller, and whystory time equals quality time.With this theme in mind, theprogramme takes established andlesser-known writers and placesthem in a variety of imaginativecontexts.There are traditional talks andreadings, but also a literary walk,a yoga-and-poetry session, anendurance reading event, a poetryslam and live drawing by graphicartists.“We’ve chosen interesting writ-ers and looked at presenting theirwork in a playful way, in differ-ent places, giving people a chanceto discover the city as well as newauthors,” explains Froyen. “We’ve

got two events in a laundrette – youmight consider time spent doingthe laundry to be lost, but we’ve gotauthors using that time to read out30-minute texts, the duration of awash cycle.“We’ve got an event featuringbooks that have been forbidden atone time or another, or you can goon a bus tour and discover Brus-sels through fun literary perfor-mances,” Froyen continues. “Liter-ature is often considered a high artform. At Passa Porta, we’re focusedon quality writing, but we want tooffer it in different forms. High artdoesn’t have to be inaccessible.”

When it comes to Flemish writ-ers making it abroad, or foreignauthors becoming known in Flan-ders, translation is a big issue. Thisis something Froyen and the festi-val team hope to chip away at.“If you read in English or French,you might be familiar with thework of Russian writers, for exam-ple, but they might not be sofrequently translated into Dutch.Our aim is really to provide peoplewith discoveries, to give themaccess to great literature throughtranslation.”New this year is a children’ssegment of the festival. A highlightis the Long Night of the Short Storyat Flagey, in which local and inter-national writers play with the festi-val theme of Time. Simultaneouslyat kids’ theatre Bronks, a parallelevent for younger readers offersbedtime stories in Dutch, French,Arabic and Turkish.On Sunday, a huge programme ofevents is on offer around Brussels,and readers can design their ownparcours depending on their inter-ests. That evening, the famous Brit-ish novelist Ian McEwan (Amster-dam, Atonement) closes the event.His latest book,The Children Act, isa study of moral and ethical dilem-mas that revolves around a HighCourt judge and her encounterwith an extraordinary boy. He’ll betalking to Flemish journalist Anne-lies Beck about his work and thetimes in which we live.Looking ahead, what are PassaPorta’s goals? “If we can continuedoing the work we do, that wouldbe good,” says Froyen. “During thisfestival,we’ll bemeetingcolleaguesfrom other European festivals andexploring future collaborations.Through our writers-in-residenceand other projects, we’re inter-ested in supporting thewholewrit-ing process, not just the end result.”She laughs when asked about herown dream festival line-up; thewish-list is too long. “I’d like tobring in more writers from outsideEurope, but it’s difficult,” she says.

Passa Porta is a multilingual festival. Along with events inDutch and French are others in Portuguese, German, Span-ish, Arabic, Turkish and Chinese, and some in completesilence. We’ve picked out the English-language highlights(on 29 March unless otherwise stated).

• Kevin Barry and Michel Faber are among the writ-ers taking part in the Long Night of the Short Story,with work set to music (in English, Dutch and French).28 March at Flagey• Brazilian writer Luanda Casella reads her work in anendurance storytelling event. At Ancienne Belgique• Comic artists harness the public’s imagination over a

creative lunch (in English, Dutch and French).At Greenwich• Authors Jirˇí Hájícˇek of the Czech Republic and DanLungu from Romania discuss Communism. At deBu-ren• Syrian-Palestinian poet Ghayath Almadhoun talksabout writing in exile in the wake of the Arab Spring. AtRitscafé• Swiss writer Arno Camenisch and SpanishauthorRicardoMenéndezSalmóndiscuss the art of speed-ing up and slowing down time in literature. At Bozar• Valeria Luiselli reads from books that were oncebanned in the West. At Goupil Le Fol• MegRosoff,winnerof theGuardianChildren’s Fiction

Prize, talks about the past, the future and in between,followed by a premiere of the film version of her novel,How I Live Now (in English and Dutch). At Bronks• There’sachancetohearfromRussianwriterLudmillaPetrushevskayais, whose work was banned under theSoviet regime (in English and Russian). At Bozar• American author JennyOffill talks about her bestsell-ing novel,Dept of Speculation, shortlisted for this year’sFolio Prize, and about life choices, love and the power ofliterature. At De Markten• Celebrated British author Ian McEwan closes thefestival in conversation with Annelies Beck. At Bozar

paSSa porta in engliSh

© luc Vleminckx

© Joost van den Broek

Acclaimed British author Ian Mcewan is oneof the biggest names on the Passa Porta bill

Dutch writer Arnon Grunberg at the 2013 edition, simultaneously translated into French and english

Across Brussels26-29 march

www.PassaPorta.BE

sally tipperMore articles by sally \ flanderstoday.eu

\ 14

\ ARTs

Them and usottoman art show explores fear and loathing in renaissance Europe

The Bozar exhibition The Sultan’s World looksat the depiction and perception of the Ottomansin Europe, from the Fall of Constantinople to thePeace of Zsitvatorok.

The Ottomans have long held a special placein the European imagination. Subjectsof fear, fascination, anxiety, admiration,

respect and contempt at various times, andsometimes simultaneously, the Turk entered theEuropean consciousness in the late Middle Agesand never left.A groundbreaking exhibition at Bozar in Brus-sels investigates and illustrates the many waysin which the Ottoman East was perceived andportrayed by the West during the Renaissance.That very dichotomy between East and West,Ottoman and European, Muslim and Christian,is shown to be a construct of politics and visualpolemics going back hundreds of years.

The period covered is bookended by two histori-cal events: the Fall of Constantinople to the Otto-mans in 1453 and the Peace of Zsitvatorok in1606.The formermarked the beginning of greaterEurope’s awareness of the Turkish juggernaut asa military threat. The latter signalled a détentein the long-running conflict between the Sultansand the Hapsburgs, and the first formal recog-nition by each political power of the enemy as adiplomatic equal.The Sultan’s World: The Ottoman Orient inRenaissance Art traces the evolution ofEurope’s perception and understanding ofthe Turks over this roughly 150-year period,from the first wildly speculative imaginings toeventual appropriation of Ottoman culture inborder lands like Hungary and Poland.“This exhibition is innovative in that it includesnot just the usual suspects – Italy, Germany, theNetherlands – but also the countries of East-Central Europe,” explains Guido Messling, one ofthe exhibition’s three curators.That shift in perspective, getting away from plac-ing the countries of “Western” Europe front andcentre and moving towards seeing the whole ofEurope as a contested battleground, results in therealisation that the region usually referred to asEastern Europewas in fact central to this conflict.Hence the deliberate use of “East-Central Europe”to refer to the countries of the former Soviet bloc.A key partner in the exhibition is the KrakowNationalMuseum,whichwill hostTheSultan’sWorld after it leaves Brussels. Co-curatorMichal Dziewulski from Krakow explains theimportance of the Ottoman Empire to Polishculture. “Poland was the only country at thetime, in the 16th century, that was at peacewith the Ottomans,” he says. “So the influenceof the Ottomans is quite different in Poland.There’s a lot of assimilation.”One of the paradoxes of East-West relationssuggested by the exhibition is the way iden-tity is shaped in relation to an “other”. The Turk,portrayedas exotic, dangerousor just plaindiffer-ent, helped to confirm ideas of an opposed Euro-pean identity. And yet the Ottomans saw them-

selves as heirs to theByzantine Empirewith equalright to rule in Europe.Co-curator Robert Born of the University ofLeipzig sees the admission of Croatia and otherBalkan states to the EuropeanUnion as an oppor-tunity to re-examine Western Europe’s historicalrelationship to the Ottomans.“The new members of the EU were formerly partof the Ottoman Empire,” he explains, “areas thatfelt the impact of not only conflict but also of longperiods of peace.” The border regions of the Otto-man Empire were multinational, multi-confes-sional and multi-ethnic, just like the evolvingEurope of today.The Sultan’s World contains a breathtakingvariety of objects from more than 50 insti-tutions across Europe: paintings, tapestries,ceramics, metalwork, scientific instruments,weapons, textiles, books and prints. It’sorganised thematically, starting with depic-tions of historical events, and covering exoti-cism as visual metaphor, travels by diplomats,merchants and artists, portraits of the sultansand assimilation in courtly culture.Over time, imaginative and fantastic depictionsof the Turk gave way to more and more realisticportrayals based on first-hand observation.Equally fascinating is the way in which theSultans were active collaborators in the crea-tion and dissemination of their own likenesses.In 1479, for instance, Mehmet II, conqueror ofConstantinople, asked the Signoria of Venice to

send their best painter. Gentile Bellini, the officialportraitist of the Doges, travelled to the Ottomancourt and produced a refined and elegant paint-ing, on view at Bozar.The sultan is depicted in three-quarter view, regaland aloof, gazing into the distance. He is seatedbeneath a delicately carved archway, behind aparapet covered with a richly jewelled textile. Heis at once a foreign potentate and a Renaissanceprince.Turkish novelist Elif Shafak has contributedpersonal commentary on selected pieces in theexhibition,which canbeheard on the audio guideor read in the gallery booklet. She writes: “Theworks of Renaissance artists is a wonderful placeto start rethinking the distance between ‘us’ and‘them’. As this exhibition so beautifully demon-strates, that distance has less to dowith theworldoutside than with the world inside our minds.”“In the end,” says Bozar director Paul Dujardin,“there is not so big a difference between ‘them’and ‘us’.”Yet those small differences can be a source ofattraction and fascination, as well as fear andloathing. In the end, it is the attraction that holdsthe most power here, as the beauty of the Otherovercomes fear.

David Van Reybrouckcar-jacked in BrusselsDavid Van Reybrouck, theFlemish author of the widelyregarded history book Congoand founder of the G1000popular democracy move-ment, was slightly injuredwhen he was car-jacked inBrussels last weekend. VanReybrouck and a friend wereloading suitcases into his carin the Anderlecht districtwhen they were attacked byfourmen demandingmoney.When they said they hadnone, the men took the keysof Van Reybrouck’s car andmade off. The four remain atlarge.

Dimitri Verhulstsurprises trainpassengersFlemish author DimitriVerhulst, author of such crit-ically acclaimed work as Dehelaasheid der dingen (TheMisfortunates) and De intredevan Christus in Brussel (Entryof Christ into Brussels), closedout the region’s Book Weekon Sunday by surprisingpassengers on a train fromAmsterdamtoRoosendaal inthe Netherlands. The coun-try shares Book Week withFlanders, and Verhulst wasFlanders’ host author thisyear. Passengers who boughtthe author’s new book, Dezomer hou je ook niet tegen (TheSummer Won’t Stop You Either),could ride the train for freeall day yesterday. Verhulstmade an appearance on thetrain to do a reading, signautographs and give a shoutout to train conductors, who,he says, are “treated likegarbage”.

Ilja leonard Pfeijfferwins Inktaap prizeDutch poet and author IljaLeonard Pfeijffer has wonDe Inktaap prize for Dutch-language literature. Hisnovel La superba was chosenas 2014’s best book by 1,250pupils aged 15 to 18 fromFlanders, the Netherlands,SurinameandCuraçao.Pfeij-ffer’sbook is set in the seedierquarters ofGenoa, telling thetaleofayoungmanwhoinad-vertently touches a humanleg he finds in a dark streetand later tries to dispose ofit. Eventually he discovers towhom the leg belongs, alongwith a number of Genoa’sprostitutes, barflies andmisfits. La Superba, also thewinner of last year’s LibrisLiterature Prize, “forces thereader to reflect,” said one ofthe students involved in DeInktaap. “While you’re read-ing it, you question not justthe world but also yourself.”

\ www.inKtaPP.org

WeeK in artS& culture

diana goodwinMore articles by Diana \ flanderstoday.eu

www.BoZar.BE

BozarRavensteinstraat 23, Brussels

until 31 may

That distance has lessto do with the worldoutside than with theworld inside our minds

© Collection Bayerische staatsgemäldesammlungen, München

Portrait of sultan Bajezid I by Paolo Veronese

march 18, 2015

\ 15

concert

feStival fair

claSSical

Composer Peter Ilyich Tchaik-ovsky put Russia on the musi-cal map in the 19th century and,in the process, created some ofthe most enduring works in theentire classical songbook. TheNational Orchestra of Belgium,its Russian-born musical direc-tor Andrey Boreyko and guestUkrainian-Israeli violinist VadimGluzman (pictured) pay tributewith a four-day festival span-ning two countries and featur-ing Tchaikovsky’s famous SixthSymphony. There’s an eveningshow on Friday and a matinee onSunday afternoon. In between,on Saturday, the orchestra playsa one-night stand at CC Hasselt.\ GV

One of the best-selling popartists of all time is comingto Antwerp. American singerLionel Richie got his startin the ’70s Motown groupThe Commodores but didn’tbecome a household nameuntil the following decade,when he split to pilot his ownship.The rest is history. Richiepractically owned the 1980swith chart-topping partyhits like “All Night Long” and“Dancing on the Ceiling” aswell as saccharine balladslike “Hello”. Now he prom-ises to take us back to thoseneon years with a show calledAll the Hits All Night Long.\ Georgio Valentino

Late last year, literary event organiserBehoud de Begeerte celebrated its 30thanniversary with an exhibition and a new

book, which sketched the expanding role ofperformance in Dutch and Flemish literatureover the last couple of decades.One of the pioneers of contemporary poetryevenings and other events that yank writers frombehind their desks and hoist themonto the stage,BehouddeBegeerte continues to advocate a liter-ature that can be savoured in the presence oflarge audiences in a multimedia setting.A new enterprise has taken Behoud de Begeerte’sideas and scaled them up a notch – all the way tothe Sportpaleis. Poetry event Rotspaleis sold out,so they quickly added another evening. Quite afeat for such an event, on its maiden voyage.Not that it’s a sit-in-your-seat kind of affair, notesorganiser Geert Briers, so far fewer are being let

in than the Sportpaleis’ 23,000 capacity. Briers isa former events manager for Boek.be, the agencybehind Antwerp’s annual Boekenbeurs and liter-ary festival Mind the Book. He is now market-ing manager for children’s book publisher BallonMedia. And he is also a poet.Briers will be among the performers, as will beBelgium’s first Poet Laureate, Charles Ducal(pictured), current and former Antwerp citypoets Stijn Vranken and Peter Holvoet-Hanssen,the Herman De Coninck Prize audience awardwinnerMaudVanhauwaert andmany others.Thejam-packed evening will be hosted by singer Rickde Leeuw, who is also known to dabble in poetry.Rotspaleis, which will be set up so visitors canwander about, discovering multiple stages andactivities, also features dance, cartoonists andmusical guests such as Tom Pintens and DezMona. Filmmaker Adil El Arbi is on hand, as is

psychotherapist and best-selling author Dirk DeWachter.The second evening, by the way, takes place on 21March, Unesco’sWorld PoetryDay. \ Bjorn Gabriels

Brussels’ biggest fine art andantiques fair attracts dealers frommore than 100 Belgian and inter-national galleries for a fortnight ofbrowsing and buying. It’s a collec-tor’s dream, with pieces from Eastto West and from antiquity to themodern period. This year’s theme– the portrait – is appropriatelyuniversal. Each culture and eachhistorical era has its own style ofrepresenting the human face andso each portrait is a kind of soci-ological Rosetta Stone, reveal-ing fundamental philosophi-cal attitudes. Eurantica observesthe theme with an exhibition ofcontemporary portraits by Brus-sels-based photographer Anne-Catherine Chevalier. \ GV

Poetry gone wild

RotspaleisconcertBrusselsVicente Amigo: TheFlamenco guitar master, wholearned his fast finger stylefrom El Tomate and ManoloSanlucar, promotes his latestalbum, Tierra, with cajón,voice and guitar accompani-ment. 21 March 20.15, Flagey,Heilig Kruisplein

\ www.flagey.be

GhentSavina Yannatou: TheGreek singer and her band,Primavera en Salonico,perform songs from early20th-century Thessaloniki,which reflect the city’s melt-ing pot of ethnicities. 24March 20.15, Handelsbeurs,Kouter 29

\ www.handelsbeurs.be

claSSicalGhentShelter: Classical meetspop in this oratorio aboutthe various meanings of theword “shelter”, with a scorewritten for the voices of Oslo’sTrio Mediaeval and set to afilm by New York director BillMorrison. 24 March 20.00, DeBijloke, Jozef Kluyskensstraat2

\ www.debijloke.be

perforManceGhentIt's a kindofmagic:Thefinaltwo parts of an exhibition insix acts, featuring AmericanRyan Rivadeneyra (19 March)and Belgians Sarah & Charles(25 March), artists invited toturn the stage into a magicalarena by inviting the publicinto their creative space. 19& 25 March 20.00, Het Pavil-joen, Louis Pasteurlaan 2

\ www.paviljoen.org

viSual artSGhentJulia Margaret Cameron:One of the most innovativephotographers of the 19thcentury, best known for herpowerful portraits of friends,relatives and servants andfor her unconventionalapproach. Until 14 June,Museum of Fine Arts, FernandScribedreef 1

\ www.mskgent.be

talKBrusselsAntonio Nieto-Rodriguezon being focused: Professorof strategy and author of thebook The Focused Organiza-tion, Nieto-Rodriguez shareshis insights into how we canwaste less time and createmore focused organisations(in English). 19 March 19.30-23.00

\ www.fullcircle.eu

The annual Millenium festival hasbeen shining a spotlight on politi-cally engaged documentaries fromaround theworld since 2009.At thetop of the marquee this year isTheYes Men Are Revolting (pictured),which follows the eponymousAmerican activists-cum-prank-sters in their quest to publiclyshame the corporate world into

environmental action. Other activ-itiesincludemasterclasses,confer-ences, a cycle of Latvianfilmsandaretrospective programme devotedto Israeli dissident Amos Gitai. Aveteran filmmaker and former IDFconscript, Gitai’s ambivalent treat-ment of Israel’s history has earnedhim plaudits abroad and hostilityat home. \ GV

lionel richie

millenium film festival

tchaikovsky festival

Eurantica

\ AGenDA

sportpaleis, Antwerpwww.rotsPalEis.BE

20-21 march

sportpaleis, Antwerpwww.sPortPalEis.BE

19 march, 20.30Bozar, Brussels

www.BoZar.BE20-22 march

Across Brusselswww.fEstivalmillEnium.org

20-28 marchBrussels expo

www.Eurantica.BE20-29 march

© Dirk waem / BelGA

© Daniel walbidi/eurantica

march 18, 2015

\ 16

facebook.com/flanderstoday

According to an article in De Standaard’sweekend magazine, a new planetenasiel hasopened in Antwerp. But what, I wondered, is

a plant asylum?It slowly became clear as I read the article. In mei2014 startte een viertal vrijwilligers het PlantenasielAntwerpen op – In May 2014, a group of four volun-teers started up the Antwerp Plant Asylum, it said.Het simpele idee haalden de Antwerpenaren bij eengelijkaardig initiatief in Amsterdam – The Antwerpgroup copied a similar idea in Amsterdam. Mensendie hun planten kwijt willen, nemen contact op methet Plantenasiel – People who wanted to get rid oftheir plants could get in touch with the Plant Asylum.Here’s how it works. Let’s say you have a wilting yuccathat no longer looks good in your apartment. You posta photo on the Plant Asylum’s Facebook page. Otherpeople register their interest in acquiring the plant.Andfinally your yucca finds a newhomeon awindow-sill in Wilrijk.It sounds a bit like a dating site for plants. And, likemany dating sites, the plant asylum has turned outto be an instant success. In minder dan een jaar tijdwisselden onder de 4.000 leden al zo’n 400 plantenvan eigenaar – In less than a year, 400 plants havebeen exchanged between the 4,000 members.The latest posting shows a melancholy agave ameri-canamarginata looking for a newhome. But it comeswith a warning: Neemt veel plaats in en heeft vlijm-scherpte punten die een gevaar kunnen vormen voorkinderen en huisdieren– It takes up a lot of space andhas razor-sharp needles that could be dangerous tochildren and pets. Ouch!

There is a serious goal behind this plant-swappingscheme, explains Robby Decorte, one of the founders.“Wewillen op een positievemanier bijdragen aan dewereld en iets doen tegen de wegwerpmaatschap-pij waarin we leven” – “We want to make a posi-tive contribution to the world and do something topersuade people to change their throw-away mental-ity.”The project has been so successful that the organis-ers are now swamped with plants. “Nu zetten wij alleopgehaalde planten eerst bij ons thuis” – “For themoment, we have to store all the plants we get in ourhouse,” said Decorte. “Soms staan hier 150 plantentegelijk” – “Sometimes we have 150 plants here atone time. “Ik kon mijn televisie alleen nog tussende bladeren door zien” – “I have to watch televisionthrough the leaves.”So if you want to share your life with a lonely pricklycactus, you know who to contact.

Talking Dutchsingle lonely cactus seeks love

\ BACkPAGe

the laSt WordaB outBev“They’re losing touch with theirhome market. If you go past aterrace on a sunny day, you’ll seeyoung people drinking Hopus,Duvel and things like that – beerwith character. Belgianshavehadenough of sweet, watery drinks.”Jan Rumes, chair of beer associationZythos, on announcement of newbeers from AB InBev flavoured withlemonade, fruit and rum

cash for scrap“Our country should never havegiven in. Last year France itselfbrought out a coin 70 years afterthe Normandy landings, butthe Germans never complainedabout that.”Manuela Wintermans, unionrepresentativeattheRoyalMint,where178,000 new €2 coins commemoratingthe Battle of Waterloo will bedestroyed after complaints from theFrench government

offline“We have to make sure thatwe don’t leave people behind.Services are rapidly becomingmore digital. More and moreservices are now only availableonline. Not a bad thing in itself,but we need to make sure webring people along with us.”Ilse Mariën of the Free University ofBrussels (VUB) found that 47% ofBelgians have lower than averageinternet skills, and 10% have neverbeen online

feathered fiends“I’m not going to be dictated to bya bunch of birds.”Actor-turned-director Filip Peeterswas filming a romantic comedy atPlanckendael animal park, but hisset was continually interrupted bysquawking parrots

a. No, that’s too extreme. Lots of things cause cancer that aren’t illegal. Let consumers decidefor themselves

b. The government should step up inspections, and salons that fail them more than once should beshut down

c. Yes. People who choose beauty over safety need to be protected from themselves. And imagine theamount of electricity we’ll save

The Foundation Against Cancercalled on the federal governmentto ban tanning salons earlier thismonth, after figures revealed thatonly three salons out of 58 passedinspection last year. While tanningsalon operators described the call“drastic”, the foundation said that

their flouting of safety regulationsput people at an increased risk ofcancer.Flanders Today readers appear tohave little sympathy for tanningsalon operators. While the major-ity thinks the inspections processshould be improved and repeat

offenders shut down, nearly one infour of you would be happy to seethe lot of them disappear entirely.Perhaps you’re tired of seeing themsprout up: Belgium, it seems, is aleader in Europe in the use ofsunbeds.

Pollshould tanning salons be banned in Belgium because of their lax attitudestowards regulations and cancer risk?

\ next week's question:A court has ruled that parents can decide to withdraw their children from religion and ethics classes at school.What do you think?Log on to the Flanders Today website at www.flanderstoday.eu and click on VOTE!

CONNECT WITH US LIKE USTweet us your thoughts @FlandersToday

In response to: Offside: Armchair athletesTim HodgettsJust when I thought it couldn’t get more exciting here!

In response to: Lessons in religionno longer obligatory inBelgiumDafri FridahMmhhh.. The world is really changing... A free world

Matthew Dalton @DJMatthewDaltonI took my kid to a US hospital for a minor ailment, stayed onehour, cost $1400. Took other kid to Brussels hospital, 2 hours,cost €46.

Michael Shermer @michaelshermerThank you TEDx Ghent for the warm reception, literally andfiguratively...

In response to: Talking Dutch: don’t mess with BlankenbergeAlba LongaActually, Blankenberge should be honoured because thebeaches in Albania are absolutely stunning. Maybe Tom Waesshould revisit his travel notes.

voiceS offlanderS today

In response to: Government strikes deal to keep older workersin employmentIanWhiteheadYes, fully agree with ‘Groen.’ A couple of years ago I appliedfor a job and at the interview was told I do not have manywork years ahead of me.

8%

54%

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derek BlythMore articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu www.facEBooK.com/PlantEnasiElantwErPEn

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