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MAY 13, 2015 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ p2

politics \ p4

BUSiNESS \ p6

innovation \ p7

Let’s rap

Mega-merger

education \ p9

art & living \ p10

Ashes to ashes

Delhaize is in talks with Albert Heijn about a possible merger, which would create Belgium’s largest supermarket chain

Dialogue coaches are being sent to Flanders’ secondary schools to help teachers lead discussions on touchy topics

A history of Flanders’ funeral traditions and burial culture is on view in Ghent’s Caermersklooster

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Choice tracks Sarah and Gert Bettens are back with a K’s Choice tour and their best album ever page 13

The eyes of the world Flemish entrepreneurs bask in World Expo limelight Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

Companies and entrepreneurs in the Belgian pavilion are ready to show 20 million visitors to Expo Milan what they’ve got to offer in the world of energy-saving products and sustainable food sources

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ith the exception of local protests involving anti-globalisation activists and tear gas, the latest World Exposition got off to a smooth start in Milan on 1 May. Belgium, which also hosted a pavilion at the last expo in Shanghai five years ago, is one of 145 countries taking part in the six-month event.

The theme for Expo Milano 2015 is Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. Flanders is represented in Milan by Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), the government’s international trade relations agency. “It’s not only about our fantastic state-of-the-art Flemish products, but also about how products can be made, stored and packaged,” chief executive Claire Tillekaerts explains. “We’re looking at the rational consumption of produce and the management of waste. We’re concerned with the whole chain, from farm to fork and even further.”

Tillekaerts says that the agency went to Expo with a clear ambition. “We have companies that are absolute world leaders, and that’s what we want everyone to see,” she

Herman Maes (right) and his diamond-shaped stove

says. “The expo is expecting 20 million visitors, and a large proportion of those will be European, particularly Italian. There are various events organised with European chambers of commerce as well as with China, Turkey and Morocco, so it will be larger than only Europe.”

The Belgian pavilion is shared by Flanders, Wallonia and continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

80% of Flemish feel European

Most adults – and even more young people – in Flanders feel a connection with the EU Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

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bout 85% of Flemish youngsters and 80% of adults “feel European”, according to PhD research by Soetkin Verhaegen of the Centre for Political Sciences at the University of Leuven.

Verhaegen surveyed 3,600 thirdyear students from 61 secondary schools in Flanders, and 4,375 parents. More than 80% said they would describe themselves as EU citizens, and 11% felt very strongly connected to Europe.

Only 2% felt no connection at all.

The degree of identification with Europe among the adults correlated with education levels, knowledge of languages and cross-border mobility. Respondents with a higher education and those who had migrated between member states felt more strongly connected to the EU. For respondents, EU identity has a practical application: 89% associate it with the euro and with easy travel options. Nearly half said they felt a connection because of shared historical and

cultural identity.

The development of an EU identity seems to happen at a young age. Verhaegen called on the EU to encourage schools to devote more lessons to the development of Europe and to further advocate for the mobility of young people between member states.

Do you feel European? Log on to the Flanders Today website to take part in our latest poll © Courtesy European parliament

Open Door Day at the European parliament

“Three terrorist attacks” foiled by NSA was false information The head of military intelligence in Belgium, General Eddy Testelmans, gave out false information about three planned terrorist attacks, the I Committee has concluded in a report.

The I Committee oversees intelligence services in Belgium. In an interview with MO* magazine in 2013, Testelmans told journalist Kristof Clerix that the US National Security Agency (NSA) had supplied Belgian military intelligence (ADIV) with enough information to thwart three attacks.

“In three cases were terrorist attacks foiled on the basis of infor-

mation that we may assume came directly from the Prism system,” Testelmans said. “If they had not passed that information on, we would never have known about [the planned attacks].”

Prism was the system used by the NSA to carry out widespread surveillance on targets in the US and elsewhere, as revealed by whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

The I Committee carried out an enquiry into ADIV and the statements made by Testelmans.

According to a report in De Tijd newspaper, the committee discovered that the claims were false.

“The information delivered by the NSA had not in fact averted three attacks but had merely been useful in obtaining a better information position in one concrete Belgian terrorism case,” De Tijd quotes the report.

Testelmans confirmed the report’s content to De Tijd. “At the time of the interview, I was in possession only of information from the NSA itself, which they had passed along to the State Security Agency,” Testelmans told the newspaper. “It was only later, after further investigation by the Belgian intelligence services, that I was informed that

the NSA information ought to be seen in context and, therefore, considered less important.

The information supplied to the I Committee is correct.”

Clerix reported on the MO* website: “I was aware that the I Committee was the only agency in a position to double-check the information. For that reason, I published the interview in question-answer format, so that it was clear that the statements made were wholly the responsibility of the interviewee. The truth comes to the surface in the end.” \ Alan Hope

Rail unions threaten to strike over services study Unions representing rail staff are considering new strike action after comments made at the weekend by Jo Cornu, CEO of the rail authority NMBS. A study ordered by the NMBS into productivity compares its staff with other major rail authorities in France, the Netherlands and Switzerland. Cornu described the study as “completely logical”.

The socialist union ACOD said it was “scandalous” that the authority would commission a study to find out if staff were working hard enough. “And this at a time when NMBS owes its staff

11,567

jobless young people in the Brussels-Capital Region in April, 12.5% fewer than a year before and the lowest figure since 1992. Youth unemployment in Brussels now stands at 26.7%

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70,000 compensation days, just to allow the trains to run seven days a week,” general-secretary Jean Pierre Goossens said. The union also said it had not been informed of the study in advance.

The Christian union ACV, meanwhile, said the workers were being “targeted” and questioned whether the study would be used as an excuse by the government for new reforms to the rail system.

“In recent years, rail services have been liberalised, and we are now in competition with other rail companies,” Cornu said in an interview in Het Nieuwsblad. “NMBS has to be

competitive, and that’s what this study is intended to prepare for.

I’m surprised the staff are so angry.

Do they mean to say we should close our eyes to how we perform?

Anyone who has a problem with this study is not interested in the future of the company.”

NMBS has been forced to recall train conductors out of retirement this year to help deal with an expected shortage. In the near future, the rail authority will face the loss of a large number of staff due to holiday entitlements and other compensatory days off.

At the start of the year, NMBS said it

would employ 360 new conductors – who act as ticket inspectors, close doors and carry out other tasks. So far, 196 have been taken on. The invitation to retired conductors is voluntary, but unions said about 60 would be required.

Meanwhile, ASTB, the union representing train drivers, has announced it will strike on 28 May in protest at pay scales and premiums. The union represents about one in four of the authority’s 3,800 drivers, but disruption could be widespread. The action will begin on 27 May at 22.00 and last until 3.00 on 29 May. \ AH

€61.5 million

cost of cleaning up 17,500 tonnes of illegally dumped rubbish a year in Flanders, or 2.5kg per resident a year. Each resident pays €9.60 for the clean-up

500 First World War mortar rounds found near Ypres Workers on a construction site in Dikkebus in Ypres uncovered a cache of about 500 mortar rounds dating from the First World War. The rounds were never used, meaning there was a danger they might still explode.

The works were suspended and the army’s bomb disposal unit DOVO attended the site from their base in nearby Poelkapelle. Such finds are commonplace in the area of West Flanders known as the Westhoek, where – often uncovered by farmer ploughing fields – they are referred to as the “iron harvest”. The size of the latest find, however, is unusual.

The most recent find of similar size was in LangemarkPoelkapelle, to the north of Ypres, in February last year, where a farmer had collected thousands of unexploded shells in his barn after turning them up one by one. \ AH

€98.7 million

residents of Belgium have received the first-ever fines – €200 each – for visiting illegal online betting websites, the Gaming Commission said. Another 180 complaints are being prepared

price of a meal for the poor, to be made available in every Flemish municipality under a new antipoverty plan. Flanders would pay for the meals, while the cities would provide the infrastructure

to be invested by the government of Flanders in the Botanical Garden Meise, which was transferred from a national to a regional concern last year. Renovations will be complete by 2026

MAY 13, 2015

WEEK in brief The number of English-speaking schools in Belgium grew by 50% over the last five years, according to figures from the International School Consultancy Group. In 2010, there were 35 pre-schools, primary or secondary schools with 18,000 pupils; by 2015 the numbers had gone up to 45 schools with 25,000 pupils.

The NGO consortium 12-12 has raised €2.15 million for Nepal, with a target of €5 million for the whole of Belgium. 12-12 consists of Caritas International, Doctors of the World, Handicap International, Oxfam, Plan België and Unicef. \ www.1212.be.

Flemish economy minister Philippe Muyters has suspended pay-out of the 2015 subsidy for Technopolis, the hands-on science centre for children in Mechelen, while he awaits the presentation of a new action plan aimed at solving the centre’s problems. An external audit recently revealed problems with management and business culture at Technopolis, as well as a lack of financial transparency. The audit followed an open letter published at the end of last year from a number of former and current employees.

This year’s Belfius Press Prize has gone to three investigative journalists – Kristof Clerix of MO*magazine, Lars Bové of De Tijd and Xavier Counasse of Le Soir – who worked with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists on “LuxLeaks”, the shady deals made with the Luxembourg tax authorities designed to help bank customers avoid paying tax.

An Uber driver was found guilty last week of acting in breach of taxi regulations, but the court chose not to pronounce

face of flanders sentence in the first criminal action related to the ridesharing service operating in Brussels. The drivers’ vehicle, however, was confiscated. Ridesharing, the court said, does not include payment for services.

The official taxi association welcomed the verdict; Uber said it would do “everything possible” to support its driver, including a possible appeal.

The Chinese telecommunications company Huawei plans to open a new European research institute in Leuven, founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei announced last week on a visit to the European Business Summit in Brussels. The institute will oversee the activities of 18 of Huawei’s R&D sites in eight European countries, which employ 1,200 researchers working on developing next-generation network technology.

Jozef De Witte, who heads the government’s Centre for Equal Opportunities and the Fight against Racism, has been named as the new intendant, or general manager, of the National Orchestra of Belgium. De Witte joins the orchestra as it faces costcutting measures that require it to explore synergies with the De Munt opera house orchestra.

Red Cross Flanders raised €2.8 million from its annual sale of comic strip stickers. The organisation sold 565,000 – 40,000 more than last year. The money goes to operational expenses of the local branches. Meanwhile, the Red Cross action for Nepal has raised just over €500,000 in Flanders.

The American TV network The CW, part-owned by CBS and Time Warner, plans a remake of the Flemish drama series Cordon, following the success of a pilot episode. The series was produced in Flanders by Eyeworks for VTM, and told the story of an outbreak of a deadly virus in Antwerp. The US version, to be directed by David Nutter (The X-Files, Game of Thrones) will be set in Atlanta.

The Young Brassband of Willebroek, made up of musicians under the age of 22, has won the European Brass Band Championships in Freiburg, Germany, becoming Belgium’s first winner of the competition. Lode Violet, the band’s principal cornet, also won a soloist award. The senior version of the band, made up of older musicians, won a silver medal.

Two groups of cycling activists gathered on the border between the Brussels-Capital Region and Flemish Brabant last week to have breakfast and publicise their support for Fiets-GEN, the regional express network of cycle paths linking Brussels with the periphery. The delegations, one from Brussels and the other from Halle, met on the border, together with Brussels ministers Bianca Debaets (road safety) and Pascal Smet (mobility), as well as representatives of Flemish mobility minister Ben Weyts and Flemish Brabant

The only person to have died as a result of the 2013 train crash in Wetteren, East Flanders, has still to be cremated two years after the accident, it was revealed last week. Willy Van Poucke died as a result of toxic fumes that came up out of the sewers into his home, caused by burning chemicals in the train’s cargo. His body cannot be released for cremation until the judicial enquiry into the accident is completed.

Last week provincial governor Jan Briers attended a brief remembrance ceremony by the temporary grave.

OFFSIDE Ostrich outrage When the Gielis tomato plantation in Lier started losing money four years ago, the family was faced with a choice: either find some other more profitable activity or move away altogether. The family decided to turn their land into a petting farm, ’t Struisvogelnest, named after their star attraction – ostriches.

Together with alpacas and wallabies and the more usual barnyard inhabitants, the place was soon doing great business, with regular visits from schools and families.

Some people who had opted for the quiet of rural life couldn’t put up with children running about

province. The region has promised 15 new routes by 2025, but the necessary investments are being delayed, protesters said.

© Courtesy De Standaard

Paul Kumpen The slicked-back hair and the often flamboyant dress (to which our photo does not do justice) suggest an old-time racing driver, and that’s no surprise because that’s what Paul Kumpen used to be. These days he leaves the life in the fast lane to his son, Anthony, who won last year’s Nascar Whelen Euro Series.

The elder Kumpen, 65, has more down-to-earth things on his mind. He’s the CEO of Kumpen NV, a construction company, and presently chair of Voka Limburg, the provincial branch of the Flemish chamber of commerce.

Last week it was announced he is to replace Voka’s national chair, Michel Delbaere from October.

Voka formed in 2004, when the eight regional Flemish chambers of commerce formed an alliance with the Flemish Economic Union. The organisation is now one of the main social partners in the social-economic council of Flanders, giving it a direct input into Flemish government policy. The companies that make up its membership employ 910,000 people and represent

66% of the private sector jobs in the region.

Voka is currently coming to the end of a complicated round of re-organisation, with a review of the working relationship between the eight local chambers and the headquarters, which recently moved into brand new offices in Brussels.

An important part of Kumpen’s job will be to steer the organisation into its new structure – the chair is far from being a figurehead: His predecessors in the post, Delbaere of West Flanders frozen food company Crop’s and Luc Debruyckere of fresh food group Ter Beke, have been actively involved in every aspect of Voka’s work, alongside director-general Jo Libeer.

“Paul Kumpen has all the qualities required to make a success of Voka’s renewal process,” Delbaere said on news of the appointment. “Enterprise is in his blood. Besides that, he will be able to count on his years of experience as chair of the Limburg chamber of commerce, as well as in the sector where he is professionally active.” \ Alan Hope

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

WWW.TINYURL.COM/FBTSTRUISVOGELNEST

squealing, playing on the bouncy castle and driving about the place on blue toy tractors. Nor could they stand the traffic that suddenly clogged the tiny local roads.

Last week the farm received a fine from a bailiff of €21,000 after neighbours reported them for making their ostrich egg pancakes for visitors, for which it has no

licence. For the Gielis family, it’s the latest attempt to harass them out of their property. For their lawyer, it’s something every other petting farm in Flanders gets away with. For the plaintiffs, it’s nipping in the bud what they see as the tip of the iceberg – birthday parties, weddings, etc.

Lier mayor Frank Boogaerts doesn’t know where to turn. He met with both sides and hopes to get them together around the table soon. In the meantime, the Gielis family have turned to the 21st century version of arbitration, with a Facebook page calling for support for ’t Struisvogelnest. \ AH

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

Editor Lisa Bradshaw DEPUTY Editor Sally Tipper CONTRIBUTING Editor Alan Hope sub Editor Linda A Thompson Agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino Art director Paul Van Dooren Prepress Corelio AdPro Contributors Daan Bauwens, Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Katy Desmond, Andy Furniere, Diana Goodwin, Julie Kavanagh, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Katrien Lindemans, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Daniel Shamaun, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Débora Votquenne, Denzil Walton General manager Hans De Loore Publisher Corelio Publishing NV

Editorial address Gossetlaan 30 - 1702 Groot-Bijgaarden tel 02 373 99 09 editorial@flanderstoday.eu subscriptions tel 03 560 17 49 subscriptions@flanderstoday.eu or order online at www.flanderstoday.eu Advertising 02 373 83 57 advertising@flanderstoday.eu Verantwoordelijke uitgever Hans De Loore

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\ POLITICS

5TH COLUMN Prime minister shuffle

Recent opinion polls show that prime minister Charles Michel (MR) has become one of the most popular politicians in Flanders, even though he is not Flemish and the Flemish can’t even vote for him.

Michel is the second French speaker in a row to become prime minister of Belgium. That is rather unusual: for decades the prime minister’s office was always held by a Fleming, a representative of the largest language group in Belgium.

The most popular politician does not necessarily become Belgium’s prime minister.

There is an informal rule that the prime minister should be the leader of the largest party within the largest political family.

Let’s break that down. A political family, an informal concept, consists of both the Flemish and French-speaking parties that share the same ideology.

Christian-democrats, socialists and liberals are the three traditional political families (note the absence of N-VA, the Flemish nationalists which has no French-speaking counterpart).

Each family, then, consists of two parties, one Flemish and one French speaking. The Christian Democrat family, for instance, is made up of CD&V (Flemish) and CDH (French speaking).

The Christian-democrats have dominated Belgian politics for decades. As they were more popular in Flanders, CD&V almost always got the prime minister’s office. At the turn of the century, however, the liberals became the largest political family, and Open VLD’s Guy Verhofstadt became prime minister.

A liberal in Wetstraat 16 seemed almost revolutionary, but it was nothing compared to 2011 when a French speaker took over – and a socialist to boot: Elio Di Rupo (PS). This was the result of the swift rise of N-VA in Flanders, which made the socialists – popular mostly south of the language border – the largest political group in government.

Di Rupo, with his poor Dutch, was never very popular in Flanders. He was also the ideological opposite of N-VA, by that time the largest party. His federal government, although it included three Flemish parties, was often perceived as “antiFlemish”.

So on to Michel. His excellent Dutch, younger age and hipster looks have contributed to his popularity. Also, his centreright government, which has a large majority amongst the Flemish in the federal parliament, enjoys broad support in Flanders. If only because it is heavily dominated by N-VA.

Federal minister proposes privatising Proximus and Bpost Analysts calculate proceeds from sale of state concerns Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

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lexander De Croo, federal minister for telecommunications and the post, tabled a proposal last week for the government to sell off part of its stake in both postal service Bpost and the telecoms operator Proximus.

Under current legislation, the Belgian government is required to retain a 50% share in each company, along with a nominal share. But De Croo wants the companies to be able to appoint board members without political interference and set salaries without the approval of the government. Even if a sell-off happens, the companies would still have to ensure that the board contains an equal number of French and Dutch speakers.

Proximus is the largest of Belgium’s telecoms operators, with about 40% of market share. The sale of Proximus ( formerly Belgacom) could open the way for a merger with the Dutch oper-

Homans responds to critics of €1 meal poverty measure Flemish anti-poverty minister Liesbeth Homans has responded to criticism of her proposal to fund cheap meals for those in need in every Flemish municipality. Homans’ plan would provide meals for the flat rate of €1 for anyone who needed them – an extension of a system already operating in Antwerp.

The plan calls for the government of Flanders to fund the meals and local authorities to pay for the premises and facilities. The plan is one of a package of measures contained in Homans’ structural plan to fight poverty in the region.

The €1 meals “will not help one single family to escape poverty,” responded the Network Against Poverty, which includes 60 organisations. It suggested providing free meals at school for children in need, which it said would reduce the cost to families of sending children to school, and be less of a stigma for families.

Opposition socialists recognised that it was difficult to be against cheap meals for the poor but argued that the measure did not tackle the foundation of poverty conditions. “Minister Homans is reducing the fight against

poverty to soup kitchens,” said Bart Van Malderen. “Poverty is not restricted to the cities.”

“I never claimed that this would solve all the problems of the world,” Homans told political magazine programme Terzake. “But every little helps. The complete Flemish Action Plan against Poverty, which I will bring before the Flemish parliament in June, will contain a variety of measures, from education to child care.”

The use of school meals was not always practical, she pointed out.

“In the less advantaged areas in towns and cities, there are not

Asylum state secretary visits Italy to discuss refugee crisis Theo Francken, federal state secretary for asylum policy, travelled to Rome last week for talks with his Italian counterpart, Domenico Manzione, on efforts to deal with thousands of African migrants arriving in Italy.

Francken promised that Belgium would help Italy to process the migrants but warned that “some of them would have to go back to where they came from”.

The state secretary also flew to the Italian island of Lampedusa to watch as migrants were brought ashore. “It leaves a real impression to see what’s happening here,” he told the press. “I’ve seen three boats arrive in just a few hours. One boat was carrying Somali refugees.

Another was carrying Nigerians who had spent

three days at sea. It’s crazy to think that 160,000 migrants landed on this small island last year.

There are currently 1,100 people staying in a reception centre with just 350 beds.”

During his visit, Francken spoke with a refugee from Ghana. “He told me that his brother had been thrown overboard, along with other people, because they were Christians.”

Francken said that there was a clear obligation to help refugees from countries like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. But he said that it was impossible to take people who came from regions where there was no war and who were coming to Europe as economic refugees. “You can’t have a migration policy if you don’t discuss this question,” he said. \ DB

\ Anja Otte © Joost De Bock/ImageDesk

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ator KPN, which has been under discussion for 15 years.

The civil service trade union ACOD has protested at the plan, which it says is “an incomprehensible strategy that creates only losers: the Belgian state, the employees and the citizens”.

“Both state concerns are performing well, generating profits and providing citizens with a public service at a very reasonable price,” said a union spokesperson. “The privatisation plans are purely commercial decisions, made without any consideration of the importance of the two companies.”

The sale of the two companies could yield €9 billion for the government, according to economic experts.

Theo Francken on the Italian island of Lampedusa, waiting for the refugees to arrive

so many schools that even offer meals,” she said.

She also denied that the measure would be restricted to urban areas.

“All municipalities will have the opportunity to apply for support for the €1 meals,” she said, and called on her opponents to recognise a truce in this political area.

“There are many subjects that lend themselves to the most critical political debate, but poverty is not one of them. We have to reach out a hand to each other and do our best for the sake of those people in Flanders who are still living in poverty.” \ Alan Hope

Government proposes spot checks on unemployed Bart Tommelein, the federal state secretary charged with combatting social fraud, has introduced a proposal to allow federal employment agency RVA to perform unannounced spot checks on people receiving unemployment benefits.

The measure is mostly meant to combat domicile-related fraud. A single person, for instance, receives more unemployment benefits than someone living with a wage-earning partner, and Tommelein is looking to prevent them from claiming they live alone at a certain address if they do not.

Tommelein said he is working with energy and water agencies to determine whether utilities are being used at addresses given by those on benefits. RVA would only check residences that suggest fraud could be taking place, said Tommelein.

Under current legislation, inspectors must announce checks in people’s homes at least a week in advance. RVA’s management committee still need to approve the new regulation, which will also be discussed with unions.

Socialist leader Bruno Tobback immediately criticised the plan, saying that it was unfair to target benefit fraud while doing little to cut down on tax fraud. \ DB

\ COVER STORY

MAY 13, 2015

The eyes of the world

Milan World Expo offers Flemish businesses a six-month store window

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continued from page 1

Brussels, providing a six-month shop window for local products and industries. FIT managed to bring together 200 companies to sponsor the pavilion and to take part in business-to-business and networking events.

“From the seats in the amphitheatre to the sauces in the frietkraam, Flemish businesses are showing that they’re international entrepreneurs,” Tillekaerts says. “We are there to offer them the necessary logistical and commercial support – whether in preparation for taking part in this world event, or on the ground in the pavilion itself.”

The elaborate Belgian pavilion was designed by architects Marc Belderbos from Deinze, East Flanders, and Patrick Genard, a colleague and old university friend who now lives in Barcelona.

The construction was carried out

by Brussels-based Besix, whose international portfolio includes the Burj Khalifa in Dubai (where the next expo will take place in 2020).

The design, Belderbos told Het Laatste Nieuws, stands for sustainability, for thinking outside the box and for a more conscious approach to nature. “The building must not stand in contrast to nature, as is usually the case,” he said. “We think it should be in and with nature, with no conflict between interior and exterior.”

For those who would like to see it but can’t make it to Milan: the building will come to Belgium once the expo is over. “The building has been sold and will later be rebuilt somewhere in Belgium,” says Belderbos. “By whom, what or where … I’m sworn to silence.”

One of the companies on show is Liquisol from Schilde in Antwerp province, which makes energysaving paints and coatings. Their latest product is right there on the very walls of the pavilion itself.

“It’s very important for us to take part because we’ve just brought a completely new insulation prod-

Architect Marc Belderbos says the pavilion’s design promotes sustainability and a more conscientious approach to the natural surroundings

uct to market, and we’re using it in the pavilion,” explains general manager Tom Huysmans. “That way, we can use the expo to attract the attention of Belgium and the whole world and market ourselves.”

All the interior walls of the pavilion are covered with the new Liquisol product. “It’s paint, but it reduces energy consumption by 30%,” Huysmans says, adding that it’s a product aimed at the construction industry. “We’re looking for namerecognition among end users in Belgium, as well as distributors and partners in other countries.”

More readily visible is the contribution of Maes Inox, which has a factory in Harelbeke, West Flanders, and offices in Antwerp.

“We installed the whole kitchen,” explains owner and CEO Herman Maes.

Maes Inox supplies high-end kitchen installations to the restaurant industry. It was responsible for the kitchen at the now closed foodie temple El Bulli in Spain, as well as its successor as the World’s Best Restaurant, Noma in Copenhagen. Even with that already stel-

© Photos by Ch Badiali

The Expo opening on 1 May found many curious visitors in Belgum’s pavilion

lar reputation, Maes says, it was “absolutely worth the effort” for his company to be present.

“Of the 20 million people expected at the expo, there are probably 0.001% who are in the market for kitchens,” he admits. “But it’s also a question of awareness, of letting people know who we are and what we’re capable of.”

Maes Inox’s biggest attraction at the pavilion is a diamond-shaped stove measuring six metres long.

Mark your calendar The six-month expo includes a number of organised events in the Belgian pavilion, including ones related particularly to Flemish enterprise. A selection: 3 June: A Flemish VIP visit led by minister-president Geert Bourgeois, including a networking event 4 June: A business-to-business event on beer tourism and Flanders as a culinary destination, led by Flemish tourism minister Ben Weyts 12 June: A visit by Queen Mathilde 29 June: A Taste of East Flanders on local food strategies and the food packaging industry, regional products, a screening of

the film Ghent in Motion and a performance

by Queen Elisabeth contestant Fien Van den Fonteyne 6 July: Antwerp province day with chefs and chocolatiers from the PIVA culinary school 11 July: Flemish Community Day with local members of expat group Flemings in the World 6 September: Diamonds à la carte symposium 1-2 October: West Flanders day with seminaries on fresh fruit and vegetables and logistics 15-17 October: Flemish Brabant day with an investment seminar

“It’s an induction cooker weighing two tonnes. We’re not expecting anyone to order something like that, but it gets you seen.”

Maes points out that, while the kitchen looks impressive, it’s also functional, able to turn over 500 to 1,000 meals a day. “We supplied not only the cooker, but also the cold kitchen, the warm kitchen, the prep kitchen and the extractor fans,” he explains. “I was there last week for the opening, and the

kitchen was working at top capacity, with all 16 chefs working flatout. I was proud of what we’ve done there.”

For Tillekaerts, an event like this is a unique opportunity to introduce a country like Belgium and a region like Flanders to the world.

“As we saw in Shanghai five years ago, there are many people who come from elsewhere in Europe and from the Middle East, and it’s an excellent showcase for our companies,” she says. “We’re not all about beer and chocolate; we will also focus on diamonds, with the presentation of the Diamond High Council awards.”

But there will be beer and chocolate, rest assured, with a chocolate IJzertoren model by Jeroen Bailleul from Diksmuide, West Flanders. The launch of an international campaign by the potato industry federation Belgapom should also prove to the world that there’s nothing French about French fries. And Belgian, rather than Italian, coffee will be served inside the pavilion by Bart and Peter Deprez of Kortrijk.

FIT hopes the expo will be the beginning of many success stories, but results, she explains, will not necessarily be instant. “That’s the way it is in business,” she says, pointing out that they often field similar questions when big business delegations travel abroad. “At the end of the mission, it’s difficult to say what the results were. Even when contracts are signed during the mission, they were negotiated weeks or months in advance.”

There will be a lot of business-tobusiness contacts in Milan, Tillekaerts says, but business is always long term. “Business people meet each other, but sometimes you only get a result from that meeting years later.”

She gives the example of the Olympic Games in London in 2012, when FIT hosted an investment seminar. “Now some of them are deciding to invest in Flanders,” she says.

World Expo Milan in figures 1.1 million

square metres of exhibition space, shared by 145 countries organising more than 2,000 events

20 million

visitors expected between now and end October, some two-thirds of them from Italy

€13.1 million

cost of the Belgian pavilion, €5.8 from the federal government, €4.8 million total from the three regions and €2.5 million from the profit made at the last World Expo in Shanghai

€2.1 million

contributed by Flanders to the cost of the Belgian pavilion, 44% of the total contribution from the regions

200

Flemish businesses represented

\5

\ BUSINESS

week in business Agriculture Vlam The Flemish Centre for Agricultural and Fishery Marketing (Vlam) has received a €850,000 grant from the EU to help finance the promotion of Flanders’ sales of pork in Asia and Australia.

Banking Ping An The Chinese financial institution, Fortis Bank’s largest shareholder before the 2007 crash, has lost the litigation case it had brought to the Washington-based International Center for Settlements of Investment Disputes (ICSID) against the Belgian state in the hope of recuperating €2 billion.

Chemicals Govi The engineered chemicals producer, based in the Drongen district of Ghent, has taken over Kuala Lumpur’s Emulco Malaysia company.

Emulco is finalising the construction of a new 20,000 square-metre production unit expected to come on stream by the end of the year.

Chemicals Solvay The Brussels-based plastics and chemicals group is building an 80,000-tonnes-a-year dispersible silica production unit in South Korea, to meet growing demand from the local tyre industry. The new unit is expected to come on stream in 2017.

Dredging Jan De Nul The Aalst-based dredging and underwater contractor has ordered two subsea rock installation ships from China’s Avic Weihai shipyard for delivery in 2017. The ships will be used to install rock substructures at up to 600 metres of depth and to support underwater cable trenching operations.

Delhaize talks merger with AH Fusion with Albert Heijn would create largest supermarket chain Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

B

elgian supermarket chain Delhaize is involved in talks “at the highest level” with Ahold, the company behind Dutch chain Albert Heijn, regarding a possible merger, according to financial daily De Tijd. The talks are said to be in a preliminary phase and any agreement is a long way off.

A merger would create the new largest supermarket chain in Belgium, knocking Colruyt out of first place. Delhaize is currently second largest, with a 22% market share. Albert Heijn lies far behind, with only 30 stores in Belgium. A merger would not be expected to raise any competition issues.

The two sides have begun merger talks once before, in 2006. Talks reached an advanced

© Courtesy Delhaize Group

stage but broke down over a structural question: Ahold wanted to take over Delhaize, but

Marks & Spencer re-opens in Brussels

Saudi Arabia plans €3.7 billion investment in Antwerp

Marks & Spencer (M&S), the beloved British High Street chain famous for pork pies, ready-made chicken tikka masala and comfortable pants, returned to the Brussels shopping scene last week after an absence of 14 years.

The new department store is on Gulden Vlieslaan in a newly constructed block between Riddersstraat and Kapitein Crespelstraat. M&S shares the building with a new outlet of clothing chain Zara, and apartments are located above.

M&S left its Belgian flagship store on Nieuwstraat – as well as 38 more shops across the mainland – in 2001. The comeback has already seen re-openings in Paris and The Hague, and in 2012 Belgian

The board of the port of Antwerp has given the go-ahead to a project that would see a Saudi Arabian company investing an estimated €3.7 billion in the port, with the creation of up to 900 jobs.

The project submitted by Energy Recovery Systems involves a waste-to-chemicals plant to be installed on the Delwaide Dock on the right bank of the Scheldt.

The location is currently occupied by a container terminal operated by the Swiss shipping line MSC, which is slated to move to the new Deurganck dock on the left bank.

A year ago, the Port Authority asked for ideas of how to replace the MSC terminal, and received a number of suggestions. The proposal from Energy Recovery Systems has now won the board’s approval. The new plant takes plastic waste and breaks it

customers could start making use of a webshop for all of their flannel pyjama needs – but not for the famous Food Hall.

The new store takes up 5,000 square metres of floor space and includes a clothing department as well as the Food Hall and restaurant. The block also has underground parking, part of an extension of the existing car park run by Interparking.

“We are delighted that we can make a contribution to the commercial appeal of Brussels with this fine project,” said Philip Van Perlstein, managing director of developer ProWinko, which owns the complex. “With the arrival of these two flagship stores, Brussels consolidates its reputation as a shopping city.” \ AH

Hotels Wiltcher’s The up-market Steigenberger hotel on Louizalaan in Brussels is to be renamed Wiltcher’s following a €6.6 million renovation. The 267-room facility, built in 1989, had been known as the Conrad until two years ago when it was acquired by the German Steigenberger group.

\6

down into raw materials – mainly ammonia and urea - for use by the chemicals industry. If the plant takes up all of the 150 hectares available, it would become the largest of its kind in the world.

ERS representatives met last week with Marc Van Peel, Antwerp’s alderman for port affairs, and port authority managing director Eddy Bruyninckx.

Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever sees the project as an important contribution to Antwerp’s future.

“An investment of this scope in a wholly new production site within the petrochemical cluster would strengthen the position of the port,” he said. “By working for the sustainability of economic activity in the port, we will be able to better situate Antwerp as an important player in the chemicals sector.” \ AH

Mobile payments introduced in all Colruyt supermarkets

Energy Poweo The local gas and electricity distribution affiliate of the French Direct Energie group has received permission to start selling its products in Flanders. The company, which hopes to attract up to 400,000 customers in the region by 2018, has been active in Wallonia since last year.

the Belgian group saw the move more as one of a merger between equals.

Just under a year ago, Delhaize announced it would close 14 stores and lay off 2,500 staff in restructuring aimed at breaking down its competitive disadvantage, estimated at between 15% and 30%, on staff pay and conditions. The restructuring would allow it to invest €450 million in 2015-2017.

Neither Ahold nor Delhaize is controlled by strong family interests – something that had an affect on the failure of earlier talks. Then Delhaize CEO Pierre-Olivier Beckers was a member of one of the founding families. The current board includes one family member and large institutional investors such as BNP Paribas.

© Courtesy Marks & Spencer

Customers line up outside the new Marks & Spencer on Brussels’ Gulden Vlieslaan

Quinoa grain now cultivated in Flanders The first hectare of the South American grain crop quinoa has been sown on Flemish soil, in the East Flemish town of Zulte. About 110 hectares of quinoa will be sown across Belgium this year, 20 of those in Flanders.

“That is a big difference with last year, when only 10 hectares were sown, only in Wallonia,” said spokesperson Greet Riebbels of the Flemish Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (Ilvo).

Ilvo is also involved in experimental research on quinoa cultivation, specifically on studies examining the ideal time for sowing and the right fertilisation processes. Herbicides are being tested at the Provincial Test Centre for Vegetable Cultivation in East Flanders. There currently is no product approved to protect quinoa against weeds, according to Ilvo. \ Andy Furniere

Customers of Colruyt can now make mobile payments using a smartphone app in 470 supermarkets across the country, the company has announced.

The system uses the SEQR app available for Android, Apple and Windows phones and is already available in all the group’s stores, including Colruyt, OKay, Bio-Planet, Dreamland, Dreambaby and Cru. About 70 associated Spar supermarket franchises will join the system in the coming weeks.

Colruyt said it was encouraged by a test project in 20 stores, which saw customers make more than 10,000 transactions using the system. “The project started out brilliantly, and we are very satisfied with the first results,” said project manager Michel Van Mello. “In light of the benefits to the customer, we expect that mobile payment will gradually increase in popularity in the years to come.”

The payment application can also be linked to customer loyalty cards and other discounts, he explained. “In time, you could go shopping bringing only your smartphone and leave that wallet with cash, payment cards and customer loyalty cards at home.”

The SEQR app is free to download and must be coupled to a bank account once to begin operating. To make a payment, customers link to the local Colruyt Group wi-fi in the store, then scan a QR code at the checkout and verify the payment with a PIN code. The app keeps a tally of all spending.

According to Colruyt, the system is safe and easy and can be integrated into the existing checkout system without additional hardware. Transaction costs, the company said, are also lower than competing systems. \ AH

\ INNOVATION

MAY 13, 2015

Chronically exhausted

week in innovation

Non-profit calls for more support for chronic fatigue patients Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

WAKEUPCALLBEWEGING.BE

S

top the Diagnosis is the rather surprising name of the first Flemish campaign to create more awareness about chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

The founder of the non-profit Wake Up Call Movement, CFS patient Gunther De Bock, explains the purpose of the campaign and how CFS affects his life.

You may have heard of the condition but probably have little idea what it entails, except for causing extreme tiredness. According to De Bock, medical experts are also largely in the dark about the nature of CFS. “CFS is a collective term for diseases characterised mainly by abnormal chronic physical and mental fatigue,” he explains. Diagnoses are carried out on the basis of a list of questions known as the Fukuda criteria. If you’re diagnosed with CFS, it means that doctors don’t know the exact cause of your problems and can’t provide a precise treatment.

Figures from the European portal Orphanet indicate that CFS affects between 0.4 and 1% of the population, meaning there are about 25,000 people in Flanders with the syndrome.

De Bock says British researchers found that about 50% of CFS diagnoses are wrong. “So about half of patients are actually suffering from a disease that can be identified and treated,” he says. The range of diseases causing CFS symptoms covers diverse psychological and physical disorders. Among them are depression, burnout, cancer, multiple sclerosis, glandular fever and many rarer conditions.

“But it’s expensive to test patients

© VRT

Up to 25,000 people in Flanders have a chronic illness such as chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia

for a range of disorders, including rarer ones,” says De Bock. “Because the Belgian medical insurance agency Riziv won’t provide funding to carry out all these tests for patients with extreme fatigue symptoms, doctors have to diagnose them with CFS.” After diagnosis, patients in Belgium can receive two kinds of therapies that are paid back by Riziv: cognitive behavioural therapy and gradual exercise therapy. They also have to adjust their lifestyle within certain physical limits.

But these therapies suggest, says De Bock, that CFS is a psychosomatic disorder, caused by mental problems rather than physical illness. “For certain patients, this kind of therapy can help,” he says.

“But many patients need more thorough testing to find a proper biomedical treatment.”

According to a 2008 report by the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre, therapies provided between 2002 and 2004 by CFS centres at hospitals had a very limited effect on the condition of

patients. There was no clear effect on their exertion capacity, quality of life or chance of returning to work.

Reform led to the establishment of new multidisciplinary diagnostic CFS centres last September, with the idea that hospital specialists will collaborate more and GPs will play a more central role. But De Bock fears the reform will have little effect, since the centres will still have to focus on the psychosomatic therapies recognised by Riziv.

So he is calling on the government to expand the treatments recognised by Riziv and to no longer use the Fukuda criteria, as he believes they are too general. He wants to see them use the more specific Canadian criteria, which emphasise the extreme exhaustion after activity, known as post-exertional malaise.

More research is also needed, says De Bock. A very promising study is being carried out in Norway, where an accidental therapy was discovered when a women receiving chemotherapy for cancer was

also relieved from her chronic fatigue symptoms.

In an open letter to Belgium’s public health minister, Maggie De Block, CFS experts from five local universities recently demanded more government support to establish CFS research chairs at universities To help CFS patients in Belgium financially, the Wake Up Call Movement is calling on the government to improve social security provisions. “When CFS patients have to give up their jobs because of their health problems, they have difficulty receiving social security support,” De Bock explains.

The syndrome also has a major impact on patients’ social lives, adds De Bock, who was diagnosed with CFS in 2001. “Because there is little known about it and the effects are not very visible, many people in your professional and personal environment think you’re exaggerating your problems. Going out also takes so much effort that it’s impossible to do it regularly, which increases social isolation.”

De Bock had to give up his job after falling ill and now has to sleep at least 12 hours a day. After even a short outdoor activity, he needs to spend weeks recuperating at home. “After two hours of shopping, I feel like I’ve run a marathon,” he says.

To create more awareness around CFS, the movement is organising campaign shows in Mechelen, Bruges, Hasselt and Antwerp.

Apart from providing information, the events include performances

by Flemish singer Mira and standup comedian Jens Dendoncker.

Animators sell Europe on insects as food at Expo pavilion WWW.THEOTHERS.TV

Creepy crawlies are hardly the most enticing of hosts, but they will be greeting visitors at Belgium’s Expo 2015 pavilion in Milan with an unlikely proposition: Eat us!

The subject ties in with the overall Expo theme, Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life, and with Flanders’ pioneering of insect farming and products. Yet rather than show the insects themselves, they are represented in a series of engaging animations developed with holographic projections and ultra-realistic 3D technology.

“Instead of having a vivarium of live insects, we thought, why not make 3D models of the bugs and provide more info, showing them in their natural environment?” says Emmanuel Verplancke, the Flemish head of The Others, the studio behind the clips.

Verplancke, who set up The Others

six years ago, says the Expo project was an opportunity for the studio to translate the serious issue of alternative foods through a fun short movie. “We studied the subject, looking at new ways of producing foods and suggested an animation based on technological innovations in the food industry,” he explains.

The Others specialises in developing animations for public agencies and NGOs around weighty themes, including campaigns for the European Commission, the International Diabetes Federation and the Belgian government on the First World War centenary.

The animations use a variety of techniques and styles – from solid 3D to retro stylised to sketchy cartoon – and convey complicated ideas in short, digestible clips. They also have a roster of big-

name commercial clients, including Proximus and Sony Entertainment.

Verplancke moved into the world of animation after years in advertising and communications consultancy. “Professionally speak-

ing, I had no experience in animation,” he says. “I was just a huge fan of cartoons and comics.” His business partner is Wendy Van Houdt, a Fleming who had worked in London as an advertising director.

Though The Others is based in Barcelona and the animators are Catalans, many of Verplancke’s clients are linked to the European and international institutions in Brussels, where the company also has an office. “Working from Barcelona, with a different cultural mix, I can offer something different.”

He says the Milan Expo project has helped stretch his range. “A project like this forces you to come up with interesting, creative solutions,” he says. “It is an auteur project, which is very satisfying: You create your own stuff and then find out if people like it. And they do.”

A thousand youngsters programme together Last week, more than 1,000 children aged between 10 and 14 learned how to programme software at an event in Genk organised by not-for-profit organisation CoderDojo Belgium to introduce children to digital technology and get them interested in studying science and technology. The event took place during the school day to reach children who don’t necessarily attend after-school science activities.

Dozens of enterprises including Telenet provided computers on which the 1,127 children could practise, and hundreds of volunteers helped them programme computer games and other digital applications.

There was also an extensive programme of activities, with a focus on technology.

World record for biggest chemistry lesson A total of 1,018 students from the fifth and sixth years of 26 Flemish primary schools turned out last week at Technopolis in Mechelen to break the world record for the biggest ever chemistry lesson.

The previous record, set by 837 students in the UK, was set in 2012. The initiative was organised by Technopolis and Essencia, the federation for the chemicals, plastics and lifesciences industries and will now be included in the Guinness World Records. The lesson was led by Flemish meteorologist Frank De Boosere and education minister Hilde Crevits. Among other experiments, children learned how to make hair gel and “super slime” and how to produce fizzy gasses.

De Block wants to limit hospital stays Federal health minister Maggie De Block is calling on home care associations to start trial projects that help new mothers and their babies stay in hospital for shorter periods and recover from the deliveries at home. She is also considering projects that organise treatments such as kidney dialysis and chemotherapy in patients’ homes. The trials are part of the reform of the hospital financing system, proposed

by De Block and included in the federal government agreements. “We are examining how the duration of the hospital stay can be limited in the future,” a health ministry spokesperson told Deredactie. be. “But this cannot be carried out without strengthening home health care and making sure that the care in hospitals and the care at home complement each other.” \ AF

\ Leo Cendrowicz

\7

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\ EDUCATION

MAY 13, 2015

From Socrates to Allah

week in education

Dialogue coaches help schoolteachers broach sensitive subjects Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

D

arwin’s theory of evolution, homosexuality and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – these are just some of the topics that can prove difficult to discuss in classrooms where students come from different religious and social backgrounds. School administrators and educators unsure how to best broach such subjects can now enlist the help of the Erasmus University College Brussels and its dialogue coaches.

The idea for the new initiative, called Democratic Dialogue, came from Sigrid Van Eepoel, head of the teachers’ studies programme for secondary education at the Brussels college. She was inspired by a 2014 study conducted by the King Baudouin Foundation that found that differences in religion and beliefs, particularly between Muslims and non-Muslims, were causing increasing tensions in Brussels schools, which in turn led to more topics becoming off limits in the classroom.

Still, Van Eepoel emphasises that the new project doesn’t just aim to improve classroom conversations about Islam, but also other potentially sensitive issues, like bullying, far-right politics, sexuality, conservative Christianity and Zionism. “Our initiative also aims to investigate which issues are harder to bring up in class,” she explains.

Secondary schools’ official learn-

© Erasmushogeschool Brussel

Dialogue coaches help students to express themselves assertively but not aggressively

ing plan requires teachers to give lessons on certain sensitive topics.

But many teachers lack the time or skills to lead constructive classroom conversations centred on such subjects, Van Eepoel explains.

“Many biology teachers, for example, are not able to integrate a discussion on religious opposition to the evolution theory in their lessons because they have too many other subjects to explain or are insufficiently trained to do so,” she says.

That’s where the dialogue coaches – a team of psychologists, philosophers, Islam experts and teachers, all selected and trained by Van Eepoel – come in.

After a school signs up for the Democratic Dialogue service, which costs €1,980, two experts who complement each other travel to the school to assist the teachers.

After an introductory intake meet-

ing, the two coaches conduct three half-day sessions with students.

These coach-led sessions in many cases consist of group discussions – either with the entire class or with smaller groups of students.

The coaches try to streamline the conversation by setting certain rules to make sure that students express themselves assertively but not aggressively. Students are, for instance, expected to wait for their turn to speak, to offer arguments or counterarguments calmly and to be ready to examine things from a different perspective.

“This way, fellow students can, for example, learn that a Jewish student can also be critical of Israeli politics,” says Van Eepoel. “It can also help break down prejudices about gay people, for instance.”

One of the coaches, Eef Cornelissen, is a philosopher who specialises in the Socratic method. “This

consists mainly of asking people profound questions without immediately judging their responses,” he explains. “When students feel that you are not lecturing them, you create more space to calmly discuss things together.”

The Socratic method teaches students to think critically, to argue in a constructive manner and to reflect on issues in a group setting. “They also learn to identify which feelings and ideas are hidden behind certain statements and reactions they themselves or others make,” Cornelissen explains.

Meanwhile, the team’s Islam expert can help expand the views of Muslim students on religious topics, such as the Koran’s passage on the creation of the world in six days. An Islam expert can point out to the young adults that the word used for “day” in that particular passage can also mean “era”.

In addition, the Koran also mentions that one day on Earth equals thousands of years for Allah.

This insight might help abate some students’ rejection of the evolution theory, allay their fears of not obeying religious precepts and maybe even have an effect on radical positions.

The Democratic Dialogue initiative was launched with the support of the government of Flanders.

Children’s Commission wants alternatives to expulsion Schools need to develop other methods of dealing with negative behaviour than expelling students.

That is one of the main recommendations from Flanders’ Children’s Rights Commission in a new report on disciplinary policy in Flemish schools.

According to the report, 2,800 students were permanently expelled from school in Flanders during the 2013-14 academic year.

The commission said that alterna-

tives to this drastic measure must be explored. “We want to help schools to handle disciplinary measures in a more positive, constructive manner so that more students are kept on board,” explained children’s rights commissioner Bruno Vanobbergen.

According to Vanobbergen, students often respond to being suspended temporarily, referred to in Flanders as a “time-out”. When given a time-out, students receive guidance and can explore other

activities. “This way, both the school staff and the student can calm down for a while,” says Vanobbergen. “After two or three weeks, the student goes back to school, often with positive results.”

The commissioner emphasised the importance of making sure students know what is expected of them during a time-out period.

The GO! community education network agreed with the report.

“Kicking children out of school

Q&A

\ Andy Furniere

WWW.TINYURL.COM/RESTJES

Jill De Graaf, a graphic design student at Sint-Lucas University College in Antwerp, went for 30 days living on food given to her for free when she found out that one of her closest friends was too embarrassed to talk about not being able to afford groceries You would have to be very motivated to do this experiment…

Knowing my friend was too poor to buy food and at the same time seeing how many – still edible – products supermarkets throw away each day, I realised I had to do something. And, if you want to make a difference, best to start with yourself, no?

should be the very last resort,” said spokesperson Sarina Simenon.

“The goal of schools should be to help each youngster graduate. In terms of difficult behaviour, there are many steps that can be taken to keep students in the system.”

The Children’s Rights Commission also recommends including students in drawing up school regulations and to involve parents in disciplinary policies.

How did you manage to survive like this?

On 31 March, I emptied my cupboards and talked to the supermarket chains and smaller grocery shops in the neighbourhood. The chains were never very helpful. Often their policy is not to give food away, even if it’s still OK for consumption.

I got more help from the local shops.

Let’s say 30% of them gave me food when I asked for it.

pasta. It gave a huge boost to my diet, I must say. I ate very little meat or fish, only when I was invited to a friend’s house. I did miss coffee, though. I realise that now.

Were you hungry?

It didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything. I ate plenty of vegetables and fruit. Once I got flour and learned how to make my own

Is this something you would recommend other people do?

Why not? It has been an eye-opener on how little we actually need to eat to be satisfied. The first time I went back to the supermarket after my experiment, I found myself going home with … some yoghurt.

That’s all. All the other stuff … well, I guess I just didn’t need it.

Transforming Hasselt into student city

The student councils in Hasselt are organising a debate to discuss ways to make the city more student-friendly. On May 19, students will exchange ideas with policymakers from institutions and the City of Hasselt. On the agenda at the inaugural debate are questions on things such as nightlife, student services and co-operation between university and city. The debate will also examine whether students are sufficiently involved in the plans of the city and the higher education institutions. Students and policymakers will also discuss broader topics related to studying in Limburg, such as the influence of budget cuts and students’ chances of finding a job after graduation.

Call for clarity for STEM studies The Flemish education networks want clearer regulations for STEM studies (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in the first year of secondary education. More and more schools that provide general education are introducing courses in STEM studies, according to the education minister, Hilde Crevits. About 50 Flemish secondary schools are currently developing STEM programmes, including lessons in programming and robotics. The education networks are concerned about the lack of regulation around these STEM programmes and said that learning materials, training for teachers and the final requirements for graduates need to be adjusted.

Award for online baking portal A Bachelor’s student in business sciences at Ghent University (UGent) has won the fifth edition of the Student Entrepreneur of Ghent contest.

Maxim Sergeant developed bakkersonline.be where bakers from Belgium, the Netherlands and France can sell their products. He is now working on a similar platform for butchers. A jury and online voters gave Sergeant the edge over four other finalists. According to a statement, Sergeant won thanks to his “well thought-out concept, his perseverance and his bottomless enthusiasm”. The election was organised by student entrepreneurship centres at UGent, Artevelde University College and University College Ghent with the project Student Ghentrepreneur, which is subsidised by the government of Flanders’ agency for entrepreneurship. \ AF

\ Interview by Débora Votquenne

\9

\ LIVING

week in activities Blankenberge Harbour Festival

Celebration of traditional fishing culture on the Flemish coast: live music, folk dancing, harbour tours, activities for kids and more. North Sea Folk and Shanty Festival on Friday and Saturday. 14-17 May, Blankenberge harbour; free

\ www.havenfeesten.be

Antwerp Tastes Culinary festival on the banks of the Scheldt, with dozens of top chefs and restaurants. Entry price includes a drink. Most dishes €5 or €7.50. 14-17 May, Waagnatie, Rijnkaai 150, Antwerp; €5.50 \ www.antwerpenproeft.be

Gay Pride Parade The highlight of the Pride Festival is the colourful parade through the city centre. Pride Village opens at 12.30 and parade is officially launched at 14.00, followed by DJ sets and musical acts on the main stage. 16 May 12.00-00.00; Beursplein, Brussels; free \ www.pride.be

Quondam Medieval festival with activities for young and old: learn to swing a sword, shoot a bow, make candles or weave a basket. Tournaments, games and a medieval market, too. 16-17 May 11.00-18.00, ’t Hooghuis, Hemelshoek 235, Berlaar (Antwerp province); €7-€12, free for under-6s \ www.quondam.be

Rawhide Cup Western-style horse show with riding competitions and demos. Saturday evening BBQ (€15, reservations required.) 16-17 May 9.00-19.00, Rawhide Ranch, Dikberg 29, Herentals (Antwerp province); free \ www.prab.be

Coudenberg Family Day Discover the period of Charles V with activities for the whole family: crossbow shooting, Renaissance cuisine, medicinal herbs, historical dancing, games and more. 17 May 10.0018.00, Coudenberg Museum, Paleizenplein 7, Brussels; €4-€6, free for under-18s \ www.coudenberg.com

\ 10

For whom the bell tolls

Two centuries of Flemish funeral culture on show at Ghent exhibition Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

WWW.CAERMERSKLOOSTER.BE

D

id you know that the bells in Flanders used to toll longer for a rich dead person than for a poor dead person? And that babies were baptised in the womb if it was thought the mother would miscarry?

An exhibition at the Caermersklooster, a former convent in Ghent, is bringing to light these and other aspects of Flemish funeral and burial culture.

According to curator Sharon Schepens, RIP: 200 Years of Funeral Culture in Flanders was staged primarily to put rituals that are disappearing in the spotlight. “Funeral customs have been changing gradually for 200 years, and more rapidly in the last 40 years,” she says.

Schepens works for the Liberal Archive, which organised the exhibition. The project is part of the virtual Museum of the Flemish Social Struggle, an initiative by four Flemish archives to highlight the region’s social history.

The exhibition first guides visitors through the customs after a person dies, in four rooms dubbed chapels. After standing by a deathbed, you pay your respects at a small mourning chapel next to the coffin, which used to be installed in the dead person’s home.

You then attend a funeral ceremony, with mourners sitting in two groups alongside the coffin, according to gender. While the exhibition focuses on Catholic rituals, the last chapel briefly explains Jewish and Muslim traditions.

Visitors then arrive at the showpiece: a funeral carriage from the 1930s. Alongside it, mannequins dressed in black lace show former trends in mourning fashion. “These

clothes were only affordable for the rich,” says Schepens. “The poor sometimes had to dye their clothes black for a funeral.”

The poor sometimes had to dye their clothes black for a funeral This illustrates one of the main messages of the exhibitions: that everybody was equal in death, but some were more equal than others. Church accounts and illustrations demonstrate how there were several luxury categories of carriages and mourning chapels.

You could even determine the social status of the person who had died by the tolling of church bells.

For the rich, they chimed longer than for the poor, and later in the day.

“The earlier in the morning a funeral was, the cheaper the service,” explains Schepens.

“These differences according to social status have gradually faded, though some funerals are of course still more luxurious than others.”

While the Catholic church used to strictly dictate the way funeral rituals should be carried out, this changed around 1850. More and more liberal-minded citizens refused to accept the Catholic regulations, wanting to choose their own rites of burial. To protect them against the resistance of clergy or relatives, they drew up wills, explicitly stating their wishes.

The church only reluctantly accepted the reduction of its authority over funeral rituals, which led to “cemetery wars” in

Until 14 June

which clergy boycotted the use of unconsecrated cemeteries.

Cremation only became a widespread custom in the 1970s, after the church loosened up its attitude towards it.

RIP also showcases modern “designer urns” and eco-friendly, biodegradable urns. Increased environmental consciousness has also led to funerals at natural sites in various countries, but legislation to allow this custom in Flanders has not yet been drawn up.

You’ll also find several curiosities, such as a syringe used to baptise a baby in the womb, when it was feared that it would be stillborn.

Children who died before being baptised were believed to end up in Limbo – a place belonging neither to Heaven or Hell.

The fear of being buried alive, brought on by hastily organised funerals in times of epidemics, also led to a curious creation: coffins that allow a person still alive inside to breathe and signal for help by waving a flag on the surface.

The exhibition shows how artists have given death a place in their work, now and in the past. Works include a reproduction of an etching by James Ensor and an installation of miniature ceramic figures

by Ingeborg De Poorter, made while she was battling cancer.

And cartoons at the end encourage visitors to “always look on the bright side of death” – as the Monty Python crew sing in Life of Brian.

Caermersklooster

Vrouwebroersstraat 6, Ghent

BITE New food bus takes dinner out on the road We’ve had Dinner in the Sky; we’ve had meals served atop the arches in Jubelpark; we’ve dined while trundling through Brussels on a tram.

There’s no end to the wacky ways people can think of to make eating a more interesting experience beyond simply what’s on the plate.

Now along comes Dinner on the Road, which claims to be the “first travelling restaurant in the world”. (True if you ignore the Tram Experience and every long-distance train ever.) Dinner on the Road is a customised bus with a kitchen and 16 places for diners around a communal table. It’s fitted with a sort of conveyor belt serving platform such as you might find in a sushi bar, necessary because there’s no room for servers to pass behind the diners.

“With Dinner on the Road we want to offer the public an original culinary experience with a futuristic touch,” explains co-founder David Ghysels, one of the brains behind Dinner in the

Sky, which puts diners around a table dangling from a crane above the Brussels skyline. “Dinner on the Road is not just the latest pop-up restaurant, as it goes to pick clients up and later drops them off where they want to be, whether that’s a hotel, an office or a monument.”

They aim to attract B2B customers – perhaps a company that takes over the whole bus for an evening, says co-founder Stefan Kerkhofs – but also members of the public, who will be able to sign up for particular routes. Those include a mining route in Limburg, a trip to the coast or a ride amid the hills and dales of the Flemish Ardennes.

“The strength of the concept is that it could be anywhere, because we come to you,” Kerkhofs says. Within Belgium, the bus will be available for hire, including all fixtures and fittings. For interested parties outside Belgium, the buses are for sale.

WWW.DINNERONTHEROAD.BE

© Courtesy Dinner on the Road

The start-up bus uses 25% less fuel than a normal bus of its size. By 2020, Ghysels says, they’re aiming to be fully electric. Dinner on the Road begins on 29 October, and you can sign up now for updates.

Meanwhile, Dinner in the Sky, the pair’s first bright idea to change the way the nation dines, goes from strength to strength, with the concept now sold to 50 countries, most recently Australia, Malaysia, Norway and Singapore. \ Alan Hope

MAY 13, 2015

Brave little Belgium

Professor Sophie De Schaepdrijver on teaching Americans about the First World War Courtney Davis More articles by Courtney \ flanderstoday.eu

I

n 1916, a young Belgian woman was executed by a firing squad in Brussels after she was convicted of espionage by the Germans in the First World War. A highschool dropout who wanted to be a teacher, Gabrielle Petit had found herself stuck in dead-end jobs in the years before the war, and she took the lifeline the British Secret Service offered.

“Spying was her way out and up,” says Kortrijk native Sophie De Schaepdrijver.

“She saw her chance to become somebody.

She remained defiant to the end.”

The story of Petit is the focus of De Schaepdrijver’s latest book, Gabrielle Petit: The Death and Life of a Female Spy in the First World War. De Schaepdrijver is an associate professor at Pennsylvania State University, where she teaches modern European History. Her passion for the book’s topic extends to the entire period surrounding the First World War, which she focuses on as a researcher.

De Schaepdrijver was awarded the Davidsfonds History Prize by cultural organisation and publisher Davidsfonds earlier this year. “I was nominated because of the massive public interest in the centenary of the First World War,” she explains. “I wrote and presented a documentary and curated a historical exhibition. So I engaged in what we call public history. There was a great deal of response from the audience, which was absolutely thrilling.”

She’s being modest. Her four-part documentary Brave Little Belgium aired on Canvas last summer, while the exhibition she curated was on display at the Belfort in Bruges for five months last year.

For someone so immersed in telling the story of war to the Flemish population, De Schaepdrijver’s actual location is somewhat surprising: she has been based in the US since 1995.

While Flanders might seem like the ideal location to study the First World War, De Schaepdrijver is quick to point out that her adopted home was also involved in the war.

“The US entered the war in 1917. But, before that, it was very involved in a humanitarian capacity,” she explains. “US volunteers launched the Commission for the Relief of Belgium, which was the first global food-aid effort in history. All of that material is here.”

Another advantage to being located in the US, she continues “is that you are surrounded by people from all parts of the globe, working on a wide variety of topics, so that forces you to explain what is interesting about your own topic.”

© Sarah Bauwens

Sophie De Schaepdrijver at the Bruges at War exhibition she curated last year

After completing her history degree at the Free University of Brussels (VUB) in 1983, De Schaepdrijver went on to study at the European University Institute in Florence. After that, she completed a PhD at the University of Amsterdam, concentrating on migration to Brussels in the mid-19th century. She later joined Leiden University.

some to have to deal with rude students,” she says. “As for the education system, I like that liberal arts subjects, such as history, are also chosen by students who then go on to other things. For instance, one of my students wrote an excellent honours thesis about youth culture in 1950s Britain and then went on to become a surgeon.”

US volunteers launched the Commission for the Relief of Belgium, which was the first global food-aid effort in history Having lived in a handful of places in the US with her husband and two children since the mid-1990s, De Schaepdrijver has had time to reflect on her extensive experience abroad.

She finds American students to be mainly hardworking, friendly and polite. “I know that sounds old-fashioned, but it is weari-

For De Schaepdrijver, the clichéd American can-do attitude has held true, but the notion that there’s a lack of interest in history was disproven. “Young Americans are much more keen to learn about the past – and not just their past – than many young people back home,” she says. “And history is not

considered a minor subject at university.”

Despite – or perhaps because of – the size of America, De Schaepdrijver misses the diversity of her native country. Due to its density, she says, “there is more going on per square mile in Belgium; there are more differences.

I miss city life, especially Brussels.”

It’s one of many local aspects she looks forward to embracing in the future. “Once my husband and I retire, we have plans to live part of the year in Belgium – provided our children will not be too far away.”

For now, De Schaepdrijver is looking ahead to a less-distant future – and the past. “I would like to collaborate with US historians working on the Civil War – I think the First World War and the Civil War have some elements in common,” she says. “Next to my teaching, I have a lot of freedom to pursue my work, as long as I can demonstrate that I publish books and engage in activities.”

NEW SERIES: Our interview with Sophie De Schaepdrijver is the first in a new monthly series on Flemings living and working in the US

Daughters of late designer Kaat Tilley open pop-up store You know summer season is nigh when pop-up stores and bars start, er, popping up just about everywhere. Starting on 22 May, Kaat Tilley fans can immerse themselves in the dreamy world of the late Flemish fashion designer at the pop-up Experience Store in Ghent.

Tilley, from Asbeek in Flemish Brabant, passed away from a viral infection in 2012 at the age of 52.

After her unexpected death, her daughters, Rebekka and Epiphany, took over the label.

“We had always wanted to organise something to recreate the Kaat Tilley universe,” Epiphany explains.

“When we stumbled upon this beautiful house in Ghent, stripped to its essentials with bare walls and visible wooden beams, the idea of a store with a bar came spontaneously.”

From Thursday to Sunday, visitors to the pop-up store, housed in the old townhouse, can see, touch and buy items from the Kaat Tilley collection, as well as artwork by Panamarenko, jewellery by George Cuyvers and animaux speciaux, or animal curiosities, by Jeroen Lemaître.

22 May to late July

“We selected artists we’ve met through the years and who’ve left a deep impression on us,” says Epiphany. “People who love pretty things will leave the Experience Store feeling happy.”

Don’t forget to stop by the bar for a drink on your way out. \ Katrien Lindemans

Experience Store Burgstraat 15, Ghent

\ 11

The Bulletin and ING Belgium invite you to a seminar on

Make the best of your pension in belgiuM • Caroline Huys,

26th of May 2015

• Hugues Thibaut,

Metro: Mérode

National Pension Office, “Update on the latest changes” International Affairs Manager, Group S, “The second pillar and additional benefits”

Orange Room, ING headquarter building Cours Saint Michel, 40 – 1040 Brussels • Registrations from 17h30.

• Seminar starts at 18h00 sharp.

• Dave Deruytter,

Head of Expatriates and Non-residents, ING Belgium, “ Expat Pension – Deciding on your priorities whilst cutting the risks”

Free entry • Register before May 22 at www.xpats.com/pension

\ ARTS

MAY 13, 2015

Better together

Brother and sister act K’s Choice are back with shows and a new album Christophe Verbiest More articles by Christophe \ flanderstoday.eu

WWW.KSCHOICE.ROCKS

Flemish brother and sister Gert and Sarah Bettens - better known as K’s Choice have given up writing songs separately on their short but sweet new album, The Phantom Cowboy.

S

iblings Gert and Sarah Bettens of K’s Choice have been making music together for more than two decades.

But, until a few years ago, they wrote their songs separately.

Sarah has been living in the US for many years, but even when they were both living in Flanders, they penned songs alone, presenting them to the other for comments, alterations or rejection. But that has all changed with their new album, The Phantom Cowboy.

“We tried to work together for our first record, but it just felt more comfortable to do it alone,” says Gert. “Now I think of it, it is slightly surprising, since we know each other so well. If we don’t like what the other does, we can say it without worrying about hurting each other’s feelings.”

“Now,” Sarah adds, “we felt it was time to try it”.

With their hit single “Not an Addict”, K’s Choice experienced major success in the second half of the 1990s, extensively touring Europe and the US. In 2003, they decided to take a break: Sarah embarked on a solo career, while Gert formed a new band, Woodface.

Five years ago they reunited and released Echo Mountain. But it’s this year that feels like a watershed for the band: With 11 tightly rocking songs and lasting only 30 minutes, The Phantom Cowboy feels like a new start for K’s Choice.

It’s their shortest album to date, and never before have they penned such sort songs, devoid of redundancies and played with a sense of urgency. “We had set out from the start to not put too many songs on the album,” Sarah says, “but we didn’t think the album would be so short because we couldn’t imagine the songs would be that concise.”

For his part, Gert says he prefers “for people to think, ‘what a shame this great album is already over’, instead of saying the record contains great songs but is too long. Think of The Ramones.”

Or the American band Magnapop, who made some great albums in the 1990s and are another reference The Phantom Cowboy has regularly evoked.

“In the past, our albums were a collection of songs we had written in the previous two years,” says Sarah, “but this time we clearly stated what kind of record we wanted to make before we started to write.”

© Anton Coene

Sarah (left) and Gert Bettens collaborated on songwriting for the first time, producing a watershed album

The new album will naturally be the focus of this month’s concerts across Belgium, but let’s hope for the fans they’ll play for a bit longer than 30 minutes.

Of course, assures Sarah. “Some older songs fit the new approach, and we have some others that we can make fit. Anyway, it’s not the kind of music you can easily listen to for, let’s say, 90 minutes. That’s way too tiresome for the audience, I think.”

I prefer people to think, ‘what a shame this great album is already over’ Musically, The Phantom Cowboy is an album with one clear line, and lyrically, the songs fit nicely together. Gert: “That’s a coincidence.

The only approach we confirmed before

writing was that we didn’t want to bare our souls in all the songs, as we regularly did in the past.”

The music, continues Sarah, “wouldn’t suit lyrics that are melancholy or full of metaphors. They had to be more assertive.”

“But in the end,” says Gert, “the songs still deal with personal issues.” Like coping with getting older, notes Sarah.

At first, The Phantom Cowboy was only a working title, taken from Scooby-Doo and the Phantom Cowboy, a book one of Sarah’s children brought to the studio. But in the end they couldn’t think of a better title. By then they had also written a song with the same name. Sarah: “It’s about a mysterious, lonely figure travelling through the desert.”

It wasn’t difficult for her to identify with this type of character. “I owe much of my happiness to the people around me,” she says, “yet I also feel that, at the end of the day, you fall asleep alone with your own thoughts.

No one else can fully understand what you think or feel.”

Sarah, who also has American citizenship, lives with her wife and their children in Johnson City, Tennessee. Since 2012, the year she

turned 40, she’s been part of the town’s fire brigade, the only woman in the team. “I had the feeling that if I still wanted to do something else with my life, it was now or never.

It’s compensation for all the hobbies I never had time for.”

She likes “the camaraderie, the physicality of the work,” she says, “and how the job has a clear start and end. I love that regularity; for a musician, the work never really stops.”

The Phantom Cowboy will be released in the US in September. “In America, we can still draw on the success we had in the past,” she says. “For instance, we did a small acoustic tour last year.”

“But we haven’t toured there with a full band for ages,” says Gert. “It would be great if we finally could go back with this album.”

Sarah: “Having an American career is still a dream, even more so since it became my home country.”

The K’s Choice Belgian tour in May is sold out with the exception of a rehearsal show on 19 May in Opwijk and 25 May in Binche. Get tickets now for their December show at the Ancienne Belgique in Brussels

More new music out now Elisa Waut

The Hickey Underworld

Portraits and Landscapes • Starman

III • [PIAS]

Thirty years ago in the Flemish music scene, sensuality was spelled “Elisa Waut”. In the second half of the 1980s, the trio from Bruges were one of the region’s most popular bands.

They called it a day in 1998, but all good things return: 17 years after their last album they’re releasing number seven, Portraits and Landscapes. Elsje Helewaut’s sensuous voice still lies at the heart of the dozen pop songs, arranged with a great ear for detail by her brother, Hans.

The band’s a family affair, since Elsje’s partner, Chery Derycke, is the third member. The songs are majestic but never overwhelming, though they seem to belong to another age.

The line-up of Antwerp heavy rockers The Hickey Underworld has undergone an alteration: For medical reasons, Jonas Govaerts, who released his first feature film, Cub, last year, had to step down as guitarist, to be replaced by Tim Vanhamel. That hasn’t led to a radical change, as their third album, III (not “three”, but “ill”), proves. The lumbering rhythms of their noisy rock are as prominent as ever. Their melodic sensibility seems to have grown, counterbalancing the dingy atmosphere that’s still characteristic for these dealers in demonic rock riffs.

\ 13

\ ARTS

week in arts & CULTURE Alain Platel awarded French title in Order of Arts

Alain Platel, the Ghent-based choreographer and founder of the ballet company Les Ballets C de la B, has been awarded the title Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government, the highest award offered to artists in France. He joins the ranks of such contemporary luminaries as Patti Smith and David Bowie, and from the past, TS Eliot and Audrey Hepburn.

Fellow Belgian Commanders include Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker and José Van Dam.

Planckendael baby elephant diagnosed with jaundice Planckendael’s latest addition to its elephant family, temporarily named Baby Q, has jaundice, according to a veterinary expert. Having given birth last month at the animal park in Mechelen, the baby’s mother, May Tagu, would not let him feed from her. She also impeded his efforts to stand up. Zookeepers removed Baby Q and fed him with milk from another of its elephants. The baby eventually found his feet and was allowed to return to the herd.

Planckendael’s team have consulted international experts, and a veterinarian has now said Baby Q has jaundice, which means he is experiencing problems with his liver. The condition is making his skin peel. Zookeepers have reinforced Baby Q’s milk with vitamins and minerals to treat the condition. They are introducing him to his mother a little at a time. “As we continue consultations with European Asian elephant experts, we are doing everything we can to make sure that Q has a place in the herd,” said the park in a statement. “But that is a prolonged process and happens in small steps.”

Selleslags archives given to FotoMuseum The Antwerp FotoMuseum has received a permanent loan of the entire photo archives of Herman Selleslags and his father, Rik (1911-1982), consisting of hundreds of thousands of prints and an unknown number of undeveloped rolls. Herman Selleslags, now aged 77, went to work in his father's photo agency when he was 16 and, throughout the years, has worked for virtually every magazine in Flanders.

He is famous for his portraits of local and international stars such as Mick Jagger, Hugo Claus and Julien Schoenaerts.

Art of the country Flemish Ardennes parcours makes the most of lovely rural landscape Tom Peeters More articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

It’s an unlikely setting, but 50 artists have started a humble, intriguing conversation with the pastoral landscape of the Flemish Ardennes in the art parcours Pass.

Y

ou may have never heard of Huise, Lede, Mullem and Wannegem before: four tiny villages hidden behind the spring green hills of the Flemish Ardennes. Strolling on the peaceful country roads and paths connecting them, you see their church towers and windmills on the horizon; a work of art in itself.

But from now until July, your walking experience will be enhanced by Pass, the works of 50-plus contemporary artists pursuing a dialogue with these idyllic surroundings in East Flanders.

The works include photos, drawings, paintings and sound and conceptual installations by the likes of painter Michaël Borremans, photographer Dirk Braeckman and painter and sculptor Thierry De Cordier. Approaching the church in Huise, you hear an installation by Emilio LópezMenchero: Both the Dutch and the French versions of “Le Plat pays” – Jacques Brel’s ode to the Flemish flat lands – echo in turn on the not-so-flat country.

López-Menchero is the artist whose Tarzan howl you could hear in Ghent during the 2000 Over the Edges exhibition curated by Jan Hoet, who died last year. Fifteen years later, son Jan Hoet Jr looks over the job he’s done for Pass and smiles.

Contrary to earlier forecasts, the sun is warming up the rural landscape on the opening afternoon of the art route. Looking at the sky, he says: “Maybe he’s done some sweeping up there,” referring to his father.

In fact, there’s a clear link between the new art route and the successful Sint-Jan exhibition he organised three years ago in Ghent’s Sint-Baafs cathedral, which explored the relationship between contemporary art and religion.

Both were initiated by artist Kris

Johan de Wit’s chapel in the countryside

\ 14

WWW.PASSS.BE

© Photos by Christophe Vander Eecken

Artists Kris Martin (left) and Thierry De Cordier at the church in Wannegem

Martin, who recently moved to Mullem. Both were also put together in a short time with almost no budget. The organisers primarily relied on private sponsors and the goodwill of the artists and local volunteers.

“It’s art for the sake of the art,” says Hoet. He used to have a gallery in Ghent, but gave it up when he started getting the feeling that it was more about the money than the art. Martin, relocated from Ghent to his home region, alerted his long-time friend not only to the beauty of these four villages, just west of the busy N60 road between Oudenaarde and Ghent, but also to the openness of its residents.

“This rather traditional habitat is not the obvious place for contemporary art, but the reception and the commitment of the locals was heartwarming,” says Hoet.

“To share our intentions, we invited them to Mullem parish hall,” continues Martin. “And they approved almost immediately.”

That’s got a lot to do with the relaxed, bottom-up approach and

their ultimate goal, which is looking not for a confrontation but for symbiosis. Martin: “A quote by Oudenaarde-born artist Honoré d’O says it all: ‘What can we add to this beauty? It is already perfect as it is’.”

“The choice of artists wasn’t based on intellectualism,” says Hoet, recalling the laid-back atmosphere among them during a preparatory afternoon walk through the local landscape. “In Renaissance times, some churches selected artists because of their pleasant personality, rather than based on technical skills.”

At first, he continues, the curators “only wanted to display art in the four village churches. But soon we realised that poetic interventions elsewhere would only deepen the experience, and we created a real route.” On the route, which takes three to four hours, the churches serve as landmarks and larger exhibition spaces.

“Who doesn’t want to display their art in a church?” he asks. The three drawings by David Claerbout in the sacristy of the church in Lede, one hanging just above the ciborium and the carafe of wine, emphasise the sacred character.

“Or take this painting by the American mixed-media artist Liam Everett,” Hoet points out, standing in the church in Huise. “It looks huge in his studio, but, high up in a church, it becomes part of a more solemn atmosphere.”

Just like Braekman’s subtle images, covering seven stations of the Way of the Cross. It’s typical of all the artists’ work, notes Hoet: “Instead

Until 5 July

of contrasting their surroundings, they preferred to be absorbed by it.”

When I tell him I just met an elderly man in the church in Wannegem who was a bit upset by the fact that some paintings were covering up poems by the former village priest, he says: “When the exhibition is over, he will probably see what was covered with fresh eyes, just like some older ladies I know who are already waiting for the other half of the Way of the Cross to be uncovered.”

In general, though, interventions are subtle and humble, like the one by Martin, hung on a wall outside the church in Wannegem.

A woman quickly moves her bike when she sees that I’m trying to have a closer look. It reveals the artist’s point: “I could have made an enormous work, but you will pass this one a thousand times without even noticing it.”

Like most of the artists, Martin reacted to a local situation. He took the tattered display for parish notices, cast it in bronze and put it back at its original location. “Now it’s an information board without information, tackling a recurring issue in my work: the lack of information or just plain emptiness in this information society.”

Elsewhere, the open-air works are more easily found, and taken in with innocent wonder. The bronze sculpture of a young child’s head

by Borremans in a small chapel along the trail evokes discussions about what is in the child’s mouth.

“No, it’s not a sausage, it’s a gherkin,” a girl says to her smiling dad.

Across Huise, Lede, Mullem and Wannegem

\ AGENDA

MAY 13, 2015

Silent witnesses of war

Flanders Fields: Eindbestemming Poperinge 14 May to 14 June

Lijssenthoek military cemetery, Poperinge www.poperinge14-18.be

T

he Lijssenthoek military cemetery and its more than 10,000 war graves are the setting of a new Dutch-language musical theatre production.

All visitors to Flanders Fields: Eindbestemming Poperinge (Final Destination Poperinge) will get an extraordinary view of the scenery from their seats in a temporary hall next to the First World War memorial site near Poperinge.

For film and TV director Indra Siera, the request from organisers Music Hall to be the production’s stage manager was unexpected.

“It’s a real challenge, since I’ve never done theatre before,” he says.

More than just theatre, Flanders

Fields is a mixed-media play, with a strong emphasis on film and music. “Flashbacks and flashforwards bring the characters to life on large screens,” Siera explains.

The story, which centres on the only woman buried here (played by Eve Van Avermaet), is completely fictitious. “Out of respect for the war victims, we are not reconstructing anything and created a new story based on these inspiring people,” says Siera. “You can check out the visitor centre if you want to know the real stories. And believe me, once you’ve been here, you want to know.”

During the First World War, the Remy Siding farm in Lijssenthoek,

CONCERT

PERFORMANCE

The Hickey Underworld

Flanders Fields

17 May, 20.00 Antwerp rock group The Hickey Underworld are in the midst of a regional club tour to celebrate the release of their third album Ill (no, not three in Roman numerals but “ill”). Since forming a decade ago, the quartet has remained popular in Belgium. Their formula is

Ancienne Belgique, Brussels WWW.ABCONCERTS.BE

simple: no poncey irony or silvertongued sophistry, just honest, ball-blasting rock'n'roll. THU’s line-up was recently augmented with the addition of local hero Tim Vanhamel of Millionaire fame. \ Georgio Valentino

16-17 May

alongside the Poperinge-Hazebrouck railway line, hosted the biggest evacuation hospital in the Ypres Salient. “Those who died were buried right next to the hospital, those too heavily wounded were sent home, and those who could still be used as cannon fodder had to return to the battlefield.”

Siera explains that he is trying to avoid “the pitfall of only focusing on the drama, which is everywhere here, and create something more poetic. Our ultimate goal is to develop an understanding for each of the characters in the play and leave our visitors with another perspective on the cemetery and its silent witnesses.” \ Tom Peeters

CONCERT Brussels Andy Wahlberg: Intimate concert by the American harp guitarist, known for his strong stage presence and variety of original compositions with influences that range from Bach to Queen. 16 May 20.00, Het Goudblommeke in Papier, Cellebroerstraat 53-55 \ www.harpguitarguy.com

Ghent Matisyahu: Performance by the American reggae rapper and alternative rock musician known for blending Orthodox Jewish themes with upbeat hip-hop and beatboxing. 22 May 19.30-23.00, Vooruit, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 23 \ www.vooruit.be

VISUAL ARTS Bruges

Flanders Opera, Ghent WWW.OPERABALLET.BE

Artists have had a full century to reflect on the First World War, which cost millions of lives and set the stage for an even more brutal sequel. Flanders Opera’s Flanders Fields brings together four war-inspired performances by four choreographers from four countries and periods. The earliest work is German choreographer Kurt Joos’ pioneering interwar bombshell The Green Table.

Pride of place is given to the late Belgian dance luminary Jeanne Brabants’ 1971 riff Dialogue. The programme premieres in Ghent before moving on to Hasselt and Antwerp. \ GV

Snapshot 11: Namaste Bruges: Young Flemish photographer Bieke Depoorter’s collection of intimate portraits of the Nepalese residents of Bruges and their way of life, offering an impression of their rich heritage and traditions and the story of their migration to Belgium.

Until 18 October, Volkskundemuseum, Balstraat 43 \ www.museabrugge.be

FAMILY Brussels Still figurentheater: Inventive paper theatre for kids (ages five and up), a wordless seated show in two parts, which takes the audience along on a visual trip through the power of the human imagination. 16 May 15.00, Huis 23, Steenstraat 23 \ www.abconcerts.be

Kortrijk

EXHIBITION

FESTIVAL

Body Worlds Vital

Couleur Café

Until 1 November Body Worlds has been provoking wonder and unease for 20 years.

Since its inaugural edition in Tokyo in 1995, the travelling exhibition has been shown in more than 90 cities worldwide to some 40 million visitors. The secret of its success: It’s the only public anatomy lesson that can boast real

Oud Sint-Jan, Bruges WWW.BODYWORLDS.BE

corpses. The new Bruges exhibition Body Worlds Vital shows 200 whole or partial human bodies bequeathed by willing donors (some of them Belgian) and “plastinated” for preservation. The chemical process was developed

by Body Worlds curator Dr Gunther von Hagens. \ GV

© Gunther von Hagens, Institute for Plastination, Heidelberg, Germany

3-5 July If it’s summertime, it’s summer festival time. Some of these blockbuster events are, of course, already sold out, but tickets are still available for the 26th edition of Brussels’ urban and world music festival, Couleur Café. This year’s headliners are American rap group the Wu-Tang Clan and Haitian rhythm-and-blues singer Wyclef Jean. Alongside dozens of international acts are homegrown performers like Brusselsbased Afro-Cuban singer Pucho Diaz and Leuven dubstep crew AKS. It’s not just about music, though; the festival also features dance workshops, a designer market and street food from around the world. \ GV

get tic

kets n ow

Tour&Taxis, Brussels WWW.COULEURCAFE.BE

Kokopelli: Ninth edition of the festival celebrating cultural diversity, with stalls offering world cuisine, multicultural and ecological workshops, concerts by international musicians, children’s entertainment, street theatre, fire displays and more. 15-17 May, ’t Goet te Wynckele, Peperstraat \ www.kokopelli.be

FESTIVAL Brussels Chicken Festival: First edition of a festival all about keeping chickens in an urban environment, from workshops, info sessions and debates to concerts, food and drink and entertainment for kids. 16 May 14.00-21.00, Parckfarm, Jubelfeest bridge \ www.fetedelapoule.be

© Benjamin Streulens

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MAY 13, 2015

Talking Dutch A bird in the hand

In response to: More than 80% of Flemings “feel European” Shirley Foxcastle It is hardly surprising that the small national/language groups identify with Europe more than the Brits, cut off by the Channel and leaning across the Atlantic.

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

W

ell, this is going to be boring, I thought, as I stood in the garden on a cold spring morning. I had signed up to take part in the annual huismustelweekend – house sparrow counting weekend.

But first I had to look up the house sparrow on Google to find out what I was meant to be counting. Not the most striking of our feathered friends, I have to say.

The event is organised by Vogelbescherming Vlaanderen, Flanders’ Bird Protection Society. De organisatie vraagt iedereen om in de tuin gedurende vijf tot tien minuten huismussen te tellen – The organisation asks everyone to stand in the garden for five to 10 minutes counting house sparrows.

Je plant je telmoment best in de ochtend, wanneer de huismussen het meest actief zijn – It’s best to set your bird counting session in the morning, when the house sparrow is at its most active.

So there I was standing in my little garden, notebook in hand, waiting for the birds to swoop. Nothing. Nothing.

Wait! No, that’s a pigeon.

“We willen vooral een vergelijking kunnen maken tussen de plaatsen waar nog veel huismussen zitten, en de plaatsen waar dat niet het geval is” – “We particularly want to compare places where there are lots of house sparrows with places where that isn’t the case,” notes Inge Buntinckx of the Flanders House Sparrow Work Group.

“We willen kijken wat er verschilt in de omgeving, zodat we oorzaken kunnen zoeken waarom een gewone vogelsoort als de huismus het moeilijk heeft om te overleven” – “We want to examine what the differences are in the environments so we can find out what makes it difficult for an ordinary bird like the house sparrow to survive.”

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Berlaymonster @Berlaymonster Hope #marksandspencer Brussels launch finally means an end to all these naked, feral, starving Brits roaming our streets all these years.

I’m no bird expert, but I think I know the answer. A few weeks ago, I read in the newspaper that the peregrine falcons had returned to their perch in Brussels. Er broedt opnieuw een koppel slechtvalken op de kathedraal van Brussel – Once again, a peregrine falcon couple have bred in Brussels’ cathedral, read the report, excitedly.

I headed down to the cathedral to see what all the fuss was about. A small crowd had gathered in a cabin at the base of the cathedral’s tower to watch a live webcam feed from the nest (pictured). “Kijk, ze zijn zo lief ” – “Look, aren’t they cute,” someone said, watching the mother feeding her four little chicks.

The guide explained that the falcons find their food in the area around the cathedral. They eat mice and small birds, including those silly green parakeets that are all over town.

I stood inside the hut looking at a display of bloodied feathers and broken bones of birds that had been recently slaughtered by the falcons. It was then I began to realise where all the little house sparrows might have gone.

Tweet us your thoughts @FlandersToday

Poll

a. Surrogacy exploits women, particularly economically vulnerable women, and should be made illegal.

Wombs are not a commodity

11% b. Surrogacy should be allowed but not for any kind of payment, aside from associated medical costs.

Children are not a commodity

44% c. Let women decide what to do with their bodies – and whether they want to be paid for it. Legalise surrogacy

44% couples for hefty fees.

Our poll showed that not many of you support outlawing the practice in Belgium, while the rest of you are split between complete licence – let the surrogate mother make what arrangements she can, including a paid pregnancy – and regulation.

The framework, when it comes, is likely to be some form of regula-

tion. In other words, the practice can be allowed with safeguards for the child and on condition no fee changes hands, although a contribution to medical and other expenses is likely to be allowed.

The alternative, as the Brussels event suggests, is that prospective parents will go abroad to find their surrogates, making it a service only available to those who can afford it.

\ Next week's question: Next week’s question: 80% of Flemish people said they also feel European. Do you yourself feel European?

Log on to the Flanders Today website at www.flanderstoday.eu and click on VOTE!

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Caroline Green @carolinesgreen Finished Demons Of Ghent by @helengrantsays. Fabulous.

Urban Legends already on my Kindle.

John Bostock @JohnJBostock We deserved more than a draw today. It’s nice to score but 3 points would've been better. 4 out of 6 is a good start. Com Op Leuven #ohleup

Bella Essex @CompleteNovice Great time with @jessicabelcher3 at Ghent International Regatta made the final of the W2x! #powertothelittlepeople

In response to: Cats Parade takes family-friendly approach to medieval tradition Jay Bodine I will be there Sunday. Viva la Gato

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the last word

Belgium has no legal framework for surrogacy. Should it be officially legalised and, if so, is it OK to charge a fee?

A recent conference in Brussels called Men Having Babies once again brought up the legalisation of surrogacy in Belgium. The country has no legal framework for the practice, which leaves such a system open to abuse or misunderstanding. The conference brought representative in from the US, which is offering up its surrogate mothers to Europe’s gay or infertile

VoiceS of flanders today

Angels with dirty faces

Virtuoso vision

“Yes these boys have already stolen money or smashed the place up, but I keep on believing in their good sides. Even if they come here knocking on the door for the 10th time.”

“My youngest, Louis, is a classical musician. I got the idea of making a film about pianists after listening to him rehearsing the same few notes day in and day out.”

Former police officer Robert Accoe now runs a farm in Sint-Laureins where he fosters troubled youngsters

Deal of the day “Thanks to the technology of dynamic pricing we are able to adapt our prices to those of our competitors day by day.

And that’s necessary, because the consumer is more priceconscious than ever.”

Media Markt in Bruges will reopen on 27 May as the first in the country to use dynamic pricing, where the price of items changes rapidly to match market conditions, deputy chair Pieter Haas explained

As Belgium’s two contestants in the Queen Elisabeth Competition failed to reach the semi-finals last week, Flemish director Dominique Deruddere announced the subject of his next film

Crusty crustacean “He was caught by lobster fishermen in Canada and sent to Belgium as a gift for one of Delhaize’s suppliers. From the distribution centre in Zellik, he made his way to our Humbeek branch, which has the biggest lobster tank.”

Gust the lobster is 60 years old and weighs in at six kilos. A Delhaize spokesperson is happy to report that he has been given a new home at the Sea Life marine park in Blankenberge

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