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march 30, 2016 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ p2

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Concrete jungle

100 candles

Ghent University students design innovative lesson plan changes, incorporating digital technology

Software, meet hardware

Two major Flemish research centres – iMinds and imec – are coming together to improve both

The Tour of Flanders marks its 100th edition on 3 April, with “riders so near, you can smell them”

Flemish author Joost Vandecasteele’s new book questions keeping one’s sanity in the bustle of city life

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© Sally Tipper

Changing education

© Sally Tipper

The world mourns for Brussels

• Terrorist attacks at airport and metro • 31 people killed, 270 injured • Three suspects identified • Ministers offer resignations

continued on page 2

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

Terrorists attack Brussels Airport a On 22 March, suicide bombers attacked the airport and metro, killing 31 people and injuring 270

O

n Tuesday morning of last week, several terrorists carried out attacks at Brussels Airport and a metro station in the EU quarter. Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in the departures hall of the airport and one in a metro train in Maalbeek station.

As Flanders Today went to press, the death toll was at 31, most of them at the metro station.

Some 270 were injured, taken to multiple local hospitals. The airport remained closed all week and was not expected to open until after the Easter weekend.

Ibrahim El Bakraoui, 29, a Belgian national living in Brussels, has been confirmed as one of the suicide bombers at the airport.

El Bakraoui’s brother, Khalid, 27, was the suicide bomber on board the metro train that exploded at about 9.00 as it was leaving Maalbeek station. That explosion took place about one hour after two explosions rocked the airport.

Airport security footage shows three men together, one of whom is Ibrahim El Bakraoui.

Another has been identified as 24-year-old Najim Laachraoui. As Flanders Today went to press, authorities had not confirmed whether he also died in the blast or is at large.

Late last week, police named another suspect: 28-year-old Syrian national Naim al-Hamed, who is also suspected of involvement in the attacks on Paris last November. Al-Hamed was named by a foreign intelligence service, in response to a request for information from Belgian state security.

That announcement followed police action on Thursday night that saw six people arrested during a police operation in Schaarbeek, Jette and Brussels-City. Three of those detained were parked in a car outside the

offices of the federal prosecutor in Brussels.

A seventh man was arrested later on Friday morning.

Al-Hamed could be the third airport bomber, or he could be the man seen on security footage in discussion with Khalid El Bakraoui just before he boarded the metro. Although authorities have not confirmed whether it was Al-Hamed or Laachraoui who died at the airport, unconfirmed media sources said late last week that it was Laachraoui who acted as a suicide bomber, while al-Hamed escaped.

A taxi driver who brought the three men to the airport told police he had picked them up from an address in Max Roosstraat in Schaarbeek, federal prosecutor Frédéric Van Leeuw told a press conference. He said the men had been carrying five bags, but his car was too small to take them all, so they left two behind. On arriving at the airport, the driver tried to help unload the bags but the passengers would not allow it.

At the Max Roosstraat address, police discovered 15kg of the explosive TATP, 159 litres of acetone and 30 litres of hydrogen peroxide, both of which can be used to construct explosive devices. They also found detonators and a bag full of screws and bolts. Doctors treating the injured have reported finding shrapnel consistent with a nail bomb.

Khalid El Bakraoui was revealed to have rented the apartment in Vorst where shots were fired on police the week before the attacks. That series of searches led to the arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the last fugitive suspect of the Paris attacks.

Public transport, meanwhile, including trains, was closed down in the Brussels area for the rest of the day on Tuesday. Some

© Francois Lenoir/REUTERS

Emergency workers scramble to help the injured at the airport after the double bombing on 22 March

Questions asked over security, as ministers offer resignations Members of the federal coalition parties were due to begin sitting in a parliamentary investigative committee as Flanders Today went to press. They are looking into the work of the security services leading up to last week’s bomb attacks at Brussels Airport and on the metro.

Federal justice minister Koen Geens has responded to accusations that Ibrahim El Bakraoui should have been in prison instead of free to carry out a terrorist attack. He was convicted in 2010 to 10 years in prison after firing on police during an escape from a foiled

We are also people of flesh and blood, with emotions and a crushing responsibility robbery in the centre of Brussels.

Last year, he was released on conditions, which he breached by travelling to Turkey.

On his return, however, he was not returned to prison, despite having been suspected of terrorism by the Turkish authorities.

“He didn’t seem like a terrorist,” said Geens.

“A court always decides for itself. You need to have a court order to rescind someone’s

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© Thierry Charlier/AFP /BELGA

The resignations of federal ministers Jan Jambon (left) and Koen Geens were refused by the prime minister

conditional early release, and at the moment he was detained at the border, that was not the case.”

El Bakraoui travelled on to the Netherlands, but later returned to Belgium.

Questions are also being raised about his

brother, Khalid, who carried out the metro bombing. He had been released on probation in December 2013, after serving part of a fiveyear sentence for car-jacking. When stopped by police in May last year for a traffic violation, he was found to be in the company of a

former fellow prisoner, which was a breach of his parole conditions. Police locked him up for three days, but when brought before a court, he was released.

Khalid is now known to have been involved in preparing the Paris attacks in November, and an international warrant was issued for his arrest. It was not until February, however, that a court in Mons suspended his release licence, though no effort was made to track him down.

A parliamentary investigative committee has all the powers of an investigating magistrate and may subpoena witnesses, order investigative acts by police, seize evidence and question witnesses under oath. The committee will also look at why the brothers were listed by the American security services, but not by Belgium’s OCAD risk assessment agency.

The committee will also investigate why Salah Abdeslam, arrested a few days before the terrorist attacks, was questioned only briefly on one occasion between his arrest and the attacks. Abdeslam was the final surviving suspect in the attacks on Paris and had been hiding out in Brussels ever since.

There is still pressure on Geens and home affairs minister Jan Jambon. Both men tendered their resignations last week, but the resignations were refused by prime minister Charles Michel.

“We are also people of flesh and blood, with emotions and a crushing responsibility,” Jambon told VRT. “This is not our fault, but we do carry the political responsibility.” \ AH

march 30, 2016

nd Maalbeek metro station 160,000 commuters who had come into the city in the morning by public transport found themselves stranded in the evening. People used social media to arrange car-sharing out of the city and for places to stay, as Brussels residents opened their doors to stranded commuters.

Brussels Airport was scheduled to be closed until after the Easter weekend, causing chaos among airlines trying to arrange alternative departure airports for the holiday rush, and passengers waited for information on whether they would be able to depart at all.

As Flanders Today went to press, there was still disruption to Brussels public transport system MIVB. Bus 12, which serves the airport, and bus 22, which passes by Maalbeek, were not running. Metro lines 1 and 5, which pass through Maalbeek station, were making use of a shuttle bus between Schuman and Central Station. Only 38 of the 69 metro stations were functioning, and those have heavy security measures in place.

The main Brussels train stations were all re-opened after having been closed on Tuesday. Most are only accessible via one entrance, and strict security, including baggage search, was in place. Smaller Brussels train stations – Kapellekerk, Congres and of course the airport station – remained closed.

Federal telecommunications minister Alexander De Croo is demanding explanations from the mobile phone operators in the Brussels area, after the network became saturated on the day of the attacks. Both Proximus and Telenet opened up their wi-fi hotspots to all, in an effort to encourage people to communicate with family and friends via social media or online messaging tools.

Survivors were the only source of photos of the airport departures hall after the bombings

Airport security footage shows Ikbrahim El Bakraoui (centre) and two accomplices.w El Bakraoui blew himself up in the attack

Hundreds gather on Beursplein, as world responds to attacks At noon last Wednesday, politicians and members of the public held a minute’s silence in remembrance of the victims who died in the terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport and in the Maalbeek metro station the day before. Brussels-City mayor Yvan Mayeur led the tribute on Beursplein in Brussels.

Members of the Flemish parliament visited the square after their weekly plenary session.

“The tactic of sowing fear in our society has been effective; our freedom has taken a severe blow,” said parliament speaker Jan Peumans, addressing the gathering. “Whether we want to or not, our society will have to adapt.”

Meanwhile, members of the Brussels-Capital Region government joined staff of transport authority MIVB at the depot at Delta, where a similar tribute was organised. Members of the federal government, together with King Filip and Queen Mathilde and EU Commission president Jean-Claude Junker, marked the moment on Schumanplein.

“We were afraid of a terrorist attack, and now it has happened,” said prime minister Charles Michel in response to the attacks. “Our country and our people have been hit by blind, brutal and cowardly attacks. I call on everyone to show calm and solidarity during this dark and difficult period, to remain together as one in these difficult circumstances.”

Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois also released a statement. “Today is the moment for our communities to come together in support of our common values: freedom, democracy and respect for the rule

border. We are intensely connected to our friends in Belgium, and hold dearly on to each other”.

The tactic of sowing fear in our society has been effective; our freedom has taken a severe blow

© White House/Pete Souza/Reuters

US president Barack Obama and national security advisor Susan E Rice receive an update on the terrorist attacks in Belgium via telephone in Cuba last week

of law,” he said. “We must never give in to those who would destroy those fundamental values.”

Salah Echallaoui, president of the Muslim Executive, said that he had “no words”. “We issue a call to people of all cultures not to give in to these attempts to destabilise our society,” he said. “Muslims are also hit by these

crimes, but we are counting on people being wise enough to avoid generalisations. That is just what the terrorists want: to pit one part of society against the other.”

Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said that “our way of life is under assault. The Netherlands and Belgium share more than just a

Pope Francis issued a statement in response to the attacks: “I would like once again to call on all men of good will to condemn with one voice these terrible atrocities, which do nothing but bring death, terror and shock”.

“Fanaticism struck in Brussels and at the airport today,” said Yvan Mayeur, mayor of Brussels-City. “This is an attack on our values, our freedom and our democracy. We are determined to defend our society, and count for that on the solidarity of all Belgians.”

US president Barack Obama said in a speech that “the thoughts and prayers of all Americans go out to the Belgian people in the aftermath of these attacks. The United States will do everything in its power to stand by its partner”.

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\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

WEEK in brief The number of police officers accused of extortion of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants in Antwerp has gone up to six, with the latest being released on conditions on Thursday. The officer was picked up after returning from a trip abroad. Another officer has been released, while four others are in custody. All six have been suspended from duty, accused of having taken money from immigrants under intimidation and threats of violence.

Members of staff of the military hospital at Neder-Over-Heembeek outside of Brussels, where 55 of the wounded from the terrorist attacks in Brussels are being cared for, were evacuated on Thursday when a gas leak was detected in the cellar of the building. The leak was repaired and staff could return the same morning.

British broadcaster BBC has announced that it is working on a documentary about Leopold Vindictive 200, the pigeon post operation based in Aarschot, Flemish Brabant, during the Second World War, run by Jozef Raskin.

Raskin was a priest who ran the network, sending information on German troop movements to the British until 1943, when he was executed as a spy. An exhibition on the subject is currently on show at the city museum of Aarschot.

face of flanders of the group’s work to protect animals. Vandenbosch describes how he was inspired to start the organisation when, in 1985, then King Boudewijn returned from a trip to what was then Zaire with two living chimpanzees in his baggage. “Every fibre of my being cried out: This is what you have to do, give your life to the protection of animals,” he said.

Belgium comes in 18th in the happiest country barometer, according to the fourth edition of the World Happiness Report, which analysed 157 countries across the world. Denmark, also top in the last edition in 2013, leads the field.

Belgium falls behind neighbouring countries the Netherlands, in fifth place, and Germany at 16, but is ahead of the UK at 23 and France at 32. The unhappiest land is Burundi at 157.

Last week saw the latest edition of DUOday, when more than 500 businesses across Flanders opened their doors to offer a day’s work experience to people with a handicap.

The organisers hope to continue the event’s growth: in 2014, 481 companies took part and afterwards offered 18 internships and 21 jobs; in 2015 that went up to 556 business that offered 59 internships and 43 jobs.

The port of Antwerp has granted a licence to Engie Solutions to build and operate a liquid natural gas (LNG) installation to supply inland waterways traffic. The concession runs for 30 years, and means LNG will be available to traffic on inland waterways on a permanent basis.

The installation will be launched on 28 April.

Surfing clubs from Knokke to De Panne took part in a major cleanup of the Flemish coast last week, with the launch of a campaign by socialist politicians Bruno Tobback and Steve Vandenberghe, mayor of Bredene, to prevent the disposal of plastic waste on beaches. “That’s bad for our environment, our sea, our beaches, our fishing situation and our health,” a spokesperson for the campaign said.

The head of Belgian animal rights organisation Gaia, Michel Vandenbosch, has marked his 30th anniversary in the position with the new book De werken van Gaia (The Work of Gaia) detailing three decades

Local environmental organisations have begun to protest against plans to quarry sand from locations near Bocholt in Limburg, involving two contracts to run for 45 and 52 years respectively. The

protestors contest the extent of the quarry, which is 200 hectares, including 100 hectares of woodland.

The extraction of sand, they said, would involve digging to depths of 15 to 30 metres, with sand being carried away by 75 trucks a day.

Belgium’s only national park, Hoge Kempen in Limburg, will nearly double in size over the next decade, from 5,700 hectares to just over 10,000, Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege has announced. The park is marking its 10th anniversary, and the expansion is being financed with €320,000 a year, the minister said.

The presence of influenza in Belgium dropped last week for the first time since the epidemic was announced in mid-February, to 559 people per 100,000 inhabitants. The drop could be a sign the epidemic is over, according to the Scientific Institute for Public Health.

Last week saw the inauguration of a new course in the Institute for Professional Care in Anzegem, West Flanders: hairdresser in a hospital. The new course trains hairstylist to work with the chronically ill and aims to introduce hairdressers to hospitals in each province in Flanders by the end of the year.

Working with and providing wigs and other headgear for those who have lost their hair due to medical treatments also forms part of the course.

Brussels-City council has decided not to provide a giant screen for football fans during the European Championships in France this year, in which the Belgian national team are one of the leading hopefuls.

The decision was taken prior to the terrorist attacks “to ensure calm and safety in the centre,” mayor Yvan Mayeur said. He pointed out that most cafes have their own large screens. During the World Cup in Brazil in 2014, the only giant screen was in the Koning Boudewijn stadium.

OFFSIDE This is not Magritte Marketing is sometimes more art than science, as was seen last week when Brussels Airlines decided to launch its latest personalised aircraft, an Airbus A320 sporting a portrait of the 20th-century Belgian surrealist painter René Magritte.

The Tuesday unveiling ought to have been a slam dunk, with the presence of mobility minister Jacqueline Galant, Brussels Airlines CEO Bernard Gustin and Magritte Foundation chair Charly Herscovici. The plane is only the second dedicated to a Belgian artist, following the Rackham dedicated to Hergé, the creator of Tintin. “No aircraft in Europe is more photographed than the Tintin plane,” said Gustin.

“I am very proud to see this aircraft take to the skies today,” said Herscovici. “Magritte had very close ties to the world of aviation, and he would be happy to see his work up in the air. I think we have succeeded in our mission: disseminating the work of Magritte on such a

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© CBS/YouTube

Ketevan Kardava “It could happen anywhere,” was probably not a thought going through the mind of Ketevan Kardava on Tuesday morning, as she waited at the Brussels Airlines desk at Zaventem to check in for a flight to Geneva to cover a meeting. Kardava is the Brussels-based correspondent for Georgia’s public broadcaster, and the whole of Europe is her beat.

Then an explosion, then another, and chaos. But the 36-year-old didn’t run. “I was waiting for a third explosion,” she told De Standaard. “Beside me was one of those booths where you can have passport photos made. I crawled inside.

There was an older lady standing nearby, and I took her with me. There was room for two.

We sat there for more than a minute. We thought it was all over.”

When she emerged, instinct made her not head for the exits, but take her iPhone and start taking pictures. Everyone has by now seen the one of the dust-covered Indian woman in airport seating, her yellow jacket handing in tatters, one shoe missing, blood on her face. The woman

– soon identified as JetAirways flight attendant Nidhi Chaphekar – has become an icon of the terrorist attacks, the photo seen round the world.

In the airport corridors, Kardava came across Sebastien Bellin, the BrazilianBelgian basketball player for Ghent Hawks. The also now famous photo shows him stretched out on the floor, a pool of blood by his left leg.

Like so many others, he was wounded by what doctors now say was a nail-bomb.

“I’m sorry I left him there,” Kardava said later. “I saw that he was alive and that he had problems with his legs. But there was nothing I could do to help. The soldiers came along right then to tell us we had to go outside.”

In another interview, with USA Today, she explained what the experience of being in a terrorist attack now means to her. “I’ve lived here for eight years, and I’ve covered a lot of stories, even the Paris terror attacks. But now I know. It can be anywhere, any time.

Now I realise the meaning of the phrase ‘terrorism has no boundaries’.” \ Alan Hope

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

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

© Courtesy Brussels Airlines

prestigious and emblematic medium like an aircraft.”

They were all, of course, to be cruelly disappointed.

What should have been the perfect photo opportunity was blown from the pages of the newspapers, when suicide bombers at the airport took 11 lives. Suddenly, airline news was something different. \ AH

Editor Lisa Bradshaw DEPUTY Editor Sally Tipper CONTRIBUTING Editor Alan Hope sub Editor Bartosz Brzezi´nski Agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino Art director Paul Van Dooren Prepress Mediahuis AdPro Contributors Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Andy Furniere, Lee Gillette, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton General manager Hans De Loore Publisher Mediahuis NV

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

\ FEATURE

march 30, 2016

Question everything

UGent students bring future of education closer with apps, games and webslides INNOVERSITY-CHALLENGE.BE

Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

UGent’s Innoversity Challenge called on students and staff to come up with innovative ideas to improve education, and the results are impressive.

A

n app with which students can ask questions during lessons in large auditoriums without disturbing the lecturer is just one of the innovations developed by students and staff at Ghent University (UGent) during the Innoversity Challenge.

Last October, UGent challenged students and staff to brainstorm about how digital technology can improve education. “There is more and more discussion on how the education sector should evolve in this digital age,” explains UGent rector Anne De Paepe.

“We want to involve students in this discussion and are happy they answered our call with enthusiasm and creativity.”

The response was impressive: staff and students made a total of 544 suggestions for an innovative project. A longlist of 20 ideas was whittled down to a final 10, with the chosen innovators forming multidisciplinary teams to develop their ideas, with the help of communication, ICT and pedagogical experts.

From these 10 ideas, four were chosen to be implemented. “The four winning projects are not only innovative, but it’s also feasible to implement them in the short term,” says De Paepe. Next academic year, the ideas will be tested at different faculties, with the ultimate goal being to introduce them across the university.

Some of the other ideas will be used to improve the university’s education and services. “The ones that didn’t win were closely related to innovations we were already preparing but provide a useful addition to our work,” De Paepe explains.

She believes the Innoversity Challenge will benefit students as well as the university.

“It shows the importance of taking action, instead of passively absorbing lesson material,” she says. “This experience in entrepreneurship will help them in their professional lives.”

Among the winning projects, three deal with educational matters and one should improve the service provided to students in UGent buildings.

One of the projects, called Hermes, aims to help students who have questions during lessons but find it difficult to ask them in an auditorium filled with hundreds of students.

“It’s not only shy students who have this problem; it can sometimes just be very challenging to make yourself heard in these large auditoriums or to find an appropriate time during a lecture,” says team member Morgane Janssens, an engineering sciences student. “Students tend to discuss issues among themselves or ask the lecturer questions later, in person or via email, but the clarification could benefit all the students.”

With two fellow students in engineering sciences and an Advanced Master’s student in economics, Janssens is working on an app with which students can signal difficulties during lectures to both their fellow students and the lecturer. Posts on the Hermes platform will be anonymous.

Questions or comments will only get through

© UGent/Hilde Christiaens

Students brainstorm during the Innoversity Challenge

to the platform for the lecturer, however, if a significant number – say 20% – of the other students “like” the post. Students will also be able to answer questions themselves.

“Lecturers will remain in control and be able to choose the right moment to look at questions, so they are not constantly interrupted,” explains Janssens. The creators are also thinking of including an alarm button,

should keep them motivated, and the app will provide feedback on lesson material.

“The game will be a more useful replacement for the typical smartphone games people play during breaks at school or on public transport,” says team member Elke Minnaert, educational supervisor at the economics and business administration faculty.

It should help keep students on track during

It shows the importance of taking action, instead of passively absorbing lesson material so students can indicate that they really can’t follow the lesson.

Will this app not serve to keep students in their comfort zone, rather than pushing them to become more assertive? “It’s meant for large auditoriums, not for lessons in smaller groups, where there are less practical barriers for asking questions,” says Janssens.

She also doesn’t believe the app will be a distraction. “Most students already look at their phones during lessons,” she says. “It would be better if they’re checking something related to the class.”

Another app, this time a more fun one, has been developed by the Gamified Learning team, consisting of students and staff. The idea of initiator Jeroen Neckebrouck, a PhD student at the faculty of economics and business administration, was to battle procrastination by creating a game that makes studying more fun.

The game will be made up of short quizzes on the content of courses, at first with questions included by professors and later with questions added by students. Students will be able to follow their progress, which

the year and make exam periods less stressful. “Of course, it will only be an addition to the study process and not a miracle solution for passing exams,” Minnaert says.

A third education project, OpenWebSlides, was started by researcher Ruben Verborgh of the engineering and architecture faculty.

He got the idea of using webslides during his lessons, as they offer more possibilities to explain a topic. Webslides are online presentation slides that, like websites, can include features like YouTube videos, tweets and interactive graphs.

His team wants to spread the knowledge of this technology among lecturers and involve students. “What makes our project particularly innovative is that the students can make remarks and propose adjustments or additions on the slides,” says Verborgh. “We want to shrink the gap between lecturers and students by using technology that’s part of their daily lives and by giving them a say in the development of lesson materials.”

The professor and their assistants remain in control, as they decide who has access to the slides, and they must approve any changes.

Still, Verborgh realises not all professors

will be willing to embrace the technology straight away, even if training is provided.

“Mindsets are more difficult to change than software, as is proved by lecturers still using overhead projectors today,” he says. “But I think many lecturers will soon realise the advantages of getting more feedback and insights from students in a more organised way.”

The slides can be shared on social media, making it easier to discuss them. “It can also lead to more international recognition for researchers and the university,” says Verborgh. “I have found that it’s easier to reach an international audience if your slides can be shared on Twitter.”

The last winning project, Vesta, offers a practical service: an overview of the availability of places to study or work on group assignments in university buildings.

“Studying in a group in libraries has become increasingly popular in recent years, as more students want to escape their rooms and be motivated by the presence of their fellow students,” says team member Lode Devloo, who’s studying business psychology. “As a result, during exams, students often wait in line at certain libraries, while there are places available elsewhere.”

Vesta also aims to improve the use of computer suites or other rooms where students can meet to discuss projects.

“These are not yet well-known, which means students often meet for group projects at places without many facilities, like university restaurants,” says Devloo.

The team wants to create an app that shows in real time how many places are available at various locations. To make it work, scanners will be placed at the entrance of libraries or work rooms, and students will be asked to scan their student card so their presence is registered. In a later phase, the team want to make it possible for students to book a place.

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\ BUSINESS & POLITICS

week in business Brewing AB Inbev

The Leuven-based brewery has raised €13.3 billion in bonds, a record for euro denominated issue, to finance its recent €90 billion acquisition of the SABMiller group. AB Inbev took advantage of the rock bottom interest rates promoted by the European Central Bank to help re-launch the stalled economy.

Sports equipment Adidas The Belgian holding company GBL has designated the German sport equipment manufacturer as one of its key assets. GBL has pushed its stake in the company above the 5% threshold and will get board representation.

Ports Antwerp Some 25 large cruise ships are expected to stop over in the port of Antwerp this year, while more than 600 rivers cruisers will dock in the city.

Bio-tech Thrombogenics The Leuven-based pharmaceutical firm specialised in the treatment of diabetic eye diseases has signed a technology licensing agreement with Galapagos, headquartered in Mechelen. The deal includes the payment of €1 million up front and staggered instalments, depending on research progress.

Retail Afflelou The French chain of opticians, with 47 stores in Belgium, has plans to double its presence on the local market with some 50 additional shops in Flanders. It also plans to launch up to 40 low-cost outlets over the next three years and to develop a local chain devoted to hearing-aids.

Dredging Jan de Nul The Aalst-based dredging and building group has won the contract from Suomen Hyötytuuli Oy to set up Finland’s first offshore wind farm. Some 10 windmills are expected to come on stream by 2017.

Cash Transfers Migrant workers in Belgium are estimated by the World Bank to have transferred some €4.5 billion last year to their home countries. The three biggest destinations for the funds were France, Morocco and Poland.

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Banks want to charge for cash machine withdrawals Falling profits causing banks to reconsider previously free services Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

B

elgium’s banks could soon begin charging for services that are currently free, such as withdrawing cash from ATMs or asking for advice on home loans, according to business daily De Tijd.

Banks are facing a decline in income because of the low interest rate, which has led to pressure on earnings from traditional sources such as mortgages and investment commissions. They are now reviewing their options for charging for normally free services.

The government has imposed a number of rules on the free services banks have to provide, but the industry is now pushing to have those rules revised, according to De Tijd. The paper quotes

Belfius chair Jos Clijsters: “Banks will have to charge for some of the services they now provide

for free. That’s how they become independent of the interest rate. Otherwise the situation becomes untenable. The question is whether customers are ready for that.”

In its 2014 annual report, the National Bank advised banks to charge the real rate for their financial products, rather than offering some services for free in order to attract customers to other paid services.

Kris Peeters, federal minister for economy and consumer affairs, has made it clear he is against any relaxation of the agreement with the banks for cash withdrawals to be free. “Digitalisation of bank services has led to lower costs for the banks,” he said. “That trend must not be reversed.”

65 jobs under threat at Sanoma media group in Mechelen

Last remaining supplier of Volvo Car Gent loses contract

Sanoma Media België, the Belgian branch of the Finnish media group, wants to carry out a “collective dismissal” with an impact on 65 jobs in all staff categories. The company, based in Mechelen, made the announcement after a special meeting. Its Belgian branch currently employs about 300 people.

Sanoma sold many of its concerns last year. The magazines Humo, Story, Teve-blad and Vitaya were sold to De Persgroep, publisher of De Morgen and Het Laatste Nieuws. Its participation in De Vijver Media was sold to telecom company Telenet. In Belgium, Sanoma wants to focus on media products covering women’s interests, and homes and decoration.

It’s also aiming to increase the integration of the Belgian branch in its Dutch branch, Sanoma Nederland, to create a “flexible organisation in Belgium that’s more customised to a quickly changing market environment, and better co-operation between the two branches”, it said. By working more closely together, the branches should have a larger impact on both the advertisement and consumer market.

According to Tijs Hostyn of Christian union ACV, 27 of the threatened jobs are editorial roles; he believes Sanoma wants to work more with freelancers.

The union is looking into all possibilities to protect the jobs. \ Andy Furniere

All five of Volvo Gent’s suppliers have now been told they have lost their contracts with the automobile constructor. The fifth, Benteler Automotive, which makes axles and shock absorbers, was given the news last week.

Unions fear the loss of nearly 900 jobs, 220 of them at Benteler alone. Volvo has said it will not take in any of the employees of suppliers. “This is terrible news because we have no alternatives,” said Marc Staelens of the socialist union ABVV. Staelens accused the company of a lack of respect. “When you see what investments have been made by the suppliers – that’s only because they believed in their client.”

Co-operation with the suppliers will be built down between 2017 and 2019, with some supplies thereafter being sourced overseas. Volvo Cars Gent declined to comment, pointing out that the talks with suppliers are being carried out by the parent

Campaign tackles discrimination against parents at work The non-profit Amazone, which focuses on gender equality, has launched a campaign to raise awareness of discrimination against parents at work.

Women in particular are discriminated against in this context, Amazone says, based on complaints filed at the Institute for the Equality of Women and Men. “In job interviews, many employers still ask women about their plans to have children and one even asked a candidate whether she used contraceptives,” Marleen Teugels, director of Amazone, told Knack. “Employers don’t have the legal right to ask this.”

Other common complaints come from women who were dismissed during pregnancy or who were given less interesting work after they returned from maternity leave. Few women actually file a complaint, because they fear losing their job and are not sure of their rights.

The campaign, #KinderenToege-

© Don Mason /CORBIS

laten (Children Allowed), also targets men. According to a survey by the equality institute, 10.8% of respondents faced difficulties when they asked for their statutory 10 days of paternity leave. In 43.8% of these cases, employers used subtle threats of dismissal.

Amazone invites parents and employers to testify about their experiences on the subject on the campaign website. The testimonies will be used during discussions with organisations of employers and employees, researchers and women associations. The discussions will lead to a publication with practical tips to reduce the discrimination of parents at work. \ AF

company in Sweden.

Two companies, Benteler and Tower Automotive, will be looking for new customers. “They seem to be seriously looking for alternatives,” said Danny Clevers of the ACV-CSC Metea union.

“We think that only those two have any hope of finding alternatives. For the others, the end will probably come in 2019.”

The unions are considering actions. “There’s no telling what the workers might do,” Clevers told VRT. “There’s a feeling of anger, but also frustration and resignation after months of uncertainty.” \ AH

Reform of role of provinces could mean tax increase A reform of the role of the provinces, a plan supported by Flanders’ interior minister Liesbeth Homans, could end up costing the Flemish taxpayer, coalition partners have warned.

The proposal involves taking some provincial responsibilities away from the provinces and into the Flemish government. It would end provincial taxation and replace it with taxes gathered by Flanders, with the Flemish government financing those responsibilities remaining, such as agriculture and town planning.

One immediate effect would be a change to the system where each province decides for itself how much taxation to impose. A single rate for the Flemish property tax would then apply across the region.

The choice is whether to opt for a low rate equal to the that currently paid in Limburg, or for the highest rate as in Antwerp. One option would see the province facing cuts; the other would impose more on taxpayers. One estimate would leave the provinces with €58 million less than now. \ AH

\ INNOVATION

march 30, 2016

Great minds think alike

week in innovation Recycled road concrete as good as new

Flemish research powerhouses imec and iMinds merge into one Ian Mundell follow Ian on Twitter \ @IanMundell

IMEC.BE IMINDS.BE

As imec and iMinds merge into one organisation later this year, the chief executives at both institutions say the move will create a powerful research centre that can cope with changing technological trends

M

ergers can be a sign that something is wrong in one or other of the organisations concerned. But the chief executives of imec and iMinds, two Flemish R&D centres whose merger was announced in February, are adamant that theirs is a sign of strength.

“In many cases, mergers are initiated from a desire to save costs, and that’s what makes them very difficult,” says Luc Van den hove, who leads imec. “In our case it’s a merger with a very positive story – one built on a strong vision and strategy. It’s a real win-win situation for all of the key stakeholders.”

“Both centres are in a very good shape,” adds Danny Goderis, CEO at iMinds. “We are merging to take advantage of opportunities, not because we’re experiencing difficulties.”

Rather than reduce funding, the government of Flanders ‒ the main shareholder in both organisations ‒ has agreed to put an additional €1.5 million into the combined entity over the course of the next year. And no job losses are foreseen.

Imec is the larger of the two organisations, with around 2,500 researchers at its Leuven headquarters and at outposts around the world. Almost 800 of these are industrial researchers. They specialise in semiconductor and other hardware technologies, but imec has an increasing interest in digital systems more broadly, for example with applications in health care and energy. iMinds is a virtual research institute, founded in 2004 by the government to stimulate ICT innovation in the region; it brings together 1,000 researchers spread across departments at all five Flemish universities. Staff specialise in digital research, from software and applications to issues such as security and privacy.

The organisation is headquartered in Ghent, where staff co-ordinate research collaborations with the private sector and also oversee a business incubation programme.

The main reason for the merger is that the areas in which imec and iMinds work are becoming increasingly interconnected. Go back 30 years, and digital innovation was all about hardware. Then, at the turn of the millennium,

Concrete rubble can be recycled and used in roads without any loss of quality, according to research carried out

by PXL University College in Hasselt in collaboration with the Building Confederation Limburg and road-building sector organisation Vlawebo Limburg. The researchers examined nine major samples of different kinds of concrete rubble and its integration in new concrete. They said none of the samples had a negative influence on the quality of the road concrete and that recycled concrete is as frost-resistant and durable as other types of concrete. The partners are now starting up a two-year project to check if concrete for roads could be made with 100% recycled concrete.

Link found between gene and melanoma

© Courtesy imec

Leuven-based imec is a world-leading nanotechnology and nanoelectronics research centre

software innovation became more important, with applications doing smart new things on established devices such as personal computers and, increasingly, mobile phones and tablets.

But in recent years hardware and software have begun to evolve together, with companies in each sector broadening their scope.

“We see this everywhere: software vendors are moving into hardware or devices and vice versa,”

good reasons to work with each other, but why something as farreaching as a merger? “If you want to develop a joint offer to the industry, it is much more efficient and powerful to merge than to enter into a low-level collaboration,” Van den hove explains.

“That shows much less commitment and engagement.”

For Goderis, the best way to deal with the increasingly diverse and complex market is to make the

We are creating the largest digital research institute in Europe, right here in Flanders says Goderis, “Our merger follows that basic trend.”

The convergence is most apparent in the so-called Internet of Things, in which devices communicate across digital networks.

That might be a car sending information about air pollution levels to the city authorities, public waste bins phoning home when they need emptying or smart pill boxes alerting carers when an old person has forgotten to take their medicine.

A lot of the innovation in the Internet of Things comes from new sensor devices, which produce new kinds of data. How to handle that data needs to be considered at the same time. “We need co-innovation in hardware and software,” Van den hove says.

Both organisations say they have

organisation as simple as possible. “By merging and reducing our own complexity, we ensure that management and key people will give the required attention to more intense collaboration and crossover between hardware and software solutions,” he says.

On top of the technological advantages, a merger will also allow iMinds to benefit from imec’s substantial international contacts, while imec is expected to have a greater impact on the local economy by drawing on iMinds’ entrepreneurial experience.

The initial idea is that imec will swallow iMinds whole, turning it into an additional business unit that will cover applications and software, alongside the existing units that deal with semiconduc-

tor technology and systems.

“That way we don’t have to change too many of the details,” says Van den hove. “Then we can take the time to bring the teams together and merge the cultures. We will do that very carefully so that we preserve the best of both worlds.”

While the interface between hardware and software is important, he adds, both sides will continue doing business that is purely one or the other. iMinds will retain its team in Ghent, and its name will remain a sub-brand of imec, although its exact role is still up for debate.

“We need to determine if it will be a brand for software and applications or for the start-up ecosystem in Flanders,” Goderis explains.

The merger has been under discussion since last summer and is already well advanced. February’s formal announcement has been followed by legal exchanges and due diligence. The intention is to sign a final merger agreement during the summer and to have imec and iMinds operating as one by the end of 2016.

In the meantime, steps will be taken to connect people, build new teams and raise the profile of the merged organisation. “In the second part of this year, we will start setting up cross-unit programme offers to the industry, so that we can leverage the benefits of having this broader skill and competence set,” Van den hove says.

Goderis is convinced the merger is ahead of the curve. “We are creating the largest digital research institute in Europe, right here in Flanders,” he says. “And that is pretty exciting.”

Scientists from Ghent University (UGent), research institute VIB and the University of Leuven (KU Leuven) have discovered a link between malignant melanomas and a gene called Sammson.

They found that the growth of aggressive skin cancer depends significantly on the presence of this gene. The UGent team found that the Sammson gene is specifically expressed in human melanomas but is not found in normal cells, leading to the hypothesis that the gene plays an important role in the development of melanoma. Research by the VIB/KU Leuven team confirmed the findings and showed that when the presence of Sammson in melanoma cultures is reduced, the cancer cells rapidly and massively die off. The conclusions could lead to improved diagnostic tools and treatment of skin cancer.

Air quality to be tested in Antwerp Activist organisation Ringland is joining forces with Antwerp University and the Free University of Brussels (VUB) to set up the project CurieuzeNeuzen (Curious Noses), which will map Antwerp’s air quality. The partners will ask 1,000 Antwerpenaars to hang measuring tubes with sensors at the front of their flat, house, school, company or association headquarters from 30 April to 28 May. Scientists want to measure in detail the amount of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air, which is an important indicator for air pollution caused by traffic. It will be the largest-ever NO2 measurement project ever carried out in Europe. \ Andy Furniere

\7

\ EDUCATION

march 30, 2016

History in the making

week in education

New educational project helps illuminate country’s shared heritage Sally Tipper Follow Sally on Twitter \ @sallybtipper

CULTUREANDHISTORY.ORG

I

f you look back far enough in time, you’ll find there are perfectly logical reasons why Belgium is organised the way it is. Something to bear in mind, perhaps, the next time you try to explain the record-breaking gaps between governments to the folks back home, or stand in line at your fourth administrative office of the day attempting to deal with something ostensibly trivial.

Mirella Marini, a researcher from Limburg, will be tackling this and other thorny issues during her Academy of Culture and History.

It’s an initiative aimed at teaching natives and foreigners about Belgium’s journey from Roman times to the present day, through evening classes, excursions and summer schools. The first series of classes begins in April at Muntpunt in Brussels.

“The federal country we have today is a development that started somewhere in the 19th century,” she explains, “and that historical context is a bit lost on people when they complain about how complex Belgium is. It’s important to show people the reasons behind it, why people thought it was a good idea.

I want to give context to what people see every day.”

The idea for the academy was sparked by discussions with expat friends working at the EU and Nato. They professed an interest in understanding their host country, Marini says, “but when I take them with me on excursions, their interest is much broader than pure history and politics; they say, ‘oh there’s a world outside Brussels, this country is pretty different to what I thought it would be’.”

Add to that her frustration with

© Courtesy Academy of Culture and History

Horst Castle in Holsbeek, Flemish Brabant, is one of Belgium’s monuments with a fascinating history

the shallowness of history taught in schools and the lack of knowledge demonstrated in the media or from politicians, and she hit on the idea of pairing her research interests with her love of teaching.

The great thing about research for her, she says, is all that discovery. But it has its limitations, and teaching was the obvious way to get round that. “You have insights, and you want to share them, but it takes a long time for it to become something that people teach,” she explains. “The only platform you have as a researcher is publications, but these aren’t widely read.

So I started looking for ways to get away from these restrictions.”

The themes of the classes are broad, but still detailed enough to be stimulating. “I don’t think there’s any point starting out with a lot of detail,” says Marini, who will share teaching duties with a roster of guest lecturers. “But I don’t want to presume that people aren’t capable of understanding detail. Everybody, given the right circumstances, is capable of understanding a lot of very different things.”

The lectures are aimed at both Belgians and foreigners; classes are taught in English, though Marini doesn’t want the academy to be seen as exclusively for expats. “When you teach in Dutch

or French, you can end up with the perception that you’re somehow biased,” she explains. “I want to present a history that’s objective, that’s above a regional interpretation, and I think that’s easier to convey to a foreign audience in English than it is to Belgians, who are very much living the reality; they often don’t even appreciate that they have a shared history.”

Classes start in Brussels, but Marini plans courses in Antwerp, Ghent and elsewhere, as well as taking participants out of the classroom and immersing them in some of Flanders’ living history; she believes learning comes much faster with experience.

“I never liked the system of going to a lecture with 200 people listening for two hours and not being able to react,” she says. “I want discussion, I want lessons to be interactive, to appeal to the senses. When I take people outside the classroom, I want them to feel history, to see it, to imagine what it was like.”

It’s important to her that these excursions offer a deeper understanding than anything a tour guide could offer. Watching groups of tourists follow a guide around Bruges, for example, she wonders what impression they must get of the place.

“I think what they take away is ‘very nice city, very old, everybody here lives from the lace trade’,” she says. “Instead, we might look at the connections between Flemish cities and the development of identities in places like Bruges.

“Bruges is about more than tourism; Leuven is more than its university,” she adds. “That’s the challenge for me: to come up with more than just the usual stories.”

Q&A

Fourteen programmes at Ghent and Leuven universities have made the top 50 in the QS World University Rankings

by Subject. The sixth edition of the rankings features 42 disciplines judged on academic reputation, impact of research and reputation as an employer.

The University of Leuven is the strongest university in Flanders at the subject level, responsible for 11 of the region’s 14 finishes in the top 50, including its dentistry programme at seventh place. The three other Flemish top rankings were taken by programmes at Ghent University, with veterinary sciences making it to the top 20. The result is an improvement compared to last year, when Flanders had 11 top 50 rankings.

Crevits investigates fake universities Education minister Hilde Crevits has opened an investigation into “universities” that only exist on paper or online. Science magazine Eos broke the news about dozens of institutions in Flanders – including the Assalam University Europe and the Robert Schuman University, both in Antwerp, and the Martin Buber University in ’s Gravenvoeren, Limburg. They often provide courses online and promise Bachelor’s and Master’s diplomas, which cost thousands of euros but are academically worthless. Crevits said that if the violations of the law can be ascertained, legal action will be taken. The minister is however not in favour of creating a “black list” of fake universities, because they can suddenly reappear under a different name.

Flemings show poor historical knowledge

Pyschologist Filip De Fruyt is in charge of a new chair at Ghent University (UGent) that supports education policy in Brazil in partnership with the Ayrton Senna Institute, named after the late Brazilian Formula One driver What is the story behind the Ayrton Senna Institute in Brazil?

Throughout his career in Formula One, Ayrton Senna was interested in an initiative that would contribute to the educational development of Brazilian youth. After his tragic death in 1994, this dream was realised by his sister, Viviane, a psychologist, who founded an NGO in his name to support educational policy in the country.

I spoke at a summit in Brazil on social-emotional development in education in 2014. I met Viviane Senna who told me about her idea to establish a knowledge centre to support and disseminate evidence-based educational policies. Last year, we founded

Subjects at Flemish universities among world’s best

an ethnically diverse population and wide ranging differences in the socio-economic background of the students. Many cities have a human development index on par with Ghent, but there are also areas that rank extremely low.

These places can often be right next to each other.

eduLab21, a multidisciplinary network of universities and international organisations that aims to prepare children and youth for the 21st century.

Where do you come in?

My research group focuses on individual differences, such as facets of intelligence, personality, emotions and interests, which are basically the building blocks of socialemotional skills. My team has developed considerable knowledge in assessing these constructs.

Over the years, we have measured them in almost every context, except for large-scale educational applications. The partnership with eduLAB21 helps us learn about the

development of social-emotional skills in larger settings.

Brazil is a rapidly changing country. Is this an added challenge for your research?

Brazil faces both a difficult economic situation and an on-going institutional crisis. What also makes it unique is that it has an enormous territory, with

Is Ayrton Senna one of your personal heroes?

Yes, for sure. Senna practised as much as possible when the conditions were difficult to improve his driving skills so that he could outperform his competitors, even with a less sophisticated car. This is also exactly eduLab21’s mission: Even if you grow up in difficult conditions such as the favela, attending school and improving your social-emotional skills are key to your future. / Interview by

Flemings have achieved an average score of 4.5 out of 10 in a test on historical knowledge and insight conducted by researchers from the University of Leuven. Participants scored an average 6.8 out of 10 for historical knowledge but only 3.4 for insight into subjects such as chronological historical events and causal relationships. Knowledge of Belgium’s colonial history was particularly troubling, with 32% offering the correct answer to a question about the independence of Congo. Flemings also overestimated the country’s historical role in certain events, like the Benelux alliance. People under 25 scored less well on factual knowledge but turned out to have more historical insight. \ Andy Furniere

Senne Starckx

\9

\ LIVING

week in activities Scavenger Hunt The king of the Iron Valley has disappeared, and the castle’s serving girl is looking for him. Can you help her? This visitor centre in the polders of West Flanders launches its new story-based scavenger hunt for kids aged 5 to 11 and their families. 2 April 14.0016.00; De Blankaart, Iepersteenweg 56, Diksmuide; free \ rlijp.be

Party at Horst Castle Celebrate the beginning of spring with a fun family festival. Take a tour of the historic castle, watch a sword fight, make your own money pouch or listen to a tale told by a fairy. 3 April 10.00-17.00; Horst Castle, Horststraat 28, Holsbeek (Flemish Brabant); €6-8 \ kasteelvanhorst.be

Spring Blossom Walks As Flanders Today went to press, the famous fruit trees of Haspengouw were about to blossom. Every Sunday in April guided walks are offered through the fields and orchards around the Alden-Biesen Castle. Reservations are recommended but not required on 089 51 93 61 or toerisme@bilzen.be).

3 April 14.00; Visitor’s centre Alden Biesen, Kasteelstraat 6, Bilzen (Limburg); free \ alden-biesen.be

Sundays in the Mine Guided tours take you through the largest industrial heritage site in Flanders. Visit the old power plant, the showers, the lamp room, the mine shaft and the hydraulic lift, and take a ride in an authentic mine train.

Every first and third Sunday until October. 3 April 11.00 and 14.00; Mine Museum, Koolmijnlaan 201, Beringen (Limburg); €8 \ mijnmuseum.be

Archaeological Dig Join a guided tour through one of the largest archaeological digs in Flemish history.

UGent researchers are excavating an area roughly the size of a football pitch to study historic and prehistoric remains. Reservations required. 8 April 14.00-16.00; Regionaal Archeologisch Museum van de Scheldevallei, Rijstraat 4, Avelgem (West Flanders); €6 \ tinyurl.com/avelgemdig

\ 10

Do it for Oxfam

Marathon walk in Flanders Fields reminds of wars past and present Graham Eyre More articles by Graham \ flanderstoday.eu

PEACEWALKER.OXFAMSOL.BE

O

xfam is appealing for expat groups, workplace colleagues, families and friends to get involved in a fundraising marathon walk around Flanders Fields to mark the centenary of the First World War and help people affected by conflict today.

The first edition of the Peacewalker challenge will take place in the Westhoek area of West Flanders on 14 May, with teams of four walking 42 kilometres in 10 hours.

“It’s a big challenge,” says Oxfam’s event co-ordinator Delphine Giersé. “Some people will be running, but the message from us is that anyone can do it, so we encourage walkers. With a bit of training and some moral support, anyone can do it.”

The walk takes place in an area where the First World War saw some of its most brutal battles.

The route starts at the Peace Village hostel in Mesen and takes you through nearby Ypres and its surroundings, before returning to the small town.

“Mesen was the stage of major events during the war, and armies from many countries

© Courtesy ThruTheseLines / Flickr

The fields surrounding Mesen in West Flanders saw some of the First World War’s most brutal battles

crossed paths here, including the Allies and the Germans,” Giersé explains. “It’s important for visitors to see it because of its historical importance.”

The organisers are still recruiting participants, and at the moment there are more than 90 teams signed up. But only one Englishspeaking team. “The idea is to promote the event in the international community,” Giersé says.

“We would love it if companies used the walk as a team-building

exercise for their staff.”

According to Giersé, Peacewalker was conceived as a “little brother” to Oxfam’s annual 100km TrailWalker challenge, which has been running for almost a decade and sees hundreds of teams attempt 100km in 30 hours.

While the physical challenge is arguably less demanding, each Peacewalker team is also expected to raise at least €750 for projects run by Oxfam. Donors can track how much has been

raised online.

The money will go towards helping people stuck in conflict zones and the refugees escaping them.

Oxfam is active in more than 90 countries, with the major focus at the moment on Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic and the Western Sahara.

The organisers are also looking for volunteers to help at the route’s three checkpoints. The volunteers will hand out water and snacks, but also applaud and offer moral support.

According to Giersé, the event will be an emotional one and the key message behind the walk is one of unity. “It’s about showing solidarity not just with people from other countries but also the ones living here in Belgium, including your friends.”

As such, supporters will have a big role to play, and the team members no less so. “They need to be able to rely on each other,” she says. “You start with four people, and you have to finish with the same four people.”

14 May, starting in Mesen, West Flanders

Flemish-Moroccan culture house changes name and location The Flemish-Moroccan culture house Daarkom is to be given a new name and will move to a new location, Flemish culture minister Sven Gatz has announced. Gatz recently received the Moroccan minister representing the Moroccan community abroad, Anis Birou, in Brussels.

Daarkom – meaning “your house” in Arabic – was an initiative of former culture minister Bert Anciaux, but the project never really found its feet. It was given a magnificent home: the former Gaité theatre on Wolvengracht in central Brussels, completely made over by designer Karim Osmani and A2D architects. The rent was

reported to be €236,000 a year. However, events were few and far between.

“The commitment of both governments continues undiminished, including financing of the joint venture,” said Gatz in statement. “Nothing will change, furthermore, in the philosophy of the existing project, which is centred on the promotion and reinforcement of coming together, dialogue and cultural exchange between the Flemish and Moroccan communities.”

The new project will be called Daarna – Our House – and the Gaité will be vacated, with the

project seeking a new home elsewhere in Brussels.

“Following constructive talks with Mr Birou, I am now looking forward to seeing this new Flemish-Moroccan co-operation make its voice heard in all of Brussels and the rest of Flanders,” Gatz said.

“This reform offers a hopeful perspective for co-operation between Morocco and Flanders,” Birou said. “I have every confidence that our new agreement will strength the bonds of friendship and mutual respect between Flanders and Morocco over the coming years.” \ Alan Hope

BITE Friet wars If you live in Ghent, or visit regularly, do you have a favourite frituur? If you do, be prepared to have your world turned upside down, because after 27 April, while the frituur landscape may remain the same, the whole Dramatis Personae could be different.

Ghent has 16 locations where friet stands are allowed to stand on the public highway, and because they're there by virtue of a public contract, the operation of the 16 sites has to be put out to open tender. From the end of April, anyone may bid for one of the sites, with the licence to operate a frituur going to the highest bidder.

It's not the first time it has happened; in fact it happens at regular intervals. In the past, however, the city's rules said that a sitting owner – the operator of the frituur owns the stand, and licences the site – was allowed to retain their licence by paying 5% more than the highest bidder. That

© Visit Gent

ensured continuity, and meant that the owners of the stands weren't left with no place to put them.

The 5% rule has now been scrapped, alderman for finance Christophe Peeters confirmed. “Our view is that as a local authority we have to give everyone the chance whenever part of the public sector is being given in concession,” he told Het Laatste Nieuws. “The 5% rule ensured that sitting opera-

tors were guaranteed a place in perpetuity. That old way of working was not fair, in my opinion.”

To win a place, bidders are going to have to dig deep. The last round of bidding in 2010 brought winning bids of €3,300 for most sites – among them Fratersplein, Noordstraat, Neuseplein and New Orleansstraat. Zwijnaardsesteenweg, Antonius Triestlaan, Griendeplein and Antwerpenplein fetched €5,500; Vrijdagmarkt and Bij Sint Jacobs – prime city centre locations – went for €9,350. The jewel in the crown was Overpoortstraat, which went for no less than €25,000.

This time around prices will be higher, starting at €3,795 and rising to a minimum of €10,775 for Overpoortstraat – with real prices likely to be much more. “The system isn't fair,” said the operator of Frituur Jozef on the Vrijdagmarkt (pictured). “We will see with the other friturists if there's anything that can be done about the situation.” \ AH

march 30, 2016

The 100th Tour

Tour of Flanders gears up for centenary edition Leo Cendrowicz More articles by Leo \ flanderstoday.eu

RONDEVANVLAANDEREN.BE

T

iesj Benoot, one of Belgium’s brightest cycling hopes, grew up on the Tour of Flanders, watching from the sidelines for a full 15 years before he got his first bite at it last year.

“It was a dream come true to finally do it, after all those years as a spectator,” he says. “It gave me goosebumps: the cheers from the crowd ring in your ears like the music from a nightclub. It’s so amazing – you don’t see it anywhere else.

The crowds line up in every little village, and they go crazy.”

Ghent-born Benoot, 22, is now a key member of the Lotto-Soudal team. He turned professional last year, and in his first attempt at the Tour he came in fifth. “It was so exciting. I had a real sense of achievement, even though it didn’t properly sink in until much later,” he says.

It’s a refrain that has been heard for over a century as the Tour – or Ronde Van Vlaanderen – has coursed through the region. The world’s greatest cyclists test their mettle on the hills, mud and cobbles over the route that runs this year over 256km from Bruges to Oudenaarde. With up to 800,000 spectators, it’s the biggest sporting event in Belgium.

This year’s edition, on 3 April, is special, as it’s the 100th race. The first edition was in 1913, with the First World War breaking out just after the second edition the following year. The Tour resumed in 1919, and has been uninterrupted ever since, even during the Second World War. To celebrate 100 tours, this year’s event will pay homage to the past winners: all those still living, including the legendary doublewinner Eddy Merckx, will be

© Frederic Haslin/TempSport/Corbis

honoured, with King Filip leading the tributes.

Why has the Tour become such an epic cycling event? Wim Van Herreweghe, the organiser, offers three reasons. “Firstly, there have always been a lot of professional cyclists in Belgium, and a lot of cycling stars,” he says. “Second, the cobbles and hills give it a unique package. And, thirdly, the people: it’s like their national day. There’s no other event, no football, nothing else matters.”

He says the biggest challenge for organisers is safety. “The riders are so near. You can touch them, you can even smell them. That’s good, but it can be scary,” he says.

The Ronde was conceived by Karel Van Wijnendaele of the sporting paper Sportwereld, and was first

held on 25 May, 1913. Some 37 riders took part in the 330km race that ran through Sint-Niklaas, Aalst, Oudenaarde, Kortrijk, Veurne, Ostend and Bruges and

stones, it’s now seen as a vital test for the world’s greatest cyclists and is arguably the highlight of the pro cycling season.

The route has changed many times

The riders are so near. You can touch them, you can even smell them finished on a wooden track at Mariakerke, now a suburb of Ghent.

Only in the 1920s did it catch on and establish itself. Thanks to some fierce weather over the years, and the fearsome cobble-

over the years. All the races began in Ghent until 1976 when SintNiklaas took over, followed by Bruges in 1998. Until 1973, most of the finishes were in or around Ghent, before Meerbeke won the honour; then last year, Oude-

50 weekends in Flanders: Small breweries in hop country Flanders Today has launched an e-book with ideas for how to spend a year’s worth of weekends. Visit our website to get your copy of 50 Weekends in Flanders. We’ll also print one of our suggestions every week here, too.

The rolling hills of the Westhoek are dotted with little breweries that produce some of the finest beers in the world. The oldest breweries have been around for centuries, but some have been launched just in the last few years by beer enthusiasts with a passion for brewing.

WESTVLETEREN The Trappist monks of Sint Sixtus Abbey silently brew some of the world’s finest beers, including Westvleteren 12. But they produce only a few thousand bottles every year, making Westvleteren almost impossible to track down.

It’s only sold at the abbey shop, and you have to phone in advance to reserve a crate then drive to the abbey to pick it up. \ sintsixtus.be

BROUWERIJ KAZEMATTEN This brewhouse occupies ancient fortifications below the Ypres town walls. Launched in 2014 by the Sint-Bernardus brewery in Watou, it produces a golden ale called Grotten Santé and a light beer called Wipers Times (named after a First World War newspaper published here by British troops). You can drink the beers in a vast vaulted cavern below the city ramparts (pictured).

\ dedollebrouwers.be

TINYURL.COM/50WEEKENDS

DE PLUKKER Two beer enthusiasts set up this brewery in Poperinge in 2010. They make their beers using organic hops grown on a local farm.

They have already created some exceptional beers including the lovely Keikoppen, which they sell in a small bar that’s open on Saturday afternoons. \ plukker.be

\ brasseriekazematten.be

DE DOLLE BROUWERS A fantastic local brewery launched by three friends who call themselves De Dolle Brouwers, or the Mad Brewers. They took over a dilapidated 19th-century brewery in the village of Esen near Diksmuide in 1980 and started brewing a limited range of bottled beers. One of the Mad Brewers, Kris Herteleer, designs the quirky hand-drawn labels.

The cafe is open most weekends.

naarde muscled in.

The route of the 100th edition turns south after leaving Bruges’ Markt, heading south to Torhout, the birthplace of the Tour’s founder.

After a flat sequence to Roeselare and Zulte, it turns southeast to the climbs of Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg. The race finale takes in the ascent of the 22% gradient Koppenberg, the Steenbeekdries climb, Taaienberg, and Paterberg, before finishing on Oudenaarde’s Minderbroederstraat.

Flemish riders, who have struggled to make their mark in the Tour de France or the Olympics in recent years, are under particular pressure to prove their mettle on home soil. The last Belgian champion was three-time winner Tom Boonen, in 2012. This year, Switzerland’s three-time winner Fabian Cancellara is again the favourite, followed by Slovak Peter Sagan, last year’s winner Alexander Kristoff from Norway, Greg Van Avermaet from Lokeren, and Sep Vanmarcke from Kortrijk.

For Benoot, who came second in the five-day Tour of Belgium last year, the Tour of Flanders will be the highlight of his year – unless he qualifies for the road race at the Rio Olympics in the summer.

But while some might curse the cobbles and hills, he craves it. He even adores the brutal winds and rain that can torment the riders.

Indeed, the Tour of Flanders has always been associated with terrible weather, and the driving rain, wind and hail have been responsible for helping define the race’s identity. “I like it in the rain,” he says. “That’s when I do my best performances. Hot weather makes me sweat a lot, but the rain is so refreshing.”

DE STRUISE BROUWERS This small craft brewery was launched by four friends in 2001 in the village of Oostvleteren. They brew some 30 beers with distinctive tastes and curious names like Pannenpot and Tsjeeses. Some of the brewing is done in the old village schoolhouse, where you can also taste the beers.

SINT-BERNARDUS Sint-Bernardus began brewing in the little border town of Watou in 1946. They used to brew Trappist beer for the monks at Westvleteren, but were forced to stop when new regulations required Trappist beers to be brewed within the monastery walls. Now they produce Sint-Bernardus beers which are close in taste to Westvleteren but much easier to find. The brewery organises tours and sells crates of beer in the shop. \ sintbernardus.be

\ struise.com

\ 11

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\ ARTS

march 30, 2016

week in arts & CULTURE Cultural entrepreneurship prize for Voetvolk co-founder

© Chris Van der Burght

Culture shock: Some of the movements in Coup Fatal are a mystery even to the director

Fatal attractions

\ voetvolk.be

Public art by Borremans damaged in Ghent

European Baroque meets Congolese dandies on stage Ian Mundell follow Ian on Twitter \ @IanMundell

Cultural ambiguities are at play in Coup Fatal, as Alain Platel’s highspirited performance returns to Brussels.

C

oup Fatal is a conversation between European Baroque music and Congolese pop, rock and jazz. As the performance returns to KVS in Brussels after a busy international tour, director Alain Platel reflects on the process that led to its creation and the experience of mixing different cultures.

Platel’s first encounter with the Democratic Republic of Congo was in 2009 during a tour of Pitié, a raw and radical interpretation of Bach’s St Matthew Passion by his Ghent-based company, Les Ballets C de la B. In that production, Jesus Christ was played by the young countertenor Serge Kakudji, who is from Kinshasa, the Congolese capital.

“The original idea of going to Congo was to give Kakudji the opportunity to perform at home,” Platel recalls. “But I also thought going there could be a very important experience for the dancers, as well as for me.”

The decision was not taken lightly.

Some company members had doubts about performing in a city troubled by poverty and violence.

Platel wondered if this was “the right thing to do, if you don’t have to be there for other reasons but to perform”?

After much discussion – and the creation of a fund to support local projects – the visit to Kinshasa went ahead. “Performing Pitié in Congo came as a culture shock

for both sides,” Platel says. “For us it was the shock of just being there, meeting people and seeing the conditions under which other artists worked.”

And for locals, he says, “seeing a performance like Pitié was more shocking than for any other audience we had ever performed for”.

This was due partly to their unfamiliarity with contemporary dance, he says, and partly because of the nudity involved.

“They were troubled by that,” says Platel, “and we had very interesting discussions with people afterwards.”

After the visit, Platel was asked to collaborate on some new projects in Kinshasa. Although intrigued, he found himself resisting, as he had when considering similar requests after visits to the occupied territories of the West Bank.

“Very often these requests involved helping people express the kind of suffering that they experience,” he says. “And even though I could recognise that, I felt very ambiguous about my role.”

He felt unable to bring form to their problems. “They have to find ways to do that themselves,” he says. “I was also looking for a project through which I would learn something and give something in return, so that there would be an exchange.”

While Platel stepped back, Kakudji continued to investigate how the Baroque music he was trained to perform was perceived in Kinshasa. With the help of Paul Kerstens, co-ordinator of the KVS Africa Project, he sought out musical collaborators and explored

KVS.BE

possible connections.

Over the next two years, this quest evolved into a band that performed regularly under the leadership of guitarist Rodriguez Vangama. When it was decided the band’s concerts needed a more theatrical setting, Platel became involved again.

The mingling of European Baroque and Congolese music was already an attraction, representing the kind of exchange that he was looking for in a collaboration. “And when I went to Kinshasa to see a rehearsal, I experienced a real coup fatal,” he says. “I fell in love with this bunch of people and the way they interpret music.”

In order to respect the musical performance, Platel wanted to go light on the staging. “I didn’t want to make it into a ‘Platel’ performance or strictly a dance performance,” he says. “I wanted to use all the ingredients that I saw there.”

In particular, he wanted to refer to the socio-political situation in Congo without being too explicit and risking overshadowing the joyful nature of the music.

Hence the glittering curtain that forms a backdrop to the performance is actually made of spent rifle shells. And the blue plastic chairs on stage, which are ubiquitous in Kinshasa, are made in China, the new economic power in the land.

The dramaturgy of the musical score and the references in the

5-16 April

Flanders’ annual Culture Prize for Cultural Entrepreneurship has gone to Maarten Van Cauwenberghe, co-founder of dance company Voetvolk. Van Cauwenberghe, a sound artist and composer, set up the group with dancer Lisbeth Gruwez 10 years ago. The group has created a number of internationally praised productions.

This summer they are due to feature at the prestigious Avignon Festival. “Growing into a major company seems to be something that’s impossible for this generation to achieve, but Van Cauwenberghe is able to use that situation creatively,” the prize jury said. “As a multifaceted artist, he brings a variety of talents together while really embracing an enterprising spirit.”

text point to the kind of pain and suffering that one can associate with life in the Congo. “But these signs are not very obvious,” Platel says.

How you interpret them depends on your own point of reference.

Arias from Handel and Bach will be familiar to those well-versed in Baroque, but for other elements you need to know more about the Congolese culture. One sequence, for example, draws on the Sapeurs, extravagantly dressed men who dance in Kinshasa’s clubs and bars.

The sequence drew a strong reaction from the audience when Coup Fatal was staged in Kinshasa. “In this part, the performers also shout phrases that are typical of the Sapeurs,” Platel explains. “I never understood what was being said because they were in Lingala, or some of the other languages, but the local people did, of course.”

This is not the only point at which Platel admits to being in the dark about what his performers are doing. “There are a lot of details that, frankly, I don’t get,” he says.

“The performers are very mysterious, and I’m afraid to ask why they perform some of the movements.”

Explaining these things is tricky enough given the language barrier, but, as Platel explains, there is also the risk that questioning a movement or a gesture might inhibit or change the performance. “Sometimes it’s better not to ask questions and just let things be.”

KVS

Arduinkaai 9, Brussels

A city worker in Ghent has damaged an open-air painting by renowned Flemish artist Michael Borremans during a cleaning operation.

Several black stripes next to the portrait called “De Maagd” (The Virgin) were removed as the worker did not realise they were part of the work. Borremans, who painted the portrait of a girl with lasers streaming out of her eyes on a concrete column near the city’s Stadshal in 2014, said he was not amused that the work was cleaned by a city worker and not a professional restorer. He said he would not restore that part of the work.

Needcompany wins Barcelona Critics’ Prize The Blind Poet by Jan Lauwers and his dance troupe, Needcompany, has won the Barcelona Critics’ Prize for Best International Dance Performance of 2015. The production, which premiered in Brussels in the spring of 2015, follows a group of people struggling to communicate their multicultural – or monocultural – identities. It uses texts spanning 1,000 years, such as from Abu al ‘ala al Ma’arri, a blind Arab poet of the 10th century, and 11th-century Andalusian poet Wallada bint al Mustakfi, to explore major historical shifts in, for instance, religious beliefs and the power of women. “A necessary reflection on identity, languages and cultures in today’s multicultural Europe,” said the jury, “contemporary and poignant, given the refugee disaster that we have been causing in recent months.”

\ 13

\ ARTS

Tales from the city

Flemish comedian’s new novel delves into the modern urban jungle Rebecca Benoot More articles by Rebecca \ flanderstoday.eu

joostvandecasteele.be

Joost Vandecasteele reckons Flemish literature needs an injection of new life, and his new novel, Jungle, might be the book to do it.

J

ungle is the fifth novel by Flemish author, theatre director and stand-up comedian Joost Vandecasteele. His fascination with contemporary culture and society is an integral part of all of his writing; Jungle’s emphasis on cities, games and the internet makes it trademark Vandecasteele.

The story follows a struggling author as he tries to get any writing job going after he’s dropped by his publisher. He ends up collaborating on a new video game, but things quickly get out of hand, leading him on a whirlwind voyage across the globe. It’s a satirical dystopia that offers a glimpse of things to come.

Brussels, New York, Tokyo, Madrid and Kazakhstan are just a few of the places Jungle’s protagonist visits in an attempt to find meaning in a world on the brink of destruction.

“Our urban metropolis is a recent historical development,” Vandecasteele (pictured) says, “and people are still trying to find a way to live in harmony with it. They’re still struggling with the noise, chaos and abundance of impulses. It’s difficult to live your life if you’re constantly surrounded by other people, aggression and pollution.”

He believes in a form of architectural psychology, he says, in that people’s ways of life are influenced by the city. “You’re confronted with so many social situations, and that’s what fascinates me about cities; they bring out the best and worst in people.”

And where there’s struggle, there’s also resistance. “I find it very odd that people proclaim that our society is the best there has ever been,” he says. “To me, resistance is refusing to accept what’s offered to us. There’s always a better way; it just takes time and effort.”

Jungle is Vandecasteele’s attempt to show the limits of aggression, given that we live in an age where anger, in cities especially, has become commonplace. “Making someone angry is easy,” he says, “but if you really want to create change, confuse them. Make them think.”

And that’s something Jungle does: It confuses and defies readers by making them ponder

© Geertje De Waegeneer

the fine line between fact and fiction.

Vandecasteele’s love for pulp fiction and video games is apparent in the novel, giving us a tale full of wacky situations. “Games have had an impressive evolution, narratively speaking,” he says. “They create amazing and intricate worlds with mesmerising and challenging storylines, but people still don’t take them

seriously. They’re still seen as something for teenage nerds.”

Games and the internet distort reality but are at the same time an integral part of society, creating a blurred vision of the world. Incorporating these contemporary elements into Flemish fiction is something few authors do.

“That’s why I think it’s important to add these

elements to my novels,” says Vandecasteele, 36. “If we keep on writing the same novels over and over, for the same type of readers, then literature will eventually become extinct. We have to shake things up and challenge people.”

Literature, he says, shouldn’t be “some artsy form of escapism” because people and times change: “Every generation has its stories; we should stop writing solely for their mums and dads.”

Vandecasteele loves telling stories through different media and is currently working on an adventure game called Happy Volcano, a project of the Nederlands Letteren Fonds that finds game developers and authors working together.

He’s also a firm believer that literature should be exciting. “TV used to be a dying medium where we’d seen and heard everything,” he says, “but suddenly it changed course. Netflix and HBO, for example, dared to do something different, which revived the medium.

Nowadays film directors are voluntarily going to work in television, whereas it used to be considered second rate.”

Literature needs to reassess its goals in the same way, he says. It will never be able to compete with screens, “so they should work together and transform the medium instead of creating an either/or situation. Literature is wallowing in self-pity, begging people to buy an actual book so that authors stay in business.”

The benefit of literature, he adds, “is that you can unravel ideas, worlds and situations for a fraction of the price of a movie. And yet no one does this in Flanders. Here, small ideas and pretty penmanship thrive.”

Vandecasteele’s novels are full of intricate ideas and surreal situations. Jungle, however, is a novel of ideas with a strong social conscience. It’s original, fast-paced and confuses, inspires and entertains by turns. Although some sections read more like a column than a novel, and the characters occasionally seem one-dimensional, it’s still one of the more exhilarating experiences in Flemish fiction right now.

Jungle ( Lebowski

) is published in Dutch by

More new fiction this week Gij nu (You) • Griet op de Beeck (Prometheus) Former theatre director Griet op de Beeck returns with her third novel, a sumptuous collection of intertwined short stories featuring 15 people who are all lost in some way and must find the courage to save themselves. They are very different, but each is faced with a situation that could change their lives, in a story that explores loneliness, longing and lust.

Zwijgen (Keep Silent) • Ingrid Vander Veken (Polis) Ingrid Vander Veken has been writing for more than 25 years, publishing numerous novels, children’s books and a memoir.

Zwijgen is a story about her own past, about

\ 14

the things her parents always kept silent such as the truth about her uncle, or what happened during the Second World War. Exploring truth, consequences and how one generation’s silence can influence the next, it’s a beautifully written novel filled with evocative descriptions.

Haar (Her) • Kathleen Vereecken (Polis) Flemish journalist Kathleen Vereecken’s latest novel follows three sisters who look back on their lives, considering love, betrayal and what happened to all those childhood dreams. Their rivalry changed their relationships with each other, but now that their father is dying, they meet once again. Their father is finally able to let

go of the shame he brought on the family and the secret that haunted him. Haar is profound yet a bit sentimental.

Roosevelt • Gie Bogaert (De Bezige Bij) Gie Bogaert’s Roosevelt focuses on one of the best-known squares in Antwerp and the heart of public transportation in the city: Franklin Rooseveltplaats. People from all walks of life cross this busy square at all hours of the day, giving Bogaert the perfect starting point for a novel filled with colourful characters and often shocking tales.

Uncovering the heart of the city and its inhabitants, Roosevelt is an ode to both Antwerp and to storytelling in its purest sense.

\ AGENDA

march 30, 2016

Old is new again

Carl De Keyzer: Cuba, la lucha Until 15 May

Roberto Polo Gallery, Brussels robertopologallery.com

C

uba’s vintage cars, decaying buildings and impoverished population make it easy for photographers to collect striking images. Yet these aspects of life on the island soon become clichés, as familiar as the portraits of Che Guevara and Fidel Castro that seem to hang on every wall.

Veteran Flemish photographer Carl De Keyzer comes up with something more in Cuba, la lucha, a series of 60 photographs on show at the Roberto Polo Gallery in Brussels. Thanks to his keen eye and mordant wit, the images provoke a new curiosity about Cuba and the Cubans.

The pictures were taken in 2015, after US president Barack Obama had announced his intention to relax the 56-year trade embargo on Cuba. Hence one of the first images in the

exhibition shows a blind man with a stick walking along the street, unaware that he is treading on a large chalk drawing uniting the US and Cuban flags. A momentous change has occurred, but life goes on just the same.

De Keyzer likes this kind of visual comment, to the point that some of the images look staged.

In one, a man and a child hang in a dilapidated fairground ride, while a woman sleeps in the control booth. In another, two chess players balance the board on their knees; one is shirtless but wears trousers, the other wears shorts and a shirt, as if they were playing for possession of one suit of clothes.

But there are also photographs with a composition and colour that are simply a joy to behold. A young woman in church looks up at the Madonna, both figures dressed in dazzling white lace. Or two small girls play on a railway line, hiding their faces from the lens, their majorette uniforms an explosion of yellow. \ Ian Mundell

CONCERT

VISUAL ARTS

Big Bagpipe Bal

Foam Talent

1 April, 20.00 The bagpipe may be indelibly associated with Scottish tradition, but its geographical and cultural spread is far wider. Every corner of Europe has some variant of the instrument. This concert showcases bagpipe-oriented folk music from Belgium, Slovakia, Croatia and Poland. Concerts and dance

Molière, Brussels muziekpublique.be

initiations are followed by an open jam in which everyone is invited to participate. The event kicks off the European Educational Bagpipe Forum, sponsored by Erasmus and the European Commission.

Saturday sees a public colloquium and performance by Irish quartet FourWinds. \ Georgio Valentino

Until 14 April

LITERATURE

Brussels Int'l Fantastic Film Festival

Saskia De Coster

Until 10 April This isn’t your average film festival.

The annual BIFFF is devoted entirely to genre films: horror, sci-fi, and fantasy. The festival features dozens of screenings and special events, including appearances by cult filmmakers. The opening night screening of the Jane Austen-inspired comedy-horror flick Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (pictured) sets the tone. Although its scope is global, BIFFF shines a spotlight on home-grown talent wherever possible. The Belgian Fantastic Film Day (1 April) includes a short film competition and screenings of out-of-competition features made in Belgium, not to mention a workshop on fiscal incentives to local media investment. \ GV

Bozar Brussels bifff.net

30 March, 20.00 A familiar presence on TV and stage, both reading and interviewing, Saskia De Coster is a household name in Flanders for her multiple novels, in particular 2013’s Wij en ik (We and I), a takedown of suburban family hailed by critics as a masterpiece. During this talk, De Coster discusses her numerous multimedia collaborations and reads passages from both Wij en ik and its follow-up, Wat alleen wij horen (What Only We Hear), a look at the dysfunctional residents of one apartment block destined to be demolished.

(In Dutch) \ GV

Brussels FourWinds: The folk foursome give the Irish tradition a new and creative twist using pipes, whistles, percussion and chant. 2 April 20.00, Molière, Bolwerksquare 3 \ muziekpublique.be

STAND-UP Brussels English comedy night: Young British comedian Alfie Brown, known for his combination of sly charm and self-doubt, and Canadian comedian Allyson Smith (in English). 5 April 20.00, The Black Sheep, Boondaalsesteenweg 8 \ englishcomedybrussels.com

VISUAL ARTS Leuven

De Markten, Brussels demarkten.be

Every year, Amsterdam-based photography magazine Foam puts out an open call for young artists keen to be exhibited in a specially curated travelling exhibition. The only conditions: aspirants must be under 35 years old and pay an entry fee of €35. This year’s call was answered by a whopping 1,208 submissions, from which Foam selected just 21 photographers.

The winners come from across Europe, Asia and North America.

Their work is representative of the international contemporary arts scene. After Brussels, Foam Talent heads to London for a monthlong showing at the Beaconsfield Gallery Vauxhall. \ GV

FESTIVAL

CONCERT

Oriol Vilanova: Works by the Brussels-based Spanish artist featuring installations, performance and texts based on an extensive collection of postcards collected at flea markets over the years, in an investigation into the characteristics of men and culture. Until 5 June, M Museum, Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 28 \ mleuven.be

FAMILY Antwerp Harlem Globetrotters: The famous American exhibition basketball team celebrates its 90th anniversary with a spectacular show of athleticism, theatre and comedy, featuring slam dunks and amazing ball-handling skills. 31 March 20.00, Lotto Arena, Schijnpoort 119 \ greenhousetalent.be

Dendermonde (East Flanders)

Permeke, Antwerp permeke.org

Zonzo’s Station: A wordless performance featuring a combination of music and tinkering with trains, cables and railroad tracks by Nicolas Rombouts of Dez Mona, Joris Caluwaerts of The Go Find and Aarich Jespers of Zita Swoon (6+). 30 March 14.00 & 16.00, CC Belgica, Kerkstraat 24 \ zonzocompagnie.be

LITERATURE Antwerp Boeken op woensdag (Books on Wednesday): Free reading

by Flemish novelist and playwright Erik Vlaminck, author of Brandlucht and his latest work De zwarte brug (The Black Bridge), a family chronicle with a healthy dose of social criticism (in Dutch). 6 April 12.30-13.30, Letterenhuis, Minderbroedersstraat 22 \ antwerpenboekenstad.be

\ 15

\ BACKPAGE

march 30, 2016

Talking Dutch Is Bruges zot?

In response to: Terrorist attacks rock Brussels Airport and EU quarter Joy Andrada Deguzman: Speechless

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

N

ot long ago, we reported on a plan to build a beer pipeline under the streets of Bruges. But now it seems the beer-loving Flemish city may go totally dry for a whole month.

De stad Brugge roept haar inwoners op dertig dagen geen druppel alcohol aan te raken – the city of Bruges has called on its residents to go for 30 days without touching a drop of alcohol, De Morgen reported.

Zelfs enkele cafés en restaurants doen mee en zetten hun aperitieven zonder alcohol bovenaan de kaart – Some cafes and restaurants are going so far as to put alcohol-free aperitifs at the top of the menu.

The initiative was inspired by successful campaigns in other European countries, like Dry January in the UK. Het is niet zo dat de Britten achteraf gaan bingedrinken – Brits don’t then go binge drinking afterwards, said Marijs Geirnaert of De Vereniging voor Alcohol- en andere Drugproblemen (the Association for Alcohol and other Drug Problems).

Integendeel – on the contrary, tot zes maanden na de ‘droge maand’ – up to six months after the “dry month”, drinken ze minder – they drink less.

And there are other benefits, too. Op korte termijn slapen mensen beter – in the short term, people sleep better, voelen ze zich fitter – they feel more fit, en verliezen ze enkele kilo’s – and they shed a few kilos.

But the city hasn’t managed to convince everyone of the need to sober up. Brugs Burgemeester Renaat Landuyt is niet erg enthousiast – Bruges mayor Renaat Landuyt is not really keen on the idea. Dit is mijn ding niet – this is not my thing, he told the press. Ik drink graag mijn pintje of mijn wijntje – I enjoy my glass of beer or wine, he confessed.

CONNECT WITH US

In response to: Third Brussels bomber identified Miryam Van Beveren: Terror will not end there, but we need to stay strong and united.

In response to: Death toll of terrorist attacks reaches 34 Ian Tinsley: So sad.

He isn’t even convinced of the health benefits. Ik hecht gewoon veel belang aan wetenschappers die zeggen dat één glas per dag goed is – I am inclined to put a lot of trust in those scientists who say that one glass a day is good for you.

But he’s still going to have to cut out alcohol at some point because he made a rash promise. Als er duizend mensen intekenen op dagen zonder alcohol – if 1,000 people sign up to the alcohol-free days, zou Landuyt zeven dagen meedoen – then Landuyt will do it for seven days. Dat aantal werd gehaald – that figure has been reached, en dus zal Landuyt die belofte nakomen – and so Landuyt will keep his promise.

This doesn’t mean Bruges is going to become a beerfree city. Op de evenementen van de stad zal de drank blijven vloeien – the drink will still flow at the city’s official events, the mayor insisted. Daar blijven ze Brugse Zot serveren – they’re not going to stop serving Brugse Zot. We can all drink to that.

Tweet us your thoughts @FlandersToday

Poll

a. Absolutely, they are the ones in charge of our kids all day, they should be able to give them a pill or shot if need be

0% b. No, teachers already have too much to do. A nurse should be employed in every district to travel around from school to school

63% c. No, but every school should ensure that more than one of their teachers have the necessary medical diploma

38% allowed to attend to such medical needs. Everyone else – the majority – is restricted to giving first aid if required.

In fact, the majority of you would scrap even that system and let a school nurse handle medical needs. There could be one for every

\ Next week's question:

district who travelled from school to school attending to the needs of the pupils. This would relieve the teachers of extra work – sorely needed, according to Flanders’ education ministry – and ensure that pupils get the help they need from a qualified

Ghent wants to open the city-owned locations of its friet stands to public tender, against opposition from the licence holders (see p10). What do you think?

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

\ 16

Alex Agnew @AgnewAlex My deepest condolences to the victims and their loved ones.

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Hug someone you love. #Brussels

Morgan Polikoff @mpolikoff Thinking of all the warm, friendly people we met in Ghent, Brussels, Bruges, and Antwerp this summer. Another terrible, senseless attack.

Drew @themetalbrewer I should be lucky indeed to experience hospitality, warmth, & inspiration again like I did in Brussels & Ghent. #namelesshorror

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the last word

Do you agree with the Flemish Education Council's suggestion to allow teachers to carry out minor medical interventions?

Not one of our readers was in favour of letting all teachers administer medication or give simple injections, as the Flemish Education Council suggests. That’s in line with the current situation: Only teachers who have obtained a special medical diploma are

VoiceS of flanders today

Pigeon fanciers

Less than sporting

“Local councils invest in peregrines because they’re a solution to the plague of pigeons in their municipality – a plague that was partly caused by homing pigeons not returning to their dovecot.”

“Every Sunday I hear it: Hey monkey, go and eat some bananas. It’s getting worse. I’m not sure any more if football is worth the trouble.”

Jan Rodts of Vogelbescherming Vlaanderen explains why birds of prey are killing off more and more prize racing pigeons every day

Good to be bad “When they asked me, I didn’t hesitate. Lying and cheating the whole time, how wonderful. And I don’t feel one bit guilty about it.”

Gilles Van Bouwel from Brussels was revealed after eight weeks of mystery to be the mole in the latest series of De Mol on Vier

Julio Bravo, a player for second division Sparta Ursel, lost his temper and assaulted an opposing player after yet another racist remark

Comfort food “A strange evening. Dark times.

But we can find comfort in eating well. Gather round the table, put the pot in the middle and make your kids’ favourite dish. Today that’s allowed.”

Flemish TV chef Jeroen Meus taped a new episode of his show Dagelijkse kost at the last minute on Tuesday of last week, to take account of the day’s events

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