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

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In Flanders Fields

BUSiNESS \ p6

innovation \ p7

Cobot, at your service

education \ p9

art & living \ p10

Beer 2.0

The region has opened a memorial garden in the Australian War Memorial that reflects the design of the Menin Gate and contains soil from Flanders Fields

Flemish researchers and industry have created one of the first collaborative robots in the world that is not separated from workers by a steel cage

An upstart brewery has pioneered an entirely new kind of Belgian beer: The spicy ginger tipple is grain-free and 8%

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Turf wars

Two worlds apart warily meet on stage during Bronks theatre festival Tom Peeters More articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.org

A new piece on show at the Bronks youth theatre festival brings together teens from different backgrounds who discover that the trials and pressures of adolescent life cross urban-rural divides.

denticity, the title of an ambitious new play that brings together two groups of adolescents who seem to be worlds apart, speaks for itself. It revolves around questions of identity, both in the city and in rural Flanders. Amber Goethals, one of the creators of the new project, often wondered how her children would have turned out if they hadn’t been raised in Antwerp but in rural Flanders. How would that have changed their attitudes, their personality, their identities? The answer to that question is on show at Bronks XL, the

annual theatre fest that is something of an apotheosis for the many workshops and projects organised by the Brussels youth theatre in recent months. Identicity creators aimed to break down social divides between the adolescents of different backgrounds featured in the play, many of whom had never been in a theatre venue before. The theatremakers wanted to show their youthful actors, and audiences, that they have the same needs and desires, even if they seem nothing alike. Over the past few months, Goethals and several other members of the Antwerp-based, female-only theatre collective Compagnie Barbarie have paid regular visits to two secondary schools to create the show. At the KTA Jette secondary school in Brussels, they collaborated with graphic design students in their final year. At

KTA Horteco in Vilvoorde, they teamed up with horticulture students. After 10 workshops in the schools, the two groups recently met for the first time in Destelheide, a youth community centre in Beersel, Flemish Brabant, for five days of rehearsals with overnight stays. Situated southwest of Brussels, the green, idyllic landscapes of the surrounding Pajottenland offered the Jette students a break from their usual urban setting. The horticulture students were more accustomed to Destelheide’s rural setting; their school is on a remote, 50-plus hectare domain in Vilvoorde. “We usually organise a Green Week just before the Easter holidays,” says Ilse Humblet, one of two teachers who accompanied the horticulture pupils to the rehearsals. “It’s continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

New Flanders Memorial Garden opens in Australian capital Region’s new garden in Canberra made with same stone as Menin Gate Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.org

he Flanders Memorial Garden opened in the Australian capital Canberra last week, becoming part of the larger Australian War Memorial in the city. The new garden was funded by the Flemish government in memory of the Australian soldiers who died in the First World War in Flanders. The garden includes low walls leading to a circle planted with flowers, which reflects the three circles that form the roof of the Menin Gate in Ypres. The poem “In Flanders Fields” by Canadian officer John McCrae is inscribed on one of the garden’s walls. Thousands of Australian troops passed through the Menin Gate – still home to a nightly Last

Post ceremony – on their way to the front. “No monument better symbolises the sacrifice the Australian troops made for the defence of Ypres than the Menin Gate,” Flemish minister-president Geert Bourgeois said. “The Flemish government did not hesitate to contribute to the realisation of this memorial garden in Canberra, an appropriate honour to their ultimate sacrifice.” Just like the Flanders Fields Memorial Garden in London, which opened in 2013, the Canberra monument contains soil from First World War sites in Flanders, including Tyne Cot cemetery, Polygon Wood and Hill 60. The structures were built using Portland stone, the same type used on

Foreign affairs secretary-general Koen Verlaeckt takes part in the opening ceremony of the Flanders Memorial Garden in Australia

the arch of the Menin Gate. At the opening ceremony, Australian War Memorial director Brendan Nelson reflected on his country’s ongoing positive rela-

Cultural differences affect health of migrants, says study Researchers from Ghent University have discovered that “cultural distance” is an important factor in the health of first-generation migrants. This is the degree to which the culture of the host country and the country of origin differ. The bigger the cultural distance, the worse a person’s health as they age. On the basis of a European survey, experts determined the cultural distance between a number of countries. “The way people think about religion, work, national identity and are all factors determining the cultural distance,” researcher Jens Detollenaere told De Morgen. The difference between Belgium and the Netherlands, for example, is very small, while the distance with countries such as Morocco and Egypt is huge. The

research shows that people who migrate to a country that is far from their country of origin, culturally speaking, are less healthy later in life. “A possible explanation is that migrants who are further from the mainstream culture experience more problems in searching for information, are less easily reached by screening campaigns and have more trouble accessing the right care,” said Detollenaere. The effect is particularly notable among first-generation migrants. Among second-generation migrants, there is no significant correlation. The researchers say the results could help policy-makers improve how they provide information and improve training for health-care providers. \ Andy Furniere

tionship with Belgium. “In the Great War, these men and women paid the ultimate sacrifice for Australia, the ideals of mankind and the hope of a better world,”

he said. “A centenary gift from the people of Flanders, the garden is a reminder of the eternal truths by which we live, and the lives lost for them.” Koen Verlaeckt, secretary-general of Flanders’ foreign affairs department, was also present at the opening ceremony. “The memorial garden in Canberra is the second permanent commemoration in another country of the awful events of Flanders Fields,” he said. “It is a place for the fallen to be remembered, but at the same time a place of hope, peace, reconciliation and meditation.” The Australian War Memorial includes remembrance monuments, a museum and an extensive archive.

Ghent makes shortlist for European Green Capital Award Ghent has been shortlisted for the European Green Capital Award for 2019, the European Commission has announced. The award recognises efforts to make cities more environmentally friendly and to demonstrate a commitment to public engagement and local economic development. Originally awarded to Stockholm in 2010, it has since been won by Hamburg, Nantes and Ljubljana among others. Brussels made the shortlist in 2015. Ghent is up against Lisbon, Oslo, Lahti in Finland and Tallinn in Estonia, with the winner announced in June. Leuven, meanwhile, has been shortlisted for the European Green Leaf Award 2018. The award was launched in 2015 and is aimed at cities with populations of between 20,000 and 100,000. The focus is on employment and green growth. The shortlist also includes Ludwigsburg in Germany and Växjö in Sweden. \ AH

Two civil service security stations to close in Flanders Federal home affairs minister Jan Jambon has announced the closure of four of the country’s six civil service security stations. Two will remain open, one in Flanders and one in Wallonia. The stations are second-line emergency services, after police, fire and ambulance, and attend major and minor incidents to

provide specialist equipment and interventions. These include toxic spills, victim rescue and pumping services in cases of flooding. Until now, the service has been spread across six stations around the country, with three in Flanders, at Brasschaat, Antwerp province; Liedekerke, Flemish Brabant; and Jabbeke, West Flan-

substances in the area covered by Brasschaat – including installations in the port of Antwerp and nuclear power plants in Doel and Mol – gave that station an edge. Jambon stressed that the reform was not about cost-cutting but to improve performance and efficiency. Katia Segers, a member of parlia-

20kg

€145 million

surplus in the Flemish government’s budget for 2017. The major part – €100 million – will go into a reserve fund, while the remainder will finance new policies yet to be detailed

ders. Later, only Brasschaat will remain open. The town of Liedekerke said it will contest the decision. Jambon – a resident of Brasschaat – said the decision was taken on economic and operational grounds, as well as the question of risk. The presence of chemical, biological and radioactive

tonnes of cocaine fished out of the North Sea in 25 sports bags last week. The haul, thought to have been dumped by a ship from South America, has an estimated street value of €60 million

of meat consumed by each person in Flanders every year on average, compared to 27kg in 2002. At the same time, the number of butchers has fallen from 3,645 to 3,131

ment for opposition party SP.A who sits on the Liedekerke city council, claimed the measure was “a direct attack on people’s safety”. The cuts in the number of stations would mean delays in emergency response, she said. “We’re unable to understand the minister’s logic. In disasters, every second counts.” \ AH

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Belgian companies declared bankruptcy in the first three months of the year, an increase of 9.5% on the same period in 2016, according to information bureau Graydon

Turkish people have applied for asylum in Belgium in the last eight months, according to figures from the migration minister. The total is greater than the figure for 2014 and 2015 combined

APRIL 12, 2017

WEEK in brief Flanders exported goods worth €302 billion in 2016, a new record and nearly 1.5% more than the previous year, according to Flanders Investment & Trade. Imports fell slightly by 0.43% to €285 billion, leaving a surplus of €17.5 billion. Mohammed R, the man who drove a car loaded with weapons at high speed on the Meir pedestrian street in Antwerp last month, has not been charged with attempted murder or terrorism, according to VRT. He is still in custody, charged only with illegal possession of weapons. The first of two titan arum flowers in the Botanic Garden Meise is blooming, with the second, larger flower expected to follow at the weekend. The Amorphophallus titanum, native to the rain forest of Sumatra, is known for its pungent odour, compared to a rotting carcass. It is an endangered species, and, thanks to the simultaneous blooming, the gardens will now be able to pollinate for the first time. It will take pollen from the smaller bloom and use it to pollinate the second flower. This should produce seeds that will help contribute to the restocking of the plant’s numbers. The port of Antwerp has welcomed a decision to lower the toll for lorries using the Liefkenshoek tunnel between the hours of 22.00 and 6.00, starting in July. Lorries pay €14 to €19 toll during the day, which would be cut to €3.65 to €6 at night. The reduction is intended to encourage hauliers to travel through at night, thereby reducing traffic congestion. People in Belgium recycled a record 114,000 tonnes of electrical equipment in 2016 via the Recupel system – the equivalent of 10.2kg per household, Recu-

face of flanders pel said, or more than 32 million appliances. A van carrying 15 people crashed and overturned on the Brussels ring road last week following a police chase. None of the occupants was in the country legally, and the driver, a minor, is being held on suspicion of human trafficking. Five of the 14 passengers, including two children, are in hospital in serious condition. Tiany Kiriloff of the Belmodo fashion blog and creative agency and the subject of last week’s Face of Flanders has regained access to her Instagram account, after it was hacked and held for ransom. Kiriloff is one of the most active Instagram users in the country, with 190,000 followers. Her account was recovered, she said, thanks to rapid action by Instagram and parent company Facebook. The Belgian Crisis Centre has been awarded the annual 112 Award by the European Emergency Number Association for its work on 22 March last year, when terrorists attacked Brussels Airport and metro. The centre’s D5 communications team was praised for its “exceptional contribution” in the use of social media to keep the population informed of the situation. The federal police have announced a new speed-check marathon on 19 April, the first Wednesday after the spring school holidays. Hundreds of officers will be present at 900 locations across the country to catch speeding drivers. On the last occasion a year ago, 32,000 drivers were caught speeding, 6% of all of those checked. Michel Moortgat, CEO of brewers Duvel Moortgat, based in Puurs, Antwerp province, has acquired

Longer waits at Brussels Airport last Friday were caused by passengers turning up for their flights much earlier than necessary, a spokesperson for the federal police said. Friday saw the introduction of stricter identity checks on anyone entering or leaving the Schengen zone. The airport advises arriving two hours before departure time. Bruges and Hasselt are the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country, according to a survey carried out by Test-Aankoop among residents of 12 cities. Bruges also led the field for air quality. In Flanders, however, only one in three residents regularly uses the bike to travel to school, work or shopping. The federal minister responsible for disability policy, Zuhal Demir, has introduced an amendment to the law to allow municipal stewards the right to check documentation on blue disabled parking cards in order to crack down against fraudulent users. According to the social security ministry, about 228,000 expired cards are circulating in the country. A bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) was spotted off the coast of Ostend last week. This is the first time the whale has been seen in Belgian waters, according to nature conservancy organisation Natuurpunt. There are only about 10,000 bowhead whales left in existence.

Tom Boonen Hundreds of fans and the press circled around Flemish cyclist Tom Boonen after he crossed the finish line at the Paris to Roubaix on Sunday. Not because he had won, but because it was his final race as a professional cyclist. “Tommeke” has always held a special place in the hearts of Flemish cycling fans. Although his performances were inconsistent, and he was busted three times for taking cocaine, he was a battler who came back again and again, winning three Tours of Flanders, among many other trophies. The 36-year-old finished in 13th on Sunday – the race was won by fellow Flemish cyclist Greg Van Avermaet – but his peers were effusive in their praise. Boonen, a specialist in one-day events, has won many of the sport’s biggest races. He was world champion in 2005, held the yellow jersey on the Tour de France for four days in 2006, and the following year he took home the coveted green jersey for sprinters. He won Flanders’ E3 Harelbeke five times, Gent-Wevelgem three times, and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne three times.

Unusually large for a cyclist, at 1.92m, the man from Mol was Belgium’s great cycling hope 10 years ago, named as the heir to Eddy Merckx. It was in 2005 that Boonen became the first cyclist to win the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and the World Cycling Championship in the same season – as well as the Belgian Sportsman of the Year award. But he has had his setbacks. Boonen had knee surgery in 2010, followed by a lengthy rehabilitation. During the 2011 Tour de France, the last time he competed, he hit the asphalt. That’s not to mention his cocaine shame in 2008 and 2009; although it is not performance-enhancing like EPO, the drug of choice for the cyclists, it is still banned. And the fact that Boonen continued using it a year after he was first caught suggested a somewhat distracted temperament. On Sunday, he insisted he had no regrets. “The last few weeks has been a rollercoaster of emotions,” he said. “For me, this is the best race in the world. And also, it’s just time for me, I’ve been feeling it since last year.” \ Leo Cendrowicz

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

OFFSIDE Easy listening British singing sensation Ed Sheeran was in Antwerp’s Sportpaleis last week, and among the crowd of 25,000 adoring fans was the family of Prince Laurent, brother to the king. It was Studio Brussel DJ Linda Merckpoel who spotted the prince, in the company of his wife, Princess Claire, daughter Louise (14) and twins Aymeric and Nicolas (11). She preserved the event with a selfie. Contacted by VRT next day, the prince explained he’s not much of a fan, but the rest of the family are. “I wasn’t familiar with the singer, but the atmosphere was

a majority share in the Flagey building in Brussels. The building is home to both the Brussels Philharmonic and media concern Bruzz. Moortgat now owns 68% of the shares, with more than 20% owned by the Flemish and Brussels regions and the federal government, which increased their own holdings to block Moortgat’s attempt at a complete takeover.

play.spotify.com/user/pldeb

very exciting. It was a great experience for the children.” The following morning was somewhat more difficult, he admitted, as they still had to go to school. His own musical choices, he told

VRT, include French electro-pop group Variety Lab and French DJ Claude Challe, who is also a personal friend. He then directed VRT to his own Spotify account, where he goes by @pldeb. That reveals recently played tracks by French chanson singer Patricia Kaas, Italian crooner Paolo Conte, Flemish artists Netsky and Hooverphonic and a mixed bag of pop and rock, including Britney Spears, Barry White, Kim Wilde and Daft Punk. Members of the public, he told the station, are free to follow him on the platform. \ Alan Hope

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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, Sarah Crew, Emma Davis, Paula Dear, Andy Furniere, Lee Gillette, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Arthur Rubinstein, Senne Starckx, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton General manager Hans De Loore Publisher Mediahuis NV

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\ POLITICS

€1 million for new woodland Proposals accepted for backing from forestry compensation fund Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.org

lemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege has approved a budget of €1 million for this year for the purchase of land to grow new woodland. The subsidy will cover 60% of the cost of the land. The funding comes from the woodland compensation fund. Anyone who receives a permit to remove existing woodland – a recent example was the extension of a logistics depot in Limburg – must either create new woodland in another location or contribute to the fund, which is administered by the government’s Agency for Nature and Woodland. The agency has called for proposals for new reforestation projects, to be submitted by 1 September. Possibilities include play forests, woods on the edges of towns, enlargement of

local woodlands and general projects that make forests in Flanders more accessible or contribute to the protection of certain animal or plant species. Proposals are likely to come mostly from provincial and city

Government increases spending for diesel soot filters Subsidy requests for particulate filters in old diesel cars have multiplied tenfold in just a few months, leading the Flemish government to increase the budget by €800,000. The subsidy for installing a filter on older diesel cars has been in place for many years. For the past eight years, the premium, of up to €600, has been requested on average about 40 times a year. But the number of requests has increased drastically: in the first months of this year, the government received about 1,100 requests, which is already 10 times more than last year. The increase is probably the result of the introduction of the low-emissions zone in Antwerp, meaning that older, more polluting cars can no longer enter the city centre. Some models are allowed to enter if they have a particulate filter. Other cities – like Mechelen, Ghent and Brussels – also plan to introduce a similar zone, so drivers there might also need a filter. “Since we have seen a large increase, we have raised the budget,” Flemish environment minister Joke Schauvliege told VRT. “We are allocating €800,000 extra to meet all demands, which also helps our environment and air quality.” However, it is expected that even this increase will not be enough to deal with the rise in demand. Installing a particulate filter, which costs between €900 and €1,100 without subsidies, takes about two hours. \ Andy Furniere

authorities, though companies, organisations and individuals are also free to submit ideas. In related news, the government of Flanders has approved a proposal to protect 12,262 hectares of woodland in zones where it was not initially intended. Of the 185,000 hectares of forest in Flanders, 65,000 hectares occupies land that originally had another purpose – residential, industrial or recreational. The woods were selected on the basis of ecological criteria, age, area and location. The largest proportion – 5,137ha – is in Antwerp province, followed by Limburg (2,773ha), Flemish Brabant (2,207ha), East Flanders (1,786ha) and West Flanders (359ha).

Consumer affairs ministry issues tips for safe tanning Federal consumer affairs minister Kris Peeters has launched a campaign to inform the public about using tanning salons safely and to raise awareness of the conditions they are obliged to meet. The campaign follows news that 94% of salons inspected in 2016 were in breach of regulations. “When there are so many rotten apples that they destroy the whole barrel, we can no longer stand watching on the sidelines,” said Peeters. The federal ministry uncovered 1,214 breaches of the rules on tanning centres, compared to 357 in 2015. The government is clamping down on tanning salons because of the heightened risk of skin cancer, especially among people with Type 1 skin, characterised by pale skin, light blond or red hair and freckles. Peeters called on “all those who want to have a browner skin” to achieve it more responsibly. The campaign offers some tips: Never

use a tanning centre if you are on medication, are under 18 or have Type 1 skin. Tanning salon users should also make sure that the premises offers sufficient information and support, including a personal tanning plan. The campaign also comes with sanctions: Any centre found to be in breach of the law and closed

down will have to present a report from an independent lab – at a cost of some €1,000 – before being allowed to re-open. Since these independent labs will be responsible for checks previously carried out by the ministry, the latter will then be freed up to carry out more primary inspections, Peeters said. \ AH

Minister presents strategic vision for cultural heritage © Dirk Waem/Belga

Sebastien Joris (left) spoke before a parliamentary inquiry commission in November 2016

Police officer cleared of faults in March terror attacks Sebastien Joris, the federal police force’s liaison officer for Turkey, is not guilty of errors that allowed one of the terrorists involved in last year’s attacks to enter Belgium undetected, federal home affairs minister Jan Jambon has said. “It appears that Joris followed procedure,” Jambon said, commenting on reports that the deadline for any disciplinary action against the officer had passed. He added that it had been clear for some time that no such action would follow. Joris was accused of failing to take action in 2015 when Ibrahim El Bakraoui was arrested at the Turkey-Syria border. El Bakraoui was later released and managed to return to Belgium, where together with his brother, he committed terrorist attacks at Brussels Airport and Maalbeek metro station. Shortly after the attacks, Jambon pointed to “blunders” and announced that disciplinary proceedings would be taken. Since then, however, Joris’ police superiors made it clear that Joris followed correct procedure. Speaking via a union representative, Joris said he was “relieved” at the result, pointing out that he has never been suspended from duty. “This has been a very difficult time for him and for his family,” a union official said. “The finger has only ever been pointed at him alone, and he now hopes the whole circus surrounding him has come to an end.” \ AH

Flemish minister for culture Sven Gatz has presented a new white paper on cultural heritage. The paper sets out policy priorities for the period from 2019 to 2023. The paper covers the government’s future support for museums, heritage libraries and archives and heritage organisations. “The main aim of my cultural heritage policy is quality and sustainability,” Gatz said. “That way cultural heritage remains meaningful today and is passed on to future generations.” The policy has four main priorities: reinforcing art and heritage collections in Flanders; linking tangible heritage such as art works and manuscripts with intangible heritage such as traditions and practices; more co-operation between different branches of the culturalheritage sector; and broader and more diverse participation. Two Antwerp institutions, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and the M HKA museum for contemporary

The Torreelen, a walled farmhouse in Veurne, West Flanders, is protected cultural heritage

art, have been given the status of cultural heritage institutions of international repute. They will serve as role models for the whole sector in their co-operation with each other and with other bodies,

from local to international levels. The paper also lays out priority areas for this legislature, including agrarian and industrial heritage, crafts, local history and genealogy. \ AH

\ COVER STORY

APRIL 12, 2017

Turf wars

Indenticity pushes teens out of familiar places and roles bronks.be

continued from page 1

a week full of activities focused on our environment, health, road safety and so on.” But, the teacher said, their familiarity with rural settings aside, the students are still stepping out of their usual school environment and having to collaborate with pupils they don’t know. Humblet says the school’s director green-lit KTA Horteco’s participation in the Bronks project because improving the social skills of their student body is an important element of the school’s learning plan. “We knew from the start this would be a unique experience,” she says. “Our pupils can learn things here we don’t teach in school.” “In the beginning I was a bit scared to stand on a stage in front of a group of people,” says Cédric Vandenbloock, a student at KTA Horteco. “Acting is so far out for us; usually I work with my hands. But when I noticed the others appreciated what I was doing, it was a real boost to my self-confidence. I never would have thought this could be so much fun.” Vandenbloock mentions a scene rehearsal in which he started twerking on stage, to surprised shrieks from his fellow actors. “His classmates didn’t even know that he could dance, or that he had a great sense of rhythm,” Goethals adds. “We discovered that here for the first time.” The Compagnie Barbarie actors who led the workshops treated the adolescents as their friends rather than as their students, Vandenbloock notes. “They didn’t tell us what to do, but they gave us a helping hand when we needed one.”

‘All great art is born out of trust’: Students rehearse Identicity

on stage, for instance, Goethals and her colleagues assigned them logistic tasks, to keep them involved in the play. Goethals says she and her

They knew they would meet another class, but we didn’t tell them we had picked a class at the other end of the spectrum When, at one point, three of the horticulture students decided they really didn’t want to perform

colleagues knew that they would only win the students’ trust if they let them take ownership of

the piece, pointing out that they only had a rough plan for it. “The play had to be theirs. We had to construct it bottom-up,” she says, adding that it was a huge advantage that they entered the classrooms as outsiders. “A problem a lot of young people experience is that they can’t find a listening ear in our educational system,” she explains. “We can have an honest conversation with them, and that enabled us to see each of them personally as interesting individuals, and not just as persons in a group – which motivated them to open up.” This, in fact, is also Identicity’s story: They first appear on stage as separate groups but gradually

intertwine, with the differences between them soon fading. Sure, the horticulture students, clad in overalls, perform a dance routine with spades, while their urban peers engage in playful mock fights, while flashing their trendy sportswear, high heels and make-up. But the message they want to relay is obvious: Don’t judge a book by its cover. “Before arriving in Destelheide, the students knew they would meet another class, but we didn’t tell them we had deliberately picked out a class at the other end of the

spectrum,” explains Goethals. “They were really curious to find out who the others would be,” adds Ilknur Adibelli, the second teacher who accompanied the Vilvoorde students to the rehearsals in Beersel. “After they met for the first time, I heard our pupils say: ‘Oops, they do look a bit different,’” Humblet adds. “But only a few hours later, they already said that the others were ‘OK’.” She adds that she now frequently has to tell her students to leave the bedrooms of the Jette students and go to their own rooms in the evenings. It was exciting to see the two groups awkwardly sniff each other out, Goethals says, describing the initial divide between them as that between youth gangs. “I think the first cross-pollination was between the Jette pupils with Turkish roots and the Vilvoorde students with Turkish and Albanian roots,” she says. “But I believe that, in general, when you have to be on stage together, you tend to find each other more easily.” On the first day of their Destelheide stay, the students complained about the rehearsal dragging on until late in the evening. “Now they realise that when you have a common goal, you need to work until the end,” Humblet says. “It’s all so different from what we usually do; far more experimental, too,” says Romainlwenn Matobi, one of the Jette students. “And yet at the same time, the people of Compagnie Barbarie made sure we kept our distinct personalities on stage. It was as if what we do in our daily lives suddenly became art.” “All great art is born out of trust,” Goethals says, reflecting on both the successful interaction between the two groups of students, and the one between her collective and the adolescents. “It’s when you don’t mind coming across as ridiculous because you know that great things can spring to life.”

Bronks

22 April 19.00

Varkensmarkt 15, Brussels

The rest of the fest: Bronks XL Aside from Identicity, Bronks’ XL Festival will feature several other shows that resulted from school collaborations. Students in visual arts from the GO! Atheneum in Anderlecht will show Gebrokengrens/Frontièrefracturée (Broken Borders), an installation they created together with three professional designers. Meanwhile, What Do You Mean What Do You Mean And Other Pleasantries by Maarten Seghers of the Brussels-based Needcompany opens the festival between a laugh

A dozen teens go in search of an alternative society in Zuwander

and a tear with a play centred on a character whose face is attached to a wooden plank. The festival’s Carte Blanche section puts the spotlights on talented young Brusselaars in different disciplines. In Zuwander, SKaGeN’s Korneel Hamers goes in search of an alternative society with 15 teenagers, while Niemand weet het (Nobody Knows), a weird detective story performed by musician Dijf Sanders and the artist Naomi Kerkhove, tries to enter the subconscious

of a girl in a coma. Finally, Hakuna, the casting agency founded by film directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah of Black fame, will present Project BXL, four short movies about the capital created by local youth.

21-23 April Bronks

Varkensmarkt 15, Brussels

\ BUSINESS

week in business Energy Eneco The Dutch-owned renewable energy producer is set to acquire Eni Gas and Power, the local affiliate of the Italian energy group. The move turns Eneco into the country’s third largest supplier behind Engie/Electrabel and EDF/Luminus, with a market share of 16% and over one million customers.

Aluminium Corialis The producer of aluminium profiles for the building industry, based in Lokeren, East Flanders, has been acquired by America’s CVC Capital Partners investment fund for €1 billion from Boston’s Advent International. Corialis employs 1,900 workers worldwide and is a European leader in the production of verandas, doors and window frames.

Plastics Solvay The Brussels-based plastics and chemical group has sold its reticular polyolefin activities to Italy’s Finproject.

Insurance Generali The local affiliate of the Italian insurance group has been put up for sale by its parent company as part of a restructuring of its European activities. Generali Belgium collected €670 million in insurance premiums last year.

Property Devimo The Brussels-based property group, which operates nearly 30 shopping centres and retail parks in Belgium, France and The Netherlands, has been acquired by Antwerp’s Hugo Ceusters brokerage company from AG Real Estate.

Logistics Cargill The US-based food and agricultural products group has signed an agreement with Antwerp’s Zuidnatie to build a 300,000-tonne barley and malt shipment and storage facility in the port of Antwerp. The new distribution centre is expected to open in August 2018.

Chemicals Ecochem The producer of flame retardant chemicals, based in Olen, Antwerp province, is investing €11 million in its Willebroek facility, in the same province, to transfer production from its operations in Germany, France and Israel. The move will create 50 new jobs at the plant.

Volvo Gent gets new compact Plant awarded assembly of new XC40 SUV for Europe and America Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.org

he Volvo car assembly plant in Ghent will begin construction of a new compact model later this year, company CEO Hakan Samuelsson said, with a second new model to follow later. A condition of the work security in Ghent, however, is the passage of new measures to limit labour costs in Belgium. Later this year, the new model XC40 will begin to roll off the assembly line. “This is a very positive development for Ghent,” Samuelsson said. “2017 is a crucial year for the factory. We will be building the new compact vehicle

exclusively for Europe and the United States. The XC40 is an SUV – a fast-growing segment of the market.” Volvo Gent will invest €200 million in infrastructure for the contract. Last week Flemish ministers Joke Schauvliege (environment) and Philippe Muyters (labour) visited part of the new installation, a welding facility employing 350 people – and a handful of robots. Further investment in the construction of a second vehicle will follow. Volvo Gent currently employs 5,400 people for the construction of three models.

Hakan Samuelsson (left) and Flemish labour minister Philippe Muyters announce Volvo Gent’s new contracts

Langerlo biomass plant expected to file for bankruptcy

Tielt slaughterhouse re-opens with camera surveillance

A controversial biomass plant in the Langerlo neighbourhood of Genk is expected to file for bankruptcy this week, the plant’s manager told TV channel Kanaal Z. The closure will mean a saving of €2.2 billion in subsidies scheduled to be paid out by the government of Flanders over the next 10 years. The official reason for the closure is the Flemish Energy Agency’s refusal to extend the deadline for the plant – a former coal depot – to convert to biomass and become operational. If it misses the deadline, it loses the subsidy. But over the last year, there has also been a change in opinion on the use of biomass, in which organic material – in this case wood pellets – is burned to generate electricity. While wood pellets are nominally a renewable resource, it now appears that biomass generation is only viable with government subsidies. It is also less environmentally friendly and sustainable than previously thought. The previous owner of Langerlo, German Pellets, went broke, and the plant was taken over by Graanul Invest of Estonia, which planned

Flemish minister for animal welfare Ben Weyts has approved the re-opening of the DebraGroup slaughterhouse in Tielt, West Flanders. The government had closed down the slaughterhouse last month after undercover footage revealed shocking mistreatment of pigs. Debra-Group sought a suspension of closure with the Council of State, which was rejected. The company then presented Weyts with a plan that it said would prevent such incidents from occurring again. Weyts agreed to lift the closure order, and the facility re-opened last week. “A great relief,” said Debra-Group CEO Thomas De Roover. “After discussions with the ministry, we’ve been given a second chance.” Among the measures contained in the plan is live camera surveillance, which can be viewed by inspectors at any time. The company is also required to hire an animal welfare officer and also operate an animal abuse zero-tolerance policy for its employees and suppliers. Slaugh-

to import wood pellets from the Baltic states. The company has now decided to end its investment as the loss of the subsidies seems inevitable. The decision frees up €2.2 billion, offering the opportunity to scrap raising household electricity bills that was meant to cover the cost of subsidies. However, the closure of the plant will affect the government’s ability to meet its energy targets for 2020, imposed by the EU. Langerlo would have produced more energy than all the solar panels currently installed in all of Belgium. In his plan for 2020, energy minister Bart Tommelein called for 280 new windmills and 6.4 million solar panels, 200,000 of them on homes. With the closure of Langerlo, those numbers will have to be radically reviewed. \ AH

terhouse staff will also receive training from experts from the Thomas More University College on handling animals, and the college will also carry out independent inspections. “We will be closely following the situation in the Tielt slaughterhouse,” Weyts said. “We will not hesitate to step in again if that appears to be necessary.” The slaughterhouse is still being investigated by the prosecutor’s office in Bruges for possible criminal offences. In related news, Weyts’ ban on slaughter without stunning – administering an electric shock so the animal feels no pain – has been described as “the worst crisis since the Second World War” by Philippe Markiewicz, chair of the Central Israeli Consistory of Belgium. Members of the Muslim and Jewish communities are required to slaughter animals without stunning them first, referred to as “ritual slaughter”. Markiewicz pointed out that one of the first acts of the Nazi party in Germany was to ban ritual slaughter. \ AH

Test-Aankoop loses iPhone legal battle against Apple

Two SIM card providers stop selling over ID regulations

Consumer protection organisation Test-Aankoop has lost its case against tech giant Apple over the amount of smartphone memory advertised. The group claimed that Apple’s memory specifications are misleading. Apple’s iPhones – unlike many other smartphones on the market – are sold according to the amount of on-board memory available. Phones with more memory – 16, 32 or 64 gigabytes and for some models up to 256gb – are more expensive, and the iPhone offers no possibility to extend memory by inserting an SD memory card. However, Test-Aankoop argued that the amount of memory actually available for use is far less than the capacity claimed in publicity: a 32GB phone has considerably less memory available to the owner because of the memory consumed by the operating system and by pre-installed apps. The judgement refers to changes made by Apple since the case was originally filed. The company’s website now informs potential buyers: “Available space is less and varies due to many factors. A standard configuration uses approximately 4GB to 6GB of space.” For the commercial court in Brussels, that warning is enough. TestAankoop disagrees, according to spokesperson Simon November. “The court assumed that the average consumer would consult the Apple website,” he said. “We think that’s not the case.” It plans to appeal. \ AH

Two providers of pre-paid SIM cards for mobile phones will stop selling them because of a new requirement for providers to register identity details from anyone buying the cards. Aldi Talk, a subsidiary of the supermarket group, said it was unable to carry out the registration formalities in its shops. The change comes as part of the battle against terrorism, making it impossible to use mobile phones anonymously. In future, every mobile phone in use will be attached to a personal identity. The telephone regulator BIPT said four providers are still not in line with the new regulations. Neither Aldi Talk nor Simyo,

owned by Telenet, is implicated, but the two providers have now decided to withdraw from the market from early June. According to consumer organisation Test-Aankoop, the two sellers often offer the most advantageous formulas available to users of pre-paid cards.

\ INNOVATION

APRIL 12, 2017

Wanted: a cobot

week in innovation

A revolutionary robot in Brussels is set to change the face of work Daan Bauwens Follow Daan on Twitter \ @DaanBauwens

orkers at Audi Brussels recently welcomed a new colleague, Walt, who can recognise faces, take orders and learn new skills by observing others. That sounds straightforward enough for a human, but their new crew member isn’t exactly that. Walt is a robot, the fruit of a lengthy project that crossed disciplines, regions and technological frontiers. The robot – whose official name is Walt, but who the Audi workers nicknamed “Baby Geert” after the software engineer who painstakingly tweaked its workfloor programming for months on end – was recently introduced to the world, surrounded by press and proud human colleagues, at the car assembly plant in Vorst. Baby Geert is a cobot, a robot that isn’t kept in a separate enclosure to protect workers but instead works side-by-side and take instructions from them. His current job is to glue auto parts, which he does with a level of precision that cannot be achieved by human hands. “This is nothing short of a revolution,” says Jonathan Berte, CEO of the Ghent-based Robovision, a world leader in artificial intelligence and visual recognition that designed the software programmes that make the human-robot interaction possible. Thanks to Robovision’s “deep learning” technology, the cobot is capable of understanding instructions given through signs, communicating that it has understood orders and recognising the faces of colleagues. “The truly ingenious element is that we developed software that allows the robot to be capable of

The robot is the fruit of a long research project that saw engineers, sociologists and programmers working together

interpreting reality,” Berte adds. “It autonomously chooses which task to perform according to the situation it is in without human input. This kind of software is sure to cause a shift in robotics around the world.” Safe and successful robot-human interaction was precisely the aim of ClaXon, the project from which Baby Geert was born. Initiated by Audi, ClaXon received financial support from Flanders’ nanotech giant imec, with innovation agencies from Brussels and Flanders also stepping in a later stage. Sociologist An Jacobs and mechanical engineer Bram Vanderborght, both researchers with the BruBotics research centre at the Free University of Brussels (VUB), co-ordinated the project, bringing together researchers and industry professionals from across the region to develop a fully functioning prototype. Berte stresses that all the software

developed for the project took into account sociological research findings before any programming took place. “We needed their conclusions to know what would work and what wouldn’t,” he says. “Should we, for instance, use speech technology or sign recognition? What are the most common signs used by workers when building a car? What are the most important social cues?” Aside from the “revolutionary software,” he continues, “it’s this interdisciplinary approach – still very much underrated in Flanders – with researchers leaving the comfort zone of their field, that makes this project so incredibly innovative.” VUB researcher and CLaXon project co-ordinator Vanderborght couldn’t agree more. “Lab research with robotics only takes you so far,” he says. “For this project, we needed to know what would happen exactly when we inserted

the robot into the workspace. We paid special attention to the willingness of the workers, who are often suspicious that a robot will take their jobs, to accept a nonhuman in their team.” According to Vanderborght, workers’ preferences and concerns that were considered in the research, as well as the robot’s ability to communicate emotions by smiling, winking and nodding, contributed to the ultimate easy-going acceptance of Baby Geert. The robot also must follow the work rhythm of its human colleagues, he says. Whenever it is in close proximity to a human, sensors ensure that it slows down its movements so as to never injure anyone. “As a result, the cobot is seen as someone who’s coming to support them rather than to replace them, and who poses no physical danger,” Vanderborght explains. “He’s already being seen as a member of the team, with the fact that he’s already been given a nickname the most evident proof.” According to the researchers behind Baby Geert, we’ll inevitably have to rely more and more on this type of automated technology in the workplaces of the future. “The bigger picture must be considered,” Vanderborght says, pointing to the ripple effects of a rapidly ageing population. “Right now we have four people working for every retiree, but in less than a decade that will become two for every retiree,” he says. “Everyone will need to work longer, and cobots can offer the necessary support so that workers remain healthy and productive, especially in physically strenuous jobs such as car assembly.”

Matchmaking service brings hackers and companies together Major tech companies in the US like Facebook and Google have long employed ethical hackers to test their online systems for security flaws. For Flemish companies, it has been impossible to enlist the help of such hackers; the practice was illegal until last December, when the federal government established a regulatory framework allowing ethical hacking. Stijn Jans, a managing partner at the Antwerpbased cybersecurity company Security Factory, was quick to spot the window of business opportunities created by the government’s decision. With help from the University of Leuven and The CoFoundry, an organisation that supports startups, he launched Intigriti last month, a platform that brings companies and ethical hackers together. “Intigriti is for companies that already have a cybersecurity system but need to test it to make sure it sufficiently protects them against real, everyday risks,” Jans explains. “By bringing together the creativity of hundreds of ethical hackers in Europe, we can evaluate these systems more efficiently.” Through the platform, companies can recruit an army of ethical hackers to uncover any bugs. The

hackers that team up with Intigriti, meanwhile, earn a “bug bounty” for every security problem they identify. The Intigriti pool of hackers includes students, professionals and knowledgeable amateurs as well as everyday users who unwittingly discover IT security flaws. “Serious breaches can, for example, include allowing users to pay with someone else’s identity in an online shop,” Jans explains. “Other serious problems include the hacking of business data and customer information.” Companies can either publish an open call to the entire Intigriti community or request a closed

intigriti.be

programme for more sensitive issues. “For closed programmes, we first screen the ethical hackers thoroughly,” says Jans. Intigriti has already won over large Flemish concerns like telecoms company Telenet and cinema operator Kinepolis, which are both using the platform. The remuneration businesses offer for bugs identified through open calls varies drastically, but some hunters have earned close to €2,500 for their discoveries. The financial rewards for hackers who participate in closed programmes haven’t been disclosed. Jans notes that most large companies in Belgium seem to value the importance of strong cybersecurity systems. “But as far as SMEs are concerned, there are vast differences,” he says. “While some devote a considerable budget to it, others are only starting to set up their security systems.” Intigriti charges a 20% commission on the compensation received by ethical hackers and a monthly fee from participating companies. In return, the Intigriti team makes sure that the reports filed by hackers meet a number of quality standards so that businesses can solve any issues quickly and efficiently. \ Andy Furniere

Electric shocks for tumours at UZA Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) is the first hospital in the country to use a US-developed electric shock therapy against cancer. Called NanoKnife, it consists of short, powerful electric shocks delivered directly to tumours using special needles. UZA has been using the therapy since December and has treated about 10 patients with it. “It offers an alternative for patients with a tumour that is impossible to remove surgically because it is situated against an artery, for example,” said UZA surgeon Geert Roeyen. It is estimated that 10 to 20% of the annual 1,700 pancreatic cancer patients in Belgium are eligible for the treatment. It is, however, expensive: The device costs about €300,000, and each treatment costs some €5,000.

Ghent neighbourhood heated with waste The new neighbourhood De Nieuwe Dokken (The New Docks) in Ghent’s harbour area will use food waste and wastewater for the heating of 400 houses, a school and a sports hall. The project is possible thanks to Zawent technology, which collects water from sources such as vacuum toilets and groundup food waste and converts it into biogas. Heat will be recuperated from other forms of wastewater, and the combination of the two will be sufficient for one-third of the heating needs of the buildings. Any residual water will be purified and re-used by a Ghent hygiene chemical company, which will in turn provide its industrial residual heat to the Ghent quarter.

Double vaccine for rabies and yellow fever To develop a cheap, efficient and easy-to-produce vaccine against both rabies and yellow fever by 2020: That is the goal of the international RABYD-VAX consortium, which is led by the University of Leuven. “The new vaccine can be included in routine childhood vaccinations and administered without a needle,” explained professor Johan Neyts, who co-ordinates the consortium. Rabies, usually transmitted through dog bites, claims about 59,000 lives each year worldwide, while the mosquito-borne yellow fever virus causes about 30,000 deaths per year. The RABYDVAX consortium has received a €4.1 million grant from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme for the development of the vaccine. \ AF

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IN A CHANGING WORLD,

\ EDUCATION

APRIL 12, 2017

Spring campouts

week in education

Education system works to stop parents lining up for days at schools Toon Lambrechts More articles by Toon \ flanderstoday.org

ome early spring, rows of tents, sometimes even the odd camper van, pop up in front of school gates across Flanders. Parents can be seen quietly chatting over a cup of coffee, while shifting in their seats under the mild March sun. The vibe might seem friendly, but these campouts are a deadly serious affair, and these parents are on a mission: to get their child enrolled in the school of their choice. Parent campouts have been a recurring phenomenon in cities like Brussels, Antwerp and Ghent for some time now. Recent measures aimed at putting a stop to this trend have largely succeeded in deterring parents from waiting overnight – or days – in front of a primary school to enrol their children. But the problem persists in secondary education. Koogo, an organisation that defends the interests of parents of schoolchildren, says the problem in secondary schools has persevered for a number of reasons. “One is that schools are required to declare the number of students they wish to enrol,” explains Koogo co-ordinator Ludo Claes. “As a consequence, they’re not allowed to simply add extra chairs in a classroom to accommodate more students.” Student body numbers are public and have historically encouraged parents to camp out to be first in line to enrol their children. Claes notes that school administrators in more and more municipalities have started introducing online registration systems, but adds: “This is often just a shift from physical waiting lines to virtual ones.” Parents who pitch their tents in

Parents form lines for days at the gates of schools like Sint-Jan Berchmanscollege in Antwerp

front of school gates often do so because that school is in high demand. “Sometimes this has to do with a school’s specific pedagogical method, such as with Montessori or Freinet schools.” But there are also schools with a strong reputation in the community education networks, Claus explains, noting that this prestige is often a very subjective matter. “And it is a public secret that schools sometimes consider waiting lines a kind of status symbol.” All too often, tents in front of local schools are the result of parent groupthink, Claes notes, with the emergence of a handful of tents inciting other parents to camp out. “It has come to a point where we see parents camping out who already know that they won’t be able to enrol their child, but they join the queue just to get a place on the waiting list – even if alternatives exist.” Although the parent campouts may seem innocent enough, they are reinforcing existing socioeconomic inequalities, Claes warns. “Not every parent has the

same opportunities to pitch a tent for a few days,” he says. “It’s clear that middle-class parents with a wide network have more options than underprivileged families – both in terms of accessing information about the enrolment process and being able to physically camp out.” Still, the campouts aren’t just a question of popularity and prestige. Local schools are facing a structural shortage of available places that is particularly pronounced in pre-school education and in primary schools in the larger cities. “This was perfectly predictable on the basis of the number of children born in the cities, but policymakers waited too long to act,” Claes explains, noting that the capacity problem will shift to secondary schools as the children born in the recent demographic boom grow up. “Cities are trying to cope, but this is not an easy task to manage over a short period of time,” Claes continues. “And of course, there is the question of who will foot the

bill to create the extra capacity in our education system.” Marijke Van Bogaert, a spokesperson for the Catholic education network, says that Flanders has a structural shortage of space in cities and certain towns just outside of Brussels, due to a recent rise in the number of children being born in Flanders and Brussels. “Next year, we expect the peak to take place in preschool education, while the peak in primary schools will occur in 2025,” she says. Van Bogaert explains that anticipating a rising number of pupils isn’t as straightforward as it may seem. “For primary education, it’s not that complicated. These children will go to a school close to their homes, and only one type of education is offered,” she says. “But it’s different for secondary schools where students are more mobile and have to choose between fields of study. This makes it almost impossible to predict what kind of extra capacity will be needed where.” Both municipal authorities and the three education networks are working to find solutions that will solve the structural shortage and eliminate the need for waiting lines. “Primary schools that have faced enrolment problems in particular have put their heads together to come up with better and fairer methods,” Van Bogaert says, noting that Antwerp, Ghent and Brussels have all introduced central registration systems. “Equal opportunities in our education system are seriously jeopardised by the current situation,” Claes concludes. “For us, this is the main argument to work on a uniform enrolment system where everyone has the same chances.”

Q&A

vliruos.be

Professor Jean-Michel Rigo of Hasselt University is co-ordinating a 10-year Interuniversity Collaboration project between three Flemish universities and the Université Moulay Ismaïl in Meknes, Morocco On what kinds of research will the institutions be collaborating? The region of Meknes in northern central Morocco is mostly agricultural, so crops and food are important topics. Others are water management, governance, health, environmental protection, spatial development and use of medicinal plants. The different projects were defined in collaboration with the local community in order to address real needs. Experts from Flanders will, for example, help improve the evaluation of water quality.

Will Flemish universities also create new education programmes there? Yes, Flemish professors from Hasselt, Ghent and Leuven will contribute to the development of new master’s degrees at the Moroccan university and also give lectures. It will also be important to improve the quality of local research by advising PhD students. We will furthermore help set up new infrastructure, such as a central laboratory. How will Flemish universities benefit from the collaboration? New tools created to test water quality there can be of great use

Is there an economic component to the programme? We hope the contacts between the regions can be valuable to both Flemish and Moroccan businesses. The valorisation of research activities is another important way of giving back to society.

here as well. We also plan to send Flemish students in biomedicine to Morocco, where local experts will teach them about medicinal plants. A researcher from the University of Leuven will also travel there to take samples of pesticides that have already been banned here to further his research.

Is this the first Interuniversity Collaboration programme that Hasselt University is co-ordinating? No, we have already been collaborating with a Congolese university in the city of Kisangani for six years. Although the conditions are very different there, our experience in Congo can help us improve governance and management at the Université Moulay Ismaïl.

300 more staff for special-needs pupils The government of Flanders is allocating an extra annual budget of €15.2 million to employ 300 extra school staff to assist 2,500 children. The assistance is for pupils who have been mainstreamed from special education into regular education through the M decree, which the government introduced in 2015. The extra staff will particularly focus on pre-schoolers with Down syndrome and primary school students with behavioural disorders. “There was a group of children who fell through the cracks, until now,” education minister Hilde Crevits told VRT. The funding will cover the employment of teachers, speech therapists and physical therapists.

Turkey refuses to recognise KU Leuven diplomas The Turkish government has refused to recognise some students’ diplomas that were obtained from the University of Leuven (KU Leuven), citing claims that the institution supports Turkish opposition leader Fethullah Gülen. The accusations are believed to revolve around the Fethullah Gülen Chair for Intercultural Studies, which KU Leuven established in 2010. According to reports, authorities last year refused to recognise a KU Leuven degree issued to a Turkish student because the university, an official letter said, was “linked to the terrorist Gülen movement”. KU Leuven rector Rik Torfs recently visited the Turkish embassy to discuss the issue. “The Turkish ambassador has assured us that our diplomas will be recognised,” he said.

€6 million for greener school buildings Flemish education minister Hilde Crevits is investing €6 million in dozens of projects that aim to make school buildings across the region more energy efficient. “With its extensive network of buildings, the education sector has a large potential to save energy and thus reduce CO2 emissions,” minister Crevits said in a statement. The projects will insulate the walls, roofs and floors of schools that are part of the free subsided education network in Flanders, as well as introducing highly efficient glazing. The total cost price of the projects is €8 million, with €6.1 million being funded with subsidies from the Flemish Climate Fund, which is funded by sales of European emission rights. \ AF

\ Andy Furniere

\ LIVING

week in activities Royal Greenhouses Open The famous greenhouses of the Belgian royal palace in Laken are open to the public for just a few weeks every spring. On 25 April, there will be a special opening day for people with reduced mobility. 14 April to 5 May, Koninklijk Parklaan, Brussels; €2.50 \ monarchie.be

Hakendover Horse Procession This annual tradition dates back to the city’s role as a pilgrimage site in the middle ages. Nowadays, thousands of tourists as well as pilgrims gather on Easter Monday to witness the spectacle of hundreds of horses and riders galloping three times around the assembled crowds. 17 April, Mass at 10.00 followed by procession at 11.00, Tiense Berg, Tienen; free \ pp-h.be/processie.html

Sahara City Run “Be there, run hard, feel good”. That’s the motto of this fun run for all ages through the Lommel Sahara, a unique landscape of sand dunes and pine trees in northern Limburg. There are 5K, 10K and 15K routes, and you can register on the day of the event. 17 April, start times at 14.00 (5K) and 15.00 (10K and 15K), Dorp, Lommel; €10 \ saharacityrun.be

Start to Golf If you’ve never played golf before but would like to give it a try, now’s your chance. Clubs across Flanders will open their doors and offer a free introduction on Easter Monday. Many will also have special lesson packages and membership offers. Registration required via the website. 17 April; free \ starttogolf.be

Play Outside Day For the 10th year in a row, all the children’s TV broadcasters in Belgium will go dark from 13.00 to 17.00 to encourage kids to go outside and play. At the same time, fun activities are organised at youth centres, parks and sports halls in every community across Flanders. Check the website for events in your area. 19 April \ buitenspeeldag.be

\ 10

You’ve got a friend in me Ghent’s Street Buddies lend a hand to students who’ve overindulged Daan Bauwens More articles by Daan \ flanderstoday.org

streetbuddies.org/gent

hent’s Overpoortstraat has long been synonymous with scenes of student debauchery, including drunkenness and the use of soft drugs. But since last September, parents have had less reason for concern. Street Buddies, a volunteer squad presided over by Auguy Mundala is now patrolling the student area, known for its cheap bars and takeaways, to keep an eye out for anyone having difficulties. If you’re too sick to get up or have injured yourself in a drunken tumble, for instance, the blue-clad Street Buddies will come to your aid. Mundala breathes positivity. A 37-year-old football coach for BX Brussels with Congolese roots, he runs charities in the capital but now points his arrow of goodness at Ghent’s Overpoort area. “I lived in Brussels, but from time to time, I came here to party,” he says, recalling his younger years. “I remember walking around on the street, all alone, crazy drunk. In case something would happen, nobody was there to help.” Young women, he says, could be especially vulnerable alone in such a state. “Defenceless,” he says. “I saw that people here needed someone to keep an eye out for them.” Putting his money where his mouth is, he started Street Buddies Gent, a team of volunteers helping people in need because of an excess of partying. Each Thursday night – the busiest night on Overpoort – Street Buddies arrive at midnight and stay until 5.00. “Most of the trouble people run into is caused by alcohol, theft and drugs”, Auguy says. “We call the police if fights break out, an ambulance if someone is passed out on the street and clear away broken

Street Buddies tend to the sick, injured and passed out in Ghent’s Overpoort area

bottles that could be used as weapons.” Deborah Mundala, Auguy’s wife, is an HR specialist from Berlin. She works the Overpoort with him on Thursdays. “What’s most shocking,” she says “is how young the partygoers are. Many are still in second-

A majority of the people Street Buddies help have simply fallen asleep or passed out on the sidewalk because “they’re not allowed to sleep in the bar,” says Deborah. “But it’s dangerous, cold and dirty. We wake them up and ask them who they’re with. In some cases, we

In some cases, we wake up the parents by phone to come and get their kids ary school. Nobody checks their age before selling them alcohol.” Many students in higher education don’t have class on Fridays, but secondary students do, of course. “When we ask them whether they have school in the morning, they answer they’ll take the first bus to school.”

wake up the parents by phone to come and get their kids. Parents do appreciate it a lot.” Ghent is in fact Europe’s third Street Buddies group. The project was founded four years ago in Salzburg, Austria, by a group of parents. Now parents cruise the party scenes in both Salzburg and Linz.

After hearing about the organisation last year, Auguy travelled to Austria to see it for himself. He came back and set up the Ghent chapter, using the same striking blue jackets with white, reflecting stripes. Six months later, and Auguy has a pool of 15 volunteers, including Flemish and foreign students, one mum, one dad, a secondary school teacher and a professional photographer. But his team is looking for more members so they can expand to other nights. Outside funding is very limited, so Auguy and Deborah pay for most of the equipment: tissues, water, firstaid kits. They are seeking sponsorships from local companies and subsidies from the city. All in all, it seems like kind of a thankless job. But Auguy doesn’t see it that way. “We love them and want to care for them. It’s as simple as that.”

BITE Hasselt’s Rosch offers beauty in both decor and food Hasselt has no shortage of dining options, from Michelin-starred toppers to classic Belgian bistros. Lately, however, it’s become the place to find exciting new ventures from talented young chefs with an entrepreneurial spirit. One such venture is Rosch, a stylish restaurant that’s been generating a lot of buzz since opening a few months ago. Chef Glenn Ross and Nicole Schellekens met while working together at famed Flemish resto Hof van Cleve, which is where they also met Alexander Reniers, chef and owner of another Hasselt newcomer, Osteria Moretti. Like Reniers and his partner, Ross and Schellekens (pictured) handle everything at Rosch (a combination of their names) themselves: he in the open kitchen, she as host

and pastry chef. The long, narrow space is painted in deep grey and green tints, with simple black tables and chairs and long benches along the walls. Custom tableware completes the

decor. Everything at Rosch is served à la carte and limited to a few options in each category: five hapjes, four starters, three mains and three desserts. The wine list is similarly selective. A focus on quality over quantity ensures that the whole operation runs smoothly with just the two of them. I was glad we’d booked our table in advance, as there’s a month-long wait for one of the restaurant’s 16 seats at weekends. Despite a full house, service was relaxed and attentive, and every course was perfectly timed. We chose the romesco, served with anchovy toast and grilled baby lettuce, and hummus with crudités as hapjes. The bright flavours proved an ideal introduc-

rosch.be

tion to the meal. My husband then had the red beet starter, served with Puy green lentils and creamy goat’s cheese. I decided to forgo a first course, as I had my eye on the blood orange and chocolate dessert. For our main courses, we had the lamb Lozère and the fish of the day, which was sea bass. Not only was everything cooked to perfection, but each plate was beautifully presented: Ribbons of red carrot complemented the rosy pink of the lamb, and the fish was accompanied by a palette of white (asparagus, mashed potato, cockle shells) and green (broccolini, spring onions). With such a promising start, Rosch has a stellar future ahead of it. \ Diana Goodwin

APRIL 12, 2017

Sugar and spice

Ginger beer brewed by Antwerp couple is hot stuff Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.org

GINGERTIPPLE.COM

ver fancy a nice cold beer but have none available? Most of us wouldn’t go out and brew our own. But Jeremy Sulzbacher did. Sulzbacher was an accountant in his hometown, London, and later in Israel. He moved with his wife to Antwerp 13 years ago. He’s also an orthodox Jew, which means that during Passover he’s not allowed to consume any fermented grains. And that’s precisely what beer is: grains that have been boiled in water and allowed to ferment. Even after the grains have been removed, what’s left is still considered chametz, or leavened, and chametz isn’t even allowed in the house. “I’m sure you can understand what it is to live for eight-and-a-half days without any beer,” he says. Absolutely. So Sulzbacher only had one choice: invent a beer using something other than grains. Or rather, re-invent it: Ginger beers have been on the market since about the 18th century.

I think we are the first Jewish brewers in the country While most ginger beers are non-alcoholic, others do contain alcohol. Ginger beer is still consumed in the UK, with the best-known brand being Crabbie’s of Edinburgh, which has an alcohol content of 4%. Most ginger beers are not brewed, but Sulzbacher’s is. He followed a brewing course in Belgium before getting started. “Belgium is the beer country par excellence,” he says. “But I wanted to come up with something new.” Experimentation to find the right balance of flavours took some time, labouring in the basement of the couple’s home. But once Sulzbacher found that balance, the drink took off like a rocket.

Jeremy Sulzbacher came up with Ginger Tipple as a way to enjoy beer during Passover

“The difference is, I don’t cook the ginger,” he says. “You’ve got this very fresh ginger aroma before you even start drinking it.” His product is called Ginger Tipple, because Belgian law considers the recipe not to be beer. “The average Fleming when he’s had a few beers picks up the bottle and goes, ‘Ah, Ginger Tripel!” Sulzbacher peels and grates the ginger, mixes it with mineral water, wine yeast and sugars

– including some organic and exotic sugars for flavour – and then leaves it to ferment. After a first fermentation, he adds dry Cascade hops to give it a touch of citrus. The result is filtered and bottled, and a second fermentation takes place within the bottle, which provides natural carbonation. Ginger Tipple weighs in at an impressive 8.5% alcohol, twice as strong as Crabbie’s and up there with a strong Belgian beer like Duvel

or Delirium Tremens. The installation started off at home, but demand grew so great that Sulzbacher has moved the microbrewery to a new location round the corner – and it looks like he will be forced to move again. The couple – his wife, Shifra Senderowicz, is responsible for distribution – are not focusing on the Jewish market, which has little or no beer culture, even in Antwerp, he says. “I think we are the first Jewish brewers in the country.” On the other hand, Ginger Tipple is almost entirely organic, contains no additives and is gluten-free, which opens up another niche market. Ginger Tipple looks like beer, but don’t expect it to taste like beer as you know it. My bottle was slightly too warm by the time I got to it, and as a result was only slightly effervescent, with a head that lasted only a few seconds. The ginger flavour is prominent without being overpowering, and the effect of the Cascade hops is subtle and interesting. There’s a slight acidic kick, a fleeting resemblance to a young lambic, with a pleasant astringency. One of the most noticeable characteristics is the heat on the palate of the high alcohol content. This Tipple may seem like a fruity soft drink, but be careful: it packs a punch. You’re not dealing with your average ginger beer, here. So what’s next? Production at the moment is at maximum capacity of 700 litres a month. It’s quite a lot for a one-man show, but Sulzbacher would still like to expand. First to the UK and the US, he thinks, then to India, Israel and the rest of Europe. “I’m trying to raise money to move into a larger facility so I can increase capacity to 4,000 or 5,000 litres a month,” he says – a pattern seen all over the craft beer scene in Belgium. In the meantime, he foresees an interest from restaurants for beer and food pairings, and from bars for the creation of new cocktails. Ginger Tipple is available online from various merchants, which are listed on its website. It’s also sold in the Antwerp area in bars, restaurants and shops, including België Tip Top and Avenue Wines.

Holy inventory: Volunteers catalogue treasures of West Flemish churches We’ve all been there – holding on to old clothes, documents and assorted knickknacks. The longer we spend living in one place, the more we’re likely to accumulate there, no matter the physical confines. Eventually, we lose track of where certain things are buried. Well, the same goes for churches. In Flanders, even the smallest parish churches have become museums of sort, filled with religious and secular artefacts dating back centuries. Some have cultural and historical value, others lie forgotten under a thick layer of dust. To get a clearer view of the hidden treasure trove, a Kortrijk-based heritage organisation has begun taking inventory of all the items gathered in local churches. For now, the aptly named Goddelijke Huisraad (Divine Household Goods) project is under way in five parishes in West Flanders, but more are likely to follow, according to Ineke Bruy-

nooghe from Erfgoed Zuidwest (Southwest Heritage). “The project responds to a need,” she explains. “Churches in Flanders are at a crossroads. Attendance has dwindled over the decades, so some of them no longer hold services. Plans are under way to give churches new or alternative functions.” During this time, she continues, “it is useful to know what kind of heritage items the parishes have lying around. A comprehensive inventory is also invaluable in case of theft or fire.” West Flanders is lagging a bit behind the other provinces. East Flanders and Limburg, for example, have already invested much time and energy into creating similar inventories. “We aim to count, assign numbers to and photograph every single object in each church,” says Bruynooghe. “Items used in the mass, of course, like monstrances, chal-

ERFGOEDZUIDWEST.BE

ices and priests’ robes, but also paintings, furniture, organs and even the leaded glass windows.” The meticulous work will be done by volunteers, most of whom are already involved in their parishes. But even for them, the churches have held a lot of surprises. “People always think they know their church through and through. But open a few drawers, and you’ll be amazed by all the stuff that has piled up over the years.” The aim is to gather every object in a digital database, part of which will be accessible to the public. Churches in Flanders often fall victim to theft, so parish councils will be able to decide what information to keep private. But, according to Bruynooghe, a public database can also help mitigate crime. “In England, a similar database has led to a significant reduction in theft because [police] can easily trace the origin of stolen items.” \ Toon Lambrechts

\ 11

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APRIL 12, 2017

Close encounters

week in arts & CULTURE DeFilharmonie changes name

The public becomes the performer in unique stage show Tom Peeters More articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.org

JANMARTENS.COM

wo people really making time for each other, in real life. That’s what the audience gets to see in The Common People, Jan Martens’ intriguing blind-date concept that has been travelling from city to city. The Antwerp choreographer has always had a penchant for reality and intimacy. See his intense duet Sweat Baby Sweat or The Dog Days Are Over, a physical battle of attrition. But now he’s taking it to another level, opening the stage to “ordinary” people with no formal dance education. “The need for slower, less artificial communication is greater than ever in these hurried, virtual times,” Martens says. With The Common People he is tackling the zeitgeist. In every city – from Antwerp to Nieuwpoort – that he and fellow director Lukas Dhondt visit, they set up a series of workshops introducing about 45 residents to techniques that help them create more intimate, one-on-one encounters. All these people are being prepared for an evening in which they will perform a duet with someone they’ve never met before – someone who has taken the same workshops at a different time – putting their new skills into practice in front of an audience. “Two hours before their performance I give them a script with a list of actions, variations on what we practised in the workshops,” Martens explains. “So all the participants have an idea of what they have to do, but they don’t have a clue who they will be doing it with. It could be with a 16-yearold boy or an 80-year-old woman.” “It’s all very exciting,” says Sander Heyvaert, a 23-year-old who took part in Leuven, where the project visited earlier this month. “Though we don’t know who will be in front of us, we did get a lot of practice in how to respect the other person’s

Jan Martens’ social experiment asks untrained citizens to put themselves on stage with a mystery co-star

personal space, so no one has to feel awkward.” The three workshops were pretty intense, he adds. “By taking us out of our comfort zone, that zone starts to get bigger, and, eventually, you feel more open and comfortable with physical contact.” Elke Horemans, 48, a fellow participant in the Leuven workshops, partly agrees. But for her, the physical exercises were easier in the first workshop, when she didn’t know the person who was in front of her. “In the second workshop we introduced ourselves and had to talk about our use of social media,” she says. She learned that a lawyer and a representative from a major company were in her group, dispelling some of the clichés in her head. “But at the same time, physical contact became a bit more difficult, since now there was also a mental connection.” For Martens the diversity of the groups was crucial. “When we matched the participants for their blind dates, we made sure these pairings had a wide variety,” he explains. He put together couples of varying age, gender and social backgrounds to keep the encounters as diverse and interesting as possible.

But he soon learned that his ideas of which stage encounters might cause abrasion and which would be harmonious often clashed with the reality. “In half of the cases we were wrong,” he says. “In fact, the most rewarding encounters are those in which two very different people find a common language.” In brief, that’s also the goal of the entire project. “Since polarisation is everywhere, we thought it was important to do this social experiment now,” Martens explains. “People find it difficult to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. Instead, they keep on shouting their own convictions. In a time where there are plenty of channels where you can do that, especially on social media, people aren’t looking for a common language anymore.” The Common People tries to make a difference on a small scale. As well as the performance stage, there is an installation room where participants leave their smartphones, with their passwords and the suggestion to take selfies, confronting the audience with privacy issues. “It puts the visitor in the role of a voyeur,” says Horemans. “Maybe it

leads to the realisation that what they are being asked to do isn’t 100% OK.” Travelling with this project through cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and France, Martens was confronted with different cultural and social city dynamics. “In Marseille, people were more open than in Belgium or Germany,” he says. “First encounters were warmer there. People started laughing and talking, while in Antwerp or Düsseldorf they just went to sit on their chairs.” On the other hand, he was delighted that in Antwerp he could welcome a few women over 75, some of them with reduced mobility, as well as three young Syrian asylumseekers. “It not only changed the group dynamics, it also established awareness, which is crucial in projects like this.”

19 April Les Brigittines

Korte Brigittinenstraat, Brussels

22 April Beursschouwburg

A Ortsstraat 20-28, Brussels

Big names and a bookish theme for Opera21 From director Ivo van Hove to choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, there’s no shortage of stars lined up for the fifth edition of Opera21. Taking place at various venues in Antwerp and Ghent, the festival spans 14 productions, including five world premieres. Almost all of them draw on famous literary works. This is the last Opera21 in its current form. Formerly a biennial, it will now become yearly, alternating between Antwerp and Ghent, and Bruges and Ghent. The change is meant to spur its focus on new opera and theatre creations. The action kicks off with opera premiere Infinite Now by American-Israeli composer Chaya Czernowin and director Luk Perceval. The bold work riffs on Perceval’s hit play Front (2014) – itself based on Erich Maria Remarque’s First World War novel All Quiet on the Western Front – and novella Homecoming by Chinese author Can Xue.

Another big ticket: Cherkaoui and Wim Henderickx’s Requiem. An Eastern take on Gabriel Fauré’s famed French mass, it will reunite Royal Ballet Flanders dancers with the Opera Flanders choir for the first time. Henderickx also collaborates with director Wouter Van Looy on multimedia work Revelations, about 13th-century Antwerp mystic

OPERA21.BE

Hadewijch, while Daan Janssens and Théâtre National director Fabrice Murgia tackle Louis Paul Boon’s 1950s novella Menuet, on sex, loneliness and shame. Following a village boy who falls for a gypsy girl, Dagboek van een verdwenene (Diary of One Who Disappeared) reunites director van Hove and composer Annelies van Parys, and draws on a song cycle by Leoš Janácˇek. Equally intriguing is author Gaea Schoeters’ Het Kanaal, fusing a newly found Shakespeare manuscript with the stories of a suicide and a Calais refugee. On a lighter note, Serge Verstockt and ChampdAction’s satire Pianola uses jaunty self-playing pianos to probe the rapid developments in robotics today. \ Clodagh Kinsella

18-30 April

Flemish orchestra deFilharmonie has changed its name to Antwerp Symphony Orchestra. The change, management said, will be more recognisable in foreign venues, while retaining a strong link with its native city. The ensemble was originally formed from multiple groups in the 1950s when Antwerp Zoo decided to organise concerts in the adjacent building, now the Elisabeth Center. The ensemble, which is today one of the seven major cultural institutions of the Flemish Community, adopted the name Koninklijke Filharmonie van Vlaanderen (Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of Flanders) in 2002, known familiarly as deFilharmonie. The adoption of an English-language name recalls the same decision taken in 2008 by the Vlaams Radio Orkest to change its name to Brussels Philharmonic. \ antwerpsymphonyorchestra.be

Erfgoedplus wins Europa Nostra Award Erfgoedplus has won a Europa Nostra Award in the category Education, Training and Awareness-Raising. The cultural heritage database covering Limburg and Flemish Brabant is open to professionals and the public, and tools are available to collect and input your own data, such as photographs of heritage objects or sites. It offers a way for heritage managers to make a professional inventory of their documentation and supports sharing heritage-related materials. “This outstanding platform has considerably advanced the standards of heritage documentation in Belgium,” said the Europa Nostra jury. “It provides an effective model for other projects throughout Europe as it integrates community involvement, education and digitisation.” \ erfgoedplus.be

De Markten cafe to re-open in June The cafe of De Markten, the Flemish community centre in Brussels, will re-open under new management in June, once renovations have been completed. The bar and eatery, popular for its central location and terrace on Oude Graanmarkt, closed in December when the concessionaire stopped operating prior to the end of their lease. The lease has now been awarded to Joris Lens, chef of the sustainable restaurant and caterer AUB-SVP.

\ demarkten

Across Antwerp and Ghent

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\ ARTS

Anarchy in Antwerp

Alternative classical quartet DAAU celebrate 25 years without a plan Christophe Verbiest More articles by Christophe \ flanderstoday.org

DAAU.COM

The Antwerp foursome are back with an album that re-examines their back catalogue, and the band’s accordionist says they are as intense and eclectic as ever.

remember as if it were yesterday, the evening I sat surrounded by four teenagers on the floor of the music room in an Antwerp mansion. I was trying to interview them, which was quite a feat since they were continually interrupting each other. It was for a radio show, and my right hand, holding the microphone, was swinging in every direction. It was late 1995, and as Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung – a name soon abbreviated to DAAU – they had just released their eponymous debut album. Accordionist Roel Van Camp, clarinet player Han Stubbe, violist Buni Lenski and his cello-playing brother, Simon, started playing together in 1992. Four young guys with a background in classical music (Simon was only 14) in search of… what, exactly? “We had no plan. We wanted to play music together because we liked doing it,” says Van Camp. “We played at open mic nights or on the street. We didn’t think about recording an album, let alone about making a living from our music. We did it just for the fun of it. While other people our age went to parties on the weekends, we played music.” They had “no plan, no borders, no limitations. Everything was possible. Hence the anarchy in the name.” It’s a name that came from Steppenwolf, a novel by Swiss writer Hermann Hesse. This carefree approach also explains the unusual line-up, says Van Camp. “It was never a goal; it came with the people. It was important that the four instruments were solo instruments, which means the four of them were equal, and this helped create

DAAU had “no plan, no borders, no limitations. Everything was possible,” says Roel Van Camp (second from left)

unity. We alternately played solos and rhythm, or the accompaniments.” With a smile, he adds: “None of us ever considered shutting up for a while, because we all had so much to say. It was only later that we realised it could be nice, too, when only two or three instruments were played.”

styles like dub and electronic. “There are so many interesting sorts of music. Why exclude them?” says Van Camp. “We wanted to write a pop song, too. Or to experiment, inspired by the trip hop that was popular in 1990s, with beats and samples.” Later they navigated back towards more acoustic music. Yet, if there’s

We really wanted to celebrate this anniversary. After persevering for 25 years, you have the right to be proud After their first album they got a deal with Sony Classical, but, according to Van Camp, they still didn’t have a plan. And although they were signed to a classical label, they opted to play less and less classical music, incorporating

one certainty in DAAU’s career, it’s this: a new album will always sound manifestly different to their previous one. They weren’t afraid of alienating their audience. “We thought: they have to understand us. And for the most part it

worked.” A quarter of a century after their first efforts, it was time to look back. For their new album, Hineininterpretierung: DAAU spielt DAAU, they have recorded some 20 tracks from their past. Van Camp: “We really wanted to celebrate this anniversary. After persevering for 25 years, you have the right to be proud. A traditional ‘best of ’ wouldn’t suit the band. That’s when the idea grew to rerecord some of our older songs. It’s literally a re-interpretation, just to show our diversity.” The most surprising aspect about this endeavour is that they gave the reins to an outsider: Rudy Trouvé, a musical jack-of-alltrades, famous for the numerous bands he has formed. “You could call him the curator of this album,” says Van Camp. “He

12 May, 20.30

More new music this week Soulwax

Ozark Henry

From Deewee • Deewee “The Singer Has Become a Deejay” is one of the tracks on the new Soulwax album, their first in over a decade that isn’t a soundtrack or DJ album. Why did it take so long? Because brothers David and Stephen Dewaele have spent so much time DJing, becoming world famous as 2manydjs. But From Deewee (pictured) is a comeback with style: a rock album that leans heavily on synthesizers, one that links Depeche Mode with krautrock pioneer Can. It’s melancholic and overwhelming, often at the same time. What’s remarkable is that the album was recorded live in one go in their studio Deewee. Well, 18 goes. From Deewee was the best of those takes.

Us • Sony After making a record with the National Orchestra of Belgium, Ozark Henry returns to pop with an electronic twist. But the album isn’t completely devoid of classical influences, which pop up particularly in the second half. The singer and musician, born Piet Goddaer in Kortrijk 47 years ago, is more poised than ever – an accomplishment he credits co-producer Tim Bran for. Lyrically, Goddaer continues his quest for a better and fairer world.

\ soulwax.com

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\ ozarkhenry.com

decided which songs we should reinterpret. He made one long collage; five minutes of this, two seconds of that. The 20 songs of Hineininterpretierung are the same songs in exactly the same order of his sound collage.” But after the selection process came the hard part: rearranging and studying the songs. Trouvé was still present and giving directions. “Ten or 15 years ago we wouldn’t have been able to work this way, but throughout the years we learned to let go,” says Van Camp. “Without Rudy we probably wouldn’t have been able to make a selection, because we wouldn’t have agreed on a track list. Of course, if we totally hadn’t agreed with his choices, there would still have been a way out.” DAAU have been going strong for 25 years, but they have had some casualties along the way. A decade ago Buni Lenski left the band, and a few years back his brother followed suit, though they have contributed to a few songs on the new album. It helped, of course, that Trouvé knew the original members from their early years. “Rudy gave them, and the other guests, complete freedom to improvise their hearts out.” DAAU are still a foursome: bass player Hannes D’Hoine joined after Buni left, while drummer Jeroen Stevens joined after the 2013 album Eight Definitions. Did they ever think of forming a new band after half of the original members left? “It crossed our minds, for sure,” says Van Camp. “Maybe it would have been better. We don’t have a frontman, so it’s easier to take care of changes in personnel. But I think the music we play is still as eclectic and intense as in the early days.”

DE Studio

Maarschalk Gerardstraat 4, Antwerp

\ AGENDA

APRIL 12, 2017

Eastern promises

CONCERT

Balkan Trafik 20-23 April

Antwerp

Bozar, Brussels

balkantrafik.com

f it’s April, it must be time for Balkan Trafik. It’s become a firm tradition in recent years for the musical culture of southeast Europe to take centre stage during this four-day festival that welcomes some 250 artists to the capital. This year, the Bosnian Goran Bregovic´ opens proceedings. He’s known for his soundtracks for director Emir Kusturica (Underground), though he’s much more than just a composer of film scores. His Wedding & Funeral Orchestra (pictured) epitomises contemporary Balkan music: firmly rooted in tradition, without shying away from new influences. As the name of his band implies, they play music that can set a wedding party on fire, but that is also able to soothe a mourning soul. Certainly not to be missed are Taraf de Haïdouks, a Romani band who were discov-

ered in 1991 by the small Brussels label Crammed Discs. This Band of Gypsies, as they called themselves in the past, illustrates vividly

PERFORMANCE

FESTIVAL

Mockumentary of a Contemporary Saviour

Cordefactum

14-22 April

KVS, Brussels KVS.BE

Celebrated Flemish choreographer Wim Vandekeybus returns with the world premiere of a new work. Set during a far-future apocalypse, it follows a small group of people who seem to have reached a place of safety. Yet, being human, the survivors are constantly at odds with one another, and with the mysterious child who appears to be their saviour. Rather than simple sci-fi, this typically ambitious performance promises a philosophical enquiry into utopia, dystopia and imaginary messiahs. After Brussels, the production goes to Leuven, Hasselt and Bruges.

the diversity of gypsy music. The New York Gypsy All Stars share the same musical roots, but they inject them with a heavy dose of jazz, soul and funk. Even more rocking is BaBa ZuLa, a cult band from Turkey who specialise in psychedelic music, though they never lose sight of their Anatolian heritage. Balkan Trafik is more than a music festival. You can also see films from the Balkan region, learn how to make hats (with an Albanian student union), taste local wine and food and, on the Grote Markt in the open air, participate in the Giant Horo, a huge dance party accompanied by troupes from Bulgaria, Romania and Albania. For four days, Brussels is the capital of the Balkans. \ Christophe Verbiest

14-16 April The Cordefactum festival for stringed instruments is back earlier than anticipated, bringing forward next year’s edition on guitars to this spring. Friday is devoted to the Leonardo Guitar Research Project, which has been exploring options for building acoustic and classical guitars from non-tropical and sustainable

Grandmaster Flash: Exclusive show by the 1970s hip-hop pioneer from the South Bronx, featuring archival master recordings, images and videos from the genre’s most formative decade. 15 April 23.00, Ampere, Simonsstraat 21 \ ampere-antwerp.com

CLASSICAL Brussels Saint Matthew Passion: Holy Trinity Brussels presents its annual Bach Passion on Good Friday, this year featuring the Saint Matthew Passion, a 1727 sacred oratorio written by Johann Sebastian Bach for solo singers, featuring a full orchestra and chorus, with free and sponsored seats available. 14 April 19.00, Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral, Kapitein Crespelstraat 29 \ passiontoperform.eu

SAMWD, Lier CMBPUURS.BE

local woods. There will be talks on the results, demonstrations, and performances by Andrea De Vitis (pictured) and Fabien Degryse using the instruments developed. The event continues over the weekend with a guitar show, further talks for instrument makers and musicians, and concerts by Marcin Dylla and Clive Carroll. \ IM

FAMILY Brussels Hopla: Annual circus arts festival featuring acrobatics, balancing acts, juggling tricks, trapeze manoeuvres and more. Until 16 April, Sint-Katelijneplein \ hopla.brussels

VISUAL ARTS Brussels Tintin at Train World: Comic strip hero Tintin comes to life through train-related works by his creator, Hergé, and original drawings and documents from the artist’s archives. Until 16 April, Train World, Prinses Elisabethplein

\ trainworld.be

FILM

FAIR

Mooov film festival

Independent Art Fair

18 April to 2 May Open a window on the world with the Mooov film festival, which takes place in eight towns and cities across Flanders. It opens with Bar Bahr by Maysaloun Hamoud, about three Palestinian women who share a flat in Tel Aviv (pictured), and closes with Félicité by Alain Gomis, about a

Across Flanders FESTIVAL.MOOOV.BE

single mother living in Kinshasa. The competition consists of eight features, from places as varied as Singapore, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa and Mexico. Then there are programmes on writers and poets, Cairo, and Colombia, including an exhibition by Colombian photographer June Juno. \ IM

19-23 April The second edition of the Independent Art Fair in Brussels brings together 70 galleries and other art organisations, including 30 names not present last year. More than 40 artists are making their Belgian solo debuts at the fair. Independent is particularly keen on sitespecific projects, such as Marcel

EVENT Ghent Vanderborght Building, Brussels INDEPENDENTHQ.COM

Dzama’s The Mask Makers, a group show on the surreal iconography of masks, which brings together artists old and new, from James Ensor to Cindy Sherman. Meanwhile, Flemish artists appearing include Rinus Van de Velde (pictured), Vast Colson and Ghentbased collective Leo Gabin. \ IM

Student Street Soccer: Street football tournament with 72 men’s and women’s teams competing for the cups, featuring fast-paced 20-minute matches, barbecue and free entertainment. 19-20 April 14.00-22.00, Sint-Pietersplein

\ sss.vek.be

FAIR Deinze Lifestyle Garden Fair: Outdoor fair set in a castle park, for lovers of gardening, nature and home decor, featuring more than 100 exhibitors of plants, vegetables, regional products, furniture, home and garden decoration, antiques and a flea market. 15-17 April 10.00-18.30, Ooidonk Castle, Ooidonkdreef 9 \ ooidonk.be

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\ BACKPAGE

APRIL 12, 2017

Talking Dutch Baby love

In response to: Test-Aankoop loses court battle against Apple John Snow: If the average consumer went to the website they would probably not get any useful information

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

t’s hard not to love a city like Ghent, where they are constantly trying out new ideas, like their circulation plan and, a bit less controversial, friendly pit stops for struggling parents. They call them BabySpots – een warme plek in de stad – a friendly place in the city waar ouders hun baby kunnen voeden en verluieren – where parents can feed their baby and change its nappy, explains the official Ghent city website. Notice the neat one-word term they use in Dutch – verluieren – to change a nappy. Luier means nappy in Dutch. There’s more linguistic ingenuity in the next sentence. Ouders plannen hun uitstapje – Parents plan their outings dan maar rond voeden verluiermomenten heen – around feeding and nappy changes of blijven liever dicht in de buurt – or they prefer to stay in their own neighbourhood. Did you see what they did there with the word verluier? They added the word momenten to create a useful new concept – nappy changing moments. This all sounds so cool and practical. Een BabySpot verwelkomt ouders op twee manieren – A BabySpot welcomes parents in two different ways: door te zorgen voor de juiste infrastructuur – by offering the right infrastructure én een warme open houding – and a friendly and welcoming attitude. It’s so simple, really. Dit vraagt zeker geen grote veranderingen – This definitely doesn’t call for any major

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alterations, the city points out. Een luiertafel – A nappy changing table, borstvoedingskussen – breastfeeding pillows, wat speelgoed – some toys en een glimlach naar elk lid van het gezin volstaan – and a smile for every family member is all it takes. So where do you find these pit stops for parents? Diverse plekken kunnen een BabySpot worden – Various places can be turned into BabySpots: mutualiteiten – health insurance offices, koffiehuizen – coffee shops, musea – museums, stadsdiensten – municipal offices. Handelszaken en organisaties die zich outen als BabySpot – Businesses and organisations that take on the BabySpot label maken dat kenbaar – announce themselves door een sticker met het logo aan hun deur of raam te kleven – by placing a sticker with the logo on their door or window. Zo weten jonge ouders dat ze daar welkom zijn – So parents know that they are welcome there en dat ze daar de nodige voorzieningen kunnen aantreffen – and that they will find the necessary facilities. Zo wordt het voor ouders niet alleen makkelijker – This not only makes it easier for parents om een uitstapje te maken – to get out of the house, maar ook om administratieve zaken op orde te brengen – but also to take care of administrative errands. It’s a simple solution that could make a big difference in the lives of new parents.

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In response to: Street Buddies help drunken Overpoort youth in Ghent Debbie Goldbaum: Great idea. We need a group in Antwerp.

In response to: Debate flares up regarding homework during holidays Hayden Myers: No homework on holidays. It’s called a holiday for a reason – keep it that way.

In response to: Safe tanning tips from consumer affairs ministry Maya Parson: Last I heard, there was no such thing as safe tanning.

In response to: The smartphone app that could bring Brussels together Carolyn Hollenbeck: Brussels is wonderful

In response to: Diane von Furstenberg among UAntwerp honorary doctorates John Rega @John_Rega Modeling her latest collection, perhaps?

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