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august 9, 2017 \ newsweekly - € 0,75 \ read more at www.flanderstoday.eu current affairs \ p2

politics \ p4

Eggsposed

As the country’s food safety agency continues to test eggs and chickens for the pesticide fipronil, supermarkets pull locally sourced eggs from their shelves \6

BUSiNESS \ p6

innovation \ p7

School is cool

Summer courses on offer across Flanders give local and international students the chance to explore new territory – or to look at their subjects from a totally different angle \9

education \ p9

art & living \ p10

Reaching out with Pride

Antwerp Pride’s 10th anniversary is about looking back at a decade of wins but also moving forward by reaching across cultural and identity borders \ 11

The future of fashion

Flemish companies roll up their sleeves to design clothes that think for us Andy Furniere More articles by Andy \ flanderstoday.eu

The worlds of fashion and technology are coming closer together, as designers and engineers across the region work on integrating sensors into everyday clothes to make our lives easier.

lothes of the future will not only keep us warm or serve special occasions, but will also improve our health and give us better insights into our emotional wellbeing. Textiles with embedded technology are expected to lead to big societal advancements, not least in the care sector. In recent years, Flanders has made great strides in the area, with designers, researchers and companies joining forces to get the prototypes out of the lab and into the streets. Fashion designer Jasna Rokegem is the founder of Jasna Rok, a design studio in Geraardsbergen, East Flanders, specialised in interactive fashion with high-tech applications. She combines futuristic designs with technology that can be used for augmented reality, virtual reality , the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence. With her futuristic collection Fashion On Brainwaves, Rokegem (pictured) is exploring how clothes can be linked to the brain activities of their wearers. Microtechnology in the outfits reacts to the user’s brain waves, which are measured through a diadem-shaped EEG headband. One of the pieces, called Exaltation, includes a huge collar that unfolds over the head when the technology senses that the person is feeling uncomfortable. “The clothing,” says Rokegem, “senses that you need emotional protection, which, in today’s fast-paced world, is more important than ever.” Another outfit, Braight, translates different states of mind into colour patterns and movements along the back of the dress. Bright animations flash when the wearer is excited and become darker and slow down when the person is upset or unhappy. The aim is to enable the wearer to comprehend better how they feel. In turn, the people around them have an easier time figuring out their emotional wellbeing. The pieces, however, are not quite ready to be worn in everyday life. Their purpose is to demonstrate the possibilities of mixing fashion and technology. They are also used in artistic performances, with artists interpreting each other’s emotions based on the clothing’s appearance. But that doesn’t mean Rokegem isn’t looking at more practical applications. “This evolution opens up many opportunities in the medical sector, for example,” she says. “Think of sensors in textiles that can analyse the skin and protect older people from dehydration by advising them to drink water when their body needs it.” Other possible applications include textiles that are adjusted to the needs of rheumatoid patients, prevent hypothermia, help cure injuries or warm up in cold weather.

continued on page 5

\ CURRENT AFFAIRS

Number 1722 launched for weather-related emergencies Emergency services designates new number to free up regular line during storms Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

new national number, 1722, has been launched to be used during extreme weather conditions. The number was created following a situation last year when a member of the public died because a caller could not get through to the normal 112 emergency number, which was overwhelmed by calls about flooding. “The number 1722 is for conditions that are not life-threatening, to take the pressure off of the 112 emergency number,” said Eric Engels of the Flemish Brabant emergency service. “In life-threatening situations the number 112 is still the

number to call.” The new number will only be in service following announcements by the Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) that it is available to the public. KMI will make the announcements during weather codes orange and red. Calls made to 1722 at other times will be automatically re-routed to 112. Federal home affairs minister Jan Jambon has called on the public to use 1722 when the situation does not involve immediate danger to life, such as storm damage, fallen tree branches and flooding.

Brussels bars launch breastfeeding campaign A new campaign has been launched to encourage the food-service industry in Brussels to be welcoming toward breastfeeding mums. The campaign was launched at four well-known businesses in the capital last week to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week. The campaign is intended to designate restaurants and bars as safe spaces for breastfeeding. Businesses can put a sticker in their windows that welcomes mums with babies inside. According to a poll, only half of mums feel comfortable enough to breastfeed in public

places, though circumstances often make the option unavoidable. By contrast, three in four mothers think breastfeeding in public should be perfectly acceptable, according to the Volle Maan expertise centre, which launched the campaign together with four Brussels bars. Those bars – Chicago Café, Kaffabar, Monk and the bar at Recyclart arts centre – are displaying the sticker but go a step further with a free glass of water, help with buggies, breastfeeding cushions and changing facilities. The website featured on the sticker – wegwijsborstvoeding.be – lists venues in Brussels and Flanders that welcome breastfeeding mums. \ AH

‘Ban all diesel cars in cities by 2020,’ says Greenpeace Belgium All diesel cars should be banned from cities by 2020, the environmental organisation Greenpeace announced last week. The call has received support from the Belgian Interregional Environment Agency (Ircel). On 28 July, a judge in Germany ruled that the country’s government had failed to curb emissions of nitrogen dioxide (NO2). In Stuttgart, said the judge, the emissions have exceeded European limits for years. He recommended a total ban on diesel cars to protect the health of the city’s residents. Joeri Thijs of Greenpeace Belgium called for a similar ban by 2020 on all diesel cars in Belgian cities. “The gas irritates the airways and eyes, and in the long term increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases,” he told De Morgen. The emissions, he added, contribute to the creation of ozone and fine dust.

Greenpeace wants cities and municipalities in Belgium to put the diesel ban on the agenda of next year’s municipal elections. The call is supported by Frans Fierens, director of Ircel, who pointed out that NO2 levels in certain places in Flanders exceed European limits. Following the ruling in Germany, Greenpeace launched a court case against the Brussels-Capital Region for exceeding emission levels. “The pressure to address the problem is high,” said Fierens. “Indeed, the only way to do this quickly is to put an effective ban on diesel cars.” The ban is not supported by the motor industry federation Febiac, which argues that it will lead to increased demand for petrol cars instead of more sustainable alternatives, like electric cars. \ Andy Furniere

Brothers arrested in bitcoin money-laundering scheme Two brothers from Brussels, one of them a police officer, have been arrested and remanded in custody on suspicion of participating in a laundering scheme with the bitcoin virtual currency. Two Dutch nationals are also suspect in the investigation, carried out by the prosecutor’s office in Hasselt. The federal police had been conducting an undercover investigation into what is known as the dark web – a part of the internet not accessible by a normal browser and search engine, and dominated by illicit activities including drugs, arms and stolen credit card information. The target of their operation was money-laundering on the website localbitcoins.com.

Investigators noticed that one account, Zhao Dong 1982, was unusually active in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. Once undercover officers made contact with the account owner, communication shifted to the messaging service Telegram, where encrypted messages reputedly cannot be intercepted. Zhao Dong appeared to be operating out of China and was represented in Belgium by the two brothers, aged 33 and 31. Their job was to carry out transactions with bitcoin buyers or sellers, through clandestine meetings in car parks, hotel lobbies and fast food restaurants, where they traded bitcoins for cash.

26.4 %

62,000 fewer civil servants in Flanders under the age of 35 compared to 2012. Aside from a general aging of the workforce, the reason cited was a reduction in the number of new hires

The police began suspecting money laundering because Zhao Dong was charging an unusually high commission and all of the transactions were made in cash. At one address in the Brussels municipality of Evere, investigators found more than €90,000 in cash – the money was hidden in a spare wheel in the garage. They also seized €300,000 from bank accounts linked to the two brothers. The brothers were remanded in custody for one month by a court in Hasselt. In late July, officers in the Netherlands searched the home of a 22-year-old Maastricht resident suspected of being the brothers’ client. Another Dutch national was arrested a few days later. \ AH

passengers on the coast tram per day on average in July, with a peak of 220,000 during the National Day weekend. The month’s total of about two million matches last year’s record high

€18 million of Belgians cannot afford a week’s holiday, according to figures from the EU’s statistical unit Eurostat – 0.5% less than in 2010, and well under the EU average of 33%

donated by private parties to Flanders’ universities in 2015, €5 million less than the year before. KU Leuven, which took 77% of the total, saw income drop by €4.5 million

of power outages on average per household in Flanders in 2016, according to the region’s regulator, Vreg. The main causes are faulty cables and cables damaged by third parties

august 9, 2017

WEEK in brief

face of flanders

Roadworks due to begin this week on the stretch of the E313 motorway between Hasselt-Zuid and Hasselt-Oost will introduce a type of asphalt never before used in Flanders, the Flemish agency for roads and traffic said. The asphalt has been developed to absorb some of the noise caused by vehicle tyres.

permanent damage to documents in the archives of the Justice Palace, some of which are unique. Hennart complained that the mould has been present since the beginning of the year, but that neither the justice minister nor the federal government’s buildings agency has responded to concerns about it.

Nafi Thiam of Namur has brought home Belgium’s first-ever gold medal from the IAAF World Championships in athletics. Thiam won the heptathlon – a series of seven athletics events – with 6,784 points, well ahead of the second place German athlete Carolin Schäfer, with 6,696 point. Of the seven events, Thiam, 21, came first in three: the high jump, shot put and long jump. The IAFF World Championships kicked off in London last Friday and finishes on 13 August.

ING Belgium has set aside millions of euros in possible damages after losing a long-running lawsuit, the bank said. The case concerns a former subsidiary in Luxembourg that stopped operating in 2000. The suit has been going on for years, and ING finally lost. It will now appeal, but is preparing for the possible payment. In the second quarter of this year, the bank booked €177 million in costs, a large part of which is the provision.

Flemish transport companies are having a hard time finding qualified lorry drivers, with nearly 1,700 vacancies, and a sharp increase in vacancies over the last 12 months, Flemish training and employment agency VDAB said. The increase is a sign of a buoyant economy, but the number of qualified drivers is not meeting demand, the agency said. Many of the vacancies are due to older drivers retiring. Belgians are consuming less meat, according to figures from the federal agriculture ministry. In 2006, the average Belgian ate 94 kilograms of meat a year, which in 2015 had shrunk to 84 kilos. But the number of animals slaughtered has actually increased. According to MP Yoleen Van Camp, this is because people are eating less beef but more chicken. “We are eating less meat, but that is not leading to less suffering among animals,” she said. According to Luc Hennart, chief magistrate of the tribunal of first instance in Brussels, an infestation of mould is threatening to cause

Belgians are the sixth-biggest consumers of the world’s resources when calculated on a per capita basis, according to the Global Footprint Network. The top five are Luxembourg, Australia, Canada, the US and Singapore. Last week saw Earth Overshoot Day on 2 August, when the annual “allowance” of natural resources is used up. Overshoot Day has been arriving earlier and earlier since the first, on 21 December 1971. Emmanuel Van Lierde has been named as the new editor-in-chief of the Catholic weekly Tertio, succeeding Geert De Kerpel, who becomes spokesperson for Cardinal Jozef De Kesel. Van Lierde studied philosophy and theology at the University of Leuven and has spent 10 years writing for the magazine. Last year he obtained a world exclusive interview with Pope Francis. The Brico home improvement chain has cancelled a promotion offering savings stamps to customers after it discovered widespread use of forged stamps. The stores were offering one stamp per €10

spent, with a discount voucher of €5 given for five stamps. Losses due to the forgeries is estimated in the tens of thousands of euros. Customers holding genuine stamps can still exchange them for vouchers, but no more stamps will be offered. The Red Cross in Flanders has issued an urgent call for blood plasma donors with blood type AB. Only 5% of the population has AB blood, and plasma stocks have become scarce. \ rodekruis.be

Brussels’ first Kringwinkel – the Flemish network of charity shops – has opened in Wandstraat in Laken. The shop, which also repairs goods for resale, will employ six staff. The organisation said it had been looking for premises in Brussels for years, but affordable premises with sufficient space in the capital are hard to find. Women continue to be underrepresented at the top levels of Flemish government administration, with 22.7% of jobs filled by women, according to a report from the ombudsman for gender. In 2015, the figure was 25.6%. The government’s 2020 target is 40%. On the middle rungs of the ladder, women make up nearly 35% of officials. According to ombudswoman Annelies d’Espallier, the lack of women in top jobs is partly due to the merger of some departments, in which more jobs held by women than by men were terminated. The prosecutor’s office in Brussels has dropped a four-year-old fraud case against Beweging.net, the Christian workers association in Flanders, formerly known as ACW. The movement was alleged to have committed tax fraud via an investment plan structured to reduce the tax due on profits from its holdings in Dexia Bank. The prosecutor gave no reason for the decision to drop the case.

OFFSIDE Ars brevis, vita brevis Art is long, life is short, according to an aphorism by Hippocrates. Well, not if you’re an artist like Gert Robijns or Luc Tuymans. Later this month in Borgloon, Limburg, Robijns plans to set fire to a painting by Tuymans. “The Swamp” is a floor painting on wood that was part of an exhibition in April. It’s a copy of the original (pictured), which is part of a collection in China. According to the VRT, Tuymans was excited when Robijns approached him with the idea of setting it alight. “I could have sawn it up into pieces and dropped it at the container park,” he told Radio 1. “I think this is a beautiful way to say goodbye to a wooden artwork,

given back to nature in a shared campfire moment.” Less pleased is the Sint-Vincentius

Dirk Van de Put Dirk Van de Put, currently the head of popular frozen potato products firm McCain Foods, has been named the new CEO of Mondelez International. That name might not be as familiar to you, but its brands Oreo, Toblerone and Cote d’Or just might be. The Flemish executive will take over the company, based in the US state of New Jersey, in November. Mondelez is half of Kraft Foods Inc, which split into two parts in 2012. While the other half, still called Kraft Foods, retained more savory-oriented products such as mayonnaise and coffee, Mondelez took over the snacks and sweets brands. Besides the biscuits and chocolate mentioned above, Mondelez also controls Tang, Lu, Cadbury, Nabisco and several other brands. Van de Put was, the company reports, a unanimous choice to replace longserving CEO Irene Rosenfeld. Van de Put has more than 30 years of experience in the food industry, the last six of which were spent at McCain, a Canadian business with an annual turnover of €6.1 billion. That may seem huge, but it’s dwarfed

mondelez.com

by Mondelez, which, in 2016, made sales of some €22.1 billion in 165 countries. Van de Put was born in Mechelen in 1961 and studied veterinary science at Ghent University. He later completed an MBA in Antwerp. His CV includes periods with Coca-Cola, Mars and Danone. He joined McCain in 2011 and was named CEO almost immediately. Van de Put is just the latest Belgian to take a place – for the second time, in his case – among the world’s top executives, or those heading companies worth more than €1 billion. In terms of turnover, Van de Put is second behind Alain Delhaze, boss of Zurich-based temp agency Adecco, which has a turnover of €22.7 billion – but only a third of Mondelez’ workforce. Further down the table, De Tijd reveals, we see Hans Van Bylen at Henkel chemical company in Geramny, Eddy Pirard at Japan Tobacco and two other foods bosses: Francis Kint at the Vion Food Group in the Netherlands and Stefan Descheemaeker at Nomad Foods, based in the Virgin Islands. \ Alan Hope

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

association, which works to fight poverty. According to estimates, such a painting by Tuymans could be worth up to half a million euros, which chair Frans Vanspauwen said could be used. “I would find it very difficult to explain to people that so much money will be set on fire,” he said. “The income from a sale could have made sure we were able to send some disadvantaged children to school with their heads held high.” Tuymans, however, is adamant. “It is a temporary work and has to be burned because that is the concept of the exhibition,” he said. The cremation will take place on 14 August. \ AH

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

Editor Lisa Bradshaw DEPUTY Editor Sally Tipper CONTRIBUTING Editor Alan Hope sub Editor Bartosz Brzezi´nski Agenda Robyn Boyle, Georgio Valentino Art director Paul Van Dooren Prepress Mediahuis AdPro Contributors Daan Bauwens, Rebecca Benoot, Derek Blyth, Leo Cendrowicz, Sarah Crew, Emma Davis, Paula Dear, Mari Eccles, Andy Furniere, Diana Goodwin, Clodagh Kinsella, Catherine Kosters, Toon Lambrechts, Ian Mundell, Anja Otte, Tom Peeters, Sarah Schug, Dan Smith, Senne Starckx, Linda Thompson, Christophe Verbiest, Denzil Walton General manager Hans De Loore Publisher Mediahuis NV

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\ POLITICS

5TH COLUMN The chicken or the egg

The images of supermarkets emptying their shelves of eggs and poultry may have political consequences. In 1999, a similar situation changed the face of Flemish politics. The federal food safety agency FAVV is looking into 57 chicken farms for signs of contamination with fipronil – an anti-lice pesticide that may pose health risks to humans. The agency then issued a warning to neighbouring countries. So far the Netherlands is the hardest hit, with more than 100 farms contaminated. The fipronil was traced back to a Dutch pest control firm called Chickfriend. It had bought the controversial product from Poultry Vision in Antwerp province. Both companies are being investigated. Although FAVV seems to have handled the case adequately, it is under fire. Dutch and German officials have pointed the finger at Belgium as the source of the contamination. In Flanders, SP.A party president John Crombez has demanded more transparent communication from FAVV. Calls for transparency while products are being removed from supermarket shelves are very reminiscent of the 1999 dioxin crisis, which led to the resignation of two federal ministers, Marcel Colla of SP.A and Karel Pinxten of the party that would become CD&V, only days before an election. Responsible for public health and agriculture respectively, both appeared to have underestimated the health risks involved in the dioxin contamination of poultry feed. In a carefully directed media moment, then opposition leader Guy Verhofstadt (Open VLD) handed a fax to then prime minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, exposing the magnitude of the situation. The rest is history. Food safety was high on the political agenda for several years, as the administration was modernised and the FAVV created. The impact on party politics was even greater. The dioxin crisis sealed the fate of the Christian-democrats, which had long been Flanders’ allpowerful party, with its pick of coalition parties for decades. The political landscape became much more volatile after 1999, leading to varying coalitions – with and without CD&V. Colla and Pinxten, both vilified, saw their political careers just about ended. This explains why the current federal ministers of health (Maggie De Block, Open VLD) and agriculture (Denis Ducarme, MR) are walking on eggshells. \ Anja Otte

Deaths prompt Bruges council to address social isolation People who died of natural causes not discovered for up to 30 days Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

he city of Bruges is working on an action plan to address social isolation, following the discovery three days in a row of people who had died in their homes. The deaths went unreported and took between 10 and 30 days to be discovered. The plan was announced by mayor Renaat Landuyt, who said that it is not enough simply to encourage people to keep an eye on their neighbours. The city, he said, is in shock at the recent discoveries, especially as two of the three were under the age of 50. The third was a woman aged 80. City councillor Dolores David will head up the plan, which she said she’d be ready to present by

the end of August. “We have to look out for each other,” she said. “With a little more neighbourly

alertness, we can go a long way. But also our own people and services –police, neighbourhood workers, social aid agencies – have to be able to detect isolation sooner.” According to statistics gathered by Vrind, the government of Flanders’ research department , 6% of residents in the region said they felt “isolated from other people”. A spokesperson for the department told De Standaard: “That represents a very large group. Living in a city is a risk factor, with isolation rates climbing to 10% of all residents. Among people over the age of 75, at least 40% said they only have ‘superficial contact’ with other people.”

Brussels takes legal action over civil protection reforms

Netherlands stops all prisoner extraditions to Belgium

The government of the BrusselsCapital Region said it plans to invoke the law on conflict of interest regarding plans by the federal government to reform civil protection services. The government will make the legal move after the federal government publishes the legislation in the Official Journal. Belgian law allows for the regions to call a conflict of interest when another government – federal or regional – takes action that negatively affects its own interests. An example was when Flanders objected to Brussels limits on aircraft noise on night flights. The measure suspends the action concerned for 60 days while talks continue. The federal government’s plans for civil services – which are often called on in emergencies such as flooding or as back-up for firefighters and police – involves closing four of the country’s six civil defence stations, leaving one in Wallonia and one in Flanders. Brussels said that the closures place the capital at a disadvantage when civil services are required. The municipality of Liedekerke in

The Netherlands has suspended the execution of all extradition requests from Belgium, following a report from the Council of Europe that criticised conditions in Belgian prisons. The decision was taken by the international court Irk in Amsterdam, which makes decisions regarding co-operation between states on matters of criminal law. An investigating magistrate in Antwerp had requested the extradition of eight suspects being held in the Netherlands allegedly involved in drugs smuggling through the port. The Dutch court declined the request until more clarity could be provided on prison conditions in Belgium. Last month the Council of Europe’s anti-torture committee published a report criticising conditions in Belgium’s ageing jails. It noted in particular “humiliating” conditions during strikes by prison officers last year in Wallonia, when there were not enough staff to run the institutions properly. A spokesperson for the federal justice minister said that the government would fully co-operate with the enquiries of the Dutch court. Measures have already been taken, the ministry said, to improve the situation in Belgium, including talks with prison officer unions on guaranteed service during industrial action, approval of a new prison in Brussels and new psychiatric centres to house and treat mentally ill prisoners. \ AH

Flemish Brabant, where one of the posts is due to close, had previously threatened legal action, but received assurances from the government that fire and ambulance services would not be affected as a result of the closure. The other closure in Flanders is in Jabbeke, West Flanders. “These reforms place Brussels at a serious disadvantage,” said Brussels secretary Cécile Jodogne, in charge of fire and medical services. “The Michel government has blindly approved a plan that could have severe consequences for the safety of the residents of Brussels, and for the security and intervention services that might have to respond to incidents involving chemical, biological, radioactive, nuclear or explosive materials.” \ AH

Federal secretary of state to renounce Turkish nationality Zuhal Demir, the federal secretary of state for equal opportunities and poverty issues, has announced her intention to renounce her Turkish citizenship. The decision was made, she said, because of developments in the country where her parents were born. Demir (N-VA) was born in Belgium to parents who are Turkish Kurds. Anyone born to Turkish parents outside of Turkey is automatically a Turkish citizen. “I don’t recognise myself in the country where my parents grew up,” Demir told De Morgen in an interview published at the weekend. “The gap has grown too wide. The growing influence of Islam, the position of women, democracy and minorities: It’s all going in the wrong direction.” Although she meets all the conditions for renunciation, the procedure is not a foregone conclusion. It is possible, she said, that the Turkish government will refuse her application because of her prominent position and the publicity given to her case. “But at least then I will have made it clear that the love affair is over,” she said. \ AH

€11 million extra investment for nursing home care in Flanders Flemish welfare minister Jo Vandeurzen will provide an additional €11 million this year for nursing homes with residents requiring special care. The money, he said, is equivalent to hiring 200 new care workers. An estimated 80,000 people live in nursing homes in Flanders; around 46,000 of them are classified as requiring special care. The number of people in this category has increased steadily over the years, from fewer than 18,000 in 2000 to 45,000 in 2016. With the money set aside by Vandeurzen, rest homes will be able to classify another 1,226

residents as requiring special care. “With this budgetary effort, we are responding to the work-pressure on care personnel,” Vandeurzen said. “We are also guaranteeing that care remains affordable for residents.” Nursing homes in Flanders receive two types of subsidy for their residents, depending on the type of care they require. For every person requiring special care the centres receive an additional €25 a day. Starting this year, Vandeurzen said, any care home with five or more special-care residents will have to explain in detail how it’s spending the extra money. \ AH

\ COVER STORY

august 9, 2017

The future of fashion

From integrated sensors to automated collars, smart clothes are already here jasnarok.com

continued from page 1

With the help of the Ghent-based company Nanex, which specialises in protective fabrics, Rokegem is working on developing hydrophobic nanocoatings to make textiles water-repellent, UV-resistant and stain proof. The aim is to eliminate the need to wash the clothes, so they can be permanently integrated with electronics. In the long run, Rokegem hopes we will get to a point where people only have a handful of clothes in their closet – instead of buying new ones, we would use the electronics to adjust them according to what we feel like wearing. “It would be a big step forward in terms of sustainability,” she says. In the nearer future, the designer thinks we will see holographic systems that allow people to try on clothes without actually having to put them on; Rokegem is already involved in a project that’s only steps away from making that happen. With the American company Leap Motion, her team has created a virtual-reality experience in which people can personalise their clothes. With a VR headset, they can easily adjust the colour, fabric, materials and even buttons, texture, patterns and cut of their designs on an actual model. Jasna Rok is currently part of the Antwerp-based start-up incubator Start it@kbc. There, the team is collaborating with Nokia Bell Labs, a leading research organisation in information technology and communications, to further explore fashion-tech possibilities. Its other important partner is the Centre for Microsystems Technology (CMST), an Imec research lab at Ghent University (UGent). Like Rokegem, Frederick Bossuyt, who co-ordinates the smart textile activities at CMST, thinks the near future holds opportunities for intelligent textile. “Textiles with sensors could help in construction, for example, by letting us easily monitor the strain on foundations,” he explains. “Sensors could also be used in textiles to set off anti-theft alarms. They could also be installed in truck tarps or carpets.” Technology integrated in firefighter outfits, he continues, could increase safety by keeping track of their position, their body temperature and their heart rate. Similarly, athletes could benefit from integrated technology that provides them with detailed information about their physical condition. Founded in 2012, Bossuyt’s team designs prototypes with integrated smart technology for various businesses. “We notice that companies are showing increasing interest in the field and have a more realistic vision on the profitability of projects,” he says. “It’s important to

Part-designer, part-engineer: Jasna Rokegem (left) in one of her tech-laden outfits

take into account the costs of electronics when developing possible applications.” The manufacturing process poses many challenges. “To make smart clothing comfortable to wear,

analyse the possibilities for smart textile developments in four sectors: safety and intervention, care, sports and leisure and technical applications. “But we quickly decided to focus on care only

tor if elderly nursing home residents are getting enough exercise or keep people with dementia from wandering off or getting lost. Integrated sensors could also let care providers or family members

You always have to look for the right balance between reliability and comfort the integrated technology has to be flexible and thin, but that means the technology is also more susceptible to damage,” says Bossuyt. “You always have to look for the right balance between reliability and comfort.” The need to wash the clothes is another challenge. “We already have means to protect the technology against water,” Bossuyt explains, “but it remains tricky to protect it against the mechanical impact of a washing machine.” In 2013, various Flemish companies and research institutes joined forces to examine the extent to which smart textiles can already be produced on a mass scale using automated processes. The SmartPro project, launched by the research institute Centexbel and the knowledge centre Sirris, with funds from the Flemish government, will conclude this October. The project’s initial aim was to

because of the major interest and demand in that field,” says SmartPro’s co-ordinator Frederik Goethals, who works as a researcher at Centexbel. In the care sector, he explains, smart textiles could help moni-

know when a person has fallen down. Because the sensors would be hidden, Goethals adds, the person would not feel uncomfortable. The SmartPro project has resulted in a new electronic module that

Wear your heart on your back in Jasna Rok’s “Braight”

can monitor movement and body temperature. The module will be presented in October at UGent’s Smart Textiles Salon, a biennial event showcasing the latest in smart textile prototypes. The exhibition will also mark the project’s conclusion. SmartPro, says Goethals, has managed to bring the textile and technology industries closer together, stimulating the development of new consortiums and spin-off projects. Elsewhere in Flanders, work clothes specialist Alsico , based in Ronse, East Flanders, is developing smart fashion for nurses, with integrated alarm buttons. Gysemans Clothing Group of Rotselaar, West Flanders, on the other hand, is working on smarter clothes for patients. Centexbel and some of the businesses involved in SmartPro have also partnered with companies in France and Lithuania on a project that aims to develop smart wearable sports and health solutions that would enable people to continuously monitor their health. CareWare will conclude later this year. Based in Brussels, Centexbel wants to create a European-wide innovation platform to foster collaboration between companies and knowledge centres focused on smart textiles. “Because to achieve progress,” says Goethals, “we could certainly make use of technology and expertise developed in other regions.”

\ BUSINESS

week in business Meat Aoste With help from three local universities and after a fiveyear development process, the label – part of the Imperial group, based in Lovendegem, East Flanders – has become the first in the country to develop processed meat products free of additives such as preservatives and flavour enhancers.

Railway Belgorail The company specialised in testing railway carriages and installations has been sold off to the French group Certifer. Belgorail was a joint venture of inspection company Vinçotte, tech industry federation Agoria and railway engineering company Transurb.

Air Lufthansa Brussels Airlines has earned the German carrier €13 million in operating profits, which means that Lufthansa has already earned back its €2.6 million purchase of a 55% majority stake in Brussels Airlines last January. Lufthansa already owned 45% of the airline’s shares.

Biscuits Jules Destrooper The biscuit producer, based in Veurne, West Flanders, made operating profits of €555,000 and a turnover of €40.5 million last year. The company attributes the increased turnover but decreased profits to high-cost investments and increased marketing costs.

Telecoms Telenet Fierce competition with Proximus and Orange has caused the Mechelen-based telecoms company to lose 4,700 digital TV customers to its competitors over the second quarter of this year.

Materials Solvay The Brussels-based chemicals group has announced that it expects profits to increase 7 to 8% this year. The company is reaping the benefits of both an increased demand for special synthetic materials used in cars and planes as well as the recovery of the US petrol and gas industry.

Cars Porsche The German car manufacturer is recalling 400 of its Cayenne models sold through its Belgian distributor D’Ieteren Auto. The move is part of a large recall that was ordered by German lawmakers over reports of illegal emissions controlling software.

Supermarkets withdraw locally sourced eggs from shelves Three chains take ‘precautionary measure’ as fipronil concerns grow Alan Hope More articles by Alan \ flanderstoday.eu

hree of the country’s major supermarket chains – Albert Heijn, Delhaize and Colruyt – have removed locally produced eggs from their shelves due to safety concerns about contamination with the insecticide fipronil. Federal minister for agriculture Denis Ducarme issued a statement at the weekend in which he said the government would guarantee “complete transparency” regarding the situation, which saw the banned insecticide showing up recently at chicken farms – first in the Netherlands and then in Belgium, France and, most recently, Germany. Ducarme called on federal food safety agency FAVV to deliver a detailed report on the actions it has taken in relation to the contaminated eggs. Fipronil is an insecticide used to treat infestations in animals of ticks, mites and fleas. It is banned in the poultry industry, however, because of the risk of infiltrating eggs. Early last week, FAVV said it had discovered traces of fipronil in eggs from farms that had used a

product obtained from a poultry industry consultant in Antwerp province. Users of the product were apparently unaware of the presence of fipronil, according to federal health minister Maggie De Block. Tests showed that levels of the contaminant were not above EU safety limits, and FAVV concluded that there was no risk to human health. De Block repeated that conclusion at the weekend, based on information, she said, relating to 80% of Belgium’s egg production.

“Analysis of these eggs shows a presence far below the very strict European norms, in comparison with the Netherlands, where various results show the European limits being exceeded,” she said. FAVV will now carry out a monitoring phase, with inspections and tests across the industry. At the same time, the federal agriculture ministry will contact its Dutch and German counterparts to exchange information. Jan Tytgat, a professor at the University of Leuven and one of Europe’s leading toxicologists,

said he was “satisfied” with the government’s actions. According to the figures provided, he told De Standaard, a person weighing 70 kilograms would have to eat 15 eggs a day to be affected by the levels of fipronil that have been found. The three supermarket chains, meanwhile, said they had withdrawn the eggs as a precautionary measure. At Colruyt, the eggs pulled came from one specific supplier, a spokesperson said, and represented only about 1% of eggs sold. Albert Heijn carried out a recall in its stores in the Netherlands and Flanders, affecting eggs originating in the Netherlands. Delhaize pulled only one type of eggs, a 12-pack from its own-brand 365 range. “For customers there is no reason to be concerned,” a Delhaize spokesperson said. “All of the other eggs in Delhaize stores are safe to eat.” The committee of the federal parliament for economy and agriculture will meet with both De Block and Ducarme in an emergency session on Wednesday.

Record number of tourists have visited Flanders so far this year

Companies that pay over-50s to stay home will be fined

The number of tourists visiting Flanders reached a record high in the first four months of this year, according to tourism minister Ben Weyts. The number of overnight stays – 475,300 – was up 6% compared to the same period in 2016. The first four months of 2016, however, were marked by the terror attacks in Brussels and Zaventem, which saw Brussels Airport closed for several days. Despite that, this year’s figures also show an increase of 2% compared to the previous record year in 2015. Tourism figures include Belgian visitors to Flanders as well as foreigners, but it was the latter category that saw the strongest growth – up by 12%. Among international tourists, the region saw the largest growth in visitors from Russia, which was up by a remarkable 42%. The country was followed by Spain and Canada (both up by 29%), Ireland (20%) and the US (17%). “The difficult period is over,” said Weyts. “We are growing again. This new growth is thanks to the hard work done by VisitFlanders and by the rest of the tourism industry.” Following the terrorist attacks, he said, “we didn’t just give up, and we didn’t panic. Straight after 22 March [2016], we started putting together a full recovery strategy based on Flanders’ strengths: gastronomy, the Flemish Masters and cycling culture. That is now paying off.” \ AH

Companies that allow older workers to stay home while still collecting part of their salaries now face fines under a new measure adopted by the federal government, De Tijd reports. Companies are increasingly turning to the practice because, they say, the regulations on bridging pensions for workers not yet old enough to retire are too strict, and laying them off is too costly. The practice of allowing over-50s to stay home while receiving part of their salary is now often referred to as “bridging pension 2.0”. The fines are intended to discourage the practice. “The government is of the opinion that it is inappropriate to cast older workers to the side at a time when we are asking everyone to work longer,” said federal labour minister Kris Peeters. “It also shows little respect for the experience and talents of these employees.” The government now hopes the fines – which operate on a sliding scale depending on the age of the worker, rising up to 20% of monthly gross salary in the case of someone aged 55 – will act as a deterrent. It hopes to see companies seek alternatives, including re-training. In the same package of measures, the government will allow companies to pay a premium to employees aged 60 and over who choose to switch to four days a week or from demanding shift work to more regular hours. \ AH

Committee to deal with complaints about burnout coaches The Association of Recognised Stress and Burnout Coaches (VESB) has created a disciplinary body through which patients can file complaints against unqualified coaches. The association hopes to better monitor the quality of stressmanagement services provided in Flanders. Patients who have had a negative experience with a coach recognised

by the association will be able to file a report on a website, to be launched in a few weeks. The association will then talk to both the coach and the client, after which an independent commission will examine the case. If the complaint is well-founded, coaches can be expelled for not respecting the code of conduct. VESB was founded in March as a private organisation. According

to its president, Annita Rogier, the aim of the new committee is to take a pre-emptive approach. “Most people are happy with their coaches,” she told VRT. “But we want to avoid the proliferation of unqualified coaches.” A recognised stress and burnout coach, she added, needs to have completed at least 12 days of training, have suitable practical expe-

rience and continue to take additional training. A few weeks ago, two psychologists in Flanders penned an open letter regarding “self-proclaimed burnout coaches”, noticing that there are many working in the field who have very little training or prior experience. They called on the government to create a register of recognised coaches. \ Andy Furniere

\ INNOVATION

august 9, 2017

Sowing the seeds

week in innovation UGent lab tests world champions for doping

Home-grown soy sparking agricultural evolution in Flanders Toon Lambrechts More articles by Toon \ flanderstoday.eu

ILVO.VLAANDEREN.BE

n the 1960s, a new grain began a revolution in Flanders. At the time, most farmers doubted that corn, a sun-loving plant from southern Mexico, could grow under the grey and rainy skies of northwest Europe. Fast-forward to today, and corn dominates much of the agricultural landscape, serving as the main crop for feeding home-grown livestock. This year might be the starting point of a similar agricultural shift, as the fields in Flanders are about to yield the first batch of soybeans. The Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research (Ilvo) has partnered with local farmers to conduct field experiments on soy cultivation in five locations. According to Greet Riebbels of Ilvo, the results are promising – and that’s big news. “It is quite exceptional to introduce a new crop,” says Riebbels. “The first batch of soy took a lot of preparation, and we still have a long way to go. A new crop is a serious challenge for a farmer.”

Soy is a subtropical plant, but some varieties fare well in cooler climates

time.” Soy plays a crucial role in modern agriculture. Because of their unique, high-quality composition of proteins, the beans can be consumed by both humans and livestock. Europe, including Flanders, consumes a lot of soy, but almost all

It is quite exceptional to introduce a new crop. It’s a serious challenge for a farmer The crop has to fit into the existing rotation schedule, Riebbels explains, and requires new seeding and harvesting methods. “Apart from the technical issues, another big question is who will take on the harvest and at what price. Finding answers to these challenges takes

of it originates elsewhere, mainly in South America and Canada. For decades, European countries have shied away from cultivating it themselves. That’s about to change, says Joke Pannecoucque, senior researcher at Ilvo. “There is an essential need

in Europe for crops rich in protein, and the EU wants to become more self-sustainable in the field. Soy is the perfect means to an end; there are alternative options, but none of them have the same potential.” Soy is mostly grown in warmer climates; the plant, which originated in Asia, is a subtropical breed. But it has since, like corn, been modified to respond better to cooler weather, so the researchers went looking for the right type of bean. “Because of our relatively short days and cold nights, we looked at varieties that ripen early,” Pannecoucque explains. “We did research on some 30 types of soy. The most important thing is that the beans have time to become dry enough to be harvested, stocked and processed.” For the experiment, Ilvo joined forces with the agricultural products manufacturer Aveve and the food company Alpro, best known

for its soy-based snacks and drinks. According to Alpro spokesperson Ann De Jaeger the company has great confidence in Flemish soy. “We strive to supply our factories with locally grown soy,” she says. “At the moment, half of our soy input originates from Europe. Our factory in France runs completely on locally grown soy. We’d like to see the same thing in Flanders.” The soy plant, De Jaeger continues, offers a wide range of possible applications, from milk to tofu. “It’s almost a pity to use it as livestock feed,” she says. “But its great advantage is that if the harvest does not live up to quality requirements – because of bad weather, for example – the farmers can still sell their crops as animal feed; they’re left with a back-up option.” That’s one of the major benefits of soy, confirms Riebbels. “But sustainability is equally important,” she says. “A reduction in soy import from other continents would significantly diminish the crop’s carbon footprint.” According to Riebbels, soy is also capable of fixing nitrogen – an important agricultural nutrient – into the soil, so that other plants can use it as well. “As a result, soy needs fewer chemical fertilisers,” she says, “and it leaves the soil in a better condition for the next crop.” The plant holds great potential for Flanders, but Riebbels remains cautious. “We’re enthusiastic, and we believe the amount of farmland available for soy will increase. At the same time, we want to avoid uncontrolled impacts in supply and pricing. The rise of soy in Flanders should be dynamic, but gradual.”

Study finds hospital space needs to adapt to address future needs If you have a medical procedure performed today, chances are you will not stay in the hospital nearly as long as you would have just a few years ago A recent study by the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) shows that between 2003 and 2014 the average length of hospital inpatient stays has decreased from an average 8.26 to 7 days. By 2025, it is projected to drop to 5.94 days. The KCE study, commissioned by federal health minister Maggie De Block, used inpatient and outpatient records submitted by all general hospitals in Belgium to determine the overall hospital capacity that will be needed by 2025. According to the study, the length of hospital stays for patients with musculoskeletal or connective tissue disease, for example, will decrease by as much as 30% by 2025. You might think, then, that this will lead to a drastic reduction in hospital beds, but the flip side is that the country’s population is ageing; some of these beds will need to be allocated to geriatric care. To be sure, steps are being taken so that hospital infrastructure will be able to meet tomorrow’s health care needs. Shorter hospital stays are a trend that has been

observed not just in Flanders but throughout Europe and the rest of the world. Indeed, shorter hospital stays are driving changes in health-care delivery, but they’re not the only factor. Increasing specialisation, soaring health-care costs, continuing workforce shortages, new diagnostic and treatment technologies, an ageing population and ever-changing public attitudes and expectations are also weighing on future changes in the delivery of health care. Worldwide, hospitals are going to have to adapt to a number of fronts. So, in addition to forecasting the future length of hospital stays, KCE also assessed hospital capac-

kce.fgov.be

ities for maternity services, radiotherapy and complex surgeries for pancreatic, oesophageal and lung cancers. In Belgium, future plans call for community hospitals to offer care for common maladies and for highly specialised centres to offer care for rare or complex conditions. Treatments for many types of cancer require specialised centres equipped with the staff, instruments and infrastructure needed. “Services such as complex cancer surgery, maternity, radiotherapy or emergency care need to be run from fewer hospital sites to ensure patient safety and efficient allocation of scarce resources,” says Carine Van de Voorde of KCE. “The creation of networks with a division of tasks between hospitals is a necessary first step to achieve this.” Understandably, many hospitals want to provide the broadest possible number of services, but, given increasing specialisation, this is no longer economically feasible, she said. Adapting to these changes raises multiple questions that will need to be resolved over the next decade in order to design the future of health care in Flanders. \ John Bean

Ghent University’s doping control lab is analysing the blood and urine samples from some 540 international athletes during the World Athletics Championships, which started on 4 August. About 3,000 athletes are competing in London, and random samples are sent daily via train to Ghent’s lab. The lab is working around the clock with 21 staff to carry out the tests. “An anti-doping test normally takes 10 days, but we only have 24 hours for a test,” explained Flemish doping expert Peter Van Eenoo, who is leading the operation at UGent. That’s because the IAAF wants to take immediate action if an athlete’s test comes back positive for an illegal substance.

Climbing plants filter fine dust An average climbing plant on the front of a house filters some 95 grams of fine dust from the air every year, as much as a 25-year-old tree, announced biologist Thomas Franz of the University of Leuven. For his Master’s thesis, Franz analysed leaves from climbing vines on the sides of 72 houses in Leuven. He was able to calculate how much fine particles the entire plant was able to filter from the air per year. The larger the leaves on the plant, the more fine dust it can filter. “Cities are increasingly expanding and becoming more dense, so there is less and less place for plants and trees,” Franz said. “Climbing plants are the ideal solution.”

Successful test of HIV prevention drug A preventive antiretroviral drug against the HIV virus has been successfully tested in a study led by the Institute for Tropical Medicine (ITM) in Antwerp. Two hundred HIV-negative people with a high risk of infection participated in the study. They took emtricitabine/tenofovir, sold under the brand name Truvada, a preventive drug against retroviruses like HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. One in four of the participants reported that they had had sexual intercourse over a three-month period with 15 or more partners whose medical status they did not know. At the end of the experiment, none of them was infected. \ Andy Furniere

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IN A CHANGING WORLD,

\ EDUCATION

august 9, 2017

School’s in for summer

week in education

From migration to sexuality, summer school courses are big in Flanders Ian Mundell follow Ian on Twitter \ @IanMundell

he students may have all gone home, but Flemish universities are still open for business. Most are running summer schools that allow participants to study crossborder companies in Antwerp, for example, or sexuality in Leuven, or marine sciences at Ghent University’s Ostend campus. This year Antwerp Summer University is welcoming over 300 students from some 50 different countries. The programmes on offer fall into two broad categories, according to Wannes Gijsels from the Antwerp Summer University Office. First there are topics that can broaden a participant’s perspectives, such as the recent school on diversity and migration in Europe. “Participants of different disciplines come together to work intensively on a topic that is approached in an interdisciplinary way,” Gijsels explains. “Then we also have programmes that go in depth, such as the school on print culture in 16th-century Europe.” The latter is a collaboration with the city’s Plantin-Moretus Museum and the Hendrik Conscience Heritage Library. It builds on local connections, as do the forthcoming summer schools on fashion management, the diamond indus-

try and smart cities. “As such, summer schools offer an excellent opportunity to study the city’s past, present and future assets,” says Gijsels. Antwerp is also keen on courses that complement a student’s regular studies, such as the Experience Entrepreneurship programme. “This is meant as an intensive introduction and actively targets students who don’t have anything like that in the curriculum in their home countries.” The programme mixes sessions on the theory of entrepreneurship, visits to and testimonials from entrepreneurs, and work on a case study. The summer school on Companies Crossing Borders, which is taking place in late August, has a similar approach. “It’s an interesting topic for a summer school because it’s international, interdisciplinary and you can make it very practical,” explains programme co-ordinator Robby Houben, a lecturer in Antwerp’s law faculty. Subjects range from how you structure an international company, to issues of intellectual property and labour law, tax and finance and even human rights. As well as covering these in theory, students also apply what they learn to a case study. “It will be a crossborder take-over case, where all

Summer schools allow students to cross disciplinary borders, say organisers

these aspects come into play,” says Houben. This also provides an opportunity for students to work together in small groups, preparing and presenting short papers on issues that arise. Since they come from a wide range of countries and cultures, this adds a further dimension to the school. “It should be an academic experience, but also a social and a cultural one,” Houben says. The Sexuality in Perspective summer school at the University of Leuven is also framed to fill a gap. “If you look at different curricula in academia, there is almost no attention paid to sexuality as a subject,

not even in teaching programmes for health professionals,” says Paul Enzlin, head of the university’s Interfaculty Institute for Family and Sexuality Studies. The programme aims to introduce participants to the scientific study of sexuality, beginning with its biological aspects. It then goes on to consider the psychological, behavioural and cultural dimensions of sexuality. Participants should also reflect on their personal ideas, although it’s not the aim to change anyone’s behaviour or attitude. “Rather we want people to be more competent to think about sexuality in a critical way,” Enzlin says.

Exhibitions at royal palace combine science, culture and webcams monarchie.be

Every summer, the royal palace in Brussels throws open its doors to the general public. In addition to strolling around the richly decorated rooms, visitors can also enjoy three exhibitions on science and culture. Heaven! in the Throne Room showcases artworks and materials focused on the mysteries of the skies. The show was organised by the Brussels chapter of the National Geographic Institute, together with all 10 of the country’s federal scientific institutions. Among the objects on display are instruments that are no longer used for scientific purposes, but that still have plenty to trigger the imagination. They include 18th-century armillary spheres and a 19th-century actinograph, an instrument that makes it possible to estimate the amount of light available to expose film. Several historical documents are also on view, such as a map of the moon made by a 17th-century astronomer and a 15th-century manuscript that includes an image depicting the creation of heaven. A much, much older artefact here is the lid of an Egyptian coffin. It sports an image of Nut, the goddess of the sky in Egyptian mythology. The Heaven! exhibition also features more contemporary installations. Visitors can, for example, observe the peregrine falcons nesting at the top of the capital’s St Michael and St Gudula Cathedral via webcam images. Videos also allow visitors to glimpse astronauts at work in the International Space Station and watch

biologists use balloons to examine treetops in tropical rainforests. Meanwhile, the hands-on science centre Technopolis in Mechelen has taken over the palace’s Mirror Room for 12 exhibits that make up the To Your Health! exhibition on the human body. This show, which is mainly targeted at youngsters, demonstrates just how fast the human heart beats and how much energy is derived from food in fun, interactive installations. Finally, an exhibition in the palace’s Great Gallery organised by the Royal Association of Dynasty and Cultural Heritage digs into the life and art of the 20th-century royal Karel van Vlaanderen. Prince Charles played an important political role as a regent during and briefly after the Second World War, but he viewed himself as an artist first and foremost. Or to put it in his words: “I am an artist unlucky enough to be a prince.” The expo, Karel van Vlaanderen, Prins, Regent,

Kunstenaar (Charles of Flanders, Prince, Regent, Artist), offers an overview of his life and decisive moments. During the First World War, he was sent to England, where he enlisted with the British navy. Watercolours he included in a logbook during a trip to the Far East during this time already hint at his ambitions as a painter. In 1944, Prince Charles was asked to take over the reins of the country from his brother King Leopold III. The exhibition doesn’t focus on the political controversies surrounding the figure of Leopold, whose outsized political ambitions divided the country and who was ultimately forced to pass down the throne to his son Boudewijn. Instead, the exhibition explores how Charles, prince regent from 1944 to 1950, accelerated the country’s post-war reconstruction and helped put it on the international map through his visits to many countries, including Canada and the US. After 1950, Charles retreated to his domain in Raversijde at the Belgian coast to devote himself to drawing and painting. The expo includes his sketch portrait of the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí during this time and gives an overview of the diverse styles that the artistic prince experimented with – from expressionism to abstract art. \ Andy Furniere

Until 3 September Royal Palace

Paleizenplein, Brussels

Neurologists calls for meditation in schools Children should learn how to meditate at school, Flemish neurologist Steven Laureys has told Het Laatste Nieuws. Laureys, who leads the Coma Science Group at the University of Liège, recently won Belgium’s prestigious Francqui Prize for his work on patients’ unconscious minds. Laureys’ team is currently working on a study that examines the effect of meditation on the brain. The first results, he said, show a clear positive effect. “It’s not a question of ‘believing’ in meditation,” he said. “It really works.” Through his suggestion to introduce kids to meditation, Laureys is hoping to raise awareness about the beneficial aspects of the practice.

Student to attempt longest drone delivery A 19-year-old student from Ostend is attempting to break the world record for the longest cargo delivery by drone. In September, Yordi Verbeeren will fly the drone on a 70 to 75km route; the current record is 15km. The drone will be launched from the beach in Koksijde and will fly for 25km over the North Sea, before returning to the starting point. Verbeeren is a third-year aviation student at the Vives University College in Ostend. He’ll be using the drone model DT18 that’s been customised by the Ghent office of the French drone company Delair-Tech. The drone is capable of flying at speeds of around 65km/h.

‘Teach pupils about breastfeeding’ Children should be given lessons on breastfeeding and mother’s milk in primary school, said Serena Debonnet, president of the Belgian Association of Lactation Experts. Her call coincided with the World Breastfeeding Week, during which experts across the world campaigned to raise awareness about the importance of mother’s milk. “If you ask young children how babies are fed, they mostly answer that it is done with a bottle,” said Debonnet. “They seem to be unaware that breastfeeding exists.” Lessons, she said, would not serve to explain in detail how breastfeeding works, but to familiarise children with the concept and inform them of the advantages. \ AF

\ LIVING

week in activities Patersholfeesten Every summer, this quiet Ghent neighbourhood of narrow cobblestone streets and ancient brick houses throws a party. Take a guided walk, browse the flea market or just soak up the atmosphere and concerts. Saturday evening closes with a ball in the central square. 11-13 August, in and around Kaatsspelplein, Ghent; free \ patershol.org

Indian Food Festival The third edition of this annual celebration of Indian food and culture also marks the 70th anniversary of India’s independence. Besides food, drink and live music, there will be martial arts demonstrations, Bollywood dance, yoga and activities for kids. 12-13 August 12.30-20.00, Jubelpark, Brussels; free \ indianfoodfestival.org

International Folklore Festival Folk dance groups from Paraguay, Poland, Sicily, Taiwan, Ireland and Flanders come together in Hasselt to share traditional songs and dances from their homelands. Buy a ticket for one performance or for all three, or just enjoy the free street dances in the city centre on Saturday afternoon. 12-15 August, Prinsenhofstraat, Kuringen (Hasselt); €9 \ tinyurl.com/intlfolklore

Castle Fest Historic Horst Castle, complete with moat, is the perfect setting for this medieval-themed family festival, with knights in armour, nobility, exciting tournaments, a falcon show, storytelling, outdoor challenge course, wandering minstrels, an arts and crafts market and more. 13 & 15 August 10.00-18.00, Horst Castle, Horststraat 28, Holsbeek (Flemish Brabant); €8 \ pynnockriddershorst.info

Regional Beer Festival Forty-five breweries from Belgium and abroad will be pouring close to 200 different beers amid food stands, live music, a children’s village, street theatre and more – all in a cosy town centre with outdoor seating, perfect for sitting, sipping and discovering your new favourite brew. 14-15 August, Theophiel Toyeplein, Zwevegem (West Flanders); free entry \ flanderseventsvzw.be

\ 10

Fantasy to the people

Make-up dreams come true as Ghent trio create alter-egos Georgio Valentino More articles by Georgio \ flanderstoday.eu

facebook.com/EviesGardenofEden

aving recently celebrated their third anniversary, Ghent make-up and costume collective Evie’s Garden of Eden is gearing up to participate in its biggest event of the year: Wings and Wheels. The Second World War-themed festival at the Ursel airfield in East Flanders is the perfect showcase for founder Evelien Taeldeman and her crew, who will spend the weekend transforming visitors into vintage greasers, doughboys, pin-up girls and Rosie the Riveters. The trio, comprised of Taeldeman, Eva Vanmeirhaeghe and Hannah Vandenbulck, met while taking a make-up course at the East Flanders adult education centre Het Perspectief. In some ways they are an unlikely team. They come from different backgrounds and find themselves in different stages of their professional lives. Taeldeman is a fulltime social worker with experience in both the UK and Flanders, while Vanmeirhaeghe and Vandenbulck are both continuing their education. They also have different interests and specialities. Taeldeman’s passion is vintage style from the jazz age to the mid-20th century. “I just love the techniques and colours from that era,” she says. “They take you away to another world.” Vanmeirhaeghe focuses on hairstyling and creative face and bodypainting, while Vandenbulck’s focus is costuming; she creates original outfits, corsets and lingerie. For all their differences, though, Taeldeman and co share a vision. All three are dedicated to developing their whimsical aesthetic together and making it accessible to folks across Flanders. “We share a

Evie’s Garden of Eden travels Flanders, bringing its mobile boudoir to events, from festivals to historical re-enactments

strong drive to deliver quality work to all our clients – old or young, professional performer or curious amateur,” Taeldeman says. “All three of us see Evie’s Garden as a collective where everyone contributes in their own individual way to create something special together with the people we serve.” This isn’t your usual makeover. Whether working with kids or adults, Evie’s Garden of Eden aims for the fun and fantastical – from wild, nature-inspired body painting to theatre-grade costume make-up. They first pooled their talents three years ago for an event not unlike Wings and Wheels. “At the time I was working weekends at the retro venue Cocteau in Ghent,” Taeldeman says. “They put on old-school dance classes and vintage theme parties. One of the organisers asked

me if I could set up a retro beauty corner for their VE Day Liberation Ball. I started scouting partners in class immediately. Eva and Hannah said yes, and Evie’s Garden of Eden was born.” They have since graduated from the course and remained a team, carting their mobile boudoir to events across the region. “I love the diversity of the jobs we’re getting right now,” Vanmeirhaeghe says. “We facepaint at festivals. We do make-up and hair for weddings. We provide period make-up and hair for re-enactments. We do body painting and belly painting.” Some jobs are relaxed affairs, while others are more high-stress situations, like professional photo shoots and – especially – weddings. In these instances, the magic is just as much in the attitude as the artistry.

“At the end of the day, the concept of Evie’s Garden is to make people happy and comfortable in their skin,” Vanmeirhaeghe says. “We try to be a beacon of calm and happiness in the often hectic situations we work in.” All this activity has also benefitted the team as a whole. “Time and experience have strengthened the bond between us,” Taeldeman says. “Over the last year in particular we have grown as a multi-skilled team.” With so many fairs and festivals, summer is peak season for Evie’s Garden of Eden, but the rest of the year is looking just as busy. There are private events and theme balls galore as well as dance and theatre productions. Taeldeman and her crew have also begun a fruitful collaboration with Flemish art photographer Ghilain Vermeersch.

BITE Hasselt museum peppers new jenever with real gold The next time you want to toast an important occasion, instead of pouring a glass of champagne, you might try a glass of Goudwater, a new liqueur that contains flakes of real 24-karat gold. The liqueur was produced by the Jenever Museum in Hasselt to mark the 150-year anniversary of the crowning of the city’s statue of the Virgin and Child, named Virga Jesse. As it happens, 2017 is also a festival year for the Virga Jesse, whose citywide celebrations occur only every seven years. The statue’s golden crowns, now displayed in the city museum, were donated by the city’s jenever distillers in gratitude for the eradication of a cattle disease. A vaccine was developed by a local doctor, whose family owned a distillery.

The inspiration for Hasselt’s Goudwater has its roots in the 16th century, when there was a vogue for elixirs containing real gold. Diane

de Poitiers, the mistress of French King Henry II, was said to have drunk a gold concoction that kept her looking 20 years younger. Jan Kempeneers, the Jenever Museum’s master distiller, went digging in the museum’s archives, and in archives all over Belgium and the Netherlands, to create the new liqueur. He spent 18 months refining the recipe. Its basis is moutwijn, or malt wine, which is also used to make jenever. But here it’s combined with extracts of citrus fruit and 12 herbs and spices. Many of the plants used to flavour the liqueur have traditional uses associated with women and women’s health. Caraway seed was thought to stimulate milk production in nursing mothers, and celery seed was

jenevermuseum.be

thought to have a calming effect on the nervous system. Rosewater adds a feminine touch and refers to love. The liqueur is clear, with a faint golden tint. Shake the bottle, and the flakes of gold in the bottom disperse and remain suspended before slowly settling again. The effect is both luxurious and fun, like a grown-up snow globe. The citrus, floral and herb aromas are pleasant and fresh in the glass, with the citrus fruit and coriander most noticeable on the tongue. The taste is lightly sweet but not syrupy. Goudwater is produced in a limited edition of 500 bottles, available for purchase at €25 each in the Jenever Museum. It’s also available by the glass in the museum’s tasting room. \ Diana Goodwin

august 9, 2017

Rainbow city

Antwerp Pride anniversary edition gives thanks and makes new connections Dan Smith More articles by Dan \ flanderstoday.eu

ntwerpenaars are known – not always in a good way – for the enormous amount of pride they have in their city. But this month there’s a definite reason to celebrate as the city comes together to celebrate its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community as well as its other sexual and gender minorities (LGBT+) during Antwerp Pride. There’s a lot to celebrate. Over the past 10 years, Antwerp has played host to some significant LGBT+ events, including the International Lesbian and Gay Travel Association conference in 2010 and the World Outgames and Mr Gay World contest in 2013. Since 2010, the city has hosted the world’s second largest celebration of the gay fetish community each year. These events have drawn thousands of visitors to the harbour city and raised its profile dramatically among the global LGBT+ community. But rather than rest on its laurels, this year’s 10th anniversary edition of Antwerp Pride will be looking forward, chair Bart Abeel explains. “Fifty years ago, Antwerp wasn’t the enlightened place it is today,” he says. “Achieving the openness we enjoy now has taken a lot of time and effort. Pride helps us to sustain that momentum. It provides a framework and attracts an audience, but the initiatives come from the local community, and they are successful because so

many people are involved.” Many initiatives are spontaneous actions that are not organised by

in the centre of town will feature an exhibition of drawings by children on the topic of diversity.

It’s not about saying what we want; it’s about saying thanks Pride itself. In 2017, trees on the square near the corner of Zirkstraat and Kleine Koraalberg will be decorated with Pride flags sewn by local women, while Jezusstraat

Rainbow ribbons are also being distributed to staff and customers of shops and bars across the city. “I hope everyone will be wearing one,” Abeel says.

He believes that the message of Pride has changed over the past decade, noting that the LGBT+ community has gotten the legal protections it needed, such as marriage and adoption rights. “So it’s not about saying what we want,” he says. “It’s about saying thanks and showing that we are part of the city. And this year we want to look forward and see where we will be in 2027.” A key focus of this year’s event is the power of elite sport to promote diversity and inclusion. “The role of LGBT+ people in top sports

is one of the biggest taboos we face today,” Abeel explains. “I’m delighted that some of Antwerp’s leading sports clubs will be joining us in the Pride Parade. We’ll be welcoming the Royal Antwerp and Beerschot football clubs, and the Antwerp Giants basketball team.” Another sport group participating in the Parade on 12 August is the City Pirates football club, which aims to uplift children who live in poverty or otherwise have fewer opportunities in life. Today, they have over 70 teams across Antwerp. “The LGBT+ community understands we are very privileged – we live in a very supportive city and have achieved a lot in a relatively short period of time,” Abeel explains. “Now it’s time to inspire other groups in our society and show that we can address issues together in a positive way by being who we are.” According to Abeel, the success of Pride relies on one critical ingredient. “Everyone is a volunteer, even the organisers. We’re so grateful to the many people who are creating their own events or helping with official ones,” he says. “Their participation is spontaneous, and they are showing the world that they embrace diversity.”

9-13 August Across Antwerp

Pride highlights On 5 August – before the festival even officially starts – the Antwerp Queer Arts festival kicks off at the Felix Archive, which will also stage the 10 Years of Pride exhibition. Queer Arts includes several exhibitions in the Eilandje neighbourhood and a film programme at Cinema Cartoons. \ queerarts.be

Thursday, 10 August sees the Midsummer Party take over the city’s popular gay bar Den Draak and the Draakplaats outside to officially start the weekend’s festivities. Dubbed “Incredible Friday”, 11 August begins with the From Strangers to Allies symposium at the Permeke library on De Coninckplein. Academics, artists,

and athletes will look at how the LGBT+ community can inspire a broader movement for inclusivity and equality in society. Friday afternoon, it’s Pink Shopping on the Meir with the annual high-heel race. The highlight of “Glorious Saturday” is without a doubt the annual Pride Parade, which starts at 14.00

at Vlaamse Kaai and features up to 70 delegations. Winding its way through the city, the Parade culminates in the Love United Festival. This new, free and open-air party will feature club music and entertainment on Steenplein, including Drag Queens United. The enormous Pride Night party, meanwhile, boasts three different

Water sports craze gains stronger foothold in Ghent Ghent’s latest mobility plan may have deterred car traffic from entering the city centre, but it’s also prompted a French sustainable sports company to launch a new outdoor activity. The objective of Le Grand Huit (The Big Eight) is to get people to experience cities from a different perspective through sustainable activities. For Ghent, that has meant cycling your way through the city’s historical centre. But now you can also glide along the Leie river on stand-up paddle

boards. Stand-up paddle boarding is exactly what is sounds like – you stand atop a large board and use a paddle to steer your way through the water. The owners of Le Grand Huit, active in Paris and Lille, chose Ghent as their first inroad into Belgium. “Ghent has become one of Europe’s nicest European cities in recent years,” says Marianne Moerman of Le Grand Huit. “The new circulation plan is an additional asset for our activities, as is Ghent’s cultural and creative

spirit.” Le Grand Huit is based in neighbouring Lille, where it began offering guided bike tours in 2015. The tours on city bikes are guided by locals and feature stops in interesting parts of the city. After receiving favourable feedback from their cycle patrons, the company decided this summer was the time to introduce standup paddle boarding, reportedly the world’s fastest-growing water sport. Each paddle boarding session can

accommodate groups of four to 12 people at €26 per person. Your first outing begins with a short lesson to teach you how to stay upright and recover should you wobble. Le

concepts aimed at gay men, lesbians and a mixed crowd at The Shop near the Red Star Line Museum. Finally, “Magnificent Sunday” sees the Closing Festival on Grote Markt. A highlight is the worldrenown Swedish dance music band Army of Lovers. Get there early as the area will be closed once maximum capacity is reached.

legrandhuit.eu

Grand Huit also offers outings for advanced stand-up paddle boarders. So far, paddle board clients have mostly been locals as well as French and Dutch visitors. For both bike and paddle boarding activities, the company has enthusiastic counsellors who speak French, Dutch, English, Spanish and Italian. Le Grand Huit also offers their activities as team-building exercises, bachelor parties and other group outings. \ Monica Cisneros

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\ ARTS

august 9, 2017

Dive right in

week in arts & CULTURE

Brussels residents launch petition to revive outdoor swimming pool Sarah Schug More articles by Sarah \ flanderstoday.eu

POOLISCOOL.ORG

ummer is in full swing, and with it the occasional insufferably hot day that just makes you want to go for a swim. But what do you do when you don’t have a pool in your garden? In Flanders, there is the sea, but if you don’t have the time for a day trip, you’re out of luck. That is, if you live in Brussels. From Ghent to Hasselt, most other major cities have at least one outdoor pool, whether on its own or part of a larger swim park. But not the capital. “It’s a mystery to me,” says Frederik Serroen, an architect who work in the Brussels master architect’s office. “You can find quite a lot of pools within 50 kilometres, but not a single one inside the capital.” It wasn’t always like this. Until 1970s, Brussels boasted several outdoor swimming pools, all of which eventually shut down. The Pool is Cool initiative, founded in 2014 by a group of like-minded citizens who met via Facebook, wants to bring some of that old urban swimming back.

This summer, Bozar is home to “the biggest public outdoor pool in Brussels”… in a shipping container

The water-filled container is more of a PR stunt than a proper swimming facility, but it has already attracted people of all ages and walks of life. “Our initiative is not so much about sports,” Steinbrück explains. “We think that outdoor pools are essential for the social fabric of a city, as they bring people together.” Historically, public pools were

Outdoor pools are essential for the social fabric of a city “We can’t solve the problem, but we can draw attention to it,” says architect Paul Steinbrück, Pool is Cool’s co-founder. The approach appears to be working. With its guerrilla swims in the Montgomery fountain and the collective jumps into the Brussels canal, the Pool is Cool movement has been gaining traction, culminating in the launch of “Brussels’ only public open air pool” this summer, next to the Bozar.

created to make sport and leisure facilities accessible to the less affluent segments of society. “If you have money, you don’t really have a problem,” Steinbrück says. “You can afford to join a fitness club with outdoor swimming. And in some neighbourhoods lots of people have their own swimming pools.” Recently, Pool is Cool won a €5,000 grant from the Flemish master architect to help finance research

on the subject. It’s also launched a petition to convince Brussels to open an outdoor swimming pool by 2020. Céline Oosterlinck of Flanders’ master architect’s office echoes the sentiment of her Brussels counterpart. “It’s very strange that there aren’t any public outdoor pools in Brussels,” she says. “One thing that’s already become evident is that one pool wouldn’t be enough – the demand would be too high. There needs to be a broader strategy.” Brussels is far behind many other European capitals. Berlin, for example, has over 20 outdoor public pools, while Paris recently made headlines by opening a clean swimming zone in the city canal. The situation is not nearly as bleak in other Belgian cities. While Antwerp offers both natural swimming areas and a conventional outdoor pool, Gentenaars can plunge into the Blaarmeersen lake, the Neptunus pool and the S&R Rozebroeken swimming facilities. “Ghent has invested a lot in its sports infrastructure in the last 15

Simple sing-alongs bring diverse groups together Flemings are not known to be the most musical people in the world, says Annelore Camps. You’d rarely hear them singing their lungs out in the street, for example, which is a pity, she insists. Camps is one of the founders of Allez, Chantez!, an initiative from Ghent that brings people together to sing – just for the fun of it. “Basically, Allez, Chantez! is the most open and accessible way for us to sing together,” she says. “We’ve tried to remove all possible obstacles and barriers that would prevent people from singing at the top of their lungs.” There are other ways to sing in groups, like choirs, she continues, but these require some talent, knowledge or experience. “My friends and I were looking for an opportunity to sing with others but didn’t find what we were looking for, so we started something ourselves.” The regular group sing-alongs organised by Allez, Chantez! are fairly simple. A music coach leads the crowd in pop songs – mostly in English

but sometimes in Dutch – accompanied by a guitarist, pianist or accordion player. Participants receive a songbook – with generally recognisable songs by Abba, Adéle or Boudewijn De Groot – and off they go. “It’s a bit like when you hear a nice tune on the radio and start singing,” Camps says. “The only difference is that you’re in a group. It’s free, and there is no need to register; you just have to

years, and swimming is a part of that,” says Resul Tapmaz, the city councillor responsible for health, sport and equal opportunities. “It’s also an ethnically and socially diverse city, so it’s a great way to meet each other and bridge differences.” Like Paris, Tapmaz continues, Ghent is looking into the possibility of opening a temporary swimming area in a demarcated zone in the Leie canal. Slowly, Serroen says, the mind-set is changing in Brussels, as well. “I can see a paradigm shift on the horizon when it comes to creating public gathering spaces that add colour to urban life” One of the people leading the charge, she adds, is Pascal Smet, Brussels minister for mobility and public works. In the past, Smet was involved in the planning of an outdoor swimming pool along the city canal, but the project was eventually scrapped. Undeterred, the minister is now trying to get the issue back on the agenda. “In a densely populated city like Brussels,” says Smet, “the ability to swim outdoors is an important part of public space. Bottom-up initiatives such as Pool is Cool show that. They get my full support, and I want to translate the message as quickly as possible into political action.” The government’s plans, he continues, now include the development of a swimming pond and “the opportunity to swim near the canal. Paris just showed that this is possible.” Among the possible locations for the swimming pond is the future redevelopment at Heizel. Until that happens, the only options include the water park in the Huizingen recreation domain, just south of Brussels, and the Lammekes pool in nearby Grimbergen.

ALLEZCHANTEZ.BE

show up.” According to Camps, singing in groups can be a perfect way to build a community. “We have noticed that singing brings with it a kind of vulnerability. By providing an open environment, without pressure and judgement, people open up, not only to their own voice, but to others as well. Singing together makes us more social.” The very first session of Allez, Chantez! took place in 2014 in Ghent. Today, the singing craze has spread across Flanders. They have also branched out to include team-building formulas, theatre performances and school groups. The concept has clearly struck a chord with a wide audience, says Camps. “Our sessions bring together a very diverse crowd from different generations. There are 20-somethings singing alongside grandmothers. It’s really heart-warming to see how easily people forget that they thought they couldn’t sing.” \ Toon Lambrechts

Antwerp city poet to tattoo poems on volunteers

Antwerp city poet Maarten Inghels is looking for nine volunteers to have one line of his latest poem “Honger” (Hunger) tattooed on their bodies. The 10th and final line will be tattooed on Inghels. “Honger” is a response to the 33 stanzas of his previous poem “Volksbevraging” (Opinion Poll), each of which asked one question about the culture, beliefs and feelings of the city’s people. Volunteers are asked to choose one of the lines from the poem, submit a brief explanation of their choice and indicate where they would like to have the tattoo placed. The tattooing, done by Sven Rayen of Studio Palermo, will take place on 23 September. \ maarteninghels.be

Chinese TV series shoots in Antwerp The Chinese TV series Mr Right is currently shooting two episodes in Antwerp. Mr Right is the follow-up to a series called To Be a Better Man, which pulled in 380 million viewers last year, making it the third most successful TV programme in Chinese television history. Mr Right is the story of a Shanghai dentist – who also gives relationship advice – who meets a woman at a wedding in Belgium and takes off on a trip to Antwerp. Filming started last week and was due to last nine days. Locations include the Havenhuis, the Meir, Grote Markt and De Koninck brewery.

Home gets most Ensor nominations Director Fien Troch’s Home has been nominated for 10 Ensor Awards, more than any other film. The Ensors are the Flemish film industry’s prizes, with winners announced during the Ostend Film Festival every September. Home is a tense look at would-be normal teenagers pushed over the edge by unstable parents. It was nominated in nine categories, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Script and Best Actor. Le Ciel Flamand (Flemish Heaven) by Peter Monsaert, the story of a mum trying to protect her young daughter from the influence of the red-light business, received nine nominations, including Best Actress for Sara Vertongen. Other films with multiple nominations are Bavo Defurne’s Souvenir and Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth’s King of the Belgians.

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\ ARTS

Keeping it real

Kenji Minogue aims for shock, fun and absurdity at Pukkelpop Tom Peeters More articles by Tom \ flanderstoday.eu

KENJIMINOGUE.BE

The Ghent band that’s gained popularity through their bizarre onstage personas and unrelenting pursuit of authenticity is returning to the festival that started it all.

ombining surreal West Flemish wordplay, a lot of energy and the sheer absence of embarrassment, Kenji Minogue has become one of the most curious phenomena in local entertainment. Taking the absurd to another level, the two women behind the electro-pop outfit always leave their audiences with giant smiles on their faces and craving more. Emilie De Roo, better known as Fanny Willen (“I don’t want to” in West Flemish dialect), and Sarah Vandeurzen, aka Conny Komen (“Couldn’t come”), met at the Gentse Feesten some years ago and immediately hit it off. Together with the anonymous drummer, known only as Mista Pig (who wears a pig mask over his head), they formed Kenji Minogue (“Do you still know me”) in 2012. Most recently, the band has released their second album, En dermee (“And that’s why”) and provided the soundtrack to the fireworks display at Gentse Feesten, with several thousand people in attendance. It’s no surprise then that their upcoming Pukkelpop show is highly anticipated. The concert marks the band’s return to the festival – it was there, five years ago, that they first gained notoriety for their bizarre onstage performance when they played the festival’s experimental stage Petit Bazar. “We did three gigs in one day,” says De Roo. “The first one attracted

Emilie De Roo, aka Fanny Willen, and Sarah Vandeursen, or Conny Komen, met at Gentse Feesten some years ago and immediately hit it off

100 people, the second 200. When we returned for the third, the whole place was filled. I remember we were looking at each other with amazement. We just couldn’t believe it.” At the time, the band had only one song, “Naam Familienaam” (Name Surname), which they released online. “Mista Pig, the only actual musician in the band, didn’t want anything to do with it,” De Roo says. “He thought it was just awful.” Eventually, the song became a cult hit, and the band was asked to play it live. “Because Mista Pig didn’t want people to recognise him,” De Roo recalls, “we suggested he hide his face in a mask. He put a pig’s head on and hasn’t taken it off since.”

Why the shock factor? “I don’t know,” De Roo says. “I used to perform on stage, as an actress. Sarah never did, but she had always wanted to. We just tried our luck, and, apparently, it’s a good combination. Professional musicians often tell us they wouldn’t dare do the things we do.” De Roo is actually surprised more female singers haven’t followed their lead. “We feel like some kind of female liberation front,” she says. “It may be bad, it may be ugly, but our audience feels our energy is authentic, and that’s all that matters. It’s unpretentious, and liberating.” And the absurd lyrics and bizarre costumes have struck a chord with audiences. “These word games are

our way of joking around. Mista Pig is just the same.” De Roo and Mista Pig, she shares, “have a fouryear-old daughter, and it’s also in her DNA”. The band’s performance style is always evolving. In their last show, Vandeurzen wore a crown made of dry sausages. Their music videos, created by director Goran Grahovac, are equally extravagant. “Grahovac is just as playful, crazy and impulsive,” De Roo says. In “Oekomta Mekaniken” (Why Don’t We Know Each Other?), De Roo and Vandeurzen play two women rolling around in their

16 August 21.30

sleeping bags in a muddy creek. De Roo: “When else do you get a chance to do such a thing?” Over the last five years, their music has taken them many unusual places. The band had a gig at David Lynch’s nightclub in Paris and was one of many local bands that featured in the Flemish music-club movie Belgica. Iconic Italian fashion designer Donatella Versace later used Kenji Minogue’s Belgica song in one of her shows. “Can you imagine? All these posh people in Paris were going mental over two women performing in West Flemish dialect,” De Roo says. Their music, she adds, seems to have found a universal appeal. For live performances, De Roo and Vandeurzen are now joined by guitarist Sjoerd Bruil and bassist Ben Brunin. Their professional lives have also begun growing in different directions. Vandeurzen has recently joined Flanders leading TV production company Woestijnvis, while De Roo and Mista Pig are working on a screenplay for a new series on Canvas, with funds from the Flemish Audiovisual Fund. “Of course, there will be more absurd humour and wordplay,” De Roo says. “I guess that’s the nature of the beast.” Her biggest concern for now is that Kenji Minogue remains fun. “We don’t want it to become a job,” she says. “Our energy has to be genuine. Otherwise, people would notice. If we ever felt that it’s our obligation to be funny, then we’d risk becoming bland. And we’re against that.”

Petit Bazar, Pukkelpop

Welcome to Petit Bazar In 2012, Kenji Minogue made one of their first intriguing appearances at a small stage called Petit Bazar at the otherwise massive Pukkelpop pop and rock festival in Hasselt. Launched as an alternative to music, this “no-sourpuss-allowed” area has steadily become a Pukkelpop favourite. Petit Bazar “exposes our audience to an entirely different world,” says Pukkelpop press officer Frederik Luyten. “In the early years of the festival, street theatre, circus stunts and experimental installations were spread throughout the site. In the mid-2000s, we decided to give these performances a spot of their own.” The motto became “everything is allowed except music”, but the

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Crazy stuff happens at Petit Bazar

music that made its way through was so far out and hilarious, it kept crowds coming back. In 2008, the site was named Petit Bazar, to reflect the ever-more absurd acts. “Each year, we try to work with a

specific theme,” Luyten says, “and the public can take part by dressing up.” This year’s theme, Hup Holland Hup, should make this easy, as the festival has always attracted huge

crowds from across the border. To create media buzz and as a reaction to the visit of Belgium’s royal family at the Tomorrowland Festival last month, the organisers even sent an invitation to the Dutch royal couple. One Dutchman who has already confirmed his visit is Otto-Jan Ham. The popular TV host will present the live edition of the spoofy news programme De ideale wereld (The Ideal World). Once you’ve gone through the gate at Checkpoint Kees, make sure to visit the Pink Church. Artists playing there include DJ Yolotanker,

17-19 August

Gestapo Knallmuzik and Joe Hardy, nicknamed “the Henry Rollins of the Dutch schlager song”. Despite earlier rumours, the DJs from Radio Topkaas, one of the highlights of previous editions, might actually make an appearance under the name Radio Veronikaas. Are their bark still worse than their bite? You’ll have to wait to find out. The organisers have also promised plenty of liquorice, maatjes (herring) and Mora croquettes. After visiting the festival’s Red Light District, relax in a hammock straight from the Netherlands Antilles.

Pukkelpop

Kiewit festival site (Hasselt)

\ AGENDA

august 9, 2017

Communication breakdown

Sprung a Leak / Double Tales Until 19 November

M Museum, Leuven mleuven.be

n one of the rooms at M Museum, two humanoid robots and a robot dog are interacting with each other and with three human performers on video interfaces. According to Cécile B Evans, the artist who wrote the scenario to this automized performance, they are trying to overcome the multi-channel screen system that surrounds them and keeps leaking information to them. They can only guess if their sources can be trusted. In a video made by Tate Liverpool, who co-produced Sprung a Leak, Evans – a London-based artist with Belgian and American roots – said that her work revolves around the

way we value emotion in contemporary society. Different digital installations were on view at the Berlin and Sydney Biennale. This

play has three acts and was born out of frustration. Evans questions the impact digital technologies have on how we process and exchange emotions. She illustrates her dissatisfaction of it by provoking multiple misunderstandings and communication breakdowns between her robotic, human and/or pixelated performers. Rather than a pessimistic take on automated labour and robots (taking our jobs), Evans suggests a more constructive position. Beauty blogger Liberty says at the end of the play that “a machine’s freedom is as valuable as a user’s; our freedoms combined can leave this

VISUAL ARTS

FAMILY

Fabulous Failures

Nature Connects

Until 20 August Ever since antiquity, classical art has attempted to master the forces of chaos with harmonious forms and a vaguely defined concept called “beauty.” And for just as long, a rebel tradition has celebrated the imperfect, the unbalanced, the ugly, the haphazard and the ecstatic. Technology has only intensified the conflict, giving purveyors of perfection the means to instantly delete the plain ugly and digitally enhance the mediocre. This multidisciplinary showcase explores the modern manifestations of this ageold tension through the works of 15 contemporary European artists. The exhibition was conceived and curated by Dutch art consultant Erik Kessels. \ Georgio Valentino

Botanique, Brussels botanique.be

Planckendael, Mechelen planckendael.be

Gers Pardoel Grote Markt, Brussels flowertime.be

bulbs are provided by local cultivators and arranged by international floral designers. The theme of this third edition is flowers and fruits. This year also sees the inauguration of Flowernights, which pairs the beauty and fragrance of Flowertime with classical music and culinary tastings by Belgian master chef Claude Pohlig. \ GV

Timès Trio: Berber folk music sung in Tamazight, sweeping the audience along on a virtual trip across warm sands and wide open spaces. 11 August 21.00-23.00, Café Béguin, Zaterdagplein 12A \ facebook.com/cafebeguinbxl

CLASSICAL Bruges Cosmis Sounds: Sterrenmuziek: Astrophysics professor Katrien Kolenberg uses her cello and her own illustrations to explain how stars make music, “bending through the universe like giant gongs, each with their own unique sound”. 10 August 11.30, Concertgebouw, ’t Zand 34 \ mafestival.be

VISUAL ARTS Wilhelm Morgner: Works by the German Expressionist painter who was killed on the frontline in Langemark in 1917 at the age of 26. Drawings and paintings inspired by artists such as Van Gogh and Kandinsky include selfportraits and landscapes of farm life. Until 15 September, Gemeentehuis, Kasteelstraat 1 \ langemark-poelkapelle.be

Antwerp Controversy: A montage by photographers Max Pinckers and Sam Weerdmeester addresses the polemic of photojournalism’s ethical credibility by engaging in the discussion surrounding Robert Capa’s Falling Soldier. Until 28 August, M HKA, Leuvenstraat 32 \ muhka.be

\ GV

Flowertime

Brussels

Langemark-Poelkapelle (West Flanders)

It might seem an unlikely venue, but Planckendael animal park introduces Europe to the wild work of American Lego artist Sean Kenney. The zoo has always been a favourite destination for families keen to see critters in the flesh. This temporary exhibition allows them to also enjoy 40 intricate Lego facsimiles of animals, created by one of the world’s foremost Lego sculptors. Kenney’s critters have already toured North America extensively and won several awards. The works are scattered throughout the park. Visitors who spot and photograph them are invited to share on social media and possibly win a prize.

CONCERT

Originally conceived as a sort of placeholder, a horticultural amuse bouche between biennial editions of Brussels’ older and more established Flower Carpet, Flowertime has nevertheless become an attraction in its own right. Each edition turns Grote Markt and City Hall into a blooming garden complete with 100,00 flowers. The

\ Tom Peeters

Until 17 September

EVENT 11-15 August

room behind us”. Since this curious performance only takes 18 minutes, there’s plenty of time to visit some of the neighbouring rooms, occupied by French contemporary artist Aurélien Froment. Double Tales works to rehabilitate the reputations of a handful of visionaries, producing work not considered art in their time. But now, for instance, the cubes, circles or cylinders designed by German scientist Friedrich Fröbel or the large decorated stones by the French postman Ferdinand Cheval, as transformed by Froment, are showing full museum potential.

CONCERT

EVENT Ghent get tic

18 March, 2018 Gers Pardoel is currently taking Flanders by storm. After years of paying his dues as a guest performer on records by the likes of The Opposites, the Dutch rapper now rides his own wave with a string of regional chart hits and crowded club and theatre concerts. He even performed in front of an audience of 75,000 as Clouseau’s opening act at the Sportpaleis. Pardoel, whose popular Dutch-language singles include “Bagagedrager” and “De toekomst is van ons”, recently announced his first headlining arena concert in Antwerp, and tickets are flying out the door. So he added a second date. Buy now.

kets n ow

Lotto Arena, Antwerp lotto-arena.be

Kraanlei wordt Strandlei: As part of the annual Patersholfeesten, shop owners in Ghent’s Kraanlei have come together to transform their street into a beach for a day, complete with balloons, performances, treasure hunt, beach chairs and parasols. 12 August 9.00-21.00, Kraanlei \ patershol.org

MUSIC FESTIVAL Eeklo Helden In Het Park: Free music festival in a leafy park features the Togolese-French Vodun funk masters Vaudou Game, with singer-composer Peter Solo showing off his dance moves while generating some seriously hypnotic Afrofunk. 10 August 22.00, Heldenpark \ hihp.be

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\ BACKPAGE

august 9, 2017

Talking Dutch

VoiceS of flanders today

Hats off to Ikea

Derek Blyth More articles by Derek \ flanderstoday.eu

t started off, like many things do these days, as a little joke on social media. Vorige maand vierden we in BelgiĂŤ onze nationale feestdag â€“ Last month, we celebrated our national day in Belgium, explained Het Nieuwsblad. This is traditionally a day when the Belgian armed forces parade through the capital. But people on Twitter were more interested in what members of the royal family were wearing. And one detail did not go unnoticed. Prinses Claire, de echtgenote van prins Laurent, droeg een hoed â€“ Princess Claire, the wife of Prince Laurent, wore a hat die volgens Twitteraars â€“ that according to the Twitterati net leek op een houten fruitschaal â€“ looked just like a wooden fruit bowl. Is het een Frisbee? â€“ Is it a Frisbee? asked Het Nieuwsblad. Is het een fruitschaal? â€“ Is it a fruit bowl? Nee, het is de hoed van Prinses Claire â€“ No, itâ€™s Princess Claireâ€™s hat. And so it went on. Zou IKEA in het grootste geheim hofleverancier geworden zijn? â€“ Has Ikea secretly been granted a royal warrant? asked pop singer Raf Van Brussel. Then someone posted a picture of an Ikea bamboo fruit bowl that was said to look just like the hat â€“ the Hultet (pictured), on sale for â‚Ź4.99. A few days later, Ikea joined in the fun by tweeting a photo of its Hultet fruit bowl. Iedereen kan princes zijn â€“ everyone can be a

princess, ran the caption. Kom langs en ontdek â€“ Come along and discover ons royaal assortiment serveerschalen â€“ our royal choice of serving bowls. But what about the poor unfortunate milliner? Al veertien jaar â€“ For the past 14 years ontwerpt ze hoeden â€“ she has been designing hats in de anonimiteit van haar atelier in Brugge â€“ out of the public eye in her Bruges workshop. En dan wordt Brigitte Ganne plots ontdekt door prinses â€“ Claire â€“ And then suddenly Brigitte Ganne was discovered by Princess Claire, die haar creatie draagt op de nationale feestdag â€“ who wore her creation on the national holiday. Maar het gloriemoment â€“ But her 15 minutes of fame is verknald â€“ was ruined door hoongelach op sociale media â€“ by the sneering comments on social media. Wat een heisa â€“ What a fuss about nothing, Ganne responded. Mijn moeder is geshockeerd â€“ My mother was shocked door alle commentaren â€“ by all the comments, omdat ik er toch zoveel werk in had gestoken â€“ because I had put so much work into it, wel veertig uur â€“ at least 40 hours. And, just for the record, it wasnâ€™t made from bamboo. Dit uitzonderlijke ontwerp â€“ This unique creation is uit exclusieve Abaca-silk â€“ was made from exclusive Abaca silk, afkomstig van de bladeren van de bananenboom â€“ produced from the leaves of the banana tree, she explained. But maybe she should have kept that under her hat.

In response to: Flanders honours lives lost in Battle of Passchendaele Shirley Foxcastle: It was a very moving event and a timely reminder of how Europe should remain united in order to preserve peace and to avoid the repetition of such an obscene loss of life.

The Social Traveler #Dendermonde sure has its momentsâ€Ś Iâ€™ll be spending a month in #Belgium preparing for a big adventure in September! Meanwhile, Iâ€™ll be sharing pictures from the places from my childhood that are close to my heart đ&#x;˜Š. #Belgie #Vlaanderen #Belgique #Flandre #Flanders

In response to: Brussels residents launch petition to revive outdoor swimming pool CaitlĂn Griffith Otway: Fingers crossed!

In response to: Parking 58: â€˜The most beautiful view over Brusselsâ€™ bids farewell Marie Lulu Skautrup: Roosa Vuotso, you probably already knew, but still I cry.

Amber Vallance @ArtofAmber Friend and I were #drawing in #Ghent but chased away by rain before we were finished! #art #Belgium

Christina Avdikou @ChristinaAvd What a great event! #hapjetapje #leuven #summerinthecity

ÂŠ Courtesy Ikea

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the last word Head of the class

Cleaning up our acts

â€œIt used to be that a head teacher would step down after five or seven years. Now theyâ€™re gone after two or three.â€?

â€œI saw so much rubbish lying on the beach that I thought to myself: I have to do something about this.â€?

Robert Vergauwen, chair of Flandersâ€™ secondary school principalsâ€™ association, on the shortage of head teachers

Brussels artist Karolien Taverniers creates artworks out of rubbish she picks up on beaches worldwide

Tee-total â€œMore and more people like to enjoy a beer without all of the problems associated with alcohol.â€? Jean-Louis Van de Perre, president of the Belgian Brewers Federation, on the rise of alcohol-free beer

World music â€œThanks to Spotify, my music is heard more in the US than here. I often get reactions from American fans who are shocked that Iâ€™m Belgian.â€? Rapper Woodie Smalls of SintNiklaas

ÂŠ Kristof Van Accom/BELGA

UP AND AWAY Jens Getteman of Aalst flies through the air behind Dutch competitor Jeffrey Herlings at the MXGP Limburg Grand Prix, which took place over the weekend. Some 30,000 people attended the two-day event in Lommel, Limburg, despite heavy rains on Saturday. Herlings went on to claim the top spot

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