N ° 02 2009

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Belgium Unlimited

News from Belgium January - February 2009

Tintin, Snowy and Captain Haddock rue de l’Etuve (Brussels) © Hergé-Moulinsart 2009 Year of the comic strip in Brussels  

The Brussels authorities have decided to make 2009 the year of the comic strip. This was a logical choice for a city that has been home to so many comic strip artists and the cradle of a few legends of the Ninth Art. Hergé (Tintin), Franquin (Gaston Lagaffe) and Peyo (the Smurfs) are all from Brussels. Besides, the Belgian Comic Strip Centre is also located in Brussels, in a superb Art Nouveau building. And as a matter of fact, it will have existed for 20 years in 2009. Brussels also has a long tradition of festivals, so 2009 will offer the perfect opportunity to celebrate the Ninth Art, with exhibitions, events and even on the walls of the city (murals as well as special installations). Even more than before, Brussels will be the capital city of the comic strip in 2009 (28/02/2009-31/12/2009)!

http://www.bruxellesbd.com http://www.brusselscomics.com

© Yslaire-Futuropolis

Tintin in the Brussels Underground (Stockel) © Hergé - Moulinsart - OPT JP Remy

http://users.skynet.be/martinod/stripmuur-fr.html

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          Inauguration of the Microsoft              Innovation Centre in Mons  

                 on 4 March 2009  On 4 March 2009, the Microsoft Innovation Centre (MIC) opened its doors in the parc technologique Initialis in Mons, in the province of Hainaut. MIC is a public-private partnership between Microsoft and the Walloon Region. Its objective is to stimulate entrepreneurship and help start-ups by offering operational, financial and technological support. It will be focussed particularly on supporting start-ups in the domain of e-health with the development of technological solutions for the health sector. MIC’s goal is to contribute to the establishment of 5 to 10 new companies a year and 200 to 250 new jobs. Apart from that it will also support 50 research and development projects annually and deliver 500 training certificates. Wygwam and Eonix, two small and medium-sized SMEs specialised in new health and welfare technologies plan to anchor themselves in the new project. Voo (communication via cable) and Hewlett-Packard (HP) Benelux have recently associated themselves with the project, too. HP will supply hardware (PCs, servers, printers and storage devices) and Voo will eventually offer applications for internet television for the wider public. MIC will move into a building of approximately 550 m2 in parc Initialis in Mons, where it will form part of a “Digital Innovation Valley” with Virtualis and Technocité. http://www.awt.be/web/res/index.aspx?page=res,fr,foc,100,085

Belgium had a good 21,000 fewer unemployed in 2008 than in 2007 

At the end of December 2008 there were 386,253 unemployed jobseekers receiving benefits from Belgium’s NEO (National Employment Office). That is 21,221 fewer than at the end of December 2007. The number of unemployed jobseekers under the age of 25 receiving benefits from the NEO came to 55,033 (or 2,315 fewer than the previous year). Finally, at the end of December 2008 there were 194,006 unemployed jobseekers who had been receiving benefits from the NEO for two years or longer. This is a drop of 23,347 compared to the previous year. There was a reduction in each category in each of the three Regions - the Flemish Region, the Walloon Region and the Brussels Capital Region. http://www.rva.be/D_new/Press/Mededelingen/2009_01_22/StatFR.pdf

Federal government recovery plan  On 11 December 2008 the federal government – with Yves Leterme as Prime Minister still - decided to work out a recovery plan to get the economy back on track. The government of Herman Van Rompuy, the new Prime Minister, agreed to implement the recovery plan without delay. In the meantime a number of measures have been approved, including some to stimulate energy efficiency and others to give business new impetus. For companies and organisations that employ researchers, for example, we note an increase in withholding tax exemption from 65% to 75% as of 1 January 2009. There will also be a general increase in withholding tax exemption to 0.75% on 1 June 2009 and 1% from 1 January 2010. In addition, there will be a monthly tax credit refund for sectors which, due to the nature of their activities, build up VAT credits (mainly construction and export).

http://www.envirodesk.com/node/47804 http://www.belgium.be/nl/binaries/herstelplan_tcm117-29600.pdf

http://www.belgium.be/fr/binaries/planderelance_tcm116-29600.pdf

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  Russian steel giant Severstal opens subsidiary in Antwerp 

Severstal, a Russian company active mainly in the steel and mining industry, has opened a subsidiary in Antwerp. The world’s 15th largest steel producer, Severstal is the second largest in Russia after Evraz Group and has production facilities in Russia, the US, the UK, Italy, France and Ukraine, amongst others. The headquarters of Severstal are located in Cherepovets, Russia.

http://de.rian.ru/business/20090113/119473276.html http://www.severstal.com/

  Sonaca concludes contract with Bombardier  

Sonaca, an aerospace construction company in Gosselies, has concluded a 19.6 million euro contract with the Canadian airplane builder, Bombardier, for the development, design and production of fixed wing leading edges, components for the new Learjet LJ85. Delivery will start in 2012.

http://www.rtbf.be/info/la-sonaca-decroche-un-contrat-avec-bombardier-generant-196-

millions-76918

 

Belgium is the most globalised country in the world 

According to the KOF index 2009, which is calculated by the Swiss ETHZ (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich), Belgium is the most globalised country in the world, with a score of 91.02 points. Belgium has been at the top of the ranking since 2004. This year it shares first place with Ireland. The KOF index measures the economic, social and political level of globalisation and is calculated on the basis of 24 variables. The data was collected in 158 countries during the period 1970 to 2006. http://globalization.kof.ethz.ch/

Belgian becomes Chairman and CEO of Swedish company Atlas Copco  

The Board of Directors of the Swedish company, Atlas Copco, has appointed the Belgian Ronnie Leten as CEO and Chairman. He will succeed the present CEO, Gunnar Brock, on 1 June 2009. Ronnie Leten comes from the province of Limburg. He is only the second non-Swede to head the company since the concern was founded in 1873. Mr. Leten will lead Atlas Copco from the headquarters in Nacka, Sweden.

R. Leten © Atlas Copco

New  law  should  reduce number of bankruptcies  

On 15/01/2009 the Chamber of Representatives approved a bill to reform the law on legal settlement. This settlement is an agreement that a company in difficulties may make in order to get on top of its problems and avoid bankruptcy. Incidentally, the new law on legal settlement is called the “law on company continuity”. It relaxes the conditions for starting the procedure for a legal settlement. It also provides specifically for the possibility of companies reaching an out of court settlement with their creditors and offers a better framework for the takeover of a company in difficulties. The law will come into effect on 1 April 2009.

http://www.just.fgov.be/communiques/2008/

11/06.html

© Atlas Copco

Leten previously worked for Atlas Copco as head of the Airtec division and the Industrial Air division. In 2006 he became Chairman of the Compressor Techniques department. 33,000 people work for Atlas Copco worldwide. In Belgium Atlas Copco Airpower employs 2,780.

http://www.atlascopco.com/benl/news/corporatenews/090120_new_president_and_ceo.asp

The Minister-President of the Walloon Region, Mr. Rudy Demotte, has announced a new Chinese investment in Wallonia. The Chinese group, Sinomax, is to build a European production centre for fireworks in Vresse-sur-Semois in the province of Luxembourg. Specialised in the import and sale of fireworks, Sinomax has been active in our country for the last 20 years, though at the moment it imports the fireworks from China – around 1500 tons in 2007. Now the group plans to establish a European production centre in Sugny. This will strengthen its position at the European level and keep it competitive, as well as giving it access to European technology for the manufacture of its products. Sinomax’s environmental footprint will also be reduced as a result of the drop in imports from China and the reduction in transport on our soil. In addition it will create new jobs.

The choice of the former military depot in Sugny is no coincidence. The Sinomax group has used this site for a long time to stock material imported from China before its distribution in Belgium and the rest of Europe. Apart from that it is also the ideal location for production for safety reasons, as it is in an isolated zone. In the initial phase (second half of 2009) the plant will provide 20 new jobs. In the course of 2010 (second phase) that figure will rise to between 50 and 80. An investment of 500,000 euro is involved.

http://demotte.wallonie.be/site/Textes.asp?DocID=582&v1ID=&RevID=&namePage=&pageParent=

Chinese Sinomax group invests in Wallonia: company to build firework factory in Vresse‐sur‐Semois 

W. Verstraete

Belgian Wilfried Verstraete to head Euler Hermes Saudi investment in Genk  

SABIC, Saudi Basic Industries Corporation is a producer of chemicals, artificial fertilisers, plastic and metals. The first stone of the new branch of this Saudi Arabian company was laid in Genk, in the province Limburg. Reinforced plastic granules for the European automobile industry will be produced at the new plant, which will provide employment for 75 people. The company should be operational by 1 January 2010. With a working area of 70,000 square metres, the Sabic branch in Genk will be the Saudi Arabian group’s largest plant in Europe.

http://www.sabic.com http://www.sabic-genk.be

http://www.eulerhermes.be/

Between 2004 and 2006 Wilfried Verstraete led Euler Hermes’s competitor, Atradius. Before that he held senior positions at, amongst others, France Telecom Group, Mobistar, Wanadoo and Orange. Verstraete studied economics at the VUB and earned a master’s degree in Financial Management at the Vlekho in Brussels. He is an alumnus of the INSEAD International Executive Program. At the moment he works for Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty.

On 1 April 2009 the Belgian Wilfried Verstraete will become CEO of Euler Hermes group, the world market leader in credit insurance with its headquarters in Paris. Euler Hermes, which is part of the German Allianz Group, has branches in more than 50 countries.

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New contracts for Zetes   Zetes Industries is a Brussels based company that offers market solutions and services for the automatic identification of goods and people (Goods ID and People ID).

Having previously secured a project for the personalisation of ordinary biometric passports, Zetes has concluded two new contracts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ivory Coast. One of these is for the personalisation of diplomatic and service passports and the other is to supply biometric visas and consular registration cards intended for Ivorian citizens resident abroad. Thanks to the solutions and equipment supplied by Zetes, both Ivorian citizens who travel abroad and people who visit Ivory Coast will have identification documents produced in conformity with the most up-to-date security methods.

Zetes has also concluded a contract with the government of Togo to supply 500 mobile biometric kits for updating the electoral lists. This contract is a follow-up to the project for the compilation of the electoral lists for which the Togolese also used Zetes, in March 2007. Now the Togolese authorities need to bring the electoral lists made for the parliamentary elections of June 2007 up to date in order to register voters who have reached the voting age since last year and to scrap from the lists people who have died or have lost their right to vote. The kits work with software applications that were developed by Zetes. The validity of the lists is ensured by AFIS technology which makes it impossible for the same person to vote more than once thanks to a system of digital fingerprints. All 500 kits are expected to arrive in Lomé before the end of the first half of 2009.

In 2005 Zetes signed a contract with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the biometric registration of its population for the general election. Now Zetes has concluded a new agreement with the United Nations to update six thousand registration kits. These should make it possible for the Independent Electoral Commission to update electoral lists for the local elections that are to take place soon. Citizens who have recently reached the age of majority will be added, whilst deceased voters will be removed from the lists. Besides this, Zetes will also be responsible for training the Independent Electoral Commission’s trainers and for technical support in the field during registration. The project is worth € 2 million euro and will last for a few months starting in the first half of 2009.

Zetes has signed a contract worth around £ 6 million with the British supermarket chain, Morrisons, the fourth largest shopping chain in Great Britain. Morrisons is in the process of updating its whole IT infrastructure. Zetes will supply technology which will allow thousands of the British supermarket chain’s warehouse staff to receive their instructions via voice computer. As a result they will no longer have to check off orders on paper. The contract will be carried out over a period of two years.

http://www.zetes.be

Biometric registration solution Zetes

© Zetes

Voices technology Zetes

© Zetes

Campaign SNEDAI (Ivory Coast)

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3.6 % growth for Brussels National Airport 

Regional airports achieved good results in 2008 

 Liege Airport   In 2008 Liege Airport handled nearly 6 % more freight than in 2007 and 20.25 % more passengers. This growth is mainly due to the arrival of new airline companies that have chosen Liege as their European hub, such as El Al, Ethiopian Airlines and Ukraine International Airlines; an increase in charter flights organised by the tour operators present in Liege; as well as the successful launch of new scheduled flights to Tel Aviv, Pristina and Tirana. In the summer of 2009, 20 destinations will be available from Liege Airport. Thanks to the new Cargo City Nord zone, which will be devoted completely to freight handling, Liege Airport can receive new operators and new airline companies.

http://www.liegeairport.com

Charleroi Airport 

The airport at Brussels South Charleroi (BSCA) welcomed around 20% more passengers in 2008 than in 2007. These positive results are a consequence of the excellent occupancy rates to all destinations, the successful expansion of the airline companies and the arrival of Jetairfly. In addition, in 2008 new routes were launched by Wizz Air, Ryanair and Jetairfly, which have proved popular with travellers.

http://www.charleroi-airport.com/doc.php?nd=o62&tid=62&lg=3&docid=471&site=1

Antwerp Airport   The Airport in Antwerp received 1.2% more passengers in 2008 than in 2007. This growth is mainly the result of an increase in local flights, such as maiden and private flights. The number of charter plane passengers also rose by a good 25 %. In total 56,000 flight movements were carried out, that is 8.7 % more than in 2007. The number of passengers on training flights rose from 46,000 to 54,661 units. The number of charter flights came to 178 units as opposed to only 140 the year before.

http://www.antwerp-airport.be/

2008 good year for the Port of Brussels   The Port of Brussels finished 2008 with good results. Its own traffic rose by 13 % compared to 2007, and amounted to about 49 million tons. Global traffic came to nearly 8 million tons, an increase of 6 % compared to 2007. Container traffic rose too (+5 %) and reached almost 18,000 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). Rail traffic in the outport rose by 7 % to slightly above 360,000 tons. The main sectors that booked increases were building materials, liquid fuels and various goods.

http://www.lloyd.be/nieuws/id23536-Le_trafic_du_port_de_Bruxelles_augmente_de.html

Brussels Airport received 18.5 million travellers in 2008, which is 3.6 % more than in 2007. This growth is mainly due to the success of new long-haul flights and the arrival of new low cost airlines. However, in the course of the year growth slowed as a result of high fuel prices and the worsening general economic situation.

Antwerp Central Station one of the most beautiful in the world  

The American magazine Newsweek rates the recently renovated Antwerp Central Station one of the most beautiful stations in the world, ranking it in fourth place. Antwerp Central has always been a magnificent building, but by contemporary standards the capacity of the station was too limited. Radical structural work was needed to allow the high speed train to the Netherlands to pass through the station, so a rail connection was laid under the city. Eurostation, a subsidiary of the Belgian national railway company, NMBS/SNCB, used the compensation grouting method to carry out the work without the historic station building subsiding or cracking. Thanks to this it was not necessary to put the station out of use during the renovation work either. Qua architecture, engineering and planning this was a technical tour de force that won international acclaim.

http://www.brusselsairport.be/en/news/newsItems/333151

The tunnel under the city and the historic station building caught the interest of foreign railway companies, too. A number of them have already called on Eurostation’s services. The company was actively involved, for example, in the construction of a bus terminal in Jamaica, the modernisation of the train stations in Rumania and a consultancy job in Moscow.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/178825

http://www.eurostation.be

© Carolus

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Stronger partnership between ports of Antwerp and Tangier  

The port cities of Antwerp and Tangier Mediterranean are strengthening their ties. On both the Moroccan and the Belgian sides there is a desire to build on existing relations. Partnerships such as those between the universities of Antwerp and Oujda and between the ports of Antwerp and Tangiers are being encouraged by both parties. In addition, a 5,000 hectare industrial zone is being developed, which should provide 300,000 jobs in the space of 5 years. Major companies from the Port of Antwerp, like CMA and MSC, already have a terminal in Tangier Med. Other companies with a branch in Antwerp are interested in the Moroccan port, too. Trade between Belgium and Morocco is worth some 700 million euro annually. In particular, phosphate, petroleum products and the import of Moroccan fruit to Europe occupy an important position.

http://www.jamiati.ma/Pages/ConférenceportuaireàAnvers.aspx http://www.portofantwerp.com/

« Dipcity »,  first  partnership  between  European inland ports  

On 29 January 2009 the port authorities of Brussels, Liege, Lille and Paris presented the final report of the DIPCITY project, which was financed by the European Union’s INTERREG IIIB programme. This partnership was started in 2005 with a view to having the four ports collaborate and share their experiences in a number of dossiers: the valorisation of waste transport via the waterways, the attractiveness of port areas and urban integration, multimodality, the role of ports in urban distribution, the introduction of measures aimed at improving the environment and the security of port areas. The DIPCITY project was a stimulating opportunity for the four partner ports to combine their know-how. Each port could learn from the experiences of the other ports with a view to introducing strategies for the development of port activities as well as making them more efficient instruments to serve the city and the region.

  Traffic at Port of Liege breaks historical record  

The Port of Liege performed well last year in terms of both inland traffic and global transhipments. Inland traffic was good for a transhipment volume of 16 million tons, 1.5 % more than in 2007 and a new historic record. Taking all modes together, 21.8 million tons were transhipped last year, 2.63 % more than the previous year. All modes of container traffic together grew by 14% to 27,459 TEU.

http://www.lloyd.be/nieuws/id23547-Le_trafic_portuaire_de_Lige_tablit_des_records_historiques_en.html

Port of Antwerp and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sign Memorandum of Understanding  

On 24 February 2009 the Port of Antwerp and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey signed a Memorandum of Understanding in order to strengthen the existing ties. The Memorandum of Understanding is aimed at increasing traffic between the ports. In 2008, about 4.3 million tons of freight was transported between the ports of Antwerp and New York & New Jersey. Mr. Bruyninckx, director of the port of Antwerp, together with Mr. Colpin, head of the Belgian Customs and Duty Agency, also received a security award from the National Nuclear Security Administration for the exemplary support provided throughout the implementation of the National Nuclear Security Administration’s Megaports Initiative at the Port of Antwerp. The award recognizes Antwerp Port Authority’s strong commitment to increase the security of both the Port of Antwerp and the global maritime system as a whole. Under the Megaports Initiative, which provides radiation detection equipment, training, and technical support to key international seaports to scan cargo containers for nuclear and other radioactive materials, monitoring is carried out at more than 40 detection sites in the port of Antwerp since 2007.

http://www.lloyd.be/nieuws/id23747-Les_dirigeants_portuaires_flamands_se_rendent__New_York.html

http://nnsa.energy.gov/2288.htm

In addition, the partners of the DIPCITY project have decided to submit their candidature again for the Interreg project, this time in the framework of the Interreg IVB programme. There is a project proposal aimed at developing a greater sense of responsibility towards serving the population in the regions in which the ports are situated. The partners will address several themes focussed on heightening this sense of public responsibility and finding ways to integrate their installations into the fabric of the cities around them. This type of approach should make it possible to maintain the logistical functions of the ports as well as developing various others. All of these functions are essential for both the economy and town and country planning at a European level. This new project could also be extended to include new partners. http://www.havenvanbrussel.be/?node=&id=24&lng=fr

http://www.liege.port-autonome.be/en/news/74-bruxelles-liege-lille-et-paris-satisfaits-de-di.aspx

Le port de Liège © Aerialmédia

© SOMEF

© SOMEF

Tangier Med, a container port that has undergone very rapid expansion, is an extremely ambitious project. The first containers were handled there in 2007 and the objective is to handle 8 million TEU in 2015.

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Astronomers  at  the  University  of  Liege equip  themselves  with  Trappist  telescope for observation of exoplanets and comets  

2009 marks the 400th anniversary of the first use of the telescope for the observation of the sky. In those 400 years there has been one major discovery after the other and Liege has contributed in no small way to this ongoing astronomic revolution. Some examples of this are the testing of the XMM, Herschel and Planck space telescopes at the space centre in Liege, and the development and design of instruments such as the auxiliary telescopes of the Very Large Telescope in Chile at a liege-based company, Amos (Advanced Mechanical and Optical Systems). Researchers at the University of Liege have also been responsible for astrophysical discoveries such as planetary aurorae, stellar oscillations, mirages and gravitational lenses, as well as for recording massive stars and the discovery of new chemical elements in comets. This autumn astronomers from the university are going to the Atacama Dessert in Chile to install the Trappist telescope (acronym of Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope). This telescope is 60 cm in diameter and completely automated. It will be operated by remote control from the Institute of Astrophysics and Geophysics at the University of Liege. Financed by the Fonds de la recherche fondamentale collective, Trappist will have two main types of objective. A team from Liege led by Professor Magain will work closely with a Swiss team to track the transit of exoplanets (extrasolar planets) in front of stars other than our sun, and the telescope will also follow numerous comets for several months in order to study their outgassing as they approach the sun. http://www.ulg.ac.be/cms/c_203963/la-tete-dans-les-etoiles?portal=j_55&printView=true http://www.astro.ulg.ac.be/ http://www.amos.be

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Partnership between Vanderbilt University and Janssen Pharmaceutica, for research into new treatment for schizophrenia 

Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company from Beerse, and the American Vanderbilt University are collaborating on research to find molecules that may be interesting for the treatment of schizophrenia. The objective is to be able to move forward in the treatment of this disease, which affects approximately 1% of the world population.

Stef Heylen, Chief Medical Officer of RED Europa, sheds some light on the agreement: "Vanderbilt University has developed new ways of treating schizophrenia which may eventually offer the prospect of a cure. It is rather unique for a renowned university to collaborate closely with a pharmaceutical research company.

The American university is pinning its hopes mainly on drugs that regulate the general metabolism of our brains, like glutamate. It has brought in experienced experts from the industry to steer its research in the right direction. Now there is an opening it has turned to Janssen because of the many years of experience we have in this domain.”

Janssen Pharmaceutica has in fact been a global leader in the treatment of schizophrenia for more than 50 years. "Thanks to medicines like RISPERDAL and INVEGA the symptoms of the disease can be kept reasonably under control, but a real cure is still not possible. This is why more research is needed. This will mainly be carried out within the company itself, but co-operation agreements with other companies and universities could increase our chances of success”, concludes Stef Heylen.

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/news/releases.php?release=446http://www.janssenpharmaceutica.be/index_E.asp

Stef Heylen

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Researcher  at  UGent  discovers  way  cortisone works 

Anyone who has ever had an inflammation has had something to do with the hormone, cortisone. But exactly how cortisone works and how it is able to suppress most of the symptoms that occur with inflammation has remained a mystery until now. Every cell in a human body consists of a cell nucleus, containing DNA, and a cell plasma, through which inflammation signals have to pass via a sort of domino effect. MSK1 is a key factor in every inflammatory disease, providing the motor of the inflammation process in the cell nucleus. Besides these pioneering discoveries, Dr. Beck has also paved the way for a new anti-inflammatory strategy whereby cortisone is combined with another anti-inflammatory. Research shows that this strategy would offer an unmistakable advantage for patients, as the anti-inflammatory effect would be equally efficient with lower doses of cortisone and therefore fewer adverse side-effects. Dr. Beck’s findings were published in the authoritative scientific publication, The EMBO Journal. http://www.ugent.be/nl/nieuwsagenda/nieuws/persberichten/cortisone.htm/

Scientists from the Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) and KU Leuven (Department of human heredity), working in conjunction with the biotechnology company, Galapagos, have discovered that the protein GPR3 can play an important role in the search for a new medicine for Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s is a disease that slowly destroys the brain cells. First of all the memory degenerates, but later cognitive capacity declines too. The presence of amyloid plaques is typical for the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. These are abnormal build-ups of the protein beta-amyloid between the nerve cells. Researchers investigated whether other substances might be involved in the formation of these plaques and identified the protein GPR3 as a new player. The researchers were able to show that blocking GPR3 would lead to a reduction of the plaques. Galapagos will continue the search for a medicine and develop it. The scientists’ findings were published in the authoritative journal, “Science”.

Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels opens Gallery of Evolution  

On 12 February 2009, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the Museum of Natural Sciences in Brussels opened its new Gallery of Evolution. The exhibition tells the story of life in 6 ½ chapters. 1000 specimens take the visitor on a journey through the Cambrian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Jurassic and Eocene periods to the present day. A glance at the future gives an idea of how life might evolve further and it also sheds light on the mechanisms of evolution. A breathtaking voyage of discovery.

Under the guidance of Dr. Karolien De Bosscher and Prof. Guy Haegeman, Ilse Beck, a researcher in the Department of Physiology at the University of Ghent, has discovered that the cortisone hormone is able to drive the protein MSK1 out of the cell nucleus towards the cell plasma.

Researchers  from  Biotech  Company  Galapagos  and  KU  Leuven  make  important  discoveries  about Alzheimer’s disease  

http://www.glpg.com/press/2009/8.htm http://med.kuleuven.be/dme http://www.sciencemag.org

http://www.glpg.com/press/2009/8.htm

© Thierry Hubin, Museum des Sciences naturelles

http://www.sciencesnaturelles.be/museum/evolution/evolution_hall/index_html

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CULTURE 

In the 19th century advances in construction techniques and especially in the combination of metal and glass as building materials gave rise to a new sort of building – the green house.

In 1873 the architect, Alphonse Balat, designed a complex to adjoin the classical-style Castle of Laeken for King Leopold II. The silhouette of the greenhouses is like a glass city situated in the rolling park landscape. The monumental pavilions, the glass domes, the long galleries that criss-crossed the land like covered streets, were not just about exotic botanical gardens, the constructive use of iron and glass, or a building programme called “ideal glass palace”.

.

http://www.monarchie.be/fr/activities/agenda/index.php

Royal Greenhouses soon to open to the public again (17 April – 10 May 2009)

http://www.geukensdevil.com http://www.chelseaartmuseum.org

http://daccessdds.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N00/720/18/PDF/N0072018.pdf?OpenElement

From 6 March to 11 April 2009 an exhibition will take place in the Chelsea Art Museum in New York, in which eight Belgian women artists will engage in a dialogue with eight of their American female colleagues. The inspiration for this exhibition is Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council, which deals with women, peace and security. Resolution UN-SCR-1325 particularly emphasises the impact of war on women and their contribution to conflict management and peace. The work exhibited shows women’s reactions to neglect, discrimination and intolerance. It shows how conflicts can be the motor for positive change. Yasmine Geukens and Marie-Paule De Vil took the initiative to organise the project. The Belgian artists participating are Berlinde De Bruyckere, Sofie Muller, Cindy Wright, Marie-Jo Lafontaine, Kati Heck, Karin Hanssen, Joëlle Tuerlinckx and Ann Veronica Janssens. The UN-SCR-1325 exhibition is supported by the Belgian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Belgian Representation to the UN and the Consulate General of Belgium in New York.

Exhibition in New York on Resolution 1325 of the UN Security Council

"Eve" by Sofie Muller, white bronze , height: 126 cm. Courtesy Geukens & De Vil Antwerp

Photographs : © Polet O and Hamerlijnck E, Les serres royales de Laeken, 2006, Olivier Polet, Sofam-Belgium

The Royal Greenhouses are the result of extensive discussion and the exchange of many letters, sketches, studies and designs between the architect, Alphonse Balat, and King Leopold II. Above all the greenhouses were a source of inspiration for the new Belgian architecture of the time and, along with Art Nouveau, they became famous all over the world.

The present plant collection in the Royal Greenhouses is uniquely valuable in three different ways. First of all, some of the plants are still the original ones planted for King Leopold II. Secondly, the present collection as a whole still corresponds to the spirit in which the original collection was conceived. And finally, the Royal Greenhouses still contain many extremely rare and valuable plants.

Every year in the spring the greenhouses at Laeken are opened to the public for around three weeks, a one hundred year old tradition that is still upheld. This year the public can visit them from 17 April to 10 May 2009.

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Television  series  “De  smaak  van  De  Keyser” wins prizes at the Biarritz International Festival of Audiovisual Programming  

Exhibition: From Van Dyck to Bellotto. Splendour at the Court of Savoy. 

      (Bozar, Brussels, 20/02‐24/05/2009)  Following the success of the Ensor to Bosch Exhibition in 2005, the Centre for Fine Arts and the Flemish Art Collection will join forces again in the spring of 2009. This time they will have a third partner, the Galleria Sabauda in Turin, home base of the superb art collections of the Court of Savoy. This unique collaboration will highlight the attraction the Flemish masters held for the family that gave Italy its very first king. Discover the masterpieces of Jan “Velvet” Brueghel the Elder, Peter Paul Rubens, Anthony van Dyck and their Italian colleagues from the 15th to the 18th century. Bernardo Bellotto, for example, who inherited a photographic vision from his teacher, Canaletto, excels in View of Turin from the Royal Garden. In 2010 Turin will receive a selection of masterpieces from the collections of the fine arts museums in Bruges and Antwerp - a fair exchange for the Flemish Art Collection, which is lending its scientific expertise for the exhibition at the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. Highlights • One of the most important collections of Flemish painting in Europe. • Paintings by Italian and Flemish masters, including two Rubens that have never been on display in Belgium before. • A separate room on painting in the footsteps of Caravaggio. • Two splendid illuminated manuscripts from the collection of the Royal Library of Belgium. • A collection of valuable Brussels tapestries, a first for Belgium. • A multidisciplinary festival brings the contemporary Turin artistic scene to Brussels. • A unique collaboration with the Royal Museums of Fine Arts Belgium and the fine arts museums in Antwerp, Bruges and Ghent, which will pick up the theme of the exhibition.

Anton Van Dyck, le Prince Thomas de Savoie

The Flemish television series, “De smaak van De Keyser” (the flavour of De Keyser) won several prizes at the International Festival of Audiovisual Programming in Biarritz (FIPA).

This ten-part series by Frank Van Passel and Jan Matthijs is a family saga about three generations of women at a jenever (Dutch gin) distillery in Hasselt. But it is also the story of an exciting and mysterious search for the truth and … the ultimate flavour of jenever. The series won three FIPA D'Or prizes, for best series, best actress (Marieke Dilles) and best music (Wim De Wilde). The international jury commended “De smaak van De Keyser” for its many qualities - the directing, the scenario, the set and the recreation of various different periods. This is the first time that FIPA has selected a Belgian television series. “De smaak van De Keyser” was produced by the Brussels production house, Caviar. The ten-part series is on both Flemish and French-language channels.

http://www.lempereurdugout.be/default.aspx

Guido Reni, Saint Jean-Baptiste

© Galleria Sabauda

Orazio Gentileschi, The Annunciation

http://www.bozar.be/activity.php?id=8292

Jan Brueghel the Elder (“Velvet Brueghel”), La Vanità della Vita Umana

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http://www.prixdelausanne.org

Edo Wijnen

Young  Belgian  takes  home  prizes  at  international  dance competition in Switzerland  

From 27 January to 1 February the 37th edition of the prestigious Prix de Lausanne took place, an international competition for young dancers (15 to 18 year olds) of all nationalities who are not yet with a professional dance company. The purpose of the Prix de Lausanne is to help young dancers embark on a professional career by awarding them a scholarship for the country and the school of their choice where they want to continue their studies. The jury consists of important personalities from the dance world with international reputations.

Ghent one of the most authentic places in the world  

Ghent comes third in a global ranking of the most authentic historical destinations in the new edition of National Geographic Traveler Magazine. "An interesting range of cultural experiences: churches, medieval castle museums, and rich painting collections, well-preserved and -presented" are the jury’s comments on Ghent. The ranking contains 109 destinations and was drawn up by 280 professors, journalists and tour operators.

http://traveler.nationalgeographic.com/2008/11/historic-

destinations-rated/europe-text/2

This year 73 candidates from 21 different countries took part in the competition, including Edo Wijnen from the Royal Ballet School of Antwerp. This 16 year old Belgian took home 2 first prizes. During the finals on 1 February Edo Wijnen finished in 4th place. He danced a superb contemporary choreography by John Neumeier (Spring and Fall) with a great deal of feeling and expression, and impressed the jury with a classical choreography by Petipa. Thanks to his excellent performance he won one year’s free tuition and a grant to cover his living expenses for the year. He also received the prize for the best contemporary dance interpretation awarded by the Nestlé Art Foundation. This prize goes to the finalist who shows exceptional potential for contemporary ballet. The prize includes a traineeship at a ballet school as well as travel and lodgings.

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© Laurent Dussaussois

Aalst Carnival  The annual carnival in Aalst (between Ghent and Brussels) took place at the end of February. Aalst carnival is listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage. The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage is a supplement to the 1972 UNESCO Convention on monuments and landscapes, which is also know as the World Heritage List. The Convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage deals mainly with traditions, festivals, dances, rituals, stories, old crafts and methods of healing, in other words, non-tangible or incorporeal heritage. It came into effect in June 2008. The jesting character of the carnival in Aalst makes it an inextricable part of the identity of the town of Aalst and its inhabitants. The oldest written sources on carnival celebrations in Aalst date from 1432. In subsequent centuries the public fancy dress parties developed into a solid tradition. Whilst carnival celebrations became less and less popular in the rest of Flanders towards the end of the 19th and early 20th century, in Aalst they remained very lively. Since then there has been a big annual parade through the streets of Aalst’s city centre. Thousands of volunteers in dozens of carnival associations spend months working on their floats and costumes in the city’s workshops. They all feature local history or national or international current events in a highly satirical way.

http://www.aalst.be/default.asp?siteid=2&skin=carnaval2009|fun

www.carnavaldebinche.be

The Carnival of Binche  Even today the Carnival of Binche is a unique and lively example of patrimony, an exceptionally popular and human social event which was also recognised by UNESCO as intangible world heritage in 2003. This folkloric event has developed from a long oral tradition. It is, as it were, a ritual that gives every participant the feeling of experiencing something unique. And according to the inhabitants of Binche, of course, there is “only one Binche in the world”… Every year the town of Binche and its population spend the month of February preparing for the carnival. The festivities last for three days and undoubtedly constitute the most important event in the lives of its inhabitants. Crowds pour in to admire the costumes, the music, the parade and the fireworks, with the procession of around 1000 “Gilles” as the apotheosis on Shrove Tuesday (Mardi Gras).

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The organisation’s field of action covers the whole of West Africa, an important region for Belgian development co-operation, which supports various projects and programmes there. One of the problems that SWAC will tackle in 2009 is the exploitation of children in the cacao sector in West Africa. This initiative, which was suggested by Minister Charles Michel and has his support, is aimed at regional solutions, and involves governments from the North and the South, as well as the private sector, the international organisations, NGOs and the West African producers associations.

In New York the Belgian lawyer, Christine Van Den Wyngaert, has been elected as a judge at the International Criminal Court. Given the emphasis Belgium traditionally puts on international criminal justice her election is very gratifying.

BELGIUM ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE 

The Council of Ministers has given the Minister of Defence, Pieter De Crem, the green light to allow an officer from the Belgian Navy to participate in the Southpac antidrug operations in the Caribbean.

© Information Service of the Federal Council of Ministers

Directorate General External Communication – Office of the Prime Minister

Belgian naval officer participates in international battle against drugs in the Caribbean 

François‐Xavier de Donnea appointed President of the Club du Sahel  

The Minister of State and Member of Parliament, Mr. François-Xavier de Donnea, has been nominated President of the Sahel and West Africa Club (SWAC).

Belgian  lawyer,  Christine  Van  Den  Wyngaert, elected as judge at the International Criminal Court 

  

http://www.diplomatie.be

In the battle against drugs trafficking to Belgium and the rest of Europe, a senior Belgian naval officer will be deployed from 8 April to 15 October to operation Southpac on board the American frigate, USS GARY.

Up until now Mrs. Van Den Wyngaert has been a judge at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague in the Netherlands.

http://www.icc-cpi.int/press/pressreleases/463.html

National plan of action “1325: women, peace and security”  Implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1325: women, peace and security 

 On 20 February 2009 the Council of Ministers took note of the Belgian plan of action “1325: women, peace and security”. The plan was presented by Mr. Karel De Gucht, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Joëlle Milquet, Minister of Labour and Equal Opportunities. It aims at increasing gender equality through national and international policies. The plan of action intends to implement UN Security Council resolution 1325 and covers the period 2009 - 2012. This resolution, which was adopted by the Security Council on 31 October 2000, calls for the protection of women and girls in situations of armed conflict, the prosecution of perpetrators of violence against women and increased participation of women in decision-making on peace and security. The national plan of action “1325: women, peace and security” contains guidelines and actions aimed at improving gender equality in humanitarian missions, peace negotiations, as well as in rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes. It proposes a national strategy to improve the coherence and efficiency of existing efforts. A first evaluation will take place in the second half of 2010 (Belgian Presidency of the EU) and a second one in 2012. Belgium is one of the first countries that developed a national plan of action. All partners at the federal and regional levels were involved in the discussions.

© Information Service of the Federal Council of Ministers Directorate General External Communication – Office of the Prime Minister

Mr. De Donnea will use his expertise to boost SWAC’s activities. SWAC is an international organisation linked to the OECD and is financed by voluntary contributions from the developed countries. SWAC’s mission is to support African initiatives and efforts for further development and to promote African capacities using a network of actors from the North and the South. SWAC has numerous partners in Africa as well as within the OECD, and regularly works with international organisations like the World Bank, the FAO and UNDP.

F-X. de Donnea

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Belgian humanitarian supplies destined for the Palestinian victims of the military operations in the Gaza Strip were officially handed over to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO) on 21/01/2009 as part of a B-Fast mission. Belgium was one of the first European countries to send aid supplies via Jordan and this took place in parallel with the operation whereby wounded Palestinian children were flown to Belgium for medical care. The Belgian First Aid & Support team is an interdepartmental rapid intervention service which organises urgent assistance for catastrophes abroad. The Council of Ministers founded B-Fast on 10 November 2000.

http://www.un.org/unrwa/

The United Nations has accepted Belgium’s offer to take command of UNIFIL’s maritime task force. A commanding officer and staff will carry out this task from on board a frigate that will serve as the command platform from 1 March to 31 May 2009. An Allouette III helicopter will also be stationed on board for the entire period. The commanding officer will be Thierry Pynoo, who will have the rank of Fleet Admiral for the duration of his command. The frigate, the Leopold I, which participated in the UNIFIL operation once before, in 2008, left Zeebruges for Lebanon on 16 February with a staff of 23 men on board, consisting of officers and petty officers from Belgium and elsewhere. The transfer of command took place in Beirut at the end of February. The frigate is commanded by Frigate Captain GS Jean-Marc Claus and has a crew of some 144 men and women.

Belgian humanitarian aid supplies for Palestinian victims in Gaza 

Belgium to take command of maritime task force of UNIFIL, the UN mission in Lebanon 

B‐Fast humanitarian operation: Belgium first European country to evacuate and care for seriously wounded Palestinian children from the Gaza Strip 

On 14/01/2009, after receiving prior permission from the Egyptian authorities to land at El-Arish airport, close to the border with Gaza, a Belgian Embraer airplane evacuated six seriously injured Palestinian children between the ages of 21/2 and 18 from the Gaza Strip, and transported them to various hospitals in and around Brussels, in function of the capacity available and the care required. The children, who were seriously wounded and traumatised in the armed conflict, were selected by the World Health Organisation (WHO). One close family member per child accompanied the children and was accommodated in the hospitals with them. The patients’ state of health has, on the whole, evolved favourably in the weeks since the evacuation. A number of the children were able to leave hospital within a matter of days. In order to guarantee their optimal recovery, the children who left hospital and the family members accompanying them were transferred to a reception centre run by the Red Cross in Yvoir. Everything was done there to ensure the right environment for the continued recovery of the patients, who have, after all, been through extremely difficult experiences not just medically but also psychologically. Besides the necessary medical and psychological support, Arabic speakers were also on hand to help. In addition, a shuttle service was organised to transport the children to the hospitals where they were being treated. The patients are being returned to Gaza as soon as circumstances allow and they themselves wish it.

http://www.diplomatie.be/en/press/homedetails.asp?TEXTID=95552

UNIFIL MTF is tasked with preventing the smuggling of arms and military equipment to Lebanon with 'maritime interdiction operations' as well as carrying out patrols in UNIFIL’s maritime operation zone. The MTF will also provide support for the Lebanese Navy so that it can carry out more independent military and security tasks in territorial waters.

The JHCO was responsible for transporting the goods to Gaza and for passing them on to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East). UNRWA took care of the distribution of the aid supplies to the population of Gaza. The aid consignment involved mainly medically equipment and, more particularly, emergency kits and equipment to allow for the long-term treatment of serious burns in the hospitals in Gaza.

http://www.mil.be http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=99125

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AGENDA TOP EVENTS IN 2009 Kunstenfestivaldesarts (performing arts and visual arts) 30 April – 23 May 2009 Brussels, several theaters and art houses http://www.kfda.be Opening Museum Hergé May 2009 Ottignies Louvain-la-Neuve Opening Museum René Magritte 2 June 2009 Brussels www.fine-arts-museum.be Opening M Leuven (renovated Museum of Leuven) & Exhibition Rogier van der Weyden “1400|1464 – Master of Passions” 20 September – 6 December 2009 Leuven http://www.mleuven.be and http://www.rogiervanderweyden.be Europalia China October 2009 – February 2010 Brussels and other Belgian cities http://www.europalia.be MUSIC Ars Musica (contemporary music) 10 March - 10 April 2009 Brussels, different locations http://www.arsmusica.be Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition - violin 4 – 30 May 2009 Brussels, Conservatoire Royal – Palais des Beaux-Arts http://www.cmireb.be/ FAIRS http://www.beurskalender.be http://mineco.fgov.be/enterprises/fairs/home_nl.htm CONFERENCES http://www.conferencealerts.com/belgium.htm http://www.conference-service.com/conferences/be/index.html FILM FESTIVALS Anima Film Festival 20-28 February 2009 Brussels http://www.animatv.be/anima.php?pageID=1&ln=3 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 9 – 21April 2009 Brussels http://www.bifff.org http://www.insidefilm.com/europe.html

COMIC STRIPS – BRUSSELS 2009

EVENTS FOR THE WIDER PUBLIC : Opening: Balloon Day, a big parade from North Station to South Station via Blvd Adolph Max and Blvd Anspach. (28/02/09) Grand Prix Michel Vaillant Opening of the Sleen Foundation /Nero House Brussels Independent Comic Strip Centre Comic strip artists route (September 2009) Largest comic strip plaque in the world Comic strip tour Comic strips in the city and parks

EXHIBITIONS 3 special exhibitions: - Les regards croisés de la BD belge (another look at Belgian comic strips) 27/03-30/06/09 at the Royal Museums of Fine Arts Belgium. - The Sexties: Crepax/Cuvelier/Forrest/Peellaert (25/09/09-03/01/10 at BOZAR) - Willy Vandersteen: the Brussels epos (24/06-27/09/09 in the Town Hall)

Other exhibitions: - In the Belgian Comic Strip Centre: From yellow peril to world comic (24/02-07/06/09), The worlds of Lanfeust (09/06-27/09/09) and, Comic Strips … 20 Years Later (19/09-06/12/09). - In the Jewish Museum of Belgium: From Superman to the Rabbi’s Cat (06/05-16/08/09). Exhibitions in collaboration with the Autrique House, individual communes, the Raymont Leblanc Foundation and the Comic Strip House. 2009 is the year of the comic strip in Wallonia, too.

EVENTS IN BELGIUM For general touristic information about Belgium: http://www.visitbelgium.com/ http://www.agenda.be http://www.opt.be/accueil/fr/index.html http://www.wallonie-tourisme.be/contenus/agenda__culturel/fr/181.html http://www.cfwb.be/index.php?id=portail_theme_culture http://www.visitflanders.com http://www.cultuurweb.be/CNETPortal/Home2.aspx http://www.opbrussel.be/ TEMPORARY EXHIBITIONS Oceania: signs of ritual, symbols of authority. 23 October 2008 - 15 March 2009 Brussels, ING Cultural Centre http://www.ing.be/about/showdoc.jsp?docid=326796_en&menopt=iso|exo|pre That’s Opera. 200 years of Italian music. 14 November 2008 - 15 March 2009 Brussels, Thurn & Taxis http://www.thatsopera.com/ Flemish tapestries for the Dukes of Burgundy, Emperor Charles V and King Filip II. 21 November 2008-29 March 2009 Ghent, Sint-Pietersabdij http://www4.gent.be The Terracotta army of Xi’an. Treasures of the First Emperors of China. 1 October 2008 – 31 March 2009 Maaseik, Minderbroederskerk http://www.museamaaseik.be It’s our Earth! 18 October 2008 – 26 April 2009 Brussels, Thurn & Taxis http://www.expo-terra.be Pierre de Caters, the first Belgian aviator. 29 November 2008 - 3 May 2009 Brussels Army Museum http://www.klm-mra.be/agenda/en1.html Survivors of the X-TREME. 15 October 2008 – 30 August 2009 Brussels, Museum for Natural Sciences http://www.naturalsciences.be Omo: people and design. 7 November 2008 - 31 August 2009 Tervueren, Royal Museum for Central Africa http://www.africamuseum.be/omo Destinations Delvaux. 14 November 2008 – 13 September 2009 Liège http://www.destinationsdelvaux.be © Geluck-Casterman