Tervuren – In response to a recent series of racist incidents, residents of Tervuren are set to gather on Thursday, April 24 at 7:00 PM on the event square between town hall and the library. And town council will discuss a petition calling for measures against racism and discrimination.
The peaceful gathering, organized by Tervuren members of Flemish civic movement Hand in Hand Tegen Racisme, will last for 30 minutes. And town hall is then expected to consider a formal petition, calling for easy access hotline (meldpunt) for racism and discrimination and effective Tervuren anti-racism action plan.
The action also aims at nudging town hall towards greater support for anti-racism action, following the example of cities like Leuven and other Flemish members of the European Coalition of Cities Against Racism (ECCAR).
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Despite the incidents that sparked the call to action, Flemish statistics show Tervuren to be relatively progressive when it comes to diversity. Public attitudes reflect the fact that forty-four percent of the town’s population is of non-Belgian origin. So some 66% of residents view the presence of people from different backgrounds as enriching, compared to the Flemish average of 46%.
Only 24% believe there are too many people of different backgrounds living here—below the Flemish average of 31%—and just 10% say they would be uncomfortable with a neighbor of a different origin, half the regional average of 20%.
The commune’s diversity is also reflected in public administration: 15.9% of Tervuren’s town hall staff are of non-Belgian origin, higher than the Flemish average of 13.1%.
“Racist intimidation and exclusion remain real problems in Tervuren,” said Hand in Hand Tervuren in a statement. “This is a moment for political leadership. We want to build an inclusive and safe community for everyone.”
📍 Event Details
📆 Thursday, April 24, 2025
🕖 7:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📌 Evenementenplein, Markt 7a, Tervuren (between the library and town hall).
🔗 Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1701760027427455
Auteur: Dafydd ab Iago. © Artikel en foto’s zijn gelicentieerd © 2024 voor Tervuren+ onder de Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International-licentie.
