Supported projects

Ledeberg has a long history. In the Middle Ages, in the shadow of the city walls of Ghent, two rural settlements arose along the roads to Brussels and Geraardsbergen. Between 1860 and 1870, in the context of the industrial revolution, Ledeberg became one of the fastest growing suburbs of Ghent. Cotton factories, a brickworks and several shipbuilding yards sprang up along the banks of the Scheldt. Straight streets were laid out, connected by countless narrow alleys, in order to build as many small and cheap workers' dwellings as possible.

LEUVEN - The fact that Leuven is an expensive city to live in has, among other consequences, forced many to move elsewhere. The 2017 City Monitor showed that 15 percent of the inhabitants had plans to do so. No less than 56 percent cited financial reasons for this.

BRUSSELS - 'Back to Bled' is a contemporary story about the connection between the city and the countryside, starting in multicultural Brussels. The core of the documentary is friction; friction between city and countryside, ecology and economy, healthy versus cheap, connected versus uprooted.

LEUVEN - The European Commission gave Leuven the prestigious Green Leaf Award 2018 for its climate policy and, in its motivation for naming the city the European Capital of Innovation in 2020, referred to 'inspiring governance models' for getting residents, businesses and knowledge institutions to participate in that policy. However, Leuven's excellent climate performance is not evident from the figures of the past decade. 

BRUSSELS - On 22 March 2016, bombs explode at Zaventem airport and at Brussels' Maelbeek metro station. After the attacks in Paris and in other European cities, Belgium too is not escaping the terror of the Islamic State (IS). The explosions killed 35 people. More than three hundred people were wounded.

BRUSSELS - In the almost built-up Flanders (northern region of Belgium), land is a precious commodity. Who are the large landowners who own hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of hectares of land in Flanders? Who are the real estate investors who own whole streets in cities or have their eye on certain neighbourhoods? Why do they do it? What is the return?

BRUSSELS - In the coming years, more forest should be created in Flanders. Minister Demir wants to invest 121 million euros to create 4,000 extra hectares of forest by 2024. A good thing, but how good are we at protecting and planting trees outside the forest?
 

FLEMISH-BRABANT - 20 May 2020. Inhabitants of Flemish Brabant municipalities received a compelling call to strictly limit their water consumption. Despite this, water consumption was abnormally high during this period. Citizens were worried, because in some municipalities there was hardly any water coming out of the tap for a few days. Rainwater wells were empty in many places.

BRUSSELS - Hunting of wild boar in Flanders increases exponentially. Despite restrictive measures because of the coronavirus, 2,196 wild boars were shot in 2020. More than twice as many as in 2016. Many hunters have been using modern, prohibited hunting tools such as night vision goggles in recent years. "If there is control, I can quickly shake it off my rifle," he says.

ANTWERP - The 40-year war in Afghanistan is pushing more and more Afghans to become refugees. Their numbers are also increasing in Belgium. In the port city of Antwerp, Afghans have become the fifth largest nationality group. Gie Goris went to Antwerp and listened to older and younger, male and female, Pashtu and Dari-speaking refugees and migrants from the war-torn country.