What if this year we shared something that is important, simple, and direct, yet that touches us all and starts a dialogue, something that provides us a moment of happiness we can give away and receive?!
Belgians, especially in Brussels, are slowly getting back on their feet after a particularly painful year, 2016, where the “good life” was brutally interrupted by the events that took place on March 22. Everyone, no matter what profession, background, religious belief, or lifestyle, we have all been affected through our loved ones or simply our until-then-unknown neighbors. We have also all endured the heavy atmosphere that followed the events, as well as the opportunistic speeches seeking to cast the blame for these attacks on those who have lives that are different from ours.
More than ever, against this backdrop of social, cultural and ethnic fragmentation, it is important that we gather together again, as we do during celebrations, where people from all backgrounds, generations and colors know how to reach out and catch up with each other. Now more than ever, we need to give each other strength, trust one another, share. The promise of our life together is the best protection we have against going downhill.
Specifically, the BRUSSELS WISH initiative consists of setting up large screens at strategic locations in Brussels. They will broadcast the wishes of the people of Brussels (and from elsewhere, too) to the people of Brussels, commuters and visitors in our capital.
These screens will operate from December 21, 2016 to January 15, 2017 between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. at the following strategic locations:
• Place Rogier | Rogier Square
• Place Madou | Madou Square
• Place Flagey | Flagey Square
• Place Communale de Molenbeek | Town Hall Square
BRUSSELS WISH gives us the floor and chooses our favourite time of the year, when our humanity and our alturism are, without any doubt, the most benevolent for offering us the opportunity to exchange the best gift of all, that of our wishes for others, for the people of Brussels, Belgians. Wishes will even come from places beyond our borders, thanks to the “BrusselsWish” hashtag (#BrusselsWish).
BRUSSELS WISH, is the (re) building of a bond between us at the heart of our streets, neighborhoods, towns, yet also with the world. It contributes to the international reach of our city.
From a free multi-modal platform, the messages are broadcast on several screens scattered throughout the city (via Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Websites, SMS, Email), BRUSSELS WISH invites and encourages all people from Brussels and all citizens of “good will” to express their wish to exchange, to share a moment of celebration and wishes for a better future for us all.
Our initiative is clearly intended for touching people in their humanity at this time of the year that is most conducive for opening up, wanting to communicate, even if simply or briefly, with people whom they rarely meet or never see, and about whom, at other points, they might have or have held prejudice.
BRUSSELS WISH is initiated by “Brussels Sounds Good” association, a platform of citizens who, in the midst of the Brussels lockdown, made a commitment to save and restore citizen confidence and revive Brussels´s influence both in Belgium and abroad. The association develops cultural initiatives, events and social innovations to (re)create bonds, encourage encounters and deconstruct certain prejudices.
Partners: The Brussels-Capital Region, The French Community Commission (La Cocof), Mixity, be.equal, The Municipalities of Ixelles, Jette, Saint-Josse and Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, Flyer.be, Dstyle, aywa magazine, Molengeek
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