Sorbian-Wendish Parliament meets Oliver Paasch, Prime Minister of East Belgium, and visits the East Belgian Parliament in Eupen
From 28 September to 1 October 2023, the Serbski Sejm will visit the East Belgian capital of Eupen at the invitation of the Slavonic Europe Foundation as part of the LUSATIA GLOW cross-border cooperation programme initiated by the two aforementioned institutions. At a meeting with the Prime Minister of the German-speaking Community in Belgium, Olivier Paasch, the Serbski Sejm will exchange experiences with a successful and thus exemplary democratic self-administration of a minority in Europe with a special focus on educational and cultural autonomy. In addition, concrete and praxis-related institutions and projects in the field of schools, theatre, music, sports and business in East Belgium will be visited. Further special highlights are the visit of the East Belgian Government in Eupen, the European Parliament in Brussels as well as an exchange with the Government of the region of Bruxelles-Capitale on the topic of self-government with a special focus on the French and Dutch speaking population of the Brussels Region.
Registration against a contribution towards expenses of 15 € is possible until Monday, 28.08.2023, with Mrs. Jadwiga Pjacec MdS at: jadwiga.pjacec@serbski-sejm.de
At the end of September, a coach will set off from Lusatia to Belgium − to where the German-speaking Community of Belgium lives in East Belgium. Serbski Sejm has been invited by its international partner, the Slavonic Europe Foundation. Both are no strangers there thanks to the joint programme for cross-border cooperation of regional cultures, LUSATIA GLOW. The Sejm members and Sorbian/Wendish activists want to learn from the people of the German-speaking Community of Belgium, but also from the other Belgian regions. Because there, what the Sejm and its supporters still want to achieve was put into practice already years ago: A democratic self-organisation including educational and cultural autonomy.
In order that other interested people in Lusatia can also share in this experience, young people, women and men are cordially invited to come along in order to draw courage together for achieving a self-determined, successful future for the Sorbs/Wends in Lusatia. Dr. Měrćin Krawc, Member of the Serbski Sejm, sums up the cordial invitation to all those interested, to committed citizens, schoolchildren, artists, teachers and media professionals as well as experts from science, politics and administration: „Let us be inspired together by functioning cultural and educational autonomies and find out how this can also work well in Lusatia!“
The trip includes a meeting between a delegation of the Serbski Sejm and the Prime Minister of East Belgium (German-speaking Community of Belgium), Mr Olivier Paasch, as well as an international evening with artists from Lusatia, East Belgium, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Ukraine, including a Sorbian/Wendish rock band. The programme also includes a visit to the East Belgian Parliament in Eupen and the European Parliament in Brussels. Visits to a school, a university, discussions on current regional legislation, a visit to a Belgian castle and Sunday service in the East Belgian capital of Eupen round off the trip.
Programme:
- 28/09 Departure Lusatia − Arrival Brussels.
- 29/09 Meeting with Oliver PAASCH, Prime Minister of East Belgium in Eupen
- Visit of the East Belgian Government in Eupen
- Visit of the European Parliament in Brussels
- Exchange on regional self-government mechanisms in Belgium
- International evening with Sorbian/Wendish, East Belgian, Czech, Slovakian and Ukrainian artists
- 30/09 Visit to the castle of Durbuy in Wallonia, guided tour of the castle by Count Jean-Michel d’Ursel
- Visit to a school and a college in East Belgium, exchange with practitioners
- 01/10 Church service in the parish church of Eupen, East Belgium
- End of the Belgium trip and return to Lusatia