Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union

The Ministers of Agriculture of the 27 Member States of the Union and the four candidate countries as well as the European Commissioner for Agriculture will visit farm sites together on Monday 20/09 in order to find out about the specific features and the dynamism of Belgian agriculture.  On 21/09 in the course of an informal meeting whose theme is "European agriculture: choosing today for a strong CAP tomorrow",  they will exchange their views on the directions to take for the Common Agricultural Policy after 2013.

A pioneer in the Youth Information sector, Infor Jeunes Bruxelles Nord Ouest has spent four decades bringing pluralist information to various young audiences. Infor Jeunes Laeken is on the periphery of what has been agreed shall be called the "poor crescent" of Brussels. Among the large majority of young people, and particularly those from working class backgrounds, Europe tends to be reduced to a single currency and a commonplace repeated a thousand times "Brussels, capital of Europe". And that's about all.

An exhibition composed of photographs and films produced by students in Brussels, France, Austria, Poland and Spain who, thanks to the European CULTURE Programme, went off and discovered the ancient palace of Brussels, as well as châteaux in Versailles, Chambord, Schönbrunn, Wilanow and Madrid. A useful discovery-tour tool will be provided for visitors to hone their appreciation of the materials and building techniques of the archaeological site and the Royal Palace.

The René Magritte Museum, situated in the painter’s house in Jette, is putting on an exhibition devoted to Belgian abstract art to coincide with the centenary of non-representational art in Europe (1910-2010). Around 40 masterpieces give a fine overview of representatives of this movement in Belgium, from the 1920s to the present day. Activities organised on the fringes of the exhibition will emphasise the exciting cross-fertilisation between these artists and other European countries.

Every five years, Bruges is the setting for a major cultural city festival. This time creative people from the area and artists from Central Europe are taking over the city. For about four months 'Brugge Centraal' will draw people to an intense and varied selection of concerts, films, stage shows and exhibitions. The programme balances East and West, past and present, confrontation and harmony. The modern art trail 'Luc Tuymans: A Vision of Central Europe' and the historic exhibition 'Van Eyck to Dürer' are the stars of this major event.

100 Years of abstract art in Belgium is organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in cooperation with the René Magritte Museum in Jette (Brussels) in the context of the Belgian EU presidency. It introduces five Belgian artists with a clear focus on covering different provinces of Belgium. They represent the geometric approach in abstraction - also known as constructive or concrete art.

Brussels enjoys a unique position as the capital of Europe. However, we have noticed that only a small number of young people in Brussels are aware of what this European presence means for Brussels and what repercussions it will have. That is why, on the occasion of the Belgian presidency, the Brussels-Europe Liaison Office has proposed an exceptional project to the schools: a rally in the European quarter for all students in the final two years of secondary school, with the aim of informing them about 'Europe in Brussels' in a fun atmosphere.

The new opera from Belgian composer Philippe Boesmans, based on the eponymous work by Witold Gombrowicz, has its Belgian premiere one year after it was written for the Opéra National de Paris.

Artists' portraits is a collection started by the SmartBe Foundation. The Foundation decided to put together a collection of contemporary works of art in connection with the artist's portrait, a theme close to the mission and objectives of SMartBe.

The building of the Council of the European Union in Brussels is being decorated in an original way for the occasion of the Belgian EU presidency. Famous fashion designers have designed silhouettes with clothing donated from the Spullenhulp/Petits Riens depot, a charity that collects old objects for the benefit of social projects. This initiative highlights the European Year 2010 for combating poverty and social exclusion. Alongside the silhouettes that can be admired throughout the whole Council Building, there is also a photography exhibition on "the making of" of the designs.

Series of 20 8-minute programmes.
Theme: introduction for citizens, associations and teachers to the history, institutions and cultural dimensions of Europe.

Photography exhibition with Alice Smeets (B), Willy Filz (B), Christian Roosen (B), Geneviève Biwer (L) & Thomas Brenner (D).

When the design world moves into to the power station, something must be afoot! 20 designers agreed to play the game, to reveal the mysterious and hazardous journey from creative idea to finished object, a design object intended for mass production to improve our lives; this conversation oscillates between art and technology, it is a constant - and sometimes strained - dialogue between the designer and the constraints of industrial manufacture. 

This summer, Africa explodes in colours and life to celebrate 50 years of independence in Congo and 16 other African countries. A festival with the finest in theatre arts and dedicated creators. The fascinating GEO-graphics exhibition constitutes the first part of a new vision of our relationship with Africa. All the festival artists are then encouraged to come join the discussion and the engagement for this visionary Africa during their 48 hours in Brussels.

Lively and complex, the work of Philippe Herbet is the fruit of a quest begun long ago by this artist from Liège. He unveils his colour photographs here, which were taken in Belarus. With its poetic and elegant form, his work immerses us in his journeys filled with beautiful objects, unusual monuments, and strange and disturbing women. Inspired by both literature and photography, he pairs his photographs with texts from his postcards.