Fact of the day
July 21 is Independence Day in Belgium. This national holiday commemorates 21 July 1831, the date on which the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I, pledged allegiance to the Constitution. The capital Brussels will hold festivities throughout the day– parades, stands, music, concerts, pyrotechnic displays – culminating in a big fireworks show launched from the gardens of the Palais des Académies.