Vzw 'de Rand' (EN)

 

The principal assignment of vzw ‘de Rand’ is to support the Flemish character of the region. The organisation does so first and foremost in the 6 so-called municipalities that offer linguistic facilities (to French speakers), to wit Drogenbos, Kraainem, Linkebeek, Sint-Genesius-Rode, Wemmel and Wezembeek-Oppem. In the 13 other Flemish municipalities dotted around the Brussels-Capital Region, the activities of the non-profit organisation are more second-line in nature, in support of the local authorities and community organisations.

 

Vzw ‘de Rand’ runs 7 community centres (GC), one in each municipality that offers linguistic facilities and one in Jezus-Eik, a hamlet that is part of Overijse. These centres offer a broad-based programme that revolves around culture and Flemish language courses, whilst also acting to support local associations. Vzw ‘de Rand’ is also developing a youth and sports policy in those municipalities offering linguistic facilities that do not submit policy plans in these areas to the Government of Flanders. In Drogenbos and Kraainem, the non-profit organisation also supports the private library. In other words, the organisation's activities are aimed at redressing the lack of initiatives in the areas of culture, youth and sports in the 6. In Drogenbos, vzw ‘de Rand’ also participates in the FeliXart Museum.

 

A major cornerstone of the organisation consists of efforts in the area of language promotion. Vzw ‘de Rand’ fosters the learning, practising and use of Dutch among children and adults away from school and work. Due to the significant demographic influx from the capital and the attendant suburbanisation, Dutch as the main language of communication is under pressure. The language barometer for the Flemish Periphery shows that a total of 78 different language are being spoken in these municipalities. Vzw ‘de Rand’ is looking to motivate non-Dutch speaking residents to get acquainted with Dutch, and has specifically geared part of its activities towards these newcomers. Just some of the schemes in this respect include Café Combinne, the stage plays and song programmes for Dutch language course participants and the Dutch language workshops for children, enabling them to pick up and practise the language through play. Vzw ‘de Rand’ has also specialised in low-threshold methodologies, such as the small word and pictogram booklets to help non-Dutch speakers on their way in sport and community life and at the municipal service desks. In addition, the organisation publishes a number of free monthlies: one community paper for every municipality offering linguistic facilities and the RandKrant for the Flemish Periphery as a whole. Recently, cuts forced the organisation to reduce the circulation of the magazine. Since 2013, vzw ‘de Rand’ has also co-ordinated the Gordelfestival (Belt Festival) an annual event held on the first Sunday of September that promotes sports, tourism, culture and the Flemish character of the region. Vzw ‘de Rand’ is also a partner of the Documentatiecentrum Vlaamse Rand (Flemish Periphery Documentation Centre).

 

Vzw ‘de Rand’ was established by Flemish Parliament Act at the tail end of 1996. The institution was a direct result of the Action Plan of the Government of Flanders for the Flemish Periphery around Brussels. In early 1997, the organisation got under way. Besides the Government of Flanders, the province of Flemish Brabant also provided financial support. In 2004, the non-profit organisation was transformed into a privaatrechtelijk Extern Verzelfstandigd Agentschap (EVA) (Externally Autonomous Agency under private law)[2] which came under the Diensten voor Algemeen Regeringsbeleid (Department for Services for General Government Policy). As part of a restructuring exercise conducted in 2015, the non-profit organisation was vested with the Agentschap Binnenlands Bestuur (Agency for Local and Provincial Government). Even before the institution of vzw ‘de Rand’, the Government of Flanders had been conducting a tailored policy in the region. For instance, a lot of the community centres in the Periphery already existed prior to 1996, albeit as local services of the Ministry of Culture [3]. They were part of the so-called Gordel van Smaragd [4] (Emerald Belt, a ring of Dutch-speaking cultural centres around Brussels) which the then Culture Minister, Frans Van Mechelen (CVP, 1923-2000), was looking to develop as a cultural barrier against the Frenchification from within the capital. GC De Zandloper (GC: Community Centre) in Wemmel was set up in 1974; the acquisition of the foursquare farmstead in Wezembeek-Oppem, which is home to GC De Kam, dates from 1977; the foundation stone of GC De Bosuil in Jezus-Eik was laid in late 1979; GC De Lijsterbes in Kraainem opened its doors in 1980 and the former Nunnery School in Linkebeek, which is now home to GC De Moelie, was bought in 1981. From 1997 forward, it was vzw ‘de Rand’ that co-ordinated and developed these existing initiatives. Other initiatives too were gradually subsumed as part of the not-for-profit organisation's activities. The Linkebeek magazine ‘Sjoenke’ had been around since the 1960s and has been published by vzw 'de Rand' since 2000. The first issue of the free monthly magazine, RandKrant, came out in March 1997 at the impetus of ‘Informatie Vlaamse Rand’ (Information Flemish Periphery) the not-for-profit organisation which had been set up especially for this purpose. It was not until 2002 that Randkrant came under the umbrella of vzw ‘de Rand’. The first Gordel event was held on 27 September 1981 at the instigation of BLOSO (Flemish Administration of Physical Education, Sports and Outdoor Life). It was not until 2013 and following a change of name (into 'Gordelfestival') that the event came under the management of vzw ‘de Rand’. Along with the scope of its remit, the organisation's staff numbers and budget also expanded, from a 2.25 million euro turnover in 1997 to 7 million euros in 2015.