Flanders creates a “national trust” for heritage
Flanders has a new heritage organisation that will be able to work on the same level as major international counterparts like English Heritage and the National Trust in the UK. The new organisation brings together three existing bodies: Erfgoed Vlaanderen (Flanders Heritage), Forum voor Erfgoedverenigingen (the Forum for Heritage Associations) and Open Monumentendag (Open Monument Day) in a single organisation.
“The major examples of strong heritage associations are to be found on the other side of the Channel,” says Flemish heritage and tourism minister Geert Bourgeois. “The British National Trust has 3.6 million members. Thanks to that huge membership they have far more financial resources than ours, £100 million in membership fees and a large number of bequests, worth about £47 million a year. The National Trust of Scotland is the country’s largest membership association, with about 300,000 members at the moment.”
Heritage has widespread public support in Flanders, evidenced by the popularity of both Open Monument Day and the upcoming Heritage Day, plus public support for restoration works on Fort Napoleon in Ostend (pictured) and Beauvoorde Castle in Veurne.
But, he said, there is “too much fragmentation” at an organisational level. “The new organisation will have more impact and a wider sphere of activity,” he says. It will also receive more money: A subsidy of €2.2 million, which is €500,000 more than the three organisations received separately.
The new organisation is known for the time being as Nieuwe Erfgoed Organisatie, or New Heritage Organisation. A definitive name is promised later in the year.
Viviane Herrygers, director of Open Monument Day, has been named as the director-general of the new organisation. Jan van den Nieuwenhuijzen, CEO of payroll and HR firm SD Worx, is chairman.
www.eennaamvoorerfgoed.be
