While a final figure had not yet been announced as Flanders Today went to press, Friday’s pledges alone topped the half-million mark, with more money flowing in over the weekend.

Among those taking part were crooner Helmut Lotti, who made a video explaining why donations were required and hosted a tea party. Drinking tea was the theme of the event, as the offering of tea to guests in Syria is an important ritual. Ghent city council also organised a tea party and made a donation of €18,000.

The idea of transition to a more sustainable way of living dates back to the turn of the century. People like the English activist Rob Hopkins began to look for answers to the question of how local communities could ready themselves to combat threats such as climate change and peak oil. An important principle in their thinking is resilience, which refers to the degree to which a system – such as a community – can withstand external influences.