Good afternoon.
On this day at 11 am in 1918, the guns fell silent on the 'war to end all wars'. Despite a sense of relief and an optimism that initially followed in the West, in the East, conflicts raged on, soldiers and civilians continued to die and the stage was being set for the autocratic regimes of the 1930s, which would ultimately lead to the next world war and the horrors that it would bring, the ripples of which we are still feeling 80 years on.
Some may ask why we commemorate war? Why do we choose to remember? What good does it do when, seemingly as a race, we humans are incapable of living in harmony or without conflict?
Firstly, remembrance is not and should not be about glorifying war; rather, it should be about showing that we understand the loss of generations and the sacrifices made by those who fought and died or were injured, and the impact on their loved ones and families.
Second, this day each year should not just be about remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. It should also be a day to renew our promise that we will do better; that we will strive for more harmony, that we will endeavour to learn more about the past in an effort not to repeat it, and that we will listen rather than shout so that we can understand each other's lives in this increasingly polarised world.
Was it naive to believe that the First World War would be the last world war? Maybe. But it's equally naive to believe that no good can come of terrible conflict. Look at the EU or the United Nations, for example. These are institutions born out of wars and of the desire to never repeat them, through channels of political dialogue and cooperation.
Yes, these institutions and similar ones have their faults and critics; yes, they are being severely tested more than ever now, but it's hard to argue that we would be better off without them. They came about because we remembered the unspeakable nature of the wars that we and others had endured.
Admittedly, our optimism for the future is being pushed to the limit. There is war in Europe as I write, and seemingly no end to the suffering.
But Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans Day - they all serve to focus our collective consciousness and will to never repeat the mistakes of the past and to leave a better world for future generations. The challenge is to maintain that and to drive those in power to maintain that and act on it for the remaining 364 days of each year.
It is genuinely more important now than ever. Remembrance Day needs to be every day of every year.
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Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. ‘We came back and disappeared’: Belgian veterans call for recognition beyond medals
After years of feeling undervalued by society, "modern” veterans who served in conflict zones in the 1990s and 2000s are calling for help.
2. Armistice Day: What is happening in Brussels and what will be closed today?
Commemorations will take place across the country, while various sectors close for the day and public services operate at a reduced level. Read more.
3. Elderly couple dies near carwash in Antwerp
An 82-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were victims of a fatal incident near a carwash. Read more.
4. Why is Belgium’s broadband slower than in neighbouring countries?
The short answer is that Belgium started deploying fibre later than its European neighbours. Read more.
5. EU negotiators reach deal to cut red tape for farmers
"The rules for obtaining European agricultural subsidies must be simplified, especially for organic farmers." Read more.
6. Belgium invests €500,000 to combat drug crime in Latin America
The money will be used to support the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in tackling drug trafficking in Colombia and neighbouring countries. Read more.
7. Fire brigade frees family trapped inside Spa funicular
A family was trapped in the funicular of the Belgian town of Spa on Monday afternoon. Read more.
