From 25 October to 2 November, Mechelen will host the peace festival Temple of Peace, organised by Pax Christi Flanders to highlight peace, dialogue, and civic engagement.
A temporary peace temple will be constructed in the Kruidtuin park, serving as the focal point for activities, meetings, and stories from citizens, schools, and organisations, according to a press release from the city of Mechelen.
The festival aims to tackle all peace-related issues, including the need for defence, while addressing the dominance of war-centred thinking and promoting a narrative of peace.
Temple of Peace marks the culmination of Pax Christi’s Peace Builders project, which gathered a thousand citizens for dialogues and creative initiatives focusing on peacebuilding.
Its programme includes lectures, debates, theatre performances, film screenings, and concerts over the course of ten days.
Mechelen’s mayor, Bart Somers, emphasised the city’s commitment to human rights. “When we are bombarded by reports of war, it strengthens our determination to focus on peace,” he stated, referencing conflicts such as those in Gaza and Ukraine, as well as Russian threats in the air and seas.
