As you may know, the British Labour M.P. Jo Cox, was assassinated on June 16th for her political beliefs, during her campaign in favour of Britain remaining in the European Union. She will soon have either a space or a public place in the capital of Europe named after her.
Her name features in a long list of illustrious women, which the Executive within Brussels City Council drew up to name its future squares, roads and buildings.
The purpose of the list is to make more feminine the names of streets and squares. This is mainly as new streets are created or, in exceptional cases, to rename historic buildings.
The list of 26 women was adopted following the proposal of the aldermen to increase the number of roads and squares named after women.
It was determined in the light of an action plan for female and male equality, adopted by the city council in September 2014.
The two alderman who principally drew up the list say that the Brussels City Council authorities were deeply moved by the “horrendous deed”, which cost Jo Cox her life. She had lived in Brussels for a period during her life and it is in her memory that they feel obliged to “extend the political battles, notably in favour of the construction of Europe.”
Besides Jo Cox's name, there are other prominent political personalities on this list, for example Marie Parent, Léonie La Fontaine, Huda Sharawi, Anna Zingha and Gabrielle Petit.
Also featuring are artists (Anna Boch, Marie Howet, Berthe Art, Alice Piette - Van Buuren, Yolande Uyttenhove, Suzy Falk and Chantal Akerman); sportswomen (Claire Guttenstein, Jenny Marie Béatrice Addams); and scientists (Marguerite Massart, Claire Préaux, Lise Meitner, Hélène Antonopoulos).
Writers (Marie-Thérèse Bodart, Madeleine Bourdouxhe, Marguerite Coppin); but also Isala Van Diest, Hélène Dutrieu, Régine Karlin et Gabrielle Vincent appear as well.
The Brussels Times
