25 years of friendship between the Brussels-Capital Region and Havana
The year 2024 marks the 25th anniversary of the cooperation agreement between the Brussels-Capital Region and Havana, one of the Brussels Region’s oldest bilateral agreements. To celebrate this milestone, a small delegation travelled to Havana from 7 to 11 November, led by Gerd Van den Eede, Deputy Secretary-General of the Brussels Regional Public Service and Acting Director-General of Brussels International.
The programme included official meetings with the Havana government and the Oficina del Historiador, alongside cultural activities as part of the 19th edition of the Semana Belga. This Belgium and Brussels-themed week, organised by the Belgian Embassy and Brussels-based NGOs in collaboration with Cuban artists and supported by Brussels International, also highlighted comics, Art Nouveau and Art Deco heritage, and engagements with local SMEs.
Inauguration of the Blake & Mortimer Comic Wall
Such a significant anniversary called for a lasting memory: a comic wall based on The Yellow “M” by Blake & Mortimer was created on Avenida de Bélgica in the heart of Old Havana. This project, spearheaded by the Edgar Jacobs Foundation in partnership with Blake & Mortimer Editions and financed by Brussels International, was adapted to the local context by artist Étienne Schréder, who oversaw its creation in collaboration with Cuban artists. On 11 November, the wall was officially unveiled with speeches by HE Jean-Jacques Bastien, Belgian Ambassador to Cuba, Gerd Van den Eede, and Étienne Schréder.
In addition to the comic wall, the Edgar Jacobs Foundation organised various activities to showcase Brussels’ comic culture, including an exhibition of Edgar Jacobs’ drawings at the Vitrina de Valonia, curated by Thierry Bellefroid, and two lectures on Edgar Jacobs’ work and the interplay between Belgian comics and Japanese manga, presented by Thierry Bellefroid and Yves Schlirf.
Spotlight on Brussels and Belgian artists
For years, the Brussels non profit organization Camarote has successfully organised the Cubalandz festival in collaboration with Bozar. In Havana, they contributed to the Semana Belga with activities showcasing Brussels artists. Highlights included the screening of the Belgian film Music Hole at the Fábrica de Arte Cubano, attended by Brussels actor Mourade Zeguendi and director Gaetan Liekens, followed by a warmly received performance by Belgian-Ghanaian artist Esinam.
Heritage and Art Nouveau/Art Deco
The Brussels-Capital Region has long collaborated with its Havana counterparts, and an official visit was essential. Gerd Van den Eede was warmly received by Maité Vigoa de la Uz, Provincial Coordinator for Culture, Education, Sports, and Science.
Havana is the only non-European city to be part of the Réseau Art Nouveau Network (RANN), a well-deserved accolade given its stunning UNESCO World Heritage sites. The delegation toured Old Havana, guided by the Oficina del Historiador, visiting numerous restored historical buildings and breathtaking examples of Art Nouveau and Art Deco. A brief stop at the Museo del Chocolate, supported by Brussels, was also included.
This visit sets the stage for 2025, which will focus on Art Deco!