Brussels' Molenbeek district hosts Iftar in church to boost European Capital of Culture bid
The Iftar comes as part of Molenbeek's bid to become the 2030 European Capital of Culture, in which the district hopes to "flip the script" on its infamous narrative.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/03/24/iftar-in-a-church-brussels-molenbeek-district-celebrates-diversity-to-showcase-community
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
The Iftar comes as part of Molenbeek's bid to become the 2030 European Capital of Culture, in which the district hopes to "flip the script" on its infamous narrative.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2025/03/24/iftar-in-a-church-brussels-molenbeek-district-celebrates-diversity-to-showcase-community
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Roughly 500 people gathered on Sunday to celebrate Iftar in a church in Belgium's Molenbeek.
00:08With 140 different nationalities, the district is incredibly diverse. However, it also has
00:15a dubious reputation. The shared meal was organized as part of Molenbeek's bid to become
00:20the European Capital of Culture in 2030. Through its candidacy, Molenbeek hopes to redefine
00:27its narrative and reassert itself through its strength of its cultural diversity.
00:33This is why this candidacy is very important for Molenbeek, because this is a wonderful
00:39opportunity to flip the script and to dream together for the future through culture, through
00:46art, through different culture to create a new us. Even if we are different, we share the same
00:57dreams. There is a very important symbolic here of Molenbeek, because after what happened
01:06in the 15 years ago, during 15 years, with the symbol of violence, of terror and so on,
01:13we have now a message of resilience, of building together a future,
01:19not only for Molenbeek, but for Brussels and for Europe also.
01:24The month of March not only marks the celebration of Ramadan, but also Lent for Christians and Purim
01:30for Jewish people. Sunday's Iftar therefore welcomed people from all ages and backgrounds.
01:38We are celebrating an Iftar in a church, which is a symbol of diversity, inclusion,
01:44multiculturalism, which is very, very present here in Molenbeek.
01:48Molenbeek is now up against Leuven and Namur, the two other cities running for the European
01:54Capital of Culture title. The winner will be announced in September.