Wouter Van Bellingen
Wouter Van Bellingen | |
|---|---|
 Wouter Van Bellingen at the multicultural mass wedding event in 2007 | |
| Born | 20 April 1972 |
| Nationality | Belgian |
| Occupation | Politician |
Wouter Van Bellingen (born 20 April 1972) is a Rwandan-born Belgian politician for the Sociaal-Liberale Partij. He was previously employed by the city of Sint-Niklaas as a civil servant working on youth and developing world issues.
Since 2 January 2007, Van Bellingen is an alderman in Sint-Niklaas, where he lives. As such, he became the first black alderman in Flanders.[1] He is responsible for the city's activities related to youths, parties, international projects, civilian affairs and the civil registry and some administrative functions.[2]
Van Bellingen drew media attention in February 2007 when it was reported that 3 couples cancelled their wedding ceremony because they didn't want to be wed by a black registrar.[3][4] In response to the event, Van Bellingen decided to organise a multicultural wedding event on 21 March 2007, which is also the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.[5] 626 couples were symbolically married by Van Bellingen that day[6] and this event was perceived as a strong anti-racism signal.[7]
Van Bellingen was placed for adoption by his Rwandan mother. He grew up in Sint-Niklaas as the youngest son in a family with 4 adopted children.[8] He is married and has 2 children. He was very active in the different sections of the youth councils in Flanders, and a scouting leader.
References
- Spirit: Wouter Van Bellingen. Retrieved 19 March 2007. (in Dutch)
Footnotes
- ^ (subscription required) "Zwarte Vlaming wordt eerste gekleurde schepen". De Standaard, 29 December 2006 (subscription required) (in Dutch)
- ^ Stad Sint-Niklaas: "Samenstelling en bevoegdheden college Archived 18 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine". Retrieved 19 March 2007. (in Dutch)
- ^ Ian Traynor "Flanders race row fails to muffle wedding bells". The Guardian, 20 February 2007.
- ^ Alex Duval Smith "Flemish couples don't want to be wed by Wouter". The Observer, 25 February 2007.
- ^ "Couples sign up for mass marriage". Expatica, 14 March 2007.
- ^ "Mass wedding against racism". flandersnews.be. 22 March 2007. Retrieved 23 March 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "Belgians in anti-racism weddings". BBC. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2007.
- ^ "BLIKVANGER. Wouter Van Bellingen". De Standaard, 3 February 2007. (subscription required) (in Dutch)