Remembrance Day

A windy, wet celebration of the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I. There are almost no veterans left from the 'Great War', but the importance of this holiday for Belgium has not waned. Unlike in some other countries, the day has continued to be associated largely with the first World War, not so much a day to remember all war dead. November 11th is a public holiday here, whereas it is not in the neighbouring countries like France, Holland or Britain (which has made it a moveable feast and designated the nearest Sunday as Remembrance Sunday), nor of course in Germany.

The centrepoint of these ceremonies, Ypres (Ieper in Flemish) and the nearby allied cemeteries (Tyne Cot for the Canadians, etc.) in Flanders' Fields, draws so many visitors from abroad. Even more impressive is that the Ypres monument at the Menin Gate is the site of a short observance (Last Post) every single day of the year (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/nov/09/last-post-ypres-menin-remembrance-day), with a small group and buglers, including many British expats and visitors. I wonder how long they will be able to keep that up. On the other hand, the wearing of the poppy on one's lapel - ubiquitous in Canada and Britain - is unknown here, the land of the fields where they grow row on row!

Remembrance Day is also the occasion of an annual peace award given to someone anywhere in the world, a sort of miniature version of the Nobel peace prize. This year this was Dr Sima Samar, head of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Organization. I heard her speak in Fredericton back in 2002, when she was just about to enter the government as one of the very few female ministers.

On the occasion of November 11th there is also a countrywide special collection for charity known as operation 11.11.11 (last year I bought some tea from them, which given my love for tea - not! - is still unopened in my cupboards waiting for a tea-drinking guest).

Last night, went to a film by Juliette Binoche, part of a retrospective of her films. The actress herself was present and gave an on-stage interview for about half an hour before the screening, talking about past and current projects. She seems full of fascinating projects and interested in crossing the boundaries of various art forms. This week she is also appearing at La Monnaie in a sort of combination theatre-dance performance with Indian dancer Akram Khan, in a piece by Anish Kapoor. Sounds interesting, but I won't have time to get to that as well.