BLACK HISTORY MONTH BELGIUM
BLACK: Black History Month (BHM) is an annual celebration of the resilience of the Black community, past and present. By Black, we mean people of Black African descent — so-called Sub-Saharan Africans — and their descendants from across the Americas (North America, the Caribbean, and Latin America). This definition also includes people of mixed Sub-Saharan African and European descent, if they identify themselves as Black.
HISTORY: Black History Month is an attempt to transform the way we represent the past and the present through, among other things, conversations, exchanges, lectures, film, debate, performances and exhibitions. In doing so, the aim is to use a people’s history/history from below (which tells the past from the perspective of everyday people rather than leaders) to make history more fair/truthful and inclusive, i.e. more about all of us, regardless of our socio-economic, ethnic or cultural backgrounds. The ultimate motivation is to demonstrate the importance of preserving and promoting cultural diversity and the right to culture for all in our society.
MONTH: Black History Month takes place annually in March. During the month, we try to create spaces where everyone’s story has a place. Awareness is necessary in a world where everything moves at a rapid pace, where time for contemplation is a privilege for a few and where knowledge is not accessible to all. By focusing on one specific theme for one month, we hope to inspire as many people as possible to work with it for the rest of the year. The energy and togetherness with which we experience March acts as fuel for the coming months. March is therefore a month of celebration, deepening, connection and inspiration. Both a point of departure and a point of rest.