Ghent celebrates the unique Day of Philosophies of Life

The Day of Philosophies of Life aims to promote understanding in the city, closing the gap between people with diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds

Last Sunday, the city of Ghent in Belgium organised a so-called Day of Philosophies of Life (levensbeschouwingen), celebrating the diverse cultures of its residents. The Day of Philosophies of Life is aimed at fostering a greater understanding between cultures, religions and traditions while promoting the idea of a unified citizenry.

The day included guided tours to religious temples, philosophical organisations, as well as meditation, concerts and workshops.

Getting to know the neighbours

According to recent data from City Population, the city of Ghent has a population of around 255,879 people. A total of 35.5% of the people have roots outside of Belgium and 15.3% have a non-Belgian nationality.

Most of the people with a foreign nationality, around 6%, come from the EU27, while a large part of the people with roots outside of Belgium come from Asia, around 12%. This means that more than a third of the residents have a diverse background, and in a city that is relatively small, this promotes the coexistence of cultures.

The city, in its own right, cares to promote cooperation and a tight participatory relationship with the residents. This is why this is not its first event like this. During the corona crisis, local authorities organised a community meeting between citizens and medical professionals. The idea was to foster solidarity and humanity in the face of isolation and a major health crisis.

Respect for everyone’s convictions

On Sunday, the city organised guided tours across the city, helping residents get acquainted with their local cultural minority. The project was developed together with representatives of the communities and it featured information sessions, mediation, workshops and activities.

The tours passed through Catholic, Evangelical or Orthodox churches, mosques, a Sikh Temple and the Zen Buddhist Place of Congregation, as well as the House of Man (Huis van de Mens).

The House of Man is an atheistic organisation, built on the principles of liberal humanism and morality. They propagate the idea that people are free to construct meaning from life and experience, however they see fit.

Astrid De Bruycker, the Alderman of Equal Opportunities was quoted in a press release, saying: “Different philosophies of life open their doors wide and invite the inhabitants of Ghent to get acquainted with what they stand for and what they do.

Because: unknown is unloved – or worse: unknown makes feared. We don't want to be like that, we want to help create a sense of unity with respect for everyone's convictions and philosophy: 'everyone else, all Ghent.”