The City of Leuven has removed a statue of Leopold II from the niche of the town hall, said the municipal administration on Friday.
This withdrawal is part of a broader reflection on decolonization while a debate rages on the memory of the Belgian colonial past, many criticizing the promotion of the former sovereign, who played a crucial role in the colonization of the Congo. . With the removal of the statue of the former king, who first colonized the Congo for his personal property, the municipal administration of Leuven wishes to clarify the history of colonization for present and future generations. “This is a small part of the decolonization journey started more than a year ago,” explain the aldermen of Diversity, Lalynn Wadera and of World Politics, Lies Corneillie.
“We take care of our past and our heritage but we wish to present them in the right perspective”, underlines the alderman of intangible heritage, Carl Devlies. “The statue has been removed by an expert and will be kept at the town hall.”
The town also wants to add new symbols in public space. A project is carried out around Augusta Chiwy, whose father was Belgian and mother Congolese. A street was named in his honor. She had studied nursing in Leuven and looked after victims of the Second World War in Bastogne.
“Her name hardly resonates in our collective memory. This must change. With a street in her name, we pay tribute not only to Augusta Chiwy but also to all the forgotten Congolese,” notes Ms. Corneillie.
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