Decolonial Walk in Ghent

In 2016, a series of initiatives concerning colonial heritage were undertaken in Ghent, along with similar actions in five other Flemish cities. At the time, decolonization was not as salient a topic as presently. The contemporary resurgence of the term “decolonization” owes much to the endeavors of activists, primarily of individuals with a migration background. They cooperated with the organization “Hand in Hand tegen Racisme” that launched a decolonization campaign.

Another important milestone occured in 2018, when decolonization activists advocated for the renaming of Leopold II Avenue to Lumumba Avenue. On Heritage Day of that year, the group initiated the idea of decolonization walks, aimed at scrutinizing the colonial presence in Belgium through an activist lens.

Labo vzw organizes this decolonial walk in Gent. Labo vzw is a movement for critical citizenship that empowers those who are working towards a more solidarity-based, inclusive, and sustainable society for tomorrow.

Start of the walk at the entrance of Library De Krook.