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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Botanical Garden Meise to be focus of 'De Gordel' event

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The Plantentuin Meise botanical garden will be the central focus location for "De Gordel," an annual cycling and walking event in the Flemish periphery.
  • The event, now in its 45th edition, will take place on Sunday, September 6, 2026, with the botanical garden serving as the main venue.
  • This year, "De Gordel" is adopting a "focus location" approach instead of a focus municipality to highlight the Flemish and green character of the region.

The Plantentuin Meise botanical garden has been chosen as the central focus location for the 45th edition of "De Gordel," a popular annual cycling and walking event held in the Flemish periphery of Belgium. The event is scheduled for Sunday, September 6, 2026.

Plantentuin Meise is the ideal place to highlight the Flemish and green character of the Rand.

— Ben WeytsFlemish Minister of the Flemish Rand Ben Weyts explained the choice of Plantentuin Meise as the focus location.

This year marks a shift in the event's format, moving from a focus on a specific municipality to a singular focus location. Vlaams Minister of the Flemish Rand, Ben Weyts, announced that Plantentuin Meise is the ideal setting to emphasize the region's Flemish and green identity. Previous editions have highlighted areas like the Druivenstreek (Grape Region), Dilbeek, and Asse-Zellik.

Plantentuin Meise recently opened its Floratuin, a native garden featuring over 600 plant species inspired by diverse landscapes from the coast to forests. Visitors can discover rare and endangered species, reinforcing the event's message that the Flemish Rand remains Flemish and green. For every registered participant, the organization will plant an additional tree or shrub in the region.

The message of the event remains unchanged this year: the Flemish Rand is Flemish and green.

— De Gordel organizationThe organization reiterated the core message of the event.

New additions to the "De Gordel" program include yoga and tai chi sessions, aiming to promote relaxation alongside sports and nature. The Provinciedomein Huizingen will again serve as the starting point for participants, with the province of Flemish Brabant also organizing musical performances along the routes. The event continues to offer a unique opportunity to explore the region through walking or cycling.

The Gordel remains a unique opportunity to discover the region by walking or cycling.

— Bart NevensDeputy Bart Nevens emphasized the event's value for regional exploration.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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