Heritage Lab in Belgium

In May 2025, KADOC-KU Leuven joined forces with Empact vzw, a socio-cultural emancipatory grassroots organisation representing a federation of Moroccan social and cultural bodies in Antwerp, to launch Miretage’s Heritage Lab in Belgium. With 15 attendees including members from various minority communities and interested organisations in the city, a group set off in the multicultural neighbourhood of Borgerhout to explore the minority cultural and religious heritage of the area, led by local storyteller Mohammed Ikhan.

The excursion crossed Borgerhout visiting several stops charting the area’s rich history, among them: a community theatre, a former record shop specializing in Rif music, the site of the first mosque in the neighbourhood, and a travel agency specialized in Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. At each stop, Mohammed Ikhan enriched the experience with personal memories and research about Borgerhout, particularly about its migration history and the pioneers of migrant care work in the area.

The session also incorporated an ‘emotion networking’ session led by an experienced colleague on one of Borgerhout’s church squares. Participants were invited to reflect, using chalk maps drawn on the ground, about their feelings about certain subjects relevant to the theme of the day. Where a participant positioned themselves on the map indicated the nature of their relationship to a subject. 

Several subjects were covered, for instance, the organisation of cultural events by Empact and its members in a local intercultural iftar, and their contribution to Borgerhout’s traditional Reuzentoet giants’ parade with ‘Reuzen Fatima,’ a giant sculpture wearing a hijab. 

We also reflected on themes that concerned broader developments in the community, such as the Bakfiets (cargo bike). Popular in the neighbourhood, these large bikes were discussed for their positive and negative contributions to traffic, safety and mobility, but also widely reflected on as a symbol of gentrification and the changing cityscape.

The interventions of all attendees were enlightening, and the long day’s walk closed with a convivial meal (and further conversation) at a typical Borgerhout seafood restaurant!