Dear Reader, 

Welcome to this page. Whilst we want to focus more on the future, that is beyond the Corona Crisis and to the new Digital Flemish Club, here is a brief glance back at the past years.

 

The Flemish Club has restructured membership, as the Legal Statutes have been changed due to European legislation that must be introduced by the end of 2023, and thus the Flemish Club has modernized accordingly. Thus only administrators who have an active network and who have organized at least 2 successful activities this past year are to be appointed. The profile sought is; academic, large network, inspirer and affinity with Brussels, management experience, digital, and preferably under 65 of years.

 

With digitization , among other things, we have already enrolled 244 new members who want to participate in our activities via the Meetup platform. At the 75th, 80th and 90th anniversaries the chairmen lamented that they were unable to attract younger members. Until just before the Corona Crisis, the Club only had 50 active members, and those were members with an average of 72 years. Walter de Decker was one of them. Followed by Roland Demailly and Marie Therese Smet, etc.  Well that profile is fast changing! 

 

Back in 2000, several directors were sought and found, a file recording and reorientation was initiated to elicit the needs of the younger generations. After which the choice also fell on younger academic Dutch-speaking generations. These generations are digital savvy, very "what is in it for me", and cannot be captured in the old association form of the last century.

 

Roland Demailly (historian) switched from VC to VBG as chairman because we were happy to comply with the request to take over the activities of the Association for Brussels History from Frank Daelemans and Paul De Ridder (due to the relationship with Brabant, Brussels and the Flemish art patronage). A certain segment of the younger generations do have an interest in history and this must be facilitated, nurtured and promoted. 

 

Our past Chairperson, Marie Therese Smet, had been a VC member for 18 odd years, but expressed her desire and intent to retire in 2023. Thus at the Annual General Meeting (insert date of meeting), Dr. Marc Rabaey was voted in as treasurer and replacement Chairman. Unfortunately, due to certain unexpected personal conflicting issues, Mrs. Smet has not been actively involved in the VC since that time.

 

The New Board consists of the following Members:

 

• Dr. Marc Rabaey:- Chairman & Treasurer  - holds a Doctorate of Economics & Computer Science and is a complex systems expert.

• Johannes Wubbe:- Secretary - ......................................................

• Mr. Erwin Wolff:-  Board Member - Expert programmer. 

• Mr. Filip Vanheer:- Board Member - ........................................

• ......................

 

These Board changes introduced dynamic fresh younger blood into the Organisation, which gave the VC an opportunity to redirect it's focus towards integrating the needs and aspirations of the younger generation into the VC VC's Public Service strategy and Community Service Agenda. 

 

In short, we strive to follow the standards and values of the Flemish Club that have existed for more than 100 years, but in accordance with the norms of our Modern Times.

 

On behalf of the Board

 

John Wubbe - President