2023-07-21 17:23:00
On July 21, it was not uncommon to come across veterans, uniforms on their shoulders and caps adjusted to the millimeter in the streets of Brussels. A few steps from the Royal Palace, in front of which the country’s armed forces parade, the Place Royale presents a completely different atmosphere. It is no longer the old army, but kids who have fun with the machine guns of armored vehicles. “This event allows Defense to make itself better known, the population and young people can discover what we are doing, they can feel things”, explains Alain Mertens, deputy director of the information center for Brussels, Flemish Brabant and Walloon Brabant.
This national holiday is therefore an opportunity for one of the largest employers in Belgium (25,000 soldiers and 2,500 civilians) to clean up its image a bit, and show that it can appeal to young people. “It’s important that they realize that we have opportunities for them, comments Alain Mertens. Young people are very much in their technological world. Today, we show them that we also use these technologies at home. The armaments that are exhibited here are used with technology, it is not the warlike aspect that must be seen, but the technological aspect.”
For Henri, 16, already interested in a job in the army, “it was good to review the options, to ask questions, it’s important to have human contact”. The young man, who was hesitating between several professions, was able to narrow his choice, and will soon enter the Earth component, “or the Air component if I choose to be a technician”.
“Connecting with the people”
On the Place Poelaert, children are equipped with intervention outfits used in the demonstrations, and try their hand at an obstacle course, where they must in particular bring down jerry cans using their tonfa. “There are a lot of young people, the little ones but also 17 or 18 years old who don’t know what to do following their speech who come to talk to the police, see the vehicles, the stand of the Judicial Police, explains Janna Verdegem, press officer for the federal police. The goal is to be open, to talk, to make a connection with the population.”
Successful bet for Mouad, who hesitated as to the professional path to take. He came with his friend, Soufiane, who is taking his last exam before becoming an inspector. This day confirmed the first in the objective he has set since childhood, to be a member of the special forces.
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