2023-12-24 12:01:00
This monarchical tradition, in fact, offers the opportunity to take a condensed look at the past year.
While the King focused during his 2022 speech on the outbreak of war in Ukraine, the two previous ones had been marked by the Covid pandemic.
“The international scene is dominated by armed conflicts and wars – in Ukraine, Congo, Sudan… And in recent months, we have witnessed unprecedented violence in the Middle East, which touches us to the depths of our humanity,” underlines King Philippe in his Christmas 2023 speech.
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“Our thoughts are with the many victims of terrorism and unbearable acts of war.”
While the ongoing conflict in Gaza has deeply divided the political parties and the Belgian population, the King is attempting a speech of appeasement and empathy. “Our thoughts are with the many victims of terrorism and unbearable acts of war.”
“Hope is an energy that we draw from deep within ourselves”: here is King Philippe’s Christmas 2023 speech
Taking the side of the victims
This last sentence can be read as a way, without choosing a side in this deadly conflict – because the issue is too explosive -, of still taking a side: that of the victims of the conflict.
The King, implicitly, spares neither Hamas, by speaking of “victims of terrorism”, nor Israel, mentioning “unbearable acts of war”.
The King, like many Belgians, was shocked by the images of the conflict in the Middle East, a neighborhood not so far from ours, which reached Belgium. He was touched, we are also told, by the testimonies received this week during hearings given to people from the Jewish and Palestinian communities.
“For our part,” he continues, let us set the example of a society where people of all origins and beliefs build a common future together. The example of a country that fully embraces its interculturality.”
A way of telling every citizen that the conflict in the Middle East should not be imported into Belgium.
While anti-Semitic and Islamophobic acts are increasing in Belgium, Philippe is in favor of living together. “The Queen and I regularly visit beautiful initiatives created spontaneously by Belgians of emigrant origin. Their work towards better living together deserves to be better recognized.”
“Inspire, but never divide”
These remarks, in light of the documentary recently broadcast by RTBF, allow us to take a new look at what the King, through his speeches, is trying to accomplish.
Philippe dreams of being inspiring, but never divisive.
“This documentary is the King as we know him on a daily basis”: Philippe breaks the armor in an unprecedented confession for a Belgian king
”One important thing: I cannot divide. If I take a stand for one thing, that I create camps, it’s not good,” he confided in mid-December in “Philippe. A year with the King of the Belgians”. “So people say we’re smooth. I don’t like the word smooth. I don’t want to be smooth or cleaving or smooth. My dream is to be inspiring, to raise the debate, sometimes in unexpected ways.”
Inspiration can be brought through various topics. This year, as has been the case in the past, the fight against racism is being highlighted. “Unfortunately, violence due to exclusion, discrimination, racism remains present in our society”, regrets the King, also citing “verbal violence, which often occurs through the anonymity of the Internet”, but also “intra-family violence” and “sexual violence, which spares no environment.”
“The conclusions of COP 28 are encouraging”
As in his speech last year, the King addresses the issue of global warming, judging that “the conclusions of COP 28 are encouraging” but also addresses “the vulnerability of our democracies”, in a form of call to do not forget the fundamentals of our democratic societies, on which we must not turn our backs.
“To the fear and anguish which discourages and paralyzes, and ultimately to violence, we can oppose a vital force: the force of hope,” assures the King.
On global warming, in the terms used by the Head of State, the choice of the word hope is not insignificant. “This is not a question of naive or passive optimism. On the contrary, hope is an energy that we draw from deep within ourselves and which manifests itself through contact with those who are concretely committed to a better world. And it grows even more when you get involved yourself,” underlines Philippe, pointing to “technological solutions to counter global warming, particularly to achieve the energy transition.”
He concludes, after a very dark start to the text, with a note of hope, visually reinforced by cutaways showing photos of his children and his family. “The strength of hope is also our children: those who are born today, and those who will be born tomorrow. Because every new generation carries within it strong ideas to build a better future.”
The King seems convinced of this. “Our response to the dysfunctions of our world will be a spirit of cooperation and not division, of pursuit of the common good: a sustainable world, but also a warm society. Because the two go hand in hand.”
“The Queen, our children, and our entire family join me in wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year,” he concludes, in a formula which for the first time in 10 years of reign, was slightly adapted, to explicitly mention his children.
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