2023-06-28 16:35:00
More than a month ago, Olivier Vandecasteele set foot on Belgian soil once more following more than a year of imprisonment in Iran. Present for the first time, in front of the Belfry of Tournai, the Belgian humanitarian delivered his first words to the large crowd, who came to listen to him and see him remove the tarpaulin which was still displayed in Tournai.
The family, who came with Olivier Vandecasteele, first spoke to the Tournaisians. “What a joy to see you once more, here in Tournai, with Olivier”, launched the sister of the humanitarian. “Allow us to thank you once once more! We have proven that there is strength in unity and we have proven that we can fight for our values. Many thanks for that!”.
See also In Tournai, Olivier Vandecasteele expresses himself for the first time… in music, surrounded by his family
Olivier Vandecasteele then spoke in French, Dutch and even, sometimes in English, to applause. “You will excuse me if at times I stop, because it is still a bit complicated,” he warns. “Belgium, I love you! We are strong together, these are the words I wrote on my hand to give me courage,” he said. “I was reading this once more, like you have your toast every morning. In February 2022, I had to accept that I no longer had control of anything. I was cut off from everything and put into silence”.
“In my loneliness, I dug in search of support, of family memories,” he says, before stopping, moved. “On Christmas Eve 2022, I learned that there was a petition in Belgium, and I clung to it. You brought me home!”
Symbolically, Olivier then cut the bracelets of his sister and his niece, then finally, the tarp.
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