An exhibition exploring the history of relations between the Philippines and Belgium at UNamur

The exhibition is part of a long-standing and solid academic cooperation between UNamur and the Philippines. For many years, UNamur has maintained close links with various Philippine institutions in geography, history, philosophy of science, as well as through FUCID.

Under the impetus of Philippine Senator Loren Legarda, committed to promoting research devoted to the Philippines, UNamur has signed several agreements with the Philippine Embassy in Belgium, the most recent dating from November 2024. These agreements support the implementation of the Philippine Studies program, designed to promote the study of the country within the Namur university community.

It is in this context that 3rd bachelor students in the Cultural Project in History course, have put together the exhibition "L'Archipel et le Plat Pays. Pages from the shared history of Belgium and the Philippines (16th-20th centuries)". Under the direction of Isabelle Parmentier and based on the research of Kerby Alvarez (former UNamur doctoral student and now professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman) and researcher Julie Duchêne, the team carried out extensive scientific research. This is based on funds held at the State Archives and the Moretus Plantin University Library's (BUMP) Precious Reserve.

The students were responsible for the design of the scenography, communication and organization of the associated events, transforming this project into a complete and professionalizing educational experience.

The exhibition highlights a series of key episodes that illustrate the relationship between Belgium and the Philippines, from the 16th to the 20th century. In particular, the tour covers:

• the pre-19th-century period, during which the territories corresponding to present-day Belgium and the Philippines were both under the Spanish crown;
• the plans of Leopold I and Leopold II for the Philippine archipelago, before their colonial ambitions refocused on the Congo ;
• the Philippine hero José Rizal's stay in Belgium at the end of the 19th century;
• the Philippine presence at the Ghent World's Fair in 1913;
• the future Leopold III's trip to the Philippines in 1932;
• the march towards Philippine independence and the start of diplomatic relations between the two states.

The public will be able to discover reproductions of remarkable archival documents, as well as works from the BUMP's Precious Reserve. Among the highlights is the photographic album of the future Leopold III during his trip to the Philippines.

The exhibition also offers an artistic component with the presentation of twelve contemporary pictorial works created by Filipino artists around the figure of Rizal, as part of the BeLikha project spearheaded by the Filipino diaspora in Belgium.

The choice of dates for the exhibition actually marks the launch of the commemorative year dedicated to José Rizal, a major figure in the Philippine revolution who was executed in 1896. Rizal stayed in Belgium, where he wrote El Filibusterismo, one of his major works. The year 2026 also marks the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Belgium and the Philippines. A commemorative publication dedicated to Rizal will round off this year of celebrations in December 2026.

As for the exhibition, it was inaugurated on December 3, in the presence of the Philippine ambassador, Jaime Victor B. Ledda.

In conjunction with the exhibition, a film-debate evening will be held during the first week of February. It will feature the documentary Overseas (2019), directed by INSAS graduate Sung-A Yoon and produced by Belgian company Iota Production. The film explores the daily life of a domestic service training school in the Philippines.

The screening will be followed by an exchange devoted to contemporary forms of slavery, in the presence of the director and specialists in the history of slavery