A festive ceremony to recognise and celebrate being Belgian

BELGification party is a ceremony and an artistic project that explores how hospitality might find a place within the procedures of the state. It begins with a simple question: what if becoming Belgian were not only an administrative step, but also a shared moment of recognition and celebration? After all, changing one’s nationality is a major step in a person’s life.

The project proposes a ritual to welcome people who have recently obtained Belgian nationality. At the same time, it seeks to move beyond the distinction between “new” and “old” Belgians. As soon as the ceremony begins, everyone present becomes part of the same community. The ceremony creates a moment of attention and care in which we pause together to reflect on what it means to form a society.

The project originates from a personal experience. On April 1, 2022, after almost ten years of living in Belgium, the artist Anyuta Wiazemsky Snauwaert was finally able to write the following sentence:

"I declare my intention to become a Belgian citizen and to respect the Constitution, the laws of the Belgian people, and the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms."

After a long and demanding process, that was it. No ceremony. No celebration. No ritual to mark the transition to a new nationality.

Many people share this experience. The administrative process of becoming Belgian can be emotionally demanding. And when that moment finally arrives, there is often no one there to welcome you. This absence is not only unfortunate for those who become Belgian, but also a missed opportunity for society as a whole.

Because although we come from different backgrounds, we share something essential: our future.