This document discusses World War 1 collecting days in Belgium to contribute content to Europeana. It summarizes that Belgium has a fragmented heritage policy across its 7 governments and 3 language communities, making a unified media campaign challenging. However, numerous local collecting day events have been organized, especially in Flanders, which have helped raise awareness of Europeana at the local level and exposed target groups to it, while larger press coverage of the collected content may still be possible.

1. WWI Collecting DaysWWI Collecting Days
Europeana AwarenessEuropeana Awareness
WP1 - Media Campaigns in BelgiumWP1 - Media Campaigns in Belgium
Jef Malliet, Erfgoedplus.beJef Malliet, Erfgoedplus.be
Prague, 9 July 2013Prague, 9 July 2013

2. July 9, 2013
The Belgian caseThe Belgian case
FragmentationFragmentation
Separate Policies – Agendas - MediaSeparate Policies – Agendas - Media
 Politics: 7 governmentsPolitics: 7 governments
• Federal levelFederal level
• Flemish | French | GermanFlemish | French | German communitiescommunities
Person-related mattersPerson-related matters
• Flemish | Walloon | BrusselsFlemish | Walloon | Brussels regionsregions
Territory-related mattersTerritory-related matters
 Media:Media:
• Flemish | French speakingFlemish | French speaking
 Heritage PolicyHeritage Policy

3. July 9, 2013
Belgian Heritage PolicyBelgian Heritage Policy
FragmentationFragmentation22
Flemish CommunityFlemish Community
Walloon CommunityWalloon Community
German CommunityGerman Community
€€
Flemish RegionFlemish Region
Brussels RegionBrussels Region
Walloon RegionWalloon Region
€€€€€€
 Movable heritageMovable heritage
 Intangible heritageIntangible heritage
 LibrariesLibraries
Federal StateFederal State
BelgiumBelgium
55 ProvincesProvinces
5 Provinces5 Provinces
 MonumentsMonuments
 ArchaeologyArchaeology
 LandscapesLandscapes
 ‘‘Royal’ MuseumsRoyal’ Museums
 ‘‘Royal’ InstitutesRoyal’ Institutes
 Public ArchivesPublic Archives
 People - CulturePeople - Culture  TerritoryTerritory
 IntegratedIntegrated
 Drill-downDrill-down
 X-domainX-domain
E.g.:E.g.:
•Some coordination (e.g. digital heritage)Some coordination (e.g. digital heritage)
•WWI collecting daysWWI collecting days

4. July 9, 2013
Collecting daysCollecting days
WWI commemoration 2014-2018WWI commemoration 2014-2018
 Ieper, In Flanders Fields Museum 12/12/12Ieper, In Flanders Fields Museum 12/12/12
Pilot, Part of Europeana Awareness WP2Pilot, Part of Europeana Awareness WP2
 Heritage Day 21 April 2013Heritage Day 21 April 2013 (is not the European Heritage(is not the European Heritage
Day – in Flanders: OMD – Open Monuments Day in Sept./Oct.)Day – in Flanders: OMD – Open Monuments Day in Sept./Oct.)
3 events: Antwerpen, Hasselt, Leuven3 events: Antwerpen, Hasselt, Leuven
 Other Collecting DaysOther Collecting Days
• 18/5 Dendermonde18/5 Dendermonde
• 22/5 Aarschot22/5 Aarschot
• 7/9, 15/9, 12/10, 19/10, 12/11, 14/12, 2/3, 23/3, ...7/9, 15/9, 12/10, 19/10, 12/11, 14/12, 2/3, 23/3, ...
 So far none in ‘Federal’ Brussels or in FrenchSo far none in ‘Federal’ Brussels or in French
speaking partspeaking part

5. July 9, 2013
Collecting daysCollecting days
FeaturesFeatures
 Each CD another organisor (most underEach CD another organisor (most under
coordination of a Province)coordination of a Province)
• Heritage-related institutionsHeritage-related institutions
• Own website, projects, stakeholders, network ofOwn website, projects, stakeholders, network of
volunteersvolunteers
• Own WWI commemoration activitiesOwn WWI commemoration activities
• Own press-contactsOwn press-contacts
• No (direct) connection with EuropeanaNo (direct) connection with Europeana
 PR materialPR material
• Hard to make joint announcementsHard to make joint announcements
• Each wants to use own profileEach wants to use own profile
• Europeana PR material = supplementaryEuropeana PR material = supplementary

6. July 9, 2013
Collecting daysCollecting days
MediaMedia
 Communication to the pressCommunication to the press
• Not uniformNot uniform
• Each institution has their own channels and requirementsEach institution has their own channels and requirements
• Europeana not central, cannot be imposedEuropeana not central, cannot be imposed
• Europeana cannot attract their target groupsEuropeana cannot attract their target groups
• Costs/time cannot be justified for EuropeanaCosts/time cannot be justified for Europeana
 Interest of the pressInterest of the press
Before the event:Before the event:
• Hard to get – only local press carries the announcementsHard to get – only local press carries the announcements
During the event:During the event:
• Press is interested in speaking with participantsPress is interested in speaking with participants
Reporting:Reporting:
• Interest in the stories, not in the organisationInterest in the stories, not in the organisation

7. July 9, 2013
Media CampaignMedia Campaign
BalanceBalance
 Scattered like the Belgian political and heritageScattered like the Belgian political and heritage
policy landscapespolicy landscapes
• Hard to do one national campaign (so far action only inHard to do one national campaign (so far action only in
Flanders)Flanders)
• Motivate other parts of Belgium through success inMotivate other parts of Belgium through success in
Flanders???Flanders???
 Interest has been raised at local levelInterest has been raised at local level
• Many events, connected to EuropeanaMany events, connected to Europeana
• Many local institutions (organisors) learn to knowMany local institutions (organisors) learn to know
EuropeanaEuropeana
• Their target groups are exposed to EuropeanaTheir target groups are exposed to Europeana
 Larger scale press action still possibleLarger scale press action still possible
• Attracting attention to the local content in EuropeanaAttracting attention to the local content in Europeana
1914-1918 website1914-1918 website

8. July 9, 2013
Thank youThank you
Contact:Contact: jef.malliet@limburg.bejef.malliet@limburg.be
www.erfgoedplus.bewww.erfgoedplus.be