Wattrelos, France—A large park on the border between France and Belgium was the setting for a Peace Road event.
In Wattrelos, a municipality with about 40,000 inhabitants in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France, participants from both nations gathered on August 19, 2023, in the Parc du Lion (Park of the Lion), which borders Belgium on the north side.
As passport and border controls have been abolished in the Schengen area, people from both sides of the border can freely enjoy the park. A comparison was made with the Peace Park that has been proposed for the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.
Marching through the park, singing songs, giving speeches and distributing flyers, the participants caught the attention of passers-by. One young boy joined the singing, and a woman took a seat and listened to all the speeches. The origin and significance of the Peace Road project were well explained.
A mandala, which generally represents a spiritual journey, starting from outside to the inner core, through layers, was made with “treasures” found in the park.
At the conclusion of the event, there were sandwiches and drinks and time to socialize. It was a beautiful and sun-soaked event.
(Photographs by Jean-Paul Jager, UPF-France)
