Neighbors' Get-Together

MatchEventBelgium NEIGHBOURS' RENDEZ-VOUS What if on Tuesday, May 27th, all neighbours held hands? Or at least held a glass, together, in a friendly manner? "Immeubles en fête" (Buildings in celebration) is a day to make a gesture, to break habits. Organized in Paris in 1999, this initiative has found followers in Europe. Carl de Moncharline, 34, a trendsetter, an all-around organizer and describing himself as "a citizen committed to his city," adapted it to Brussels. PHOTO DENIS LECUYER Photo caption: Around Carl de Moncharline, neighbours of our photographer, Denis Lécuyer, Jean Vandevelde (in black), Philippe Mertens and his dog Troll, Jacqueline Deceuninck and her canary Verdi, Claudine Beauvant and Mathilde Lecuyer. CARL DE MONCHARLINE "I like to live life to the fullest and not limit myself to a time slot. You can live both night and day!" Photo caption: At 34, Carl de Moncharline describes himself as an "entertainer." He already has a good number of popular initiatives in the capital to his credit. Where did the idea for "Immeubles en fête" come from? It's an initiative from Paris but which now takes place in about twenty European cities like Athens, London, Oslo... The idea was born from a news item. In 1999, an elderly woman was found dead in her apartment after more than three weeks: no one in her building had noticed her absence and she had no family. Atanase Périfan, a Parisian, then embarked on organizing "Paris d'amis" (Paris of friends) to combat isolation and exclusion, by encouraging neighbours to meet. When I first heard about it, I wanted to organize it throughout Brussels. There are neighbourhood associations that organize meals, meetings, neighbours who establish solidarity among themselves, but there are many places where nothing exists. So, creating a symbolic action around this date was about establishing a state of mind. And that's what interests me, states of mind. Do you think many people will participate? I don't know! A website (www.immeublesenfete.be) has been created and people are sending me emails saying it's a great idea and explaining the initiatives planned, but everyone is free, of course. Those who haven't participated will be able to participate next time after seeing what it's like... It's always interesting to launch an operation like this on a city scale to see what it yields. Next year, we'll see! What do you hope for with "Immeubles en fête"? Me? Nothing! I just hope people will have fun with their neighbours. What education did you have? I started my life in a community where my parents lived with artists... My father is a sculptor, my mother is a painter, and I feel like I was born with a "No to nuclear" sticker on the back of my neck! I was made very aware by my education of a series of urban problems. I am very close to my parents, I truly thank them for what they taught me, this way of approaching life. I pay them a solemn tribute, by the way, by calling myself "de Moncharline," "Mon" is my father's first name, "Charline" is my mother's! (Editor's note: His name is Derijk). Otherwise, I didn't go to university, I failed everything, I was a turbulent kid expelled from everywhere, so I quit everything at 18. I saved 300,000 francs from my various jobs to organize a campaign in Brussels against urban pollution because there were no bins in the streets back then. That was my first operation. And your political commitment stems from that... When you live in society, you shouldn't tell yourself that everything will happen on its own. I didn't want to withdraw, grumbling and doing nothing; I wanted to fight. Of course, it's also a matter of inner strength, and my parents gave me that, taught me how to create it. But I don't feel like a politician, I am a citizen. I got closer to the PS because I am for diversity: we are enriched by the differences of others. Because I disagreed with François-Xavier de Donnéa, I took care of the PS's strategy for the city. With Freddy Thielemans, we have the example of an open mayor who understands Bruxellois. You are also a nightlife personality... I worked very early in an advertising agency at the beginning of event advertising... which led me to become artistic director of Mirano for its parties: I created a series of events there, and it worked fabulously well. I started producing my own parties; I even went to Paris for two years, to Folies Pigalle, Bataclan, Bains, Palace... They called me the "Spielberg of the night" there because of the special effects! Coming back to Brussels, I managed to buy an old theatre, which became the Who's Who's, alas, the place was the target of the mayoralty's animosity at the time and had to close... In fact, I like to live life to the fullest and not limit myself to a time slot: when you're young, you can live both night and day! I've always wanted to bite into every apple. And I absolutely love to work; I do it as well during the day as at night... Even now, I get up at 7 am, I go to bed around 2 am, and in between, I work: I have no hobbies, I rarely go on vacation... I like it! You are prolific in ideas... Let's say, I like to concretize what I feel. There are things to do to make things change, so I try to implement them. We must not forget that what I have been doing since the beginning, I do it for people, so that it brings them pleasure. I am in entertainment! These events, I do them to share with others, and not to get a mandate or to be elected... I have ideas for a societal model, yes, and I have decided to defend them in politics! I am committed to my city, yes. The Brussels Roller Parade will return this summer, gaining momentum. It will always be free, there will always be gifts, security, and conviviality! This year, it will take place on Monday in Hasselt, Tuesday in Namur, Wednesday Ghent, Thursday Liège, Friday Brussels, Saturday noon and Sunday noon at Bois de la Cambre, a big free roller school is being organized again, Saturday evening, we skate in Mons. And, on two occasions, July 20 and August 24 in Coxyde. It will be every day for 60 days! What are your next projects? My next ideas, I can't say yet... Come on, it's in the field of art with Brussels artists... It's going to be great. It's something my parents did in the 70s and that I want to do again. I was three at the time, and it left me with an indelible memory... Box: Why Tuesday, May 27th? "We noticed that Tuesday was the day when people are most at home. On Monday, the cinema is cheap so people go out more; on Wednesday, the party week starts again with the apotheosis on Saturday. And on Sunday, everyone is jet-lagged staying at home under the covers. Tuesday is a 'downtime' day," explains Carl de Moncharline. Poster visual: An initiative of / An initiative of Carl de Moncharline — Immeubles en fête, La fête des voisins / Feest in het gebouw, Het feest van de buren — Mardi 27 mai 2003 - Dinsdag 27 mei 2003 — "What if I invited my neighbours for a drink!" / "En als ik mijn buren uitnodigde voor een glaasje!" — In the framework of the European Neighbours' Day / In het kader van de Europese dag van de buren — www.immeublesenfete.be - www.feestinhetgebouw.be BY ELODIE WEYMEELS