The first Turkish sworn interpreter in Ghent
Typewriter (Brother) and photo of Bayram Kahya, the first sworn interpreter in Ghent. (STAM Collection, inv. A2025.52.01 and A2025.52.02)
When the first generation of Turkish migrants arrived in Ghent in the 1960s, Dutch language lessons were not on the agenda. The labor migrants did not have the time for it either. Their children went to school and picked up the language very quickly. They acted as interpreters between their parents and the doctor, the school, the city services, and the shops.
For official matters, migrant workers did need a sworn interpreter. Bayram Kahya was one of the first sworn interpreters in Ghent. This is the typewriter he used to translate official documents.
Bayram's story demonstrates that labor migration during that period encompassed much more than just work in the factories.
The first successful Belgian referendum halts the construction of the Ghent Belfry parking garage.
T-shirt 'Belfortparking no! Referendum yes!' from 1997, design drawn by Rufijn De Decker and Kamagurka. (STAM Collection, inv. A2025.07)
On December 14, 1997, the people of Ghent made history with the very first successful referendum in Belgium. With a turnout of just over 40 percent—sufficient to validate the referendum—no less than 95 percent of voters spoke out against the construction of the Belfort car park. That underground car park was planned beneath Emile Braunplein, on the site where the City Hall stands today, and formed the final element of the mobility plan at the time.
The referendum came about after opponents joined forces and managed to collect 17.000 signatures. Although the plebiscite was not binding, the city council respected the clear voice of the people of Ghent and abandoned the plans.
Popular protest keeps the Green Valley green
Poster 'Groene Vallei Groen'. (STAM Collection, Groene Vallei Groen, 2000, inv. A2023.107.001)
The Amelinkcx company started construction of a series of tall apartment buildings on the site of the former La Lys textile factory in the early 1970s. Due to the crisis, work came to a standstill. At that time, only the section closest to the inner ring road had been completed. The rest of the site became overgrown, creating a green zone. There were various initiatives by the local population to preserve it.
In the 1990s, a town planning certificate stipulated that only one-third of this site could be built upon and the remaining part had to remain green. When a property developer submitted an application in 2000 for an apartment building with as many apartments as possible on the smallest possible surface area, protests followed once again.
Ultimately, the project developer received permission to build a lower apartment block with a view of the water. In compensation for this, the City purchased the rest of the site for the creation of a full-fledged park.
The first official same-sex marriage in Belgium
Photo report of the first official same-sex marriage in Belgium by photographer Paul Borghs at Ghent City Hall on June 16, 2003. (STAM Collection, inv. A2023.035)
On Monday, June 16, 2003, at half past eight in the morning, François Geldof and René De Proft exchanged vows in Ghent City Hall. Their marriage is considered the first official same-sex marriage in Belgium.
The law of 13 February 2003 opening up marriage to same-sex persons entered into force on 1 June. Taking into account the statutory waiting period and the marriage application period, this meant that it was possible to marry for the first time on 16 June 2003. However, many couples did not wait for this formal opening and submitted marriage applications earlier.
On June 6, Marion Huibrechts and Christel Verswyvelen snatched the honor of the first same-sex marriage in Belgium in Kapellen. The first 'official' same-sex marriage, meaning one where the legal waiting period was respected, took place ten days later in Ghent.
For the Holibi Federation (now Cavaria), the marriage of François and René marked a significant breakthrough in its years-long struggle for equal rights for people with a different sexual orientation and the 'normalization' of homosexuality in society.
The marriage was officiated by Chantal Claeys, Alderwoman for Population and Registrar of Civil Status. Ghent Mayor Frank Beke was also present to emphasize the historic character of the event.
Protest for the preservation of the Bernadette district in Ghent
Banner 'Bernadette Stays! Block by block'. (STAM Collection, Bernadette Stays, 2020, inv. A2023.058.006)
Action group 'Bernadette Blijft' fought against the demolition of the Sint-Bernadette social housing complex in the Sint-Amandsberg district of Ghent from late 2020 to late 2021. The garden suburb dated back to 1923 and was known for its picturesque yellow houses.
But Bernadette was also notorious as a 'moldy neighborhood'. The 190 homes were dilapidated and had to make way for a new social housing neighborhood, with 250 energy-efficient homes, adapted to modern living comfort.
Citizens' initiative Too Expensive for affordable housing in Ghent
'Too Expensive' box containing petitions for a referendum on affordable housing. (STAM Collection, Too Expensive, 2023, inv. A2023.037.002)
The citizens' initiative Te Duur was launched on February 19, 2022, as a protest against high housing prices, the shortage of social housing, and the sale of public assets in Ghent.
The action group was able to force a referendum on affordable housing from the city council after convincing more than 10 percent of Ghent's residents to submit a petition. The public consultation took place on October 8, 2023. A large majority voted 'yes' twice: for the preservation of public real estate and for the establishment of a bank of public lands to realize social housing.
Protest against the switching off of street lighting in Ghent
Poster 'City of Ghent, leave the lights on!'. (STAM Collection, City of Ghent, leave the lights on, 2023, inv. A2023.075.007)
Due to rising energy prices, many cities and municipalities decided in the winter of 2022-2023 to switch off their street lighting for a few hours at night. In Ghent, this took place from Sunday night through Wednesday night, between midnight and five o'clock in the morning. This resulted in a sense of insecurity and protests from hospitality business owners, residents, and visitors.
The campaign was launched by residents of the Brugse Poort. Their online survey was completed by thousands of Ghent residents. Due to this protest and the normalization of energy prices, the city council decided to turn the lighting back on. This was coupled with an additional investment in more energy-efficient LED lamps.
Take a closer look at the images
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The STAM is the Ghent city museum. There you discover the many layers of Ghent, a contemporary city with a centuries-old history.
