Newsletter

VUB philosopher honored as Atheist of the Year On November 15, philosopher and former VUB professor Jean Paul Van Bendegem will receive the title Atheist of the Year, a label he accepts with both a wink and a healthy dose of nuance. “I’m not a church-basher,” he says, “just someone who reflects on what it means to live without gods.” He speaks from his home in Ghent, surrounded by towering bookshelves and under the watchful eye of his elderly cat, Bonnie Prince Charlie. For V

A voice that refuses to be silenced Writer and slam poet Hind Eljadid has been awarded the 2025 Human Rights Award by the Liga voor Mensenrechten (League for Human Rights). The organization honors her for her uncompromising commitment to naming injustice and for her courage to speak out “regardless of the consequences.” The award stems from an incident in early 2024, when Eljadid was detained for six hours following an action during the official celebration of Belgium’s EU pr

The message is loud and clear: it’s time to finally move forward with the reform of Belgium’s abortion law. In an opinion piece, Raymonda Verdyck, chair of deMens.nu , urges politicians to stop looking away from the reality faced by thousands of women. “Those who are dealing with an unwanted pregnancy today cannot wait,” she writes pointedly. Ethical progress on pause Last week once again showed how fragile ethical progress can be. In Parliament, the proposals to relax aborti

Renowned psychiatrist Dirk De Wachter has been living with metastatic cancer for four years, but he continues to speak about hope, connection, and humanity. In a candid interview, he reflects on digital polarization, loneliness, technology, self-determination, and the finiteness of life. Polarization and digital communication According to De Wachter, social media reinforces rigidity and black-and-white thinking. They create bubbles where nuance disappears. Yet he also sees op

In 'The Plea', Anton Van Dyck, founder of Compagnon , calls for an urgent amendment to the abortion law: The new abortion law? It's long overdue. Two legislatures ago, even. Why is she important? Because one in five women will need an abortion at some point. Because today is too strict, too short, too complicated. Because those who choose to terminate a pregnancy are still too often stigmatized. The problems are clear. There is social support for this. The majority too. Th

At the start of the new school year, Raymonda Verdyck, chair of deMens.nu , calls on society to keep viewing education as more than tests and grades. Education is not merely about performance; it’s about providing equal opportunities, fostering broad personal development, nurturing citizenship, and above all, cultivating critical thinking. Freedom under pressure Today, fundamental freedoms are under threat across the world. Values once taken for granted — gender equality, sci