‘Monuments & Moments’ is the title of the theme year that revolves around commemoration. In the Hooge Crater Museum in Ypres you will soon hear the ‘Bells of Remembrance’ again, after 32 years of silence. Niek Benoot, Hooge Crater Museum Ypres: “The bells are returning to the Hooge. Thanks to this project by Monuments & Moments, we will install the Bells of Remembrance and ensure that those bells ring again every day at 11 a.m. because this is a special moment that must be commemorated again, and especially at 11 a.m., the hour of the armistice.”
War tourism remains important
Westfront in Nieuwpoort and the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres also work on the theme. Just like the Museum aan de IJzer and the Trench of Death in Diksmuide, which are working on something together for the first time. Because with more than 360,000 visitors to the Westhoek last year, war tourism remains important. Herlinde Rollez, alderman of Tourism Diksmuide: “Both the Yser Tower and the Trench of Death attract 50,000 visitors to Diksmuide every year. We often see that they come to our center, which is also good for the catering industry and our events, which attracts people.”
Toerisme Vlaanderen and Westtoer are jointly investing 1.2 million euros in the projects.
