Silent circle for Peace in Ypres closes project

Peace official Filip Deheegher: “With this we say no to the war in Ukraine and the military escalation. We call on all concerned to give peace every chance through dialogue and diplomacy. We express our solidarity with the affected Ukrainian population and with the anti-war movement in Russia.”

‘War never brings peace’

Ypres and the Westhoek are symbolic places in that regard: more than 100 years ago, the region was also the center of military violence and war: “The images we now see every day of various Ukrainian cities being bombed and destroyed are so similar to what happened here in Ypres and the Westhoek during the First World War. Cities are being smothered, humanitarian corridors are being shelled. As residents of the Westhoek, we are aware of the catastrophic consequences of military logic. ‘War never brings peace’, that is what the First World War taught us. We Westhoekers owe it to ourselves to make the slogan ‘No more war’ sound loud!

The various silent circles that have already been organized in the Westhoek municipalities each time attracted dozens of participants, even more than 200 people in Langemark. There were almost a hundred in Ypres and tonight.