Animals

Join us for a laid-back **2-hour evening walk** in the green surrouindings of Brussels. Expect a **social, easy-paced stroll** with good company, relaxed vibes, and plenty of time to chat. We'll follow the canal paths and trace the River Zenne, discovering how these waterways shaped the heart of the city. 🕗 **When:** Evening 🚶 **Duration:** About 2 hours 🥤 **Bring your own drink** – something refreshing to enjoy as we walk 💬 **Open to all** – solo walkers, locals, and newcomers alike Let’s walk, relax, and connect—Brussels-style.

**Afterwork vibes. Sunset views. Great people.** Join us this Thursday for a relaxed rooftop evening above the EU district — the perfect way to unwind after work, meet like-minded internationals, and enjoy Brussels from a different perspective. This is a **small, curated gathering** to keep things social, easy, and high quality. *** ## ✨ What to expect * 🌇 Beautiful **sunset views over Brussels** * 🍹 Stylish rooftop bar (cocktails, wine, softs available) * 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Friendly group of people * 🎶 Chill, classy atmosphere (not a loud party) *** ## 📍 Practical info * **Location:** Sofitel Brussels Europe * **Meeting point:** Rooftop (enter Sofitel and take the lift) * **Time:** After work (see event time) * **Group size:** **Max. 15 participants** *** ## 🎟️ Reservation required (important) To ensure a smooth experience and avoid overcrowding, **a reservation is required**. * **Explorer members:** €5 to secure your spot * **Voyager & Ambassador members:** Included (free reservation) 👉 **Spots without reservation are not guaranteed** *** ## ⚠️ Good to know * Drinks are **paid individually at the bar** * Limitedty → first come, first served * This is a **social rooftop evening**, not a party *** ## 🌍 About Sunday Vacations A community of internationals in Brussels connecting through experiences, travel & good vibes. *** **Come for one drink… stay for the people ✨**

Socializing and Networking 🛜🆕 at PLUX on Thursday. Making new friends and drinking 🚰🎈🎉🚿🌊. Everybody Welocme, locals, expats or new 🆕 in town.

### Great food. Great people. Caribbean vibes in the heart of Brussels Looking for a relaxed way to meet new people after work Join the Sunday Vacations community every Thursday evening at Parvis Saint-Gilles for a social gathering around authentic Jamaican BBQ, refreshing cocktails, and meaningful conversations Whether you're new to Brussels, an expat looking to expand your social circle, or simply someone who enjoys good food and good company, this is the perfect way to unwind and connect Solo joiners are always welcome. -- ## Experience Overview Sunday Vacations brings together international professionals, expats, and locals through curated social experiences that help people escape routine and build meaningful connections. This weekly community gathering combines Caribbean flavours, a welcoming atmosphere, and the opportunity to meet like-minded people from around the world. Because sometimes the best travel experience starts right here in Brussels. People often join community events to connect with others and build friendships around shared experiences. -- ## Event Type 🌍 Community Even -- ## Highlight ✨ Authentic Jamaican BB 🍹 Cocktail include 🌍 International community atmospher 🤝 Meet new people in Brussel ☀️ Outdoor social gatherin 🎉 Solo joiners welcom -- ## Evening Play **18:30 – Arrival & Welcome* Meet the group, grab a drink, and settle in **19:00 – Jamaican BBQ Experience* Enjoy a delicious Jamaican BBQ Mix paired with a refreshing cocktail **20:00 – Social Time* Relax, connect, and enjoy conversations with fellow members and guests **22:00 – Official End* Stay longer if you'd like and continue enjoying the evening -- ## Meeting Point 📍 Parvis de Saint-Gille Brussel Exact meeting details will be shared with registered participants -- ## Price & Member Benefit ### Jamaican BBQ Mix + Cocktai **Regular Price:** €3 ### Exclusive Sunday Vacations Member Pricin 🧭 Explorer Member — €3 🌍 Voyager Member — €2 🏔️ Ambassador Member — €2 ### Memberships Starting Fro - Explorer: €5/yea - Voyager: €50/yea - Ambassador: €150/yea Member discounts are exclusively available to active Sunday Vacations members -- ## Who This Is For This event is perfect for - International professionals - Expats living in Belgium - Locals interested in meeting international people - Solo participants - Food lovers - Anyone looking for a welcoming social atmosphere No previous participation required. -- ## What To Bring - Comfortable clothing - Weather-appropriate jacket - Positive energy - Appetite for great food and conversation -- ## Important Note - Capacity may be limited - Food and drinks are provided by independent third-party vendors - Please RSVP in advance to help us coordinate the group -- ## Legal Disclaimer Sunday Vacations is a community initiative operated by UJAMAA ASBL and acts solely as a community organiser. Food and beverage services are provided by independent third-party vendors. Activities are organised by volunteers and covered under the legal volunteer insurance framework. VAT not applicable – small business exemption scheme, Article 56bis Belgian VAT Code. -- ## Ready to Join Come for the Jamaican BBQ Stay for the conversations, connections, and community We look forward to welcoming you at Parvis Saint-Gilles this Thursday

**Welcome to the Sixth BDEN Meetup!** AI is moving fast, and developers are right in the middle of it. Some are already experimenting with AI-assisted coding, agents, MCP servers, and local models. Others are still trying to understand what all these new concepts really mean and where to start. This meetup is designed for both. For our sixth Belgian Developer Experience Network meetup, we will focus on what AI means for developers today: how agentic systems are built, how they can be used safely, and what it takes to bring them closer to production in an enterprise context. As always, expect more than slideware. We will have explanations, demos, real-world discussion, and enough space for questions and networking. Mark your calendars for the 4th of June, because it is going to be an evening packed with practical insights into AI, agents, developer workflows, and production readiness. **Location** This meetup will take place as part of Red Hat Tech Day Belgium, hosted at The Montil in Affligem. Red Hat Tech Day is a one-day conference for both technical and non-technical audiences. This year, for the first time, the event will also include a dedicated developer track, focused on the latest technologies and methodologies from the AI and software development communities. You are also welcome to register for the full event here: https://reg.experiences.redhat.com/flow/redhat/3977379/fieldeventsregapproveform/page/landingregistrationpage **Schedule** 17:00 - 18:00 Doors open 18:00 - 18:15 Intro session 18:15 - 19:15 AI agents, skills, demos and sandboxing 19:15 - 19:30 Break 19:30 - 20:30 Panel discussion: putting agentic AI in production 20:30 - 22:00 Networking & food **Sessions** **Session 1: AI agents, skills, demos and sandboxing** **Speaker:** Burr Sutter, Director of Developer Experience at Red Hat **Description:** AI is no longer just about sending prompts to a chatbot. Developers are now exploring skills, agents, tools, MCP servers, and workflows where AI systems can take action instead of only generating text. In this session, Burr Sutter will explain what skills and agents are, how they work, and why they matter for developers. Through demos, he will show how these concepts are implemented and defined within Red Hat, and how agentic systems can be sandboxed with technologies such as OpenClaw. Whether you are new to AI or already experimenting with agents in your own workflow, this session will help you connect the concepts to practical developer use cases. **Session 2: Panel discussion: putting agentic AI in production** **Panel participants:** Burr Sutter, Director of Developer Experience at Red Hat Stephan Janssen, founder of Devoxx and organizer of Devoxx Belgium One mystery guest, to be announced later this week **Description:** Building a demo with AI is one thing. Putting AI, and especially agentic AI, into production is something else. After a short break, we will continue with a panel discussion on what it takes to use AI safely and effectively inside an organization. We will discuss how to get started, what developers should keep in mind, what organizations need to prepare for, and how to think about governance, security, reliability, and platform support. The panel will bring together different perspectives from developer experience, AI-assisted software development, enterprise readiness, and the changing role of developers in the age of intelligent systems. This panel is for developers who are curious about AI, developers already using AI tools, and teams wondering how to move from experimentation to real adoption. **About Stephan Janssen** Stephan Janssen is the founder of Devoxx and organizer of Devoxx Belgium. In recent years, his work has focused heavily on LLMs, AI-assisted software development, and Agentic Engineering. He actively explores technologies such as local and cloud-based LLMs, multi-agent systems, MCP, RAG, Spec-Driven Development, and AI-powered developer workflows. Stephan is also the creator of DevoxxGenie, an open-source IntelliJ IDEA plugin that enables developers to interact with local and remote LLMs directly from their IDE. Through talks, workshops, and R&D projects, he focuses on how AI agents are transforming software engineering and how developers are evolving from traditional coders into orchestrators of intelligent systems. More info: [https://stephanjanssen.be](https://stephanjanssen.be/) **About Philippe Bogaerts**: And our next panel speaker is Philippe Bogaerts. Philippe is co-founder and organizer of BruCON, and an enthusiastic researcher and trainer in the world of building, securing, and hacking agentic systems. He is also a wonderful public speaker. Philippe has already presented twice at BDEN, and every time he brings exactly the kind of energy we love: hands-on, practical, sharp, and anything but boring slideware. It is a pleasure to see him explore, break, test, and hack in the agentic AI space. He is one of those speakers who keeps you interested from the first second to the last, because he does not just talk about the topic. He actually gets his hands dirty. With Philippe joining Burr Sutter and Stephan Janssen, this panel is shaping up to be something special. Really looking forward to this one. **Additional note** ***This meetup includes food. Please keep your RSVP status up to date so we do not waste any food. In case you are no longer sure you can join in person, please update your RSVP accordingly.***

Making the new Friends after work or in your vacation.

Join our next meetup at Collibra on June 4th! We will have 3 talks about OpenTelemetry and will share some food and drinks while networking **Location:** Collibra, Rue Picard 11, 1000 Bruxelles **Agenda:** 17:45 : Doors open 18:00 - 18:30 : Drinks and pizza 18:30 - 19:10 : Talk #1 OpenTelemery on Kubernetes with EDOT: Getting started and what's ahead 19:10 - 19:50 : Talk #2 Taming Tenancy, Cost and Architecture at Collibra Through OpenTelemetry and Our Telemetry Backbone 19:50 - 20.30 : Talk #3 Closing the Observability Gap: OpenTelemetry Meets Elastic at Telenet 20:30 : Wrap up **Talks:** **#1 OpenTelemery on Kubernetes with EDOT: Getting started and what's ahead** **OpenTelemetry has become the default way to instrument applications and infrastructure, and Kubernetes is one of the places where it makes most sense to use it.** This talk is a tour of OpenTelemetry on Kubernetes, focusing on the Elastic Distribution of OpenTelemetry (EDOT). We will explore the OTel basics (general architecture, signals) and the recommended way to deploy OTel on Kubernetes using the OpenTelemetry Operator. A live demo with an Elastic backend will showcase the correlation of metrics and logs, demonstrating how everything ties in together. Finally, it will cover the current community effort to stabilize Kubernetes observability, including the promotion of Kubernetes attributes to release candidate status and the latest updates to the semantic conventions for Kubernetes metrics. This session is useful for beginners trying to get into OTel, and for those running OTel in their Kubernetes cluster and trying to get some insights on what is to come. *Speaker: João Marques Correia, Software Engineer at Elastic* **#2 Taming Tenancy, Cost and Architecture at Collibra Through OpenTelemetry and Our Telemetry Backbone** Operating a SaaS platform presents the same observability problems as any other enterprise, but due to the scale and tenancy, we introduce a huge multiplier on the observability signals, having an effect on cost and effectiveness. This session dives into the techniques Collibra used to tame these problems and how to maintain clarity when infrastructure spans virtual machines, modern Kubernetes clusters, and a complex mix of single- and multi-tenant architectures. Without the right context, telemetry data becomes a noisy, indistinguishable flood. We will dive into the architectural decision to leverage the C4 system model, ensuring every piece of telemetry carries the vital context of what it belongs to and where it sits in the hierarchy. Enabling us to gain insights into both signal attribution and allowing virtual chargebacks. The presentation details the implementation of a pipeline using custom-built OpenTelemetry collectors designed to handle the data and enrich it before sending it to the appropriate backends. This session will give you practical insights on the challenges SaaS platforms have, but the techniques that are used to tame them can be applied everywhere. *Speaker: Alex Van Boxel, Principal System Architect at Collibra* **#3 Closing the Observability Gap: OpenTelemetry Meets Elastic at Telenet** Modern systems generate more telemetry than ever, but without consistency, that data quickly becomes noise. At Telenet, we turned to OpenTelemetry to standardise how we collect and enrich observability data across our bare-metal Kubernetes clusters. This talk dives into how we integrate OpenTelemetry into our engineering workflows and couple it with Elastic for storage, analysis, and visualisation. We’ll walk through our architecture, instrumentation strategies, and how we ensure high-quality telemetry that engineers trust. Along the way, we’ll highlight real use cases, from debugging production incidents to improving service performance, and discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what we’d do differently today. If you're an Elastic user looking to adopt or scale OpenTelemetry, this session will help you bridge the gap between theory and practice. *Speaker: Reidar Veroft, Container Platform Engineer at Telenetgroup* **Bios** **Alex Van Boxel** is a Principal System Architect at **Collibra**. With an engineering background in Research and Development at Alcatel-Lucent, Progress Software, and Veepee he loves to focus on the fundamental building blocks of the software industry. That means reading, understanding, and contributing to specifications, as well as contributing to the Open Source projects that run through our infrastructure. He is code-owner of two components of the OpenTelemetry collector. **João Marques Correia** is a Software Engineer at **Elastic**. Having recently joined Elastic, he has been focusing on OpenTelemetry, with a bigger effort being put into Kubernetes metrics stabilization. Before joining Elastic, he worked as a Software Engineer at Cisco on a Data Center network controller. He is drawn to distributed systems, and in particular how to observe them and keep them working reliably. **Reidar Veroft** is a DevOps Engineer at **Telenet**, where he builds observable, reliable systems that power critical infrastructure across Belgium. From the 5G core to our voice core, he focuses on making sure the systems behind Telenetgroup are not only running, but fully understood through high-quality telemetry. **Thanks to Collibra for hosting this meetup!**

Hi everyone, Let's meet for a classic, social short hike (9 km) from Herrmann-Debroux to the Hippodrome, with a coffee pause at the beautiful Rouge-Cloister. Just bring some snacks, water, and running or hiking shoes—nothing special. **Exit points are available after 5 km at Watermael-Boitsfort, and at the Hippodrome at the end. Many trams and buses can take you back to Herrmann-Debroux or elsewhere.** At the end, we can have a drink at the Hippodrome. I just need to check if the O2 Terrace allows just drinks, or if the bar at the Golf Club is open. It is not a LOOP Register only if you are reasonably motivated to participate. As a matter of courtesy towards the people on the waiting list, if you are unable to come, cancel as soon as possible. [Newsletter](https://meetup.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a3689edfe6f0e062b4687aecd&id=8ca9255158) [Free donation to cover Meetup Annual Fee](https://www.paypal.com/pool/9nkCD96sSK?sr=wccr) See you soon, Enrico 0456227747 \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***WhatsApp "share live location"*** When participating in our hikes, you should understand how to use the WhatsApp function **"share live location"**. WhatsApp "share live location" is very handy in case you remain behind, arrive late or get lost. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ***MeetUp privacy settings*** Turn off the privacy settings in MeetUp, for not preventing the organizers from contacting you by direct message. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- If you want to be part of the "Walking in Bruxelles" WhatsApp group just send a WhatsApp or SMS message to 0476 796026 (Vincenzo) with your name and the request to subscribe.

Please [register yourself on the website ](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/7QLiiTnqLMxNg6Bdm5Bm)to receive the details of how to join. This powerful healing technique removes the negative energies and blockages to then nbe replaced by life energy or prana. Organized by Juliana Cruz, a Pranic Healing practitioner for over 10 years. These donation-based sessions are in a group session, done by different practitioners who have learned Pranic Healing. The sessions take from 20 to 30 minutes. * **Sunday** **From 11:30 to 12:50** 20 - 30 min session per person First-come, first-served. This practice comes after a meditation (from 10:30 to 11:30) to receive and share energies of loving-kindness to the entire Earth. You can join by [registering yourself here](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/j5YTbU6YaGLgGOXyvMNn). With love, Juliana

**What to expect** An evening for neurodiverse adults (18+) to come together, share experiences, and make new friends. The evening will be semi-structured, running from 7pm to 9pm. We will start with one or two presentations by our members on topics of special interest to them. These can be far-ranging: from anime to birdwatching to ideas for a neurodivergent-friendly café. Next all participants will be randomly assigned to a small discussion group of 5-6 people to discuss a particular topic related to their neurodivergent experience. After about 30 minutes of discussion you will be reassigned to a different group to discuss another topic. Afterwards, you are free to mill around the room to chat with anyone about anything you want for the remaining time we have the room. **For Who?** Neurodiverse adults (18+) A formal diagnosis is not necessary. This event is open to anyone who can relate to the difficulties and experiences of being neurodivergent. **When** First and third Fridays of the month, with the exception of school and normal holidays. See Meetup for the exact dates and any updates/changes to each event. There will be free water, tea and coffee at the International House, as well as sift drinks at the honesty bar where everything is 2€ (Exact change or card)

Join us for a beautiful Sunday combining **Ghent city vibes** and a visit to one of Belgium’s most stunning castles: **Château d’Ooidonk** 🌿 This is more than just a visit — it’s a **full day experience** with an international group: train journey, lunch, city walk, and a guided castle visit. ✨ We will have **2 English-speaking guides** for the castle visit. ## 🌍 Why join? Many in Belgium don’t get the chance to discover places like Ooidonk — this is a great opportunity to explore Belgian heritage in a relaxed and social atmosphere. Expect: - A **guided visit inside the castle** 🏰 - Access to the **beautiful surrounding gardens** 🌳 - A **day in Ghent city center** - A **friendly international group** - A smooth, well-organized experience ## 📅 Event Plan ### 🚆 Optional: Group Departure from Brussels 📍 **Meeting point:** Bruxelles-Central – on the train platform 🕥 **Meeting time:** **10:30** 🚆 Train departure: **10:43** 👉 We will meet directly on the platform and travel together. ⚠️ Exact platform details will be shared in the WhatsApp group. ### 🍽️ Lunch & Walk in Ghent (optional) 🕛 Around **12:00 – Lunch in Ghent** 🚶 Optional walk through the historic center (canals, Graslei, etc.) ### 🚌 Transport to the Castle - Departure from **Gent Korenmarkt** - Bus **12a** - ~25 min ride - 🚶~ 20–25 min walk to the castle 👉 We’ll go together as a group. ### 🏰 Château d’Ooidonk Visit 🕒 Guided tour: **15:00 sharp** ⏰ Arrival: around **14:45** ### 🔙 Return to Brussels We will head back after the visit. 🕖 **Expected return in Brussels: around 19:00** 👉 Of course, you are free to stay longer in Ghent if you prefer. ## 💰 Pricing **€25 per person for Explorer members** **€20 per person for Ambassador and Voyager members** Includes: - Castle entrance - Garden access - English guided tour 👉 Membership required (from €5/year): [https://www.sundayvacations.com](https://www.sundayvacations.com/membership) ## ⚠️ How to Join (Important) 1. Become a member 2. Join the WhatsApp group (link shared after RSVP) 3. Complete the payment via the links shared in WhatsApp 👉 Your spot is confirmed only after payment. ## 📲 WhatsApp Group The WhatsApp group is essential for: - Payment links - Exact meeting points - Live coordination - Final updates ## ⚠️ Important - Joining from Brussels / Ghent is **optional** - You can also come directly to the castle - Please RSVP only if you intend to join - No-shows impact the group ## 🌿 Optional After the visit, we may go for a drink nearby 🍷 ## ✨ Sunday Vacations Spirit We keep things **easy, social, and welcoming** — no pressure, just good vibes and great experiences. Even if you’re new, it’s very easy to join — we travel and move together as a group 😊

Need some quiet time for reading? Want to share the experience with others? Join us at the charming venue of The Sister Café to read in the company of others. It’s alone, but also together, get it? We read for an hour and a half, then chat over a drink. This is a free activity except for the price of the drinks you're consuming.

✨ **Meet new people in Brussels in a friendly, relaxed and international atmosphere.** The ambience is relatively quiet, calm and sober for easy-going casual conversation, with no chaos and loud party music in the background! 🍻 Large selection of **drinks and food** available 🌍 **Internationals, expats & locals** welcome 💪 Organized weekly **since early 2025** 🌳 We have a **private outdoor garden** at the back of the brasserie entirely reserved for our Meetup throughout the whole summer! 📱Please **join our WhatsApp community** via the following invite link for receiving all the latest updates regarding this and many other social events in Bruxelles: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0) 👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 **Over 10,000 members** **overall in our multicultural and diverse Brussels community!** Many of our participants work in EU institutions, NGOs, tech and international organizations. The event was also covered in a recent article from Brussels Times: [https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1949146/euromeet-the-real-life-brussels-social-network](https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1949146/euromeet-the-real-life-brussels-social-network) 😀 Our events usually attract **30–40 attendees each week**, with an age average of around 35 years old (the event announcement is relayed across multiple social media, not just on this page). Many participants come with friends or colleagues, so feel free to bring someone along! 👩 Our events usually also attract a **balanced mix of men and women**, and many participants attend solo for the first time. The organizer and host of the event will help introduce you to other participants, in case you don't know anyone else yet when you first arrive at the event. Our events remain a relaxed international social meetup experience focused on friendship, conversation and community — **not a dating event.** 🩷 **Safe, respectful environment, and zero tolerance for any harassment!** The organizer is always present all evening in case of problems. You can also leave any anonymous feedback about the event here under this form: [https://gmogni.aidaform.com/brasserie-meetup-feedback-form](https://gmogni.aidaform.com/brasserie-meetup-feedback-form) **.** Looking to meet new people and expand your social circle in Brussels, as well as your network of professional contacts? Join us **every Friday evening anytime from 18:30** **and until at least 23h** **at** **the** **“Quartier Leopold”** **brasserie**, in the heart of the famous Place du Luxembourg in front of the European Parliament, for a fun, relaxed night of **drinks, food, spontaneous conversations, and great vibes**! 💛 . 📍 **Location**: “Quartier Leopold” brasserie, Pl. du Luxembourg 9, 1050 Ixelles 📌 **Google Maps**: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/oCvSP1AGZNX2ZV3C8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/oCvSP1AGZNX2ZV3C8) (don't worry if you see the bar marked as "closed" on Google Maps for the Friday nights, they will always be open for us!) **🌐 Website of the venue**: [https://www.quartier-leopold.be/en](https://www.quartier-leopold.be/en) 📸 **Pictures gallery from previous events:** [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRbsinA1wEtUrDhlyw8K6Uz9YKeq0_dw?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LRbsinA1wEtUrDhlyw8K6Uz9YKeq0_dw?usp=sharing) . ✨ **Why you’ll love it**: ✅ **Everyone is welcome**, even if you don’t know anyone else yet—expats, locals, newcomers, solo adventurers, or groups! ✅ **Best time for newcomers:** 18:30–19:30, when it’s easier to meet people. ✅ Completely **free to attend**—just grab a drink and join the fun! Please ask the bartenders when you arrive if unsure where to find our meetup group and tables ✅ Possibility to make also useful **professional exchanges and networking** with other participants who work in similar domains, so remember to bring also your business card! ✅ Tons of **indoor and outdoor space available.** ✅ Possibility to have **dinner at the brasserie** during the meetup (until 22h), thanks to its comprehensive selection of dishes available in the menu: [https://www.quartier-leopold.be/web/content/1467?unique=b27f82e985f525417a92cbeaf0f1ac1c5e2fb4a0](https://www.quartier-leopold.be/web/content/1467?unique=b27f82e985f525417a92cbeaf0f1ac1c5e2fb4a0) ✅ **Want to keep the night going?** After the meetup, we often continue as a group to explore nightlife hotspots in the city center. . 💬 **Stay connected with our Community**: ▶️ Join our **Facebook/Messenger chat** to get updates and easily find the group on arrival:[ ](https://m.me/ch/Abaqvj9lxNT3_xh7/ "https://m.me/ch/Abaqvj9lxNT3_xh7/")[https://m.me/ch/AbaV86vk4SHop_eD/](https://m.me/ch/AbaV86vk4SHop_eD/) ▶️ Otherwise, if you prefer to use **WhatsApp**, please join this other group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FMjWrr9wCR7JYsudMD6XV0) ▶️ And don’t forget to join our **EuroMeet Facebook group** for many more social events in Brussels: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/euromeet](https://www.facebook.com/groups/euromeet) ▶️ Finally, we also manage a **professional networking group on LinkedIn** as well, for more easily retrieving each other's LinkedIn profiles and identifying people who also work in similar domains: [https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13194613/](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13194613/) . Come alone or bring a friend—either way, you’ll leave with **new friends, great memories, and maybe even some ideas on how to develop further your professional career!** See you this Friday! 🍻✨😀 . 📧 **Got questions or comments?** Reach out to the **organizer Gabriele**: gabriele.mogni@gmail.com . **Our community values respect and inclusiveness**. If you ever feel uncomfortable, the organizer is present all evening to help. . 👉 Please **Sign Up via this page** if you would like to attend our next event, so that we can plan accordingly. . *** #BrusselsEvents #BrusselsNightlife #BrusselsLife #MeetupBrussels #BrusselsMeetup #ThingsToDoBrussels #VisitBrussels #PlaceLuxembourg #EUdistrict #AfterWorkBrussels #FridayVibes #FridayInBrussels #BrusselsSocial #SocialInBrussels #MeetNewPeople #MakeNewFriends #InternationalBrussels #ExpatsInBrussels #ExpatLifeBrussels #BrusselsExpats #InternationalFriends #GlobalCommunity #BrusselsCommunity #EuroMeet #NetworkingBrussels #YoungProfessionalsBrussels #PartyInBrussels #BrusselsDrinks #BrusselsByNight #FunInBrussels

Main Library, Meeting Room 2B What does it mean to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? In this gathering, we'll continue our series on the Sermon on the Mount from a mystical perspective. Together we’ll explore Matthew 5:13–16, looking not only to the passage as moral instruction, but also to the deeper transformation of consciousness that Jesus invites. Together we'll reflect on how spiritual awakening changes the way we see ourselves, others, and the world around us. Libera Animae is an interfaith community focused on inner growth, creativity, and authentic connection. All backgrounds are welcome.

**History** The [Franklin Park Conservatory](https://www.fpconservatory.org/)’s roots trace back to 1852 when the Franklin County Agricultural Society purchased 88 acres of land to host the Ohio State Fair. After the fair moved to its permanent home, the city of Columbus transformed the grounds into Franklin Park in 1884. This transition shifted the space from a temporary event site to a dedicated public green space for the growing community. The park became a central hub for outdoor recreation and early civic gatherings in the neighborhood. In 1895, the landmark Victorian-style Palm House opened its doors, drawing heavy inspiration from the Glass Palace of the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. This iron and glass structure became an immediate icon, housing exotic plants that residents would otherwise never see in the Midwest. It remains the oldest part of the facility and serves as a primary link to the conservatory’s 19th-century origins. For decades, it stood as a singular testament to grand horticultural architecture in Central Ohio. A major turning point arrived in 1992 when Columbus hosted AmeriFlora '92, an international horticultural exhibition. This massive event prompted a $16 million renovation and expansion, adding significantly more greenhouse space and the Dorothy M. Davis Showhouse. The festival put the conservatory on the international map and fundamentally changed its scale and ambition. Following the event, the facility transitioned from a city-run park to a private, non-profit organization. In 2003, the conservatory’s identity was further defined through a long-term partnership with world-renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly. After a successful exhibition, the Friends of the Conservatory purchased most of the glass installations, creating the largest permanent collection of Chihuly’s work in a botanical setting. These vibrant glass sculptures are now woven throughout the biomes, blending art with nature. This addition helped cement the conservatory as a premier cultural destination rather than just a botanical garden. Recent years have seen the site expand beyond the glass walls to emphasize community engagement and outdoor education. The 2018 opening of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation Children’s Garden added two acres of interactive landscape designed for hands-on learning. The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company Community Garden Campus also provides local residents with space to grow their own food and learn sustainable practices. Today, the conservatory balances its historic Victorian charm with modern commitments to local ecology and the Columbus community. **Maps of the Conservatory** Here is the [main map](https://www.fpconservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/franklin-park-zones-scaled.jpg) of the Conservatory grounds. Here's a [map of the areas](https://www.fpconservatory.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ConstructionMap-2026.jpg) in which the Conservatory has ongoing construction (see below). **Summary** For this event, we'll explore Columbus's highly-rated and very popular Conservatory. As mentioned above, the Conservatory is doing renovations on parts of the facility. These renovations are scheduled to be ongoing until the Fall of next year. Basically, no matter when you go to the Conservatory over the next 18 months, you're going to see some metaphorical orange barrels. So let's just go now. **Tickets and pricing** On the first Sunday of every month, the Conservatory is free for residents of Franklin County and the city of Columbus. You must bring an ID to receive this discount. (Yes, they do check.) Otherwise, tickets are $25.20. Members of the Columbus Zoo (of which I am one) do get a discount on tickets, though I have never actually bought a ticket to the Conservatory (I've always gone on free days). I believe the discount is $4. Parking is always free. If you have additional questions about pricing or whether and for what you qualify, you can reach the Conservatory at 614-715-8000. **Where we'll meet** We will meet just outside the main entrance. I guarantee there's going to be a line. The Conservatory is always popular on free days, and especially in nice weather. **Your GPS is stupid!** Be careful simply typing "Franklin Park Conservatory" in your GPS and going where it tells you. The only way to access the parking lot to the Conservatory is off of Broad Street. Unfortunately, since Google Maps is unable to find its way out of a wet paper bag, it has a tendency to want to take people to a mythical, non-existent Conservatory entrance on Nelson Road. If your GPS does this, just drive to the north side of the Conservatory along Broad Street. Your GPS should then redirect you to the main Conservatory entrance. If your GPS doesn't, then throw your phone away\* and look for the big Conservatory sign on the south side of Broad Street between Nelson Road and Franklin Park West. You also should be able to use the map pin I've provided, below, and it should properly direct you to where you need to drive. \* Don't really do this. **After the event** After stopping to smell the roses, for those that are interested, we'll head to the nearby [Columbus Brewing Company Beer Hall](https://columbusbrewing.com/location/beer-hall/) for [drinks](https://columbusbrewing.com/location/beer-hall/#draft-list) and [lunch](https://columbusbrewing.com/location/beer-hall/#food-menu). The Beer Hall's actual address is [200 Kelton Ave, Columbus, OH 43205](https://www.google.com/maps/place/200+Kelton+Ave,+Columbus,+OH+43205/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x883889a94ac4acad:0xadb2e60240dbc38b?sa=X&ved=1t:242&ictx=111) (it's literally just on the south side of the Conservatory). Be sure this is where your GPS is taking you when you use it, as the Brewing Company has a taproom on Harrison Avenue that is *not* what you want for this event. We should be at the Beer Hall by 1 if you can't make the Conservatory and just want to join us for drinks.

Start your week the right way with Manic Mondays. Giving you an enjoyable Bachata lesson with a push of cool moves. The second hour has Beginner/Intermediate Salsa on 1. You must understand basic Salsa skills to participate. 730pm-830pm Bachata Cool Moves 830pm-930pm Salsa On 1 (Beginner/Intermediate) 15 for One Class 20 for Both Free Parking & Plenty of Dance Space. Viva Dance Columbus 2809 Festival Lane Dublin OH 43017

🔥 OVER 50 HAPPY HOUR at PBR EASTON! 🔥 Looking to meet new people, enjoy great music, dance, laugh, and have an unforgettable night out? Then grab your friends and join us for one of the most exciting Over 50 social events in Columbus! 📍 PBR Cowboy Bar + Smokehouse – Easton 📅 Thursday, June 18th ⏰ 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (and the fun keeps going!) This is NOT your typical quiet happy hour… this is a high-energy, country-meets-nightlife experience designed for fun-loving singles and couples over 50 who still enjoy getting out, socializing, and making memories! ✨ What’s Happening: 🎵 Live Music from 6:30–8:30 PM 🐂 Mechanical Bull Riding starting at 8:30 PM 💃 Line Dancing with Instructor from 9–10 PM 🎧 DJ & Dancing starting at 9 PM 🍹 Drink Specials All Night: $3, $4 & $5 specials! Whether you want to relax with a drink, hit the dance floor, try the mechanical bull, or just meet a great group of people in a fun atmosphere — this event has something for everyone. 👉 IMPORTANT: When you arrive, CHECK IN with the host under: “Doug / Meetup” to receive your wristband. 🚗 FREE Parking available across from the venue and at the Easton West Garage. Come when you can, leave when you want… but don’t be surprised if you stay all night! Let’s make Thursday night FUN again! 🎉