Anti-Globalization

Forget the tourist crowds of Binche—this Sunday, we’re heading to Nivelles to experience one of Belgium’s oldest and most authentic folklore traditions! Join us as the "City of the Aclots" wakes up to the sound of wooden clogs and brass bands for its 122nd Carnival. We’ll witness the "Cavalcade," see the world-famous Gilles in their towering ostrich-feather hats, and dodge (or catch!) flying oranges. This is the perfect chance to tick off a major Belgian bucket-list item while meeting new people. 🕒 The Plan * 12:00 – Meet & Greet: We’ll meet at Gare du Midi for Brunch together at the Time Off buffet then take the bus to Nivelles from there. * 14:15 – The Grand Cavalcade: We’ll position ourselves to watch the parade depart from the station area. Expect colorful floats, giants, and plenty of music. * 15:15 – The Procession of the Gilles: The main event! Over 700 Gilles and folkloric groups will march toward the Grand-Place. * 16:30 – Tarte al D’jote Tasting: We’ll head to a local bakery or tavern to try the legendary Tarte al D’jote (a savory, cheesy chard tart). It’s been a local tradition since 1218—and it’s "costaud" (strong)! * 18:00 onwards: Drinks in the city center as the party continues. 💡 What to Bring * Old Clothes: Confetti is a given, and orange juice from "flying gifts" might happen. Wear something you don't mind getting a bit messy! * Comfortable Shoes: We’ll be walking and standing on cobblestones. * Cash: Some street stalls for food/drinks may not take cards. 🚆 Getting There * By Bus (no train that day) * By Car: Parking will be difficult in the center. Use the "Parking de délestage" (P+R) on the outskirts of the city and follow the carnival signs. ⚠️ Important Etiquette If a Gille throws an orange at you, it is a gift and a symbol of the coming spring. Do not throw it back—it is considered very disrespectful in Belgian culture! Just catch it, peel it, and enjoy. Ready to experience the real Belgium? RSVP now!

Welcome to our weekly event in the upstairs room of The Sister Café, rue Chair et Pain 3, one block from the Grand Place. Please get there early enough to order your drink at the bar first. Thank you! After introductions we will collect questions from the group participants, choose one by voting then discuss it for an hour. Then most of us stay for drinks and bizarre conversations. Past questions have been wide and not confined to academic philosophy: What is a genuine friend? Is social media turning us into emotional zombies? Do we lose some of the experience of things by defining them? Are we driven by sex? Is loneliness a personal failure? Is morality relative? **Crucially, be kind and respectful and generous** in your disagreements; remember how much you personally enjoy someone else proving you wrong before celebrating your cutting counterexamples.

This Weekend Morning Coffee Meeting - Sunday Edition - will take place at Addies Stories, an Ethiopian Café with traditional Ethiopian coffee. 🗓 **Sunday, 22 February** ⏰ **from 10:30** 👥 **limited to 22 people - registration is obligatory** **This is an extract from the BUZZ from January 2026:** "Ethiopia is the country most often associated with coffee. Arabica grows in the wild, coffee is roasted at home and the coffee ceremony determines the rhythm of social life. The fact that coffee is so deeply anchored gives an extra dimension to the opening of Addis Stories, a place where it is more about real coffee than about fashion trends and trendy specialties." **https://www.bruzz.be/select/resto-bar/bij-addis-stories-draait-alles-om-pure-ethiopische-koffie-en-traditie-2026-01-24** **https://www.addisstories.com/** **Address:** **Addis Stories** **Rue du Vieux Marché 48** **1000 Brussels** This is one of our Sunday editions, which are usually meant to test new places outside our usual coffee locations. These editions are smaller and more experimental, and focus as much on the place and the neighbourhood as on the group itself. ### ### IMPORTANT Please **do not register if you are unsure you can come**. If you register and later realise you can’t make it, **cancel as soon as possible, latest on Saturday afternoon.** There is often a **waiting list**, and it’s only fair to give people on it a real chance to join. Thank you for being fair and respectful. If you’re **on the waiting list**, please **check your status on Saturday evening at the latest**. See you on Sunday ☕

Join the only indoor volleyball meetup in Brussels — play, move, and meet new people! 🏐 🕘 **Every Sunday morning** 📊 **Level:** Beginner → Intermediate / Intermediate 💶 **€10** per person (2h session)

Hello, readers ! In February we are reading All Fours by Miranda July. We will meet at Maison de Quartier Malibran, Rue de la Digue 10, 1050 Ixelles. **Please keep your RSVP up to date** and happy reading!

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

Please [register yourself on the website](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/j5YTbU6YaGLgGOXyvMNn) to receive the full details: Use your Sunday to connect with yourself and the Earth! We will have a short talk about spirituality (a different subject every week), followed by a guided meditation to bless ourselves and the Earth. Topics such as chakras, self development, self connection are examples of themes discussed during the session before a meditation. The Twin Hearts Meditation was developed by Master Choa Kok Sui to connect ourselves and share loving-kindness to the entire Earth! **Sunday** **10:30 - 11:30** Av Louise 505, Brussels Donation-based. There is a box at the entrance to receive your donation. Register yourself on the link a the top to receive all the details. Let's allow ourselves to **shine and share our light with the Earth**! This talk + meditation is followed by a Pranic Healing session, a powerful healing system to bring more inner peace, self-connection, and emotional and physical healing. You can [register yourself for that session here] (https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/7QLiiTnqLMxNg6Bdm5Bm). With love, Juliana

Let's meet to write ! Schedule : 11:00 - 11:30 am : Presentation tour. Share briefly with the group about your project and your "goal of the day". 11:30 - 13:30 : Let's write ! 13:30 : Conclusion tour. Did you achieve your goal of the day ? See you soon !

**Cinema Flagey : Dit is Belgisch** 22/02 @ 19h15 Esca Felice Ronzon, BE/FR, 2024, 6’41’’ Lights, Haze Tata Managadze, BE/FI/PT/GE, 2024, 8’04’’ Red Meat Eleni Aerts, BE, 2024, 5’50’’ What Are You Looking At? Chen-Yi Liu, BE/TW, 2024, 6’02’’ L’Envol Estelle Chauvier, Léa Chau & Vincent Consten, BE, 2024, 7’35’’ To Be a Seed Julia Granillo Tostado, BE, 2023, 5’47’’ Sphere Supreme Hasan Pastaci, BE/TR, 2024, 5’01’’ Room to Grow Orianne Cambier, BE, 2024, 3’40’’ Presqu’îles Angèle Vergoni & Sarah Vanhoeck, BE, 2024, 5’40’’ JUDY1964 Marie-Hélène Van Thuyne, BE, 2024, 5’10’’ Pubert Jimbob Quirijn Dees, BE, 2024, 15’35’’ Studentenkortfilms in nationale competitie Flagey, Folioscope [Cinema Flagey](https://www.flagey.be/fr/activity/13776-c-est-du-belge-3-dit-is-belgisch-3-courts-metrages-14) **For Dreamers, Coffee shots, Orezza, eau de Saint-Georges !**

Join us for some friendly Badminton games- all levels welcome! IMPORTANT- in order to secure your place you’ll need to both book a spot on Meetup AND pay €8 by Friday morning. This is to make sure we can cancel courts if demand isn’t there, and make sure we’re being fair to people on the waitlist. Refunds will only be possible after Friday AM if another player is definitely able to take your spot Always worth joining our W’app group as well for faster, often better, updates! https://chat.whatsapp.com/C52QitOMtltB7NTie86YFQ

# Back to Pompeii Exhibition Step back in time and dive into ancient Pompeii, frozen by Vesuvius 🌋 The Pompeii exhibition in Brussels invites you to step back in time and dive into the heart of Pompeii, an ancient city frozen in History by the fury of Mount Vesuvius. Discover the daily life of a Pompeian family in immersive settings of exceptional quality. Explore reconstructed Roman homes, artisan workshops and entertainment venues, all recreated with precision and attention to detail. Discover the fascinating archaeological discoveries and poignant human stories unearthed from the ashes. Experience the city’s last tragic moments in a breathtaking show that will leave you speechless. The Pompeii exhibition in Brussels: an unforgettable experience discover a civilisation and its history, its art and its technology… right up to its last day. \*\*Afterwards\*\* → casual drinks together at Brasserie de la Senne (super close, great beers 🍻 – right on the Tour & Taxis site!) \*\*Please only sign up if you’re sure you can make it\*\* – helps avoid waiting 😊 Excited to explore ancient Rome with you! See you there? 🚀 **Practical information** Meeting point at 15:00 Ticket: take it for the slot 15:00-15:30 on [back to Pompeii website](https://tour-taxis.com/events/back-to-pompeii-exhibition-2/) Price = 18,5€ At Shed 4 bis, Tour & Taxis (Brussels). It is located opposite the Food Market and shares an entrance with the WOM. **Access - Public transport** **TRAIN** : Gare du Nord de Bruxelles, à 10 minutes à pied. **MÉTRO** : lignes 2 ou 6 – Arrêt Yser ou Ribaucourt. **TRAM** : lignes 51 ou 93 – Arrêt Sainctelette. **BUS** : lignes 14, 15, 57, 88 ou 89 – Arrêt Tour & Taxis.

Let’s have our next meetup this coming Sunday at MIR Concept. This meeting is meant to be relaxed, human, and focused on real conversations ,no pressure, no expectations, just people meeting people. I created MIR as a space for genuine human connection, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. It’s a cozy and inspiring place designed for conversation, creativity, and positive impact. I warmly invite you to join us and enjoy a great cup of coffee, tea, or matcha, along with delicious pastries. We’ll chat, laugh, share opinions, and see how different languages and cultures connect us. I’m really looking forward to continuing this journey with you and meeting both familiar and new faces.

Set out for an energizing afternoon micro-adventure in the "Flemish Ardennes". This hilly and scenic region in the West of Belgium. With a small crew of explorers, we’ll hike through lush nature trails, taking in the scenery and challenging ourselves with a sporty pace. Expect winding paths, panoramic views, and plenty of chances to reconnect with nature while enjoying a light but adventurous outing. **RESERVATION OPENS THE WEEK BEFORE THE EVENT** **Practically:** The plan is to meet at a metro station. We car pool from there to Kortrijk region. We will arrive there a bit before lunch, possible we have a coffee and we take of for the hike. The hike is 3 hours walk. You should bring lunch as we have lunch on the trail. After the hike we have a drink and we return to Brussels around 18h. *Car Sharing* PP numbers depend of number of drivers. **Let me know if you need a ride if you offer a car to share.** 10 eur pp for car sharing.

This meeting will be an open discussion about the book "an Immense World" by Ed Yong

Come join us for tea and brunch at ZenCha as we discuss our March read, "The Enchanted Greenhouse"! Book description: Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium. This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home. But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again. This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. If the weather cooperates we will be meeting in the patio. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

Younkin Branch Library (Ashville) meeting space is now reserved for any and all interested in or enthused by playing a game of chess. The second Thursday of each month, 6:00pm to 7:50pm. First gathering is Thursday, May 11th. No fees. Chess sets provided; however, you may bring your own if you wish.

ASH is Atheists, Skeptics and Humanists of First Unitarian Universalists of Columbus Ohio TBD Snacks are usually available, and you are welcome to bringing something to share!

Save the Date 🌱 The Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers invite you to the annual gardening conference, open to everyone who enjoys growing plants. 📅 Saturday, March 14, 2026 📍 OSU Newark Campus - Reese center 🎟️ Tickets go on sale in January and this event fills fast, sells out every year 🌿 2026 Theme: Unusual Gardens in Your Backyard You will hear practical ideas that help you rethink small spaces and try new approaches at home. This conference also arrives at the perfect time of year. It helps soothe the urge to get outside while winter is still around. Central Ohio gardeners wait until late May to plant outdoors, so this day helps you plan and daydream about spring projects. Speakers • Joseph Tychonievich, author of Rock Gardening: Reimagining a Classic Style • Debra Knapke, The Garden Sage • Denise Schreiber, author of Eat Your Roses You will find vendors, a silent raffle, and friendly conversations with other gardeners. Registration • Register by January 31 to pay 50 dollars • Starting February 1, the fee is 60 dollars • Tickets at the door are 75 dollars • Boxed lunch, coffee and pastries are included MGV website: [https://fourseasonsofgardening.org/2026-spring-conference](https://fourseasonsofgardening.org/2026-spring-conference)

**Welcome to the inaugural meeting of the International Relations / Foreign Policy Group Columbus!** This group brings together students, professionals, academics, and anyone interested in global affairs, diplomacy, and geopolitics. Our first meetup will be an informal discussion focused on current international developments and global trends. This is a great opportunity to: • Meet others interested in international relations and foreign policy • Discuss current global events and geopolitical developments • Exchange perspectives and ideas in a respectful environment • Build a network of globally minded individuals in Central Ohio (Columbus and periphery) **Discussion topics may include:** * Strategic planning for the group and the way forward * US foreign policy priorities in 2026 * Major geopolitical developments (Europe, Asia, Middle East) * Global security and strategic competition * International economic and diplomatic trends No prior expertise is required—everyone is welcome, whether you're a student, professional, or simply interested in world affairs. **This will be a casual, friendly, and intellectually engaging conversation.** I look forward to meeting everyone and building a strong international relations / foreign policy community in Central Ohio.