Quiet Parks International awarded the Urban Quiet Park status to Dender-Mark Quiet Area in Belgium on Oct. 29, 2021
On October 29 Dender-Mark Quiet Area celebrated its 20th anniversary as a landmark of silence, stillness and peace. At the same time Dender-Mark was internationally recognised and awarded as Belgium’s First Urban Quiet Park by Quiet Parks International.
“20 years of providing access to quiet, and inspiring people to listen to the sound of nature, Dender-Mark Quiet Area and the work of Waerbeke is unique and we hope our award will help showcase this around the world,” said Ulf Bohman, Executive Director for Urban Quiet Parks at QPI.
Gilke Pée of the Flemish Department of Environment and Spatial Development explained: “Quiet areas have a sensitizing effect. We want to draw attention to the importance of sound quality. This is necessary, according to the European Quietness Index. Flanders, in the heart of Europe, is one of the least quiet regions on the continent.”
Dirk Sturtewagen, director and co-founder of Waerbeke, added: “By recognizing and awarding tranquil areas and inviting people to listen to the outer quiet, we help them to find the source of silence within themselves.”
On October 30, 2001, the municipalities of Galmaarden, Geraardsbergen and Ninove, the provinces of East Flanders and Flemish Brabant and the Flemish government signed a collaboration agreement concerning Dender-Mark Quiet Area. As a result of this pilot project, Waerbeke emerged as a sociocultural movement that raises the issue of silence, tranquility and space in society.
Waerbeke responded to the need for a broad movement that raises awareness and connects the many initiatives on silence, stillness, high-quality environment and health. Its aim is helping to develop them in a sustainable way. These initiatives include the preservation and development of quiet areas and urban oases or tranquil spaces to relax and enjoy nature all over Flanders.
The anniversary celebration and award giving ceremony for invited partners and press took place in the country’s first recognized quiet area, near Brussels, Europe’s capital.
Quiet Parks International is a non-profit organisation committed to saving quiet for the benefit of all life. We envision a world that offers quiet within and without. A world where everyone has daily access to quiet and opportunities to listen to the sounds of nature. A world where the experience of quiet nature is directly linked to inner quiet, peace and joy of being.
QPI was founded in 2019 by Gordon Hempton and Vikram Chauhan. In 2020 the World’s First Urban Quiet Park was awarded to Yangmingshan National Park, Taiwan.
In June 2021, Hampstead Heath in London was recognised as Europe’s First Urban Quiet Park. A second European Urban Quiet Park, this one in Spain, Parc Del Montnegre i el Corridor, followed on October 9.
More Quiet Parks will be awarded in 2022. Stockholm has five parks readied for Awards in the spring of 2022 and potential Urban Quiet Parks are being evaluated in Paris, Thessaloniki, Toronto, Brisbane, New York and Wellington Town Belt, NZ.
Photo credit: Patrick De Spiegelaere
Press Contact
Gordon Hempton, Executive Director of Media Affairs, gordon@quietparks.org, cell +1-360-477-9588, Skype ID quiet.planet1
Vikram Chauhan, President and Co-Founder: vikram@quietparks.org
Ulf Bohman, Executive Director of Urban Quiet Parks: ulf@quietparks.org