📅 Monday, September 29, 2025 🕑 From 2 PM to 5 PM 📍 House of Compassion – Beguinage Church, Brussels
As part of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, the collective Rendre Visible l’Invisible / Wat Verborgen is Zichtbaar maken invites you to a creative workshop centered around a symbolic object: the chair. Golden chairs will be used to create public space during a symbolic action on October 17.
The chairs will be placed to affirm that everyone deserves a seat in society.
Twenty wooden chairs from House of Compassion are being prepared for the action. You’re warmly welcome to help us paint them. This moment is also an opportunity to meet volunteers, build connections, and prepare this collective action together.
🤝 With the support of: ATD Fourth World Belgium · Federation of Social Services · Netwerk tegen Armoede · Pivot asbl · Brussels Platform Armoede · Convivence / Samenleven · ArtiCulE
Opening: Wed, 01 October, 17:00 – 20:00
House of Compassion, Brussels
Exhibition: Wed, 01 October — Sun, 26 October 2025 (during the opening hours of House of Compassion)
The artist Aroa Chao is conducting an in-depth exploration of the history of the Beguines in House of Compassion, a former beguinage in Brussels.
Beguine women resisted the logic of the medieval and ecclesiastical zeitgeist, with its machinery of discursive order and normative regulation of social forms and instruments of subjugation. They established their mysterious beguinages—authentic micro-societies—as brief oases throughout history. As part of Europalia, Begin The Beguine explores the figure of the Beguine through various exhibition strategies: text production, actions, installations (textile – video – object – sound), and musical creation. Using a patrimonial methodology—and beyond—it traces the connections the Beguines managed to weave between the two countries. During the opening, the composer of the original musical piece on the mystery of the beguinage, violinist Sergio Bolaños, will perform live, accompanied by the projection of video art created by Aroa Chao.
Aroa Chao
Aroa Chao is a Spanish artist and costume designer based in Brussels and Madrid. In addition to running her own online vintage fashion space, she combines her creative work with sharing her studies in social and cultural anthropology. Since 2022, Aroa Chao has been developing the research project Mulieres Ardentes. Since arriving in Brussels, she has explored Belgium’s historical and cultural richness, undertaking a pilgrimage through the beguinages and focusing on the heritage of Beguine culture in the country. With a focus on social responsibility, her work as a designer and artist asserts the importance of history in contemporary clothing.
📅 When? Saturday, September 13 at 11:00 a.m.
📍 Where? House of Compassion
Caro Bridts and Lieven De Pril, educational staff members at Welzijnsschakels vzw, didn’t sit still during the COVID period. At the end of 2021, their book De Kansendans (“The Dance of Opportunities”) was published. By January, it had already reached its second edition.
This unique book on poverty and (equal) dignity is rooted in their personal life stories. It mirrors the life of someone who grew up in generational poverty with that of a social worker from the middle class. The book offers a fresh perspective on poverty, society, and the fight against exclusion.
Stefanie Moens brings Caro’s life story to the stage in a gripping monologue.
“A unique theatrical experience.
Deeply moving and passionate about poverty,
which so many people around us live through.
The heart of this performance is liberation.
Don’t miss it.”
— Arne Sierens, Flemish playwright and author
“Extraordinary. Not just theatre, but immersive theatre.
Brilliantly delivered — congratulations to the performer.
Beautiful interplay of visuals, sound, and music.
You’re drawn into the feeling.
You can’t hide as an ‘outsider’.”
— R., lawyer and volunteer in a major poverty organization
“The actress was simply TOP.
It felt like she was telling her own life story.”
— L., expert by experience
“One of the best performances I’ve ever seen about poverty.
Truly moving, effective, and finally getting to the heart of the matter.
This show should be seen in every municipality.
It gave me strength — I want to promote it everywhere.”
— C., expert by experience
🎬 Director: Thomas De Wit
🖋️ Author: Thomas De Wit
🎭 Performer: Stefanie Moens
📌 Practical Info:
Free entry, but donations to support the House of Compassion project are welcome.
Registration is recommended.
Translation available in French and Dutch.
Followed by a solidarity meal.
Musical interlude by Paul Takahashi.
📷 Photo: Paco Producties
Peace is not a given. It’s something we must build together every day — as citizens, as a community, and as peacebuilders.
That’s why Pax Christi organizes Peace Labs. During these workshops, we aim to inspire people to reflect on peace and how to make it a reality, activating each person as a peacebuilder — especially in times when war rhetoric and fear seem to dominate.
In this Peace Lab, House of Compassion will open a conversation about peace. Afterwards, participants will engage creatively: they will design new peace symbols and create a unique peace flag.
📅 Dates September 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — peace conversations September 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. — sewing workshop
👉 To register, click here
House of Compassion, Place du Béguinage, Brussels 
Until August 31, 2025 
Free entry, Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Confirmed on-site presence from August 1 to 17, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Gaza.8.08.25@gmail.com 
+32 476 24 58 93 (WhatsApp available)