Belgian National Day is the national holiday of Belgium commemorated annually on 21 July and it is one of Belgium’s ten public holidays. On 21 July 1831, Leopold of Saxe-Cobourg and Gotha swore allegiance to the Belgian constitution and became King Leopold I, the first King of the Belgians. The new King’s swearing in marked the beginning of a constitutional monarchy that ruled over the independent state of Belgium. The day celebrates the birth of the Belgian nation, Belgian culture, pride and Belgium’s independence from the Netherlands.
Historically, National Day is marked by a televised speech by the King. The main festivities occur in Brussels. They traditionally begin with a Te Deum at the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, attended by the King and other dignitaries. In the afternoon, the Belgian Armed Forces and police are reviewed by the King and parade around the Rue de la Loi and around the perimeter of the Brussels Park in front of the Royal Palace. Foreign contingents from Belgium's European Union and NATO allies also participate. Elsewhere in Belgium, celebrations often involve church services, flea markets, and public concerts. Belgian flags are commonly displayed by shops and private houses. An interesting fact is that rain is very common on National Day and is popularly referred to in French as the "National Downpour" (French: drache nationale).
Did you know?
- On National Day 2013, King Philippe formally ascended to the throne following the abdication of his father Albert II.
- The world record for a democratic nation to be without an elected government is held by Belgium, which lasted for 589 days in 2010-11.
- Belgium produces more than 220,000 tons of chocolate per annum.
- The highest point in Belgium is lower than the world’s tallest building. The Signal de Botrange on the High Fens plateau in far-east Belgium is the highest point at 694m, shorter than the world’s tallest building in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa at 828m.
- The longest tram line in the world is the Belgian Coast Tram. The Kusttram travels the full 68km of Belgian coast between the French and Dutch borders, making some 68 stops.
If you feel like celebrating Belgian National Day in a different way, you can try interpreting a speech about Belgium in Mandarin Chinese. You may also practise your interpreting skills on speeches in all 3 official languages of Belgium, namely Dutch, French and German. The choice of topics and levels of difficulty is huge! All this offered by the Speech Repository. Join us!
Happy practice,
Your Speech Repository Team