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King Philippe of Belgium met 12 citizens on Tuesday afternoon as part of BeHeroes, an initiative of the Prince Philippe Fund celebrating everyday heroes who make society more humane and inclusive.
BeHeroes, launched in 2020, initially highlighted healthcare workers but has since expanded to honour citizens from all walks of life for their commitment to social causes.
From over 200 applications, an independent jury selected 50 individuals, of whom 12 — six Dutch-speaking, five French-speaking, and one German-speaking — were invited to meet the King.
At 89 years old, Simone Stillaert from Brussels is the oldest of the 2023 heroes. Nicknamed “grandmother,” she has been volunteering with the Red Cross for 75 years.
The youngest heroes, Sabrina Shariff and Louise Vanpée-Schauwers, hail from Walloon Brabant and Flemish Brabant, respectively. Sabrina, a law student, teaches Dutch with Schola ULB, while Louise, a nurse at UZ Leuven, volunteers at a shelter for young cancer patients.
Other honourees include Ali El Abbouti (37), an educator in Molenbeek; Juliette Berguet (48), founder of BAOB Brussels, supporting cancer patients; and Sabri Belhadj (42), who runs a boxing club in Antwerp.
The list continues with Marc Dürnholz (66) from Liège, whose braillepost.be service allows blind individuals to exchange letters; Nela Denisijevic (44), a former talk-show host from Sarajevo; and Agnes Steenssens (72), an Antwerp resident who visits isolated prisoners and campaigns against the death penalty.
Fred Monsuur (50) renovates homes in Limburg to aid disadvantaged youth, while Bernard Willemart (63) from Namur founded a transport service for cancer patients and a rehabilitation centre. Lastly, Ghizlane Zaid (37) works with “Samen voor Morgen,” helping struggling children and supporting immigrant parents.
https://www.brusselstimes.com/belgium/1739319/king-philippe-welcomes-everyday-heroes-to-the-palace