00:00Roughly 500 people gathered on Sunday to celebrate Iftar in a church in Belgium's Molenbeek.
00:08With 140 different nationalities, the district is incredibly diverse. However, it also has
00:15a dubious reputation. The shared meal was organized as part of Molenbeek's bid to become
00:20the European Capital of Culture in 2030. Through its candidacy, Molenbeek hopes to redefine
00:27its narrative and reassert itself through its strength of its cultural diversity.
00:33This is why this candidacy is very important for Molenbeek, because this is a wonderful
00:39opportunity to flip the script and to dream together for the future through culture, through
00:46art, through different culture to create a new us. Even if we are different, we share the same
00:57dreams. There is a very important symbolic here of Molenbeek, because after what happened
01:06in the 15 years ago, during 15 years, with the symbol of violence, of terror and so on,
01:13we have now a message of resilience, of building together a future,
01:19not only for Molenbeek, but for Brussels and for Europe also.
01:24The month of March not only marks the celebration of Ramadan, but also Lent for Christians and Purim
01:30for Jewish people. Sunday's Iftar therefore welcomed people from all ages and backgrounds.
01:38We are celebrating an Iftar in a church, which is a symbol of diversity, inclusion,
01:44multiculturalism, which is very, very present here in Molenbeek.
01:48Molenbeek is now up against Leuven and Namur, the two other cities running for the European
01:54Capital of Culture title. The winner will be announced in September.
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