Canon of Flanders now has a French translation
The Canon of Flanders is now available in French. The book Soixante fenêtres sur la Flandre is an "outstretched hand to better understand the Flemish people", deputy minister-president Ben Weyts said at the launch on Tuesday.
In May 2023, Flanders presented its Canon of Flanders, an overview of the anchor points of the region's history, culture and sciences. While the Canon has been criticised in academic circles for being funded by the Flemish government, it has been largely well received by the public and has sold well.
Following the publication of the English translation earlier this year, a French version is now available. Translator and UGent professor Guy Rooryck decided to remove the word "canon" from the title as he felt it was too deterministic, while canon also refers to a military cannon in French. Instead, he chose the title meaning "Sixty windows into Flanders".
With the translation, Flanders wants to offer its neighbours in Wallonia and France an insight into the region's culture and people.
"We can only understand a nation if we know its history," Weyts said. He hopes that French-speaking teachers will start using the works in their classes and that other nations will create their own canon.
Thomas Dermine, the outgoing secretary of state for Science Policy, would like to see a Walloon canon. "The work on building a collective identity is a working point for Wallonia," he said on Tuesday. "The big challenge in Wallonia is the socio-economic reconstruction and this must be done by strengthening the link with the territory."
Soixante fenêtres sur la Flandre is published by Borgerhoff & Lamberigts. A German translation is planned.
#FlandersNewsService | © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM
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