The project large sculpture “The Athletes Alley” is progressing well.
On 10 October the whole team, including the artist, went to see the exact spot where the sculpture will stand. The group is pictured at the “observation spot” and you can see the view towards the sculpture, a view from the last statues group towards the observation spot (so far you can’t see the group anymore). As well as shots of the temporary weather station, with the temporary venue in the back for the grass hockey.


At a later date, on 2 November, I led former Ambassador Ms. Claire Kirschen to inspect the same location, together with Ms. Kristine De Muylder, general manager of Europalia. Claire is one of my oldest acquaintances in Beijing; we first met in late 1980 when she was Minister Counsellor at the embassy. Later in the nineties she came back as ambassador.

Now she is the General Commissioner for Europalia China, the Cultural and Artistic Festival Europe – China that will take place in Belgium sometimes in September 2009, for several months. Claire and Kristine were in China for a series of contacts for the festival. Claire is also a close friend of the artist Olivier.