Brussels Considers Street Names Honoring Moroccan and Turkish Immigrants

This gesture aims to recognize the contribution of these communities to Belgium’s economic history, particularly in the coal sector. Maimouni wants to honor the legacy and sacrifices of these workers, reports La Dernière heure.

In response, Anaïs Maes, Alderman for Urban Planning, was cautious. Although open to the idea of including names of women from the Turkish and Moroccan communities in future nominations, she expressed administrative challenges and the rarity of opportunities to rename spaces.

"I don’t want to submit to the diktat of wokism. In 1964, it was 99% men who came, the women came later. I want to highlight those who died in the coal mines, from lung diseases. I had proposed that we rename a metro station in honor of a Moroccan or Turkish worker who died on a Stib construction site. But at the time, they were not counted..." Maimouni retorted.