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In addition to the heritage value, the degree of public engagement, having modern facilities, and how the venue focuses on accessibility and inclusivity are also taken into account. The procedure is strict, as less than a third of the interested parties ultimately obtain the label.

Botanic Garden Meise makes it clear how varied these venues are. The Botanic Garden distin guishes itself thanks to its unique combination of scientific, botanical, and historical heritage. It is located on the 92-hectare domain around Bouchout Castle, with greenhouses, historical

key, including award-winning scientific research. Another founder is Thor Central, the former main building of the Waterschei coal mine in Genk. Thor Central, an industrial building that sym bolises coal mining between 1924 and 1987, has been converted into a modern conference

©Mark Depaepe

A network, rather than a list The network currently has 32 venues throughout Flanders. It is a mix of historical buildings, modern classics, and less obvious places. Below are a few examples. One of the first five venues to join is A Room with a ZOO, the only conference centre in the world that features an actual zoo. Although the entire building offers modern conference facili ties, it still features many traces of the original 19th-century building. In addition, knowledge about animal welfare and nature conservation is

buildings, and one of Europe’s largest and most diverse plant collections. In 2023, 12 more heritage venues were added after the network was expanded to include venues that do not have a heritage designation but still offer a unique experience and meet all other requirements. A good example is the Beurs-, Meeting- en Congrescentrum Brugge (BMCC), which ope ned in January 2022. The modern conference centre was built on the historic site of the former Bruges Stock Exchange, features particular

and innovation centre as part of the Thor Park technology campus. In 2019, nine venues joined the list, and one of them was the Sint-Pietersabdij in Ghent. The abbey, with roots dating back to the 7th century, exudes 14 centuries of history, inclu ding the impressive Chapter House, atmospheric cloisters, an intimate crypt, serene attic spaces, and an idyllic abbey garden. In 2020, six more venues joined the exclusive group of heritage venues with modern confe rence facilities.

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