Any news from Olivier?
Hello everyone! I am writing to you from paradise, where we have been since the beginning of July and will remain until the end of August! We are delighted to have friends staying with us: Catherine, Nicole, Isabelle, Frédéric, Jef, and then in August we will be welcoming Barbara’s family, children, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.
Other than that, there’s not much news; everything is fine here. The weather is quite nice, a little cloudy these last few days, but we try to play tennis as often as possible in the morning.
That said, at my age, 68, we are entering a period when friends are leaving us. Very recently, we lost the brother of a close friend who was with me at the European School in Varese, Bernard, one of the leaders of microStart, Guy, with whom I had the pleasure of helping to build this great initiative. My thoughts are with them and my condolences go out to their families.
And what are you going to do, Olivier, after leaving the Board of Directors of microStart and EMMI after the statutory years? Yes, ten years… at least, and then it’s time to make way for the younger generation! Well, I’ve accepted a position as a member of the board of directors at AEPL, the European Association of Free Thinkers ( www.aepl.eu ). We prepare contributions to the work of European institutions on topics they ask us to paticipate to, in accordance with Article 17 of the European Union’s organisation. These include social housing in Europe, climate change, European defence and digital technology. It is fascinating to receive contributions from affiliated associations from all over Europe, to compile them and prepare a document that we present to the Council, the Commission or the European Parliament.
I am also still a member of the Board of Directors of SIREAS ( www.sireas.be ). We have been fortunate to recruit a great new Director General, Emmanuel Mossay, who will certainly help us to face the challenges facing the organisation: constantly adapting to the needs of society and reducing public contributions. Migration flows are not going to disappear by miracle, and climate change is adding to the wars throughout the world. Europe and Belgium are still protected areas, and we contribute as best we can to integrating newcomers who want to stay in Belgium and are admitted here. We also help young people who have made mistakes or lost their way and want to start a new professional life.
Finally, as you know, I am always keen to connect people, and I look forward to putting those of you who are looking for contacts, ideas or solutions in the social and solidarity economy in touch with each other. I wish you all a wonderful summer and hope to see some of you again in Brussels in September!
All the best, and I hope to see you soon.
Olivier
July 2025
