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比利時嘉年華被指反猶 自聯合國非遺除名
比利时阿尔斯特市的嘉年华因为受到反犹太主义的指控，遭联合国教科文组织从非物质文化遗产名录剔除。该市市长澄清阿尔斯特并非反犹太主义，未来也永远是嘲弄与讽刺之都。
阿爾斯特市已自行向教科文組織提出要求，將阿爾斯特嘉年華從世界遺產名錄上除名，原因是在過去幾年內多次發生慶典花車帶有歧視及反猶太形象的事件。
Wikipedia
Belgian mayor drops UN heritage status to retain carnival that featured big-nosed Jews
Renouncing his town’s Unesco listing, Aalst mayor Christoph D'Haese says it is ‘unavoidable’ that Jews will be ridiculed at next year’s event
The float at the Aalst Carnival in March 2019 showed Strictly Orthodox men with large noses, fur hats and a white rat on a shoulder, surrounded by bags of money. (Photo: FJO)
A Belgian town has chosen to renounce its place on the UN cultural heritage list rather than restrict a carnival that depicted big-nosed Charedi Jews sitting on piles of money.
Officials in Aalst said they were sick of complaints that the event was antisemitic.
The most recent carnival in March included a float depicting Strictly Orthodox men wearing shtreimel fur hats surrounded by bags of money.
One of the caricatured figures had a white rat resting on its shoulder.
It was criticised by Belgium’s Jewish community and the European Union, which said it conjured up visions of the 1930s.
The city’s mayor Christoph D’Haese, who previously said it was not for him to ban the float, said on Sunday that he planned to renounce Aalst’s recognition from Unesco, the UN’s cultural agency.
Mr D’Haese told the Flemish broadcaster VTM that his officials “have had it a bit with the grotesque complaints and Aalst will renounce its Unesco recognition”.
He added: “It was clear that we had to go, so we kept the honour to ourselves.”
Hans Knoop from the Belgian Forum of Jewish Organisations said the mayor had not cooperated with them in talks on the issue.
He told AP that renouncing Unesco status should not make way for similar floats in the future, adding: “They are not at liberty to spew any more antisemitic dirt. We will keep a close eye on Aalst.”
But Mr D’Haese said it was “unavoidable” that Jews will be ridiculed at the next carnival.
“We are on a very dangerous slippery slope when people will be able to decide what can be laughed at,” he said.
The decision to renounce the heritage status comes the week before a Unesco meeting in Colombia where delegates were due to discuss whether Aalst should remain on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Aalst
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Aalst City Hall
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.gif) Flag .svg) Coat of arms | |
 
Aalst
Location in Belgium
show
Location of Aalst in East Flanders
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| Coordinates: 50°56′N 04°02′ECoordinates: 50°56′N 04°02′E | |
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | East Flanders |
| Arrondissement | Aalst |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Christoph D'Haese (N-VA) |
| • Governing party/ies | N-VA, Open VLD, CD&V |
| Area | |
| • Total | 78.12 km2 (30.16 sq mi) |
| Population
(2018-01-01)[1]
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| • Total | 85,715 |
| • Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
| Postal codes |
9300, 9308, 9310, 9320
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| Area codes | 053 |
| Website | www.aalst.be |
Carnival[edit]
Aalst is known for its carnival festivities, celebrated every year before Lent. During this celebration, the former town hall belfry is the site of the traditional "throwing of the onions".[11] A Prince Carnival is elected, who is allowed to "rule" the city for three days. A big parade crosses the city on Sunday, with about 70 groups of costumed volunteers and parade cars. Carnival Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday (by tradition, the day before Ash Wednesday), is known as the day of the 'Voil Jeannetten' (literally: "the Dirty Jennies"), i.e., men dressed as women. The festivities traditionally end with the "Burning of the Doll", happening on Tuesday evening.
Anti-Semitism[edit]
In December 2019, anticipating UNESCO's response to the decision of the carnival organizers to double down on the widely reported use of anti-Semitic stereotypes,[12][13] the mayor of Aalst pre-emptively applied to have his city's carnival removed from the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.[14] This is the only time such a request has been made.
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Belgian mayor drops UN heritage status to retain carnival that featured big-nosed Jews
Renouncing his town’s Unesco listing, Aalst mayor Christoph D'Haese says it is ‘unavoidable’ that Jews will be ridiculed at next year’s event
The float at the Aalst Carnival in March 2019 showed Strictly Orthodox men with large noses, fur hats and a white rat on a shoulder, surrounded by bags of money. (Photo: FJO)A Belgian town has chosen to renounce its place on the UN cultural heritage list rather than restrict a carnival that depicted big-nosed Charedi Jews sitting on piles of money.
Officials in Aalst said they were sick of complaints that the event was antisemitic.
The most recent carnival in March included a float depicting Strictly Orthodox men wearing shtreimel fur hats surrounded by bags of money.
One of the caricatured figures had a white rat resting on its shoulder.
It was criticised by Belgium’s Jewish community and the European Union, which said it conjured up visions of the 1930s.
The city’s mayor Christoph D’Haese, who previously said it was not for him to ban the float, said on Sunday that he planned to renounce Aalst’s recognition from Unesco, the UN’s cultural agency.
Mr D’Haese told the Flemish broadcaster VTM that his officials “have had it a bit with the grotesque complaints and Aalst will renounce its Unesco recognition”.
He added: “It was clear that we had to go, so we kept the honour to ourselves.”
Hans Knoop from the Belgian Forum of Jewish Organisations said the mayor had not cooperated with them in talks on the issue.
He told AP that renouncing Unesco status should not make way for similar floats in the future, adding: “They are not at liberty to spew any more antisemitic dirt. We will keep a close eye on Aalst.”
But Mr D’Haese said it was “unavoidable” that Jews will be ridiculed at the next carnival.
“We are on a very dangerous slippery slope when people will be able to decide what can be laughed at,” he said.
The decision to renounce the heritage status comes the week before a Unesco meeting in Colombia where delegates were due to discuss whether Aalst should remain on the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.
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