Kenyan environmentalist the late Professor Wangari Maathai is among 15 names of famous women from whom the people of Brussels have been called to choose for the new name of the longest tunnel in the country, Leopold II.
From the candidates, ten were selected by the committee of experts and five by the people of Brussels,
They are are :
1. Andrée De Jong
2. Chantal Akerman
3. Isala Van Dies
4. Marguerite Yourcenar
5. Marie Curie
6. Rosa Parks
7. Semira Adamou
8. Simone Veil
9. Sophie Kanza
10. Wangari Maathai
11. Marie Popelin
12. Annie Cordy
13. Astrid of Belgium
14. Elisabeth of Belgium
15. Antoinette Spaak
According to a press release by Brussels Mobility, during the whole month of February, starting this Monday, the people of Brussels will begin choosing.
The renaming procedure “to symbolically reinforce the place of women in the public space” began last year with a call for ideas to citizens and the reflection of a committee of experts.
Currently, 43% of the streets in Brussels bear the name of a person. Of these, only 6.1% of the streets are named after a woman.
The ballot is open for one month via Brussels Mobility’s website, where more information can be found on each candidate.
The official name change will take place at the end of the renovation of the tunnel.
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