ABSTRACT
As the centennial approached, Belgium had to address a commemorative program with tourist, commercial, academic, cultural, educational, and international aspects. Belgium had to approach the story of the war through a federal Belgian as well as regional Flemish or Walloon perspective. The linguistic diversity of Belgium and its related political conflicts are part and parcel of its cultural and political history and subsequently complex government. At Belgium's founding in 1830, French was declared the administrative language of the country, and Flemish – the language of the people in the north of the country – was marginalized. On the ninetieth anniversary of the Armistice in 2008, during its commemoration, then minister-president of Flanders Kris Peeters called for an international declaration in light of the upcoming centenary. In addition to the federally sponsored initiatives, commemoration programs were carried out at the regional level.
