(c) Petra
Photography
In the year that
Valkenswaard celebrates 80 years of liberation, the annual torchlight
procession has chosen the theme "Peace, with yourself, each other and
future generations." On Christmas Eve, Valkenswaard will be holding the
"Torchlight Procession for Tolerance" for the 7th time. The annual
procession starts at café de Fantast on Frans van Beststraat. After the
Torchlight Procession, the evening continues with the annual Christmas Ball
with wonderful live Christmas music by Valkenswaard's warmest musicians.
On Christmas Eve,
the torchlight procession traditionally focuses on tolerance. The organization
is taking a broad approach to the theme this year. Geerten Linsen: "We
must never forget that peace is not something to be taken for granted. We have
been working hard on it every year for 80 years. But if you listen to today's
conversations, whether they are about politics, a sustainable future or
diversity in values, they increasingly and more quickly degenerate into
conversations about what we are against, why the other is wrong and what is no
longer allowed."
The organization
wants to create space for positive stories. By starting a conversation about
what is possible, what can be gained in a sustainable world, it expects that
parties will find common ground more easily. In the run-up to the Torchlight
Procession, and also afterwards, these stories will be collected and shared.
Not without ambition Geerten says: "In 2016, Valkenswaard was a shining
example for the entire country with the Evening for Tolerance and all the
activities surrounding it. We were in the newspaper, appeared on Pauw and
Witteman, were on Powned. Residents were proud of each other. We want to
unleash that positive energy again."
The Torchlight
Procession starts with an atmospheric opening of words and music. This is
followed by a joint walk with torches through the village. Afterwards,
participants will be treated to soup, a snack, hot mulled wine, coffee and tea
at the Fantast. For the children who join in, there are marshmallows to roast
above the fire baskets.
Anyone who wants
to join in can buy a torch or LED candle from 6:00 PM for 5 euros (including
soup, coffee, tea, mulled wine and a snack afterwards). Around nine o'clock,
the evening will continue in the cozy Christmas ball inside the Fantast. The
Torchlight Procession is an initiative of the "Evening of Tolerance."
The initiators organize activities to draw attention to the importance and
power of standing together. Christmas in particular is an ideal moment to show
as a group that we want to embrace differences and thus connect people,
cultures, beliefs and generations.
Will you join in?
Program
18:00 Torches for
sale (on site, 5 euros per person including hot chocolate, mulled wine, soup
and snack, preferably to be paid in cash)
18:30 Opening of
the evening in café de Fantast with the “Ode to Peace” and lots of live music
19:00 Torchlight
procession
20:00 A cozy
get-together in café de Fantast while enjoying a drink and a snack and live
music by the O Denneboom Band.
21:00 Followed by
a live program by the Kerstbal organization (also in the Fantast)
More info about
the location on www.mooiopdestatie.nl