Hasselt (The brussels Morning Newspaper): Armand Schreurs collaborates with Hasselt residents to create books celebrating local dialect and culture, with proceeds supporting young homeless people through VZW Homie.
In 2020, a famous person from Hasselt named Armand Schreurs got together with 11 local residents to work on a special book. They created “Shakespeare in the Hasselts,” which translates 50 of Shakespeare’s sonnets into the Hasselt dialect. The book celebrates the local culture of Hasselt while also honoring Shakespeare’s classic work, giving the sonnets a unique local twist.
What new book project is Armand Schreurs leading in Hasselt?
After the success of “Shakespeare in the Hasselts,” Armand Schreurs started a new project with 20 well-known people from Hasselt to create another book. This new book aims to highlight the special dialect and culture of Hasselt while showing off the talents of its famous residents. Like the first book, it will mix Shakespeare’s classic writing with the local dialect, connecting old literature with today’s regional culture. The participation of well-known people from Hasselt in these projects shows the strong sense of community and pays tribute to the city’s language heritage. Each person’s contribution adds a personal touch, making the work unique and special. This makes it meaningful for both local residents and anyone interested in how classic literature connects with regional dialects.
Some of the authors are Armand Schreurs, Ben Lambrechts, Chokri Mahassine, Bettie Elias, Karin De Greeve, and Stijn Meuris. Schreurs said, “We each wrote a story about our favorite place in Hasselt.” These places hold special memories for them, and it’s like a love letter to the city. Schreurs chose Raamstraat because he used to ride his bike there when he was a kid, calling it the “Paris-Roubaix of Hasselt.” He mentioned that the cobblestones are still there and hopes their stories will inspire others to write books too. He believes many Hasselt residents have their own special places and wishes their idea could inspire other cities as well.
The money from the book will go to VZW Homie, a project by MustiÖnlen. They help young homeless people aged 18 to 25. Schreurs said, “We don’t get any support from the government, so we don’t have regular funding. We want to hire more staff to help these young people better, and the money from the book sales will really help.” It has been said that it’s an exciting time for MustiÖnlen and VZW Homie because, along with the book launch today, Onlen will also meet the king on September 10.
