Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Muntpunt library in Brussels will expand reading programs and Dutch practice from 2026–2030 under a new agreement signed by Minister Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) and VGC member Ans Persoons (Vooruit).
As VRT News reported, Muntpunt, the Flemish community library in central Brussels, will step up its role in reading promotion over the next few years. A new cooperation agreement has been signed for the period from 2026 to 2030.
The agreement was concluded by Brussels Minister for Flemish Affairs Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) and Flemish Community Commission college member Ans Persoons (Vooruit). It sets out clear objectives for the library’s future work.
How will Muntpunt boost reading and Dutch learning in Brussels?
Officials mentioned that Muntpunt library will run yearly reading campaigns and offer activities that are easy to access for the public. Reading clubs will be organised for adults, alongside book-related events. Children and young people will have their own programs.
They said that the focus is on young readers and language learning. The youth library will be transformed into a screen-free zone where books are central. Extra reading areas will be added throughout the building. The library will also offer Dutch practice sessions. For children, a new holiday initiative called NL Lab will be launched. It will offer reading-based activities during school holidays.
“With a comprehensive plan for Dutch, we’re giving the language in Brussels a significant boost. Thanks to this collaboration, Muntpunt has a clear role to play: making Dutch even more visible, attractive, and accessible to everyone in our capital,”
said Minister Van Achter in a press release.
“The new partnership agreement makes Muntpunt a true city library once again, one that is even more firmly rooted in the capital,”
adds VGC council member Persoons.
Muntpunt opened its doors to the public in 1979, making it one of the largest public libraries in Brussels, and since then, it continues to provide access to a large and diverse multilingual community. Over the years, Muntpunt has offered book loans, reading rooms, language workshops, and hosted events as a way for people to connect with and learn from each other through reading and literacy.
In recent times, Muntpunt has emphasised promoting reading and literacy in support of social inclusion in the City of Brussels.
