Gravensteengroep

The Gravensteen Manifest is/was an open manifest, written by key-group of Flemish intelligentia, asking fellow democrates to sign it, as a reaction to the misunderstandings between the two main language-communities in Belgium, culminating in the difficulties in 2007–2008 to establish a Belgian government, reclaiming Flemish reasonable and just demands to the flemish democratic main field, thus rebuffing the retorism that Flemish reasonable and just demands are always to be associated with extremism.

* Etienne Vermeersch [http://www.etiennevermeersch.be/afbeeldingen/fotovermeersch.jpg] professor State University Ghent http://www.etiennevermeersch.be
* Jan Verheyen [http://www.vlaamsfilmmuseumenarchief.be/images/J_VERHEYEN.jpg] film director http://www.vlaamsfilmmuseumenarchief.be
* Frans-Jos Verdoodt flemish writer
* Piet van Eeckhaut [http://www.assisen.be/update/afbeeldingen/M%20I%20N%20I/P_PvE80_02.jpg] Professor and one of the most prominent Flemish Lawyers http://www.assisen.be
* Jef Turf Belgian Communist
* Bart Staes [http://www.bartstaes.be/images/bartstaes/bart_portret_frontaal.jpg] Flemish Green Euro-Parliamentarian http://www.bartstaes.be
* Johan Sanctorum [http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2d/Sanctorum2.jpg/180px-Sanctorum2.jpg] philosopher and columnist http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johan_Sanctorum
* Jean-Pierre Rondas Flemish radio http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Pierre_Rondas
* Yves Panneels Communication and reputation manager – entrepreneur, financier
* Chris Michel
* Bart Maddens Principle Teacher Catholic University of Leuven / Faculty of Social Sciences – Center for Politicology http://cwisdb.cc.kuleuven.be
* Paul Ghijsels singer
* Paul De Ridder doctor, historian, and department chief Royal Library Brussels http://www.paulderidder.be
* Dirk Denoyelle Flemish comedian http://www.dirkdenoyelle.com
* Peter De Graeve doctor, University of Antwerp Wijsbegeerte http://www.ua.ac.be/main.aspx?c=peter.degraeve
* Eric Defoort Honorary Teacher Katholic University Brussels History http://www.kubrussel.ac.be/onderwijs/personeel/defoort/defoort.htm
* Jo Decaluwe Director-actor-teacher www.tinnenpot.be/ tekst/cv.htm
* Ludo Abicht philosopher and publicist, University of Antwerp

The signatories of this manifest, who call themselves the Gravensteen Group, each start from different political and ideological main points, but agree in their attachment to democracy and human rights. They put central the values of freedom, equality, solidarity and mutual respect, and reject all forms of racism and xenophobia.Fact|date=April 2008

They have been however agitated by the fact that in the recent discussions concerning the state reform of Belgium, the impression is awoken that reasonable and equitable Flemish requirements are associated each time with extreme right thinking. For this reason they brought together their points of view in the Gravensteen Manifest.

Website [http://www.gravensteengroep.org link Gravensteen Group]