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the Objective C programme of the UE (in order
to raise the 'standards of living'). Its unemploy-
ment rate rose to 28%, compared with an overall
rate of 12.3% for Belgium on the whole and
17.6% for the Walloon region. Sixty per cent of
the population there did not fi nish their higher
education. The rate of liberal professions and
enterprises within the cities is very low and little
creation of new activities can be found.
As a reaction, Mons has decided to estab-
lish 'a new town project to reencounter the way
to prosperity'.
1
It suggests a strategic reposition-
ing based on 'consolidating Mons, the creative
and affective, through a reinforcing of its cul-
tural and heritage dimensions'.
2
Culture and
tourism lie at the centre of this strategy, with the
aim of bringing innovation and business to the
town. In February 2005, the main axes were
identifi ed as: culture, heritage, formation and
education, business, trade and retail.
The above-mentioned priorities have been
chosen by a team of decision-makers. For the
'culture' priority, Mons was offi cially declared Cul-
tural Capital of the Walloon Region by the gov-
ernment of the French community in December
2002, and in March 2004 it offi cially applied to
become the European capital of culture for
2015.
3
The town is also very proud of having
hosted the European multimedia council where
the text that was used to defend the law of cultural
exception against the GATS negotiations origi-
nated. Town offi cials have received the support of
former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofsdtadt
and the mayor of Bruges (former European Cap-
ital of Culture) in their bid for Mons to be Euro-
pean Capital of Culture. They also worked
together with Lille and are regularly in contact
with the town, as well as other towns in North-
ern France (Valenciennes, Maubeuge). They
underline their good infrastructure (existence of
three theatres, important museums, chamber
orchestra facilities, different festivals, etc.), as
well as the creation of new festivals and street
activities. For heritage, they highlight the reno-
vation of the town centre, especially the built
heritage. The focus is always to aim for quality,
elite tourists and visitors. In this context, cultural
tourism proves very attractive. It is seen as a
sustainable form of tourism attracting people
interested in high quality and is therefore espe-
cially targeted.
An accent is therefore put on the excep-
tional, the magnifi cent, 'high culture' in all cases,
partly because 'coming to see the environment
as something exceptional, while you always live
in it, rather gives one a sense of value'.
4
The
two museums that deserve to have their own
prospectus in the visitor centre are the Duesberg
Museum and that of the Treasures of Saint
Waudru's collegiate; the former mainly because
of its 'collection of clocks with exotic topics . . .
unique in the world' given to the town by two
former patrons and the latter because of, among
others, 'unique silver reliquaries', a 'superb poly-
chromatic Saint Jacques' and 'some of Jacques
du Broeucq's exceptional alabaster works'.
Now there is a museum of ethnology, where
customs and traditions of everyday life can be
found. The history of the people seems of no
interest in this construction of Mons.
5
Signifi -
cantly too, there are markers all over town to
give information on 'places of interest'. Many
elite buildings receive an explanatory board,
sometimes just to say it used to be an auction
room, but Mons's little monkey, the one you
have to stroke the head of while making a wish
to see it come true, does not receive one. Is it
because it is too well known, or because a
monkey and superstition are not important
enough to deserve attention?
1
From 'Vers un projet de ville, ensemble' pdf explaining Mons's strategy found on the town's offi cial Website.
http://www.mons.be.
Original text in French, author's translation.
2
From 'Vers un projet de ville, ensemble' pdf explaining Mons's strategy found on the town's offi cial Website.
http://www.mons.be.
Original text in French, author's translation.
3
After Antwerp, Bruges and Brussels, and because of quotas 2015 is the fi rst year Belgium can apply again to
the status of European capital of culture.
4
From an interview with an elected high political offi cial. Original text in French, author's translation.
5
Only unavoidable intangible heritage that has been there for a long time, cannot be avoided and, quite con-
veniently, attracts a lot of tourists deserves its own prospectuses (Doudou, golden carriage procession). But
they are strikingly not mentioned in general brochures like 'the land of Mons welcomes you'.
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