A large mural that drew attention to HIV and AIDS in Brussels has been painted over. St. Peter’s Hospital would like to install a new fresco to honor Ukrainian women, but that has not yet been confirmed.
The mural has been clearly visible for the past eight years in the Hoogstraat, near the emergency entrance of the Sint-Pieterziekenhuis. This is one of four HIV reference centers in Brussels. “As far as I know, it is the only place in the city of Brussels where the HIV/AIDS epidemic is so publicly commemorated and brought to the attention,” says opinion maker Tim Devriese via Twitter.
The drawing showed a broad group of people and two white banners with HIV and AIDS prevention messages. She called for you to be protected, to be tested and to live together in solidarity. “Even with AIDS, life can smile at you,” the bottom of the wall read.
The fresco was painted over on Saturday. Sint-Pieterziekenhuis is the leaseholder of the wall, which is part of a building belonging to the OCMW Brussels. The latter said he was unaware. “As the owner of this facade, we would have liked to have been informed,” says cabinet chief Patrick Libermann of OCMW chairman Khalid Zian (PS). “It is a pity that there has been no reflection on the future of this fresco. It had a high symbolic value.”
New fresco
According to Libermann, there will be a real estate project on the plot next to the wall in a few years, but the plans for this are not yet complete. “We understand that there will be a new fresco in honor of Ukrainian women first. That would be applied in the coming days,” says the head of cabinet.
The latter has not yet been confirmed. Sint-Pieterziekenhuis could not be reached for further explanation for the time being.