Participating in the voluntary sector

The voluntary sector is increasingly recognised by the public authorities in the establishment of a dialogue with civil society. It is not possible to name-check all the associations in the Brussels-Capital Region here. We limit ourselves to a survey of some of the main trends, specifically in the domain of citizenship and living together.

Instituting a dialogue between cultures is a priority in the Brussels-Capital Region. The aim is to promote the integration of immigrants into society and guard against discrimination. With this in mind, associations play a dominant role in establishing links between the various communities in Brussels.

The Centre Bruxellois d'Action Interculturelle promotes intercultural relations in the Region and in Belgian society. The organisation’s website publishes information on activities and a directory of associations.

Two associations, one French speaking and one Dutch-speaking, are active in the life of the Region:

• IEB - Inter-Environnement Bruxelles: a federation of almost 80 French-speaking neighbourhood committees and specialised groups in such fields as environment, mobility and urban development in the Brussels-Capital Region.

• BRAL - Brusselse Raad voor Leefmilieu: an independent network of residents committees and active residents who work for the urban environment in the widest sense in the Brussels-Capital Region, including environment, mobility, urban development and urban renewal.

The Association pour le Volontariat is a pluralist organisation coordinating and promoting voluntary work that brings together almost a thousand associations in Brussels and Wallonia.