A thread on the intertwined cultural histories of Belgian diplomacy in Egypt and former prime minister of Congo, Patrice Lumumba. 1/11 https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇧🇪" title="Flag of Belgium" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Belgium">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🇪🇬" title="Flag of Egypt" aria-label="Emoji: Flag of Egypt">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✊🏿" title="Raised fist (dark skin tone)" aria-label="Emoji: Raised fist (dark skin tone)">

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="📬" title="Open mailbox with raised flag" aria-label="Emoji: Open mailbox with raised flag">Stamp of the United Arab Republic displaying Lumumba.

After the Egyptian revolution in 1952, Nasser became one of the most vocal promotors of the non-alignment movement which materialized following the Bandung Conference of 1955 and the Declaration of Brijuni of 1956. 2/11

Left to right: Nasser, Soekarno, Nehru and Nkrumah.

Nasser, Lumumba, Nehru, Soekarno, Nkrumah, and several other leaders (of newly-independent states) became poster boys of this new & #39;bloc& #39; in international politics. Until today, this pantheon remains popular among anti-imperialists. 3/11

In this atmosphere, Lumumba& #39;s assassination on January 17, 1961 sparked anti-Belgian protests during which the Belgian Embassy was razed to the ground. 4/11 https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🔥" title="Fire" aria-label="Emoji: Fire">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="✊" title="Raised fist" aria-label="Emoji: Raised fist">

Source @BritishPathe archives. 5/11 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcimAdbuNak">https://www.youtube.com/watch...

Here you can see the fire burning what could have been the most valuable archive for my PhD research. May these sources rest in peace. 6/11https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🕊️" title="Dove of peace" aria-label="Emoji: Dove of peace">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🙏" title="Folded hands" aria-label="Emoji: Folded hands">

In remembrance of Lumumba, the & #39;Avenue de Belgique& #39; in Alexandria was renamed & #39;Rue Patrice Lumumba& #39;. 7/11

A bold move, especially since the Belgian vice-consulate in Egypt was located on this same street. 8/11

Although the Belgian consulate in Alexandria is located elsewhere today, a plaque remembers of Belgium& #39;s diplomatic presence in this street. 9/11

Representing the changing dynamics of contemporary memory politics, the Rue Patrice Lumumba was renamed and turned into the Omar Toussoun street. 10/11

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="📚" title="Books" aria-label="Emoji: Books"> https://www.bibalex.org/alexmed/Events/Details.aspx?ID=fa781ed1-539f-44c2-a219-a36425960238">https://www.bibalex.org/alexmed/E...

However, when I was in Alexandria last winter I was still able to take this picture of a street plaque of the & #39;Rue Patrice Lumumba& #39;. 11/11

End of thread.

@SibilleCartier https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="⏳" title="Hourglass with flowing sand" aria-label="Emoji: Hourglass with flowing sand">