90 years of Ciro celebrated with enthusiasm in Sportpaleis in Antwerp

Sing Chiro’s songs together, dance to ‘t Smidje’ by Laïs or play a game of rock-scissors en masse. The anniversary celebration brought out feelings of nostalgia and solidarity among the people of Chiro. There were performances by, among others, Tinne Oltmans, Jean Bosco Safari, Klaas Delrue (Yevgueni) and Wim Soutaer, who all have Chiro’s own roots.

The celebration of 90 years of Chiro in the Sportpaleis was much more than a musical event. According to the group, it was an ode to everything that Chiro stands for, but especially an ode to the thousands of volunteers who kept the movement alive.

“From cooking parents to supervisors and past supervisors, the evening honored the outstanding volunteer work that has guided generation after generation of Chiro. ” says Marij Germijns, coordinator at Chirojeugd Vlaanderen. “The Chiro is run by and for volunteers. They often give their free time to Chiro for years. Now it was time to give them something back.”

The foundation of the Chiro was laid in 1934 by the minister Jos Cleymans. Today it is the largest youth movement in the country, reaching 114,400 young people every week, spread over 874 groups. There are 17,452 leaders, 1,343 volunteers in the framework and many sympathizers who support to the activity. In 2024, youth movements were recognized as intangible cultural heritage.