BRUSSELS — Some 650,000 Flemish residents will put on a thick sweater today to celebrate the third annual Thick Sweater Day (de Dikke-Truiendag).

The action is a symbolic celebration of the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, and is aimed at raising everyone’s awareness about man-made climate change.

Twice as many schools will take part in the action compared to last year. Companies and government officials are also participating. Flemish ministers Kris Peeters and Geert Bourgeois set a good example on Friday morning by taking the stairs instead of the usual elevator in their 12-story government building.

Some local officials have gone to what some consider extreme lengths by lowering the temperature in 100 office buildings by 2 degrees. We wanted to emphasise that we support the meeting in Kyoto that happened exactly two years ago, Peeters said.

[Copyright Expatica News 2007]

Subject: Belgian news