In the line of the thread Greatest Japanese contribution to the world?, I'd like to start a new series of threads about other countries' contribution to the world. It's an interesting way to learn about the world, history and inventions. I will start with Belgium as it is a country I know well. Feel free to start similar threads about other countries you know well.
Just a few details to help you choose; the War Crimes Law is unique to Belgium and invokes the concept of universal jurisdiction to allow anyone to bring war crime charges in Belgian courts, regardless of where the alleged crimes have taken place. It came under strong criticism (and threats) from the Bush Administration after several cases were filed against GW Bush, Rumsfeld and others. Note that the International Court of Justice is in the Netherlands, and the European Court of Justice is in Luxembourg. Belgium had to have its own.
The Mercator projection was invented by the Flemish navigator Gerardus Mercator in 1569, and has been one of the most widely used world map projection since then.
Belgian comics are enormously popular in the Benelux, France and some other European countries, although they rarely make it outside Europe. Tintin has been translated into over 50 languages and is the most widely known Belgian comic in the world. However there are hundreds more, covering all genres like Japanese manga (although the style is very different from Japanese manga or American comics).
Chips (french fries) were supposedly invented in Belgium (at least that is what the Belgians claim - although there is a slight chance it could be from Northern France).
funny story actually, the smurfs, orignally known as schtroumpfs, were an invinted word by the artist peyo who was telling his assisant to pass him that thinnnnnnggggg then blurted out the word schtroumf and thats how the name came to be.
I really like breugel's paintings espeically the fall of Icarus and the fall of the rebell angels. Van Eyck also has magnifecnt works. But I would say that the greatest contribution Belgium has given to the world is Brussels, now invaded by the international community, almost a colony
hahaha, even we dutch make many jokes about the belgium ( there soo dumb.. that are the jokes we make ... but im not good in making jokes ) ( btw.. also we make jokes about the german people, that come on the dutch beach.. well im sure they make jokes about us back hahahaha
so even we make jokes about them.. i love a lot of belgium stuf.. the CHOCOLATE is just mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
the waffels are..... GIVE ME MORE, I WANT TO GET FAT, MORE MORE MORE
FRIES... MMMMMMMMM yes Rock it is better then dutch fries hahhaa
mmm MANNEKE PIS.. this guy is just really funny!!!!
... TIN TIN is great, and SUSKE AND WISKE are really fun to read.. funny that they always fly with the dutch airline KLM hahahaha
belgiums, we joke about them.. because excualy there smarter then many dutch.. look at the games between dutch and belgiums...
hehehehe, the old dutch/flemish friendly jokes ;)
The thing is that the French make fun of Belgians as well, sooooooo, wat's up with that ?
Anyways, i'll stand up for belgium any time, mmore chilled and relaxin than chaotic france and not as crowded as the netherlands.
BTW, sorry but I would make fun of anyone who goes to the Dutch beaches
those crazy germans
I'll say it again, the greatest contribution that Belgium has given is the city of Brussels, International Capital nr. 1 whilst still local flavor historically filled culturally diverse bilingualy sweet place to be.
hahahaha,
yeah i guess nottin is wrong with dutch beaches, but still a bit cold for me , even here in belgium, i can't beleive those crazy kids that go and swim there,
Well my quarrel with dutch beaches is that I went in January at the Hague and it was freezinggg, my friend lost all feelings in his legs, we had to drag him back to the tram stop
Yep, they do, esp. about Dutch driving habits & caravan culture.
I remember that the Flemings almost always won in the language games of Tien voor Taal. Their knowledge of Dutch seems much better than that of the Dutch, very interesting.
I will go with Dutch baka on the Chocolate.... its the best, and I never studied history at school, so I dont know what other great things they have contributed to the world
__________________ Kara-Nari Smarty-Pants Wiz-Girl of the Southern Pacific Queen of Communication and International Arbitration and Diplomatic Solutions to Hairy Territorial Issues Her Majesty the Empress ｺｸﾈ・ you quite rightly deserve the title for your individuality !
I'd have to say Rubens alone could carry Flemish painting as one of the biggest contributions... but I love waffles, they're like pancakes with their own syrup traps!
I thought for a country to "contribute" something to the world, they had to come up with it first.
Fries, Beer, Cheese etc. are hardly original Sure, you could argue that Belgium has its own varieties, but then so do a large number of other European countries (and don't try to convince me that the Belgians invented fried potatoes - did they heck).
What would be more interesting, would be to play the occasionally popular drinking game: "Name 5 famous Belgians". I've never seen anyone manage to do so yet.
My threads about "contributions to the world" is not about who invented what first. Just look at other country's threads. I listed electronics, cars, etc. for Japan, although the Japanese did not invent them. Japanese cars are renowed and widely used all over the world, as are Belgians beers and chocolate. Note that I listed philosophy for several countries (France, Germany, Britian, China...).
Really ? So, so many people don't know painters like Brueghel (4 of them), Van Dyck, Rubens, Magritte, etc. ? Then, who doesn't know Herge (the author of Tintin), Jean-Claude Van Damme (not a reference though ), Eddy Merckx (5x winner of the Tour de France) or the current tennis stars Justine Henni and Kim Clysters ?
My threads about "contributions to the world" is not about who invented what first. Just look at other country's threads. I listed electronics, cars, etc. for Japan, although the Japanese did not invent them. Japanese cars are renowed and widely used all over the world, as are Belgians beers and chocolate. Note that I listed philosophy for several countries (France, Germany, Britian, China...).
Really ? So, so many people don't know painters like Brueghel (4 of them), Van Dyck, Rubens, Magritte, etc. ? Then, who doesn't know Herge (the author of Tintin), Jean-Claude Van Damme (not a reference though ), Eddy Merckx (5x winner of the Tour de France) or the current tennis stars Justine Henni and Kim Clysters ?
I have noticed that many Westerners (esp. if not really interested in Japan) cannot name 5 famous Japanese. They all seem to come up with Emperor Hirohito only.
Another major Belgian contribution I forgot to mention is oil painting, presumably invented by the famous painter Jan van Eyck in the 15th century. Let's say it goes into the "paintings" category.
Greatest Belgian contributions to the world ?
I heard the government won't give them passports too. 
), Eddy Merckx (5x winner of the Tour de France) or the current tennis stars Justine Henni and Kim Clysters ?
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