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Student initiation
The initiation is one of the best-known traditions within the student folklore at VUB. For many students, itâs a playful and bonding way to get to know their organisation and fellow students.
St V
Where will you be on November 20th? Ask any student, alumnus, or student organisation member from the VUB or ULB this question, and youâll get the same answer every time: on the Zavel, of course!
November 20th, better known as St V (Sint-Verhaegen) is the day we commemorate and celebrate Pierre-Théodore Verhaegen, founder of the ULB and, by extension, also of the VUB. What used to be a simple gathering has now grown into a full tradition of action and unity between the VUB and ULB student organisations.
That sense of connectedness is at the heart of it all: with each other, and with our city. Itâs also a day to stand up for the values we believe in: equality, freedom, and critical thinking. Each celebration focuses on a current political or social issue. Thatâs why the procession moves symbolically from the affluent upper city to the poorer lower city â a gesture that carries real meaning.
The day begins with breakfast at VUB, after which students head together to the Zavel for a massive student party organized entirely by BSGgtgv and ACE. There, we celebrate before the procession continues to the Brussels Stock Exchange (Beurs), where the day concludes with âLied van Geen Taalâ and âLe Semeurâ, the official anthems of the VUB and ULB. This is also the day youâll hear it echo through the streets of Brussels: âBrussels is ours!â
âOn April 1, Alva lost his glassesâ â Den Briel
During the Eighty Years' War, the âWatergeuzenâ (Sea Beggars) resisted Spanish rule in the Low Countries, mainly because of the lack of religious freedom. A key turning point in their struggle was the recapture of Den Briel (modern-day Brielle, The Netherlands) on April 1, 1572. This victory is commemorated each year during the âBriellevaartâ, when the historic liberation is re-enacted and the town is transformed into a lively scene from the 16th century. VUB students also travel to Brielle each year to take part in the event, as a symbolic tribute to the ongoing fight for freedom and resistance.
For VUB students, the Briellevaart is far more than just a historical trip. Itâs a symbolic ritual that embodies the values of freedom, resistance, and solidarity. By taking part in this commemoration, students literally and figuratively walk in the footsteps of the Geuzen. Itâs a moment of reflection, but also of celebration and community.
The ideals of the Geuzen closely align with the core values of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel: freedom of expression, critical thinking, and independence. Thatâs why VUB student organisations have integrated this historic event into their student folklore. During cantuses, resistance songs from that era are still sung, and symbols from the Geuzen tradition are used to this day â such as the begging bag with the bound hands of the âEedverbond der Edelenâ or the orange-blue colors, which can be found in the shield of the umbrella organisation, the âBrussels Studentengenootschap â Geen taal, geen vrijheidâ.
The Briellevaart is thus not only a commemoration of the past but a living tradition that connects students with a broader struggle for freedom â then, now, and in the future.