The First World War from 1914 to 1918 shook the history of our country and that of the whole world. «More than any other modern war, the First World War remains in our memories as the ultimate example of an imbalance between costs and consequences. It is the war of the ‘sacrificed generation’; sacrificed for a cause that, in retrospect, is difficult to narrow down » (Sophie De Schaepdrijver). Despite the demise of the last human witnesses, this war has left deep scars in our country's collective memory. Belgium assumed an important role in this war, due, in particular, to our soldiers' courageous resistance during the German invasion. « Poor little Belgium » had gained prestige throughout the world.
Belgium will therefore be given pride of place in the commemorative ceremonies to mark the 100th anniversary of this war, which will mainly take the form of national commemorations with an international dimension. Furthermore, the various administrative levels of the country will launch initiatives pertaining to culture, art, history and science for the period from 2014 to 2018.