The 2026 edition of the Saint-Verhaegen, taking place on November 20, will highlight the fight against violence against women. Students from the ULB and VUB are committed through a solidarity collection scheduled from November 16 to 19, benefiting ASBL Talita, a shelter for homeless women. A symbolic tribute will also be paid to Jeanneke-Pis, who will receive her first student pen.
Students will take over the city center, particularly the Sablon area, for a day of folklore and festivities. The ACE (Association des cercles étudiants of ULB) and the BSG (Brusselse studenten genootschap of VUB) aim to critically address the chosen theme, "Change your minds, not our freedoms – Haar stem mag klinken, laat geweld verdrinken!".
At 2:30 PM, ceremonies will conclude in front of Jeanneke-Pis. The famous statue will be adorned with its first student pen in an original staging conceived by ASBL Jeanneke Pis. This setup, intended to echo this year's theme, will remain until November 25, 2026, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
ASBL Talita, supported this year by the ACE, is a Brussels-based organization dedicated to gender equality, offering comprehensive support to homeless women, often with their children. An average of 60 women are welcomed each year. The association assists with income generation, training, physical and mental health, administrative procedures, and educational support.
Last year, the social collection raised €2,115 for Amnesty International. This year's collection will take place from November 16 to 19.
The program for the Saint-Verhaegen on Friday, November 20, includes several key stages: welcome at the Hall des Marbres from 7:30 AM, tributes in front of the statues of Théodore Verhaegen and Francisco Ferrer, as well as at Square G (Solbosch Campus). Tributes are also planned at the VUB's De Stap monument (from 9:20 AM), at the Brussels Cemetery (from 10:00 AM), at the Tir National (from 11:00 AM), and a ceremony at the Brussels Town Hall (from 12:30 PM). The visit to Jeanneke-Pis is scheduled for 2:30 PM, followed by student celebrations at the Sablon in the afternoon.
