Christian Ratsimba

Born in Madagascar, Christian has lived in France, the UK, and Belgium since 2011. After marrying in 2012, he and his wife initially settled in Zaventem, and later welcomed twin boys.

Since 2017, Christian has called Tervuren home. "We were drawn by the family-friendly atmosphere, the beautiful forest, and the excellent schools," Christian explains. The twins quickly adapted to life in Tervuren, rapidly picking up Dutch through school, sports, and other activities.

Learning Dutch has opened many doors for the children and, more gradually, for Christian and his wife. "The more you learn, the easier it becomes to participate in local activities," Christian says.

However, integrating all Tervurenaars, regardless of their origins, and ensuring equal participation in town politics and social life, remains a challenge the community must address.

In Madagascar, France, and the UK, Christian had always been a keen observer of local affairs. These diverse environments, with their strong and sometimes conflicting viewpoints, heightened his awareness of the need to unite Tervurenaars from the town's 113 nationalities, rather than divide them.

"I’d love to promote activities that bring all Tervurenaars together so we can get to know each other better," he says.

Christian has a background in materials science engineering. He worked as a researcher in the UK before transitioning to IT later in his career.