INTERNATIONAL SCHELDT DAYS
Mission & vision
A river basin is a defining micro-system (ecological, demographic, economic, social, even cultural) for nature, people and animals.
The Scheldt river basin as a connecting system, and the International Scheldt Days as a cross-border platformand stagewhere science, policy, implementation, innovation and capital come together to drive solutions.
A climate-resilient Scheldt river basin requires an integrated systems approachin which water, nature, the economy and society are interconnected, and in which governments, businesses, knowledge institutions, capital and citizens work together on sustainable solutions.
Today, the greatest challenge is no longer a lack of knowledge, but delivering concrete solutions faster.
The mission of the International Scheldt Days is to serve as an independent international platform that accelerates cooperation, investment and innovation in order to deliver sustainable solutions for the Scheldt river basin.
The value of the International Scheldt Days lies in the gap it bridges between knowledge, policy, funding, innovation and implementation.
Our objective
The International Scheldt Days aim to bring together all stakeholders in water management to reflect on a regular basis on the future of our water policy. Concretely, the International Scheldt Days intend to:
Knowledge & monitoring: making the state and evolution of water quality, water quantity and water management visible, and unlocking scientific knowledge.
Policy & collaboration: fostering dialogue and cross-border collaboration between policymakers, managers, science, industry and society.
Innovation & projects: presenting new technologies, projects and solutions, and bringing parties together around concrete challenges.
Entrepreneurship & investment: connecting companies, start-ups, clients, investors and venture capital.
Talent & society: engaging young people, students, educational institutions, employers, NGOs and the wider public in the future of water.
In short, the International Scheldt Days aim to be the meeting point for everyone involved in or interested in water management and the future of our water system.
Although primarily focused on the Scheldt river basin district, the International Scheldt Days also target everyone involvedor interested in water management, whether from the district or beyond: scientists as well as businesses, investors, employers and jobseekers, governments and administrations, and the wider public.
The International Scheldt Days covers the entire value chain, from knowledge to implementation, and sets itself apart from existing conferences by not focusing on just one or a few sub-domains, but by stimulating the entire journey from knowledge to concrete implementation.
Scheldt as a dead river
Introduction of the Water Framework Directive
Treaty of Ghent
Homogeneous Monitoring Network of the Scheldt
Objectives of the Water Framework Directive to be achieved - 1st WFD management plan
Three-yearly report on the quality of the Scheldt
2nd WFD management plan
3rd WFD management plan
Triennial Water Quality Report 2020-2022
4th WFD management plan
Our team
Founded 31st March 2026.
Leon Dhaene
President
Hilde Dujardin
Finance
Marc Ghyselinck
Communication
Leen Cristofoli
Website
Mathieu Foulon
With over 10 years’ experience in organising events which, by combining the best creative solutions with ambitious technical productions, enable us to transform any idea (even the most outlandish) into an unforgettable experience. We specialise in turnkey projects, logistical support and special effects.
Brecht Dhaene
Since 2017, I have been recruiting finance professionals for various sectors and across different regions of Europe, and I have had the pleasure of supporting both multinationals and SMEs in their search for the most suitable finance talent. My most recent placements include: Chief Financial Officer, Management Accountant, Head of Accounting and Senior Accountant, Treasury Analyst and Group Management Accountant.
Leen Cristofoli
As marketing architects, we combine strategy and design expertise to form a powerful synergy that boosts brand visibility and creates brand narratives that leave a lasting impression. The strength of marketing lies in the combination of strategy, content and design: the development of a brand strategy is underpinned by creative content, eye-catching graphic design and digital marketing.
Betty Buggenhoudt
After completing my law degree at KU Leuven (1986), where I developed an interest in employment law under the late Professor Roger Blanpain, and undertaking a traineeship at the Ghent Bar with employment law specialist Christiaan De Ganck, I set up my own independent legal practice (1990) at the Ghent and Oudenaarde Bars. I specialise in civil matters and financial disputes between private parties, with a particular focus on company law, employment law and contract law; I provide legal advice on partnerships and contract drafting, and am an accredited mediator in family disputes (2018) and in commercial and civil cases (2019). This experience has reinforced my conviction that the right words can help people reach solutions outside the courtroom. With four decades of experience, I continue to practise my profession with the same dedication. Driven by this motivation, I am delighted to take on a legal advisory role within the International Scheldt Days project, with particular respect for its driving force, Mr Leon Dhaene.
Mathieu Foulon
With over 10 years’ experience in organising events which, by combining the best creative solutions with ambitious technical productions, enable us to transform any idea (even the most outlandish) into an unforgettable experience. We specialise in turnkey projects, logistical support and special effects.
Brecht Dhaene
Since 2017, I have been recruiting finance professionals for various sectors and across different regions of Europe, and I have had the pleasure of supporting both multinationals and SMEs in their search for the most suitable finance talent. My most recent placements include: Chief Financial Officer, Management Accountant, Head of Accounting and Senior Accountant, Treasury Analyst and Group Management Accountant.
Leen Cristofoli
As marketing architects, we combine strategy and design expertise to form a powerful synergy that boosts brand visibility and creates brand narratives that leave a lasting impression. The strength of marketing lies in the combination of strategy, content and design: the development of a brand strategy is underpinned by creative content, eye-catching graphic design and digital marketing.
Betty Buggenhoudt
After completing my law degree at KU Leuven (1986), where I developed an interest in employment law under the late Professor Roger Blanpain, and undertaking a traineeship at the Ghent Bar with employment law specialist Christiaan De Ganck, I set up my own independent legal practice (1990) at the Ghent and Oudenaarde Bars. I specialise in civil matters and financial disputes between private parties, with a particular focus on company law, employment law and contract law; I provide legal advice on partnerships and contract drafting, and am an accredited mediator in family disputes (2018) and in commercial and civil cases (2019). This experience has reinforced my conviction that the right words can help people reach solutions outside the courtroom. With four decades of experience, I continue to practise my profession with the same dedication. Driven by this motivation, I am delighted to take on a legal advisory role within the International Scheldt Days project, with particular respect for its driving force, Mr Leon Dhaene.
Leon Dhaene
40+ years of senior management experience in global account management, lobbying, business development and sales, performance optimisation and services development, at the multinational corporations MasterCard International, Europay International, Eurocard International and IBM, Federations Leaseurope and Eurofinas, and intergovernmental organisation International Scheldt Commission.
Commemoration ceremony Ruisbroek 1976 - 2026
Fifty years after the floods of 1976, Ruisbroek reflected on a dramatic chapter in its history. The commemoration ceremony brought victims, residents and policymakers together in solidarity. Eyewitness Gaston Maes and alderman Yvo Van Damme gave a moving account of the events of 1976. The disaster painfully demonstrated how vulnerable our low countries were, and still are, to flooding. At the same time, it marked the start of intense cooperation between municipalities, regions and water managers: thanks to this cooperation, stronger dykes, better water management and well-thought-out spatial planning were put in place. What Zeeland 1953 was for the Delta Plan in the Netherlands, Ruisbroek 1976 was for the Sigma Plan in Belgium. The Sigma Plan is expected to be completed in 2030.
Crisis management, warning systems and prevention were also structurally improved: the achievements of recent decades prove that only joint efforts can make a difference. This commemoration is therefore not only a moment of remembrance, but also of gratitude. Gratitude for the resilience of the community and the commitment of many partners. Gratitude also for the people of Ruisbroek who brought the issue to the attention of the head of state in 1976, which was extremely unusual at the time, and the then King Baudouin I took this message to heart. In this spirit, the people of Ruisbroek demonstrate that building a safer future can only be achieved through cooperation.
Congratulations to Mayor Koen Van den Heuvel and his team for bringing everyone together with this serene memorial service and conveying this message of cooperation.
PFAS: health risks, pollution in Zeeland and around Antwerp, the Scheldt, and the documentary “Niet Pluis”
It has now been demonstrated on numerous occasions that PFAS are harmful to health.
The presence of PFAS in our environment – even in the eggs of our free-range chickens – has been observed on several occasions in Zeeland and in the Scheldt.
That’s ‘Niet Pluis’.
Read more about this in the article ‘PFAS: health risks, pollution in Zeeland and around Antwerp, the Scheldt’, and the documentary ‘Niet Pluis’ ‘
BOOK: ‘The Concrete Policy’ by Quinten Jacobs (original title: “ Het betonnen beleid”)
Quinten Jacobs’ book "The Concrete Policy" ("Het betonnen beleid" - 2025) analyses how the political system becomes gridlocked because politicians, constrained by complex state structures, stifling regulations and international dependencies, have hardly any policy scope to tackle real issues such as migration, the economy and energy. As a result, policy often remains stagnant and uninspired, leading to a loss of trust in traditional parties. Jacobs explains why this is the case and makes a case for reforms, such as stronger regions within a more democratic, federal Europe with less restrictive regulation and more scope for genuine political decision-making.
Leon Dhaene, Chair of n²water, sets out his critical reservations and offers a counter-argument to the author, using water management and the implementation of the Water Framework Directive as examples.