For a small woman, slender in appearance, hers is a personality that lacks neither confidence nor charisma. Françoise Schepmans, mayor of the controversial commune of Molenbeek, ensures the image of her commune, affirms a concrete multiculturalism when others theorize it, and responds with actions to the many challenges that animate her daily life.

This is without a doubt the reason for her nomination for the “World Mayor Prize” created by the City Mayors Foundation, who presents the prize every two years. Among the criteria for receiving the award: competence in managing the day-to-day affairs, acumen of the financial, business and economic affairs of one’s commune, honesty and integrity in decision making, and the representation of all the communes citizens.

Françoise Schepmans, Mayor of Molenbeek since 2012 is the only Belgian candidate for the prize among 38 others, representing 24 other countries. She had already won, by popular vote, the prize of “Bruxelloise de l’Année en 2016” for her exemplary management of the commune that made headlines because of its negative image as the point of origin or transit for the terrorist groups responsible for the attacks in Paris in 2015 and Brussels in 2016.

Pragmatic and combative, she has since multiplied the initiatives geared towards the integration of the population of immigrant origin, through culture and education, as well as actions to sensitize vulnerable youth to the dangers of religious radicalization. All this without neglecting the suppressive fight against the terrorist networks or ideologues in the commune.

The awarding of the prize will be coming this June. If she is awarded the prize, the Mayor of Molenbeek would succeed such emblematic figures such as Anne Hidalgo (Mayor of Paris) and Martine Aubry (Mayor of Lille).

To support the nomination of Françoise Schepmans, check the prize’s website

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