Brussels, Belgium — Sixteen years after its dedication on Boulevard de Waterloo, the Brussels Church of Scientology is being revisited as a distinctive site in the EU capital. While the building’s anniversary highlights the past 16 years, representatives underline a broader timeline: Scientology’s presence in Belgium now spans 51 years.
The Brussels milestone is also framed within the city’s tradition of pluralism and public debate. In a city where European policy is drafted and Europe negotiated, the Church says its doors remain open for community engagement, including interfaith interaction and civic dialogue. The anniversary recalls a lengthy legal episode that concluded with a court decision rejecting the case, a moment supporters describe as reinforcing the principle that people should not be prosecuted merely for their faith.
Beyond the anniversary, Scientologists in Belgium highlight ongoing social betterment work, especially drug-prevention education and human-rights education. These efforts are presented as practical, non-religious educational tools used with community partners, including materials on substance risks and workshops that reference the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ivan Arjona, Scientology’s representative to the European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and United Nations, said: “Social cohesion grows when communities invest in practical education—on rights, responsibilities and prevention—without stigma or discrimination. Anniversaries matter, but what matters more is what a building enables: dialogue, service and respect for human dignity.” More details are available here: Brussels anniversary: Scientology notes 51 years in Belgium and social betterment efforts.