Celebrate together, comfort each other with an arm or a hug. It already feels completely familiar to most. How disruptive it was when all of that was suddenly no longer possible and many people fell ill or died due to the corona pandemic.
Everything had to change worldwide. Schools, catering, shops, hairdressers closed. Stay home as much as possible. Even a temporary curfew. One and a half meters away and face masks on. We talk about before, during and after corona. The pandemic had a huge impact on society as a whole and the consequences are still felt by some people.
Remember, contemplate and commemorate
That is why there is a memorial place for Limburg especially in memory of the corona pandemic. According to the idea of people from the care sector, this is a quiet place in a scenic location. Stylishly and symbolically designed with a round bench with seven seats at a distance of one and a half meters from each other. With a swallow tower nearby as a symbol of hope, freedom and the wish to return home safely. A place to remember, contemplate and commemorate.
Call from corona fund
Corona has (had) a huge impact on our lives. Disruptive events, positive and negative, require remembering. With that in mind, the municipality of Eijsden-Margraten issued a call in 2021 to think about a memorial site, monument or event. Money was reserved for this in the municipality's corona fund.
Healthcare initiators
A group of initiators from the healthcare sector responded to this call. They were looking for a municipality, for a location, to implement their idea.
Geert Leenders, Frank Armory and Andreas Knols work and have worked in healthcare. They saw the consequences of Corona up close. They came up with the idea. Because nature played such an important role in their concept, they contacted Het Limburgs Landschap because that foundation has a lot of experience with nature development as a nature manager and manages nature throughout Limburg. Several health care institutions also promised help. The corona memorial spot in Bemelen is the corona memorial spot in Limburg.
A swallow tower and corona bank as a 'monument'
Monuments are often erected to remember, but why not otherwise? Compared to the city, a landscape and a nature reserve are impulseless. It is precisely that peace that gives space to think, to remember and therefore also to contemplate and contemplate. Reason for the initiative group to look for a place of remembrance in nature.
The initiative group wants to create a piece of nature with a swallow's nest tower as a symbol of care and loyalty. The swallows leave but always come back and carefully build their own house for their young. The swallow symbolizes hope, loyalty, freedom and the desire to return home safely.
A specially designed 'corona bench' will be placed next to the swallow tower. Artist Nynke-Rixt Jukenma has designed a circular corona bank in which both distance and contact are combined.
The corona silence place was made possible in part by ZIO, nursing home Bergweide, residential care center De Beyart, foundation De Kouderberg, Sevagram, Nobama Care, Meandergroep, GGD, Envida, Elsresidentie and Delphinium.
Walking route
The corona memorial place or place of silence is an inspiring place with peace and space for comfort and hope. Pause for a moment to continue. This place will be included in the walking route
'Rondje Bemelen '. The route is published via Visit Zuid-Limburg and is part of the so-called caminis (short pilgrimage routes, reflection routes).
This text has been automatically translated using an online translation service.
