Belgium honors Barış Manço with monumental mural in Liege

LIEGE

The Liege Municipality in Belgium has unveiled a grand mural of the esteemed Turkish musician Barış Manço on the side of a building.

This endeavor, spearheaded by the Valonia-Brussels Federation and the local government, marked the 60th anniversary of an agreement for the migration of millions of Turkish workers to Germany and Belgium.

Crafted by the painter Giuseppe Barillaro, the artwork portrays the late musician holding his guitar.

Among those present at the unveiling were Deputy Liege Mayor Mehmet Aydoğmuş and the Turkish Consul General in Brussels, along with Manço's family members and numerous admirers.

His widow Lale Manço shared insights into their life in Belgium, emphasizing the country’s profound significance in Manço's personal and professional journey.

“After graduating from university here, Barış formed his first band and continued his music life here. After finishing school and returning to Türkiye in 1962, his first band was a British-Belgian band. A big part of his life was spent in Belgium.”

“So, we made Belgium our second home. My children Doğukan and Batıkan were born here. This place gave Barış an honorary citizenship award. The Kingdom of Belgium gave him the Order of Leopold II, one of the most important awards. Barış is their artist too,” she explained.

His son, Batıkan Manço, said that the idea of building a monument in Liege on behalf of his father dates back to years ago and that it is now being built on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the labor migration agreement.

“When we first heard about it, we had a very different feeling. It's been 25 years [since his death]. It is hard to describe. We also have a history here. It was an initiative where many pieces came together.”