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On 4 and 5 September, the 50th Allianz Memorial Van Damme will feature festive opening and closing ceremonies. Friday’s programme will welcome a number of special international guests who have previously shone at the Memorial, while Saturday will bring together all Belgian athletes who have ever competed at the meeting. On both evenings, the Diamond League winners of the day will also be honoured, with stars from past and present sharing the stage. Music will be provided by Helmut Lotti, offering a nod to the event’s history – reimagined in a contemporary setting and combined with a light and laser show to bring each evening to a celebratory close.
There is also plenty planned in the months and weeks leading up to the Memorial. On 27 May, a unique Memorial clothing collection will be launched. Two weeks before the meeting, the Allianz Memorial Van Damme will team up with Sport Vlaanderen to organise the Memorial Run: a warm, social run on Ivo Van Damme’s former training circuit on the outskirts of Leuven. In this way, runners themselves will also be actively involved in the celebrations. On 31 August, a special Memorial and Ivo Van Damme commemorative postage stamp will be issued.
In addition, a television documentary, a book and an exhibition – each offering a different perspective – will look back on highlights from 49 editions of the Memorial. The project will feature interviews with many great stars of athletics, memorable anecdotes, rare archive footage, and a portrait of Ivo Van Damme, illustrated with never-before-seen items from the family collection.