August is usually the quietest month of the year, in Flanders as elsewhere in Europe. But this year is different: with Belgium holding the rotating presidency of the European Union for the six months from July to December, Flemish officials have been in a whirl of activity all summer. Thanks to the country’s unique federal structure, many of the awesome responsibilities for directing EU business during the presidency will be assumed by Flanders – along with Wallonia and the Brussels region.

In the late 1960s, a few Indian men with limited means and big dreams came to Antwerp to join the diamond trade. That handful has grown to 500 Indian families who call Antwerp home. "One day we will no longer exist," says Arun Jogani, "but the world will remember our community and our values." Jogani is talking about the impact he hopes the new Jain temple will have on the city - and on Belgium. Jainism is an ancient Indian religion, known for its promotion of non-violence. Its tenets influenced, for instance, the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi.