Covid-19 one year anniversary commemorated with stained glass artwork in Tilburg

A year after the first corona infection was found in the Netherlands, a so-called window of gratitude was unveiled in Tilburg as a tribute to people who worked for others during the pandemic. The unveiling took place on Saturday in front of the Paleis-Raadhuis in the city center.

The skylight is inspired by a stained glass window, which was made in 1951 after Tilburg was the last city in the Netherlands to experience a disruptive smallpox epidemic.

The piece was made by artist Riëtte Sommerdijk. In recent months, people from Tilburg were asked to submit ideas of something that they were most proud of, what would get them through the pandemic, and who they wanted to thank. 170 of these entries have been incorporated into the artwork.

The first coronavirus infection was detected a year ago in the Elisabeth-TweeSteden Hospital (ETZ) in Tilburg. Later, it turned out that the virus had already made its appearance in the Netherlands. It spread quickly during the carnival celebrations, among other places. The south of the country quickly became the epicenter of the outbreak.

Mayor Theo Weterings of Tilburg thinks the 'anniversary' of the COVID-19 pandemic is "not exactly a date to celebrate, but one to reflect on". At the end of the day, there is a commemoration of corona victims in the Hasselt Chapel.