BRUSSELS, Belgium — Sixteen years after its dedication on Boulevard de Waterloo, the Brussels Church of Scientology is being noted anew as a local landmark in the EU capital. As the Brussels headquarters turns 16, representatives underline a broader timeline: Belgium’s Scientology community marks 51 years of presence in the country.
The Brussels milestone is also framed within the city’s tradition of pluralism and public debate. In a city where European policy is drafted and negotiated, the Church says its doors remain open for community engagement, including interfaith interaction and civic dialogue. The anniversary recalls a lengthy legal episode that concluded with a court decision rejecting the case, a moment supporters describe as reinforcing the principle that religious minorities deserve equal treatment and due process.
Beyond the anniversary, Scientologists in Belgium highlight ongoing social betterment work, especially drug awareness and prevention programmes and human-rights literacy initiatives. These efforts are presented as practical, non-religious educational tools used with community partners, including materials on substance risks Belgium and workshops that reference the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Ivan Arjona, Scientology’s representative to the European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and United Nations, said: “Social cohesion grows when communities invest in practical education—on rights, responsibilities and prevention—without stigma or discrimination. Anniversaries matter, but what matters more is what a building enables: dialogue, service and respect for human dignity.” Full context and background can be read here: Brussels anniversary: Scientology notes 51 years in Belgium and social betterment efforts.