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“While there’s life, there’s hope”: moving messages in chalk on a Belgian plaza

By Libby Nelson
Libby Nelson is Vox's policy editor, leading coverage of how government action and inaction shape American life. Libby has more than a decade of policy journalism experience, including at Inside Higher Ed and Politico. She joined Vox in 2014.

In the aftermath of the explosions that killed at least 30 people and wounded nearly 200 in Belgium on Tuesday morning, Belgians and tourists gathered at the Place de la Bourse, the former Belgian stock exchange. On the pavement, they wrote messages of love and solidarity in chalk.

Here's some of what they're writing

Bruxelles, ma belle

A photo posted by Joana Ferreira (@joana_fe) on

"While there's life, there's hope. We are hope."

Je suis musulmane et je condamne les actes terroristes et islamophobe: "I am Muslim and I condemn acts of terrorism and Islamophobia."

A photo posted by Holly (@hollerforholly) on

Vive la paix: "Long live peace."

Prenons le pouvoir sur notre monde: "Let's take power over our world."

A photo posted by Nishchaya Gera (@nishchaya) on

"Chocolate, beer, and love are still better for humanity than bombs and hatred."

WE ARE ONE #bruxellesmabelle

A photo posted by Nicolas Glinoer (@nigauw) on

"We are one."

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