We hope you’re enjoying the summer! It’s been a quieter period at EA Belgium, but we’re back with lots to look forward to: meetups, conferences, courses and other opportunities to get involved!
It’s been great to see spontaneous meetups springing up through the WhatsApp community, and this month, we’re especially excited for an upcoming AI Safety Meetup in Brussels, thanks to BlueDot Impact. Plus, we’ve got some inspiring updates to share: from Peter Singer receiving an honorary doctorate to new research highlighting the impact of cash transfers in the DRC.
Important Summer Retreat update: In our previous newsletter we said it would happen 26-28 September. You can remove these dates from your calendar, because we decided to cancel the summer retreat. Don’t worry though, we're working on something bigger instead!
📆 Date: Tuesday, August 19th
🕒 Time: 19:00
📍 Location: The Sister Brussels Café
BlueDot Impact is teaming up with the local community in Brussels for a special AI safety meetup! This is a fantastic opportunity to meet researchers, policy professionals and other curious minds who care about the future of AI. Whether you're deep in the field or just starting to explore the topic, you're warmly invited to join. Plus, your first drink is on BlueDot!
📝 The event is free, but space is limited: make sure to register now to secure your spot!
Summer has been a bit more quiet, since many of us are enjoying well-deserved vacations. But spontaneous gatherings are still happening! Want to go on a picnic, play board games, hike together, or just chat about EA in a relaxed setting? Our EA Belgium WhatsApp community is the perfect place to suggest casual meetups! We have subgroups for Brussels, Ghent, and Leuven.
On June 6th, philosopher Peter Singer (often considered the godfather of both the animal liberation and effective altruism movement) was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Singer was celebrated not just for his academic contributions, but for a lifetime of putting ethics into action, donating a large share of his income and championing the most cost-effective ways to do good.
Curious to learn more? Stijn Bruers, President of EA Belgium, wrote an article about it! (in Dutch)
After promising results in their first pilot village, Belgian non-profit Eight expanded their unconditional cash transfer program to a second village in the DRC’s Maniema province. In this new midline assessment, the findings hold up: more small businesses, improved housing and nutrition, less debt, and higher life satisfaction. The results add weight to growing evidence that direct, no-strings-attached cash can drive real impact in low-income communities.
👉 Read the full report (available in ENG, FR, NL)
Effective Altruism Virtual Programs are back! These free, facilitator-led courses run for 8 weeks, from 1 September to 26 October, and are a great way to reflect, learn, and meet others interested in doing good effectively.
You can choose from:
Introductory EA Program – A gentle introduction to the core ideas of EA.
In-Depth EA Program – Explore deeper questions and career paths for impact.
The Precipice Reading Group – Read and discuss The Precipice by Toby Ord, exploring existential risks and longtermism.
🗓️ Apply by 17 August
You can also sign up as a facilitator!
EA Germany is offering a 6-week online Career Planning Program from 25 August to 3 October to help you move toward a high-impact career. Ideal for both students and professionals who already know the basics of EA.
Online format, with weekly discussion groups in English or German
Materials provided in English
Topics: global health, AI safety, animal welfare, pandemic prevention, and more
🗓️ Apply by 12 August
More info: EA Germany Career Planning
The School for Moral Ambition is looking for volunteer community builders to help grow and support its fast-expanding international network. You’ll work closely with highly motivated members to launch and guide Moral Ambition Circles: small, supportive groups where people help each other pursue ambitious paths and make high-impact career moves.
A special highlight for French-speakers! This summit is ideal for newcomers – no prior knowledge of EA is required. Meet the francophone community, get inspired, and bring along friends who might be interested. Please help us spread the word to people who could benefit! More info on their website.
More upcoming events in Europe:
Compassionate Future Summit
21-25 August · Berlin, Germany
LessWrong Community Weekend 2025
29 August · Berlin, Germany
CARE Conference 2025
11-14 September · Warsaw, Poland
EAGx Berlin
3-5 October · Berlin, Germany
EAGx Amsterdam
12-14 December · Amsterdam, Netherlands
Connect with other EAs and join our WhatsApp-community to stay up to date on news, events and opportunities! Want to get involved with Effective Altruism Belgium or have some ideas for new projects? We'd love to hear from you! Especially if you’re not from Brussels and you would like to start events elsewhere. Feedback is always welcome too.
Kind regards,
The EA Belgium team
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