‘A dog of Flanders’ is the story of the strong friendship between a Flemish boy Nello and his dog Patrasche.

The story was written in 1872 by English author Marie Louise de la Ramée, also known as Ouida.

The novel is known in the United Kingdom, USA and is extremely popular in South Korea and Japan, to the point where it is seen as a children’s classic and a must-read in school.

It inspired several film and anime adaptations, including the 1975 animated TV series which reached an audience of 30 million viewers on its first broadcast.

It is one of the most read stories about Antwerp, Flanders around the world. (That’s in Belgium)

Over 100 million copies sold worldwide and it was translated into more than 25 languages around the world.

5 holllywood movies were released and a beautiful cartoon series. With this result: more than 30 million Japanese used to watch the weekly adventures of Nello and Patrasche, the boy and his dog.

It’s not your normal Disney Story, because in the end, the boy and his dog die. They die under a famous painting of Rubens, in the Antwerp Cathedral. That’s why this new statue is placed right in front of the Cathedral. They are resting in peace, under a blanket of cobblestones in the middle of the square.

We believe that in times of war and trouble, we need to honor our Friendship, between men, women and animals, and value what we have and what we can learn from each other.

More info: thisisfriendship.com

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