Safe.brussels teams mobilised for the visit of His Holiness Pope Francis

From Thursday 26 September to Sunday 29 September, the Brussels-Capital Region will have the honour of welcoming His Holiness Pope Francis on a highly anticipated apostolic visit. Safe.brussels, in collaboration with the federal authorities, the police and the Brussels municipalities, is playing a central role in coordinating the security provisions and providing logistical support for this historic event. 

Bringing together thousands of believers and visitors from all over Belgium and beyond, the Pope's visit requires meticulous preparation at every level to ensure that the celebrations run smoothly and that everyone is safe.

To prevent any incidents related to airspace at public gatherings, safe.brussels played an active role in drafting the decree issued by the Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region. This specific decree prohibits drones or any other remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) from being possessed, used or flown within strictly defined perimeters around the venues the Pope will be visiting. This measure is designed to ensure maximum security, by preventing the unauthorised use of technologies that could disrupt events or endanger participants.

Under the direction of the High official of the Brussels Conurbation and the Director general of safe.brussels, a multidisciplinary monitoring system will be deployed right from the start of the papal visit. This includes activating the Regional Crisis Centre, which will centralise all information and coordinate the actions of the various partners involved, including local police districts, emergency and response services, and municipal authorities.

To ensure effective coordination between the many partners involved in managing the event, safe.brussels is providing an advanced mapping tool, enabling real-time visualisation of security zones, routes and assembly points. This comprehensive map, which can be viewed by the teams in the field, is essential to ensure that all players have access to the information they need, and to guarantee optimum responsiveness throughout the event.

At the same time, a multi-disciplinary sheet has been drawn up detailing the roles and responsibilities of the various entities. This reference tool facilitates coordination between partners (police, emergency services, local authorities) and ensures a shared vision of security priorities.

For several months, safe.brussels and its partners have been working closely together to make Pope Francis' visit a moment of celebration and contemplation. This preparatory work carried out ahead of the events includes regular meetings and the ongoing adjustment of security provisions to meet the logistical challenges presented by an event of this scale.

All the teams involved, whether from police districts, municipal services or organisers, are working hand in hand to make this visit a real success. The event will undoubtedly go down in the history of the Brussels-Capital Region and of safe.brussels, which is delighted to be able to contribute to the success of this exceptional meeting.