Premium Agreement is signed for the Menin Gate restoration

The Premium Agreement paving the way for the restoration of the Menin Gate Memorial was signed on the 29 November 2022 at a ceremony under the arches of this iconic memorial.

From left to right: Geert Bekaert, Director of C&SEA CWGC, Emmily Talpe, Mayor of City of Ieper, Minister Matthias Diependaele, Flemish Minister of Finance and Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage, Barry Murphy, Director of Operations CWGC, Benoit Mottrie, Chairman of the Last Post Association, Sarah Camerlynck, Project manager restoration

Minister Matthias Diependaele, Flemish Minister of Finance and Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage signed the Premium Decree in the presence of CWGC directors Barry Murphy and Geert Bekaert, Emmily Talpe the Mayor of Ieper, Sarah Camerlynck, the restoration project manager and Benoit Mottrie, Chairman of the Last Post Association, whose members conduct the Last Post ceremony at the Monument every evening.

The extensive restoration work is being carried out with financial support from the Flemish government and the City of Ieper and will start in early 2023. Although the Monument will be closed during the work, the Last Post will still take place every evening at 20.00.

Matthias Diependaele, Flemish Minister of Finance and Budget, Housing and Immovable Heritage said:
“Our heritage tells the story of our shared history and Flemish identity. It shapes who we are. It is essential that we teach our young people where we come from. We can therefore regard iconic buildings such as the Menin Gate as monumental history books. Thanks to Flemish support, the CWGC can start the restoration works and further develop the heritage experience. During the restoration, the panels with names of the missing will be cleaned and the ceilings in the hall will be given a new finishing layer. A real green roof will ensure that the roof covering can withstand the test of time in a sustainable way. The intention is to get this iconic peace monument back in tip-top shape before its 100th anniversary in 2027. In this way we prepare this monument for a sustainable future and we will never forget the 54,000 names of victims that are carved into this gate.”

Geert Bekaert, director of the CWGC in Central and Southern Europe said:
“Lord Plumer said at the inauguration in 1927: "He is not missing, he is here." With this restoration work, the CWGC renews this promise to all Commonwealth victims and their next of kin. The financial support of the Flemish Government and the City of Ypres helps us to keep the Menin Gate in best condition for future generations. Every day the people of Ypres continue to express gratitude with the Last Post Ceremony. The Menin Gate is therefore the link - the gateway, as it were - between the different nations, peoples and cultures that meet here." 

Emmily Talpe, mayor City of Ieper said:
“The Menin Gate is one of the great sign boards of Ypres, but above all a monument with many meanings. A tribute to those who died for our freedom, a reminder of our past and, more broadly, of the loss that war brings. It also symbolizes why our city takes up its commitment as a Peace City with great conviction. Tourists are invariably impressed, but the Menin Gate also has a special meaning for us Ypres residents. We are delighted with the restoration by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, with the support of Flanders and our city. The Menin Gate will shine on its 100th anniversary in 2027!”

To find out more about the restoration please use the following link: