Waregem becomes Brussels in The New York Times

Waregem, a city in West Flanders, Belgium, graced the front page of almost all editions of The New York Times on Thursday, on the occasion of US president Barack Obama’s visit there on Wednesday. While the European edition of the renowned paper correctly referred to Waregem in the photo caption, in the American version it was changed to Brussels.

The sombre image shows Obama paying tribute at the graves of World War One soldiers in Waregem. The caption in the American edition reads: “President Obama participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at Flanders Field Cemetery in Brussels, Belgium, on Wednesday”.

Waregem Mayor Kurt Vanryckeghem (CD&V), who had the privilege to meet with Obama at Flanders Field Cemetery, is only slightly disappointed to hear that Waregem was not mentioned in the American edition of the paper. "Oh, to Americans Belgium is one big city," he said. "But Waregem has been in the international spotlight. There were a lot of foreign journalists here, and that photo did make the front page."