vooruit

Vooruit is a Dutch word meaning forward, ahead, or onward. It is used to express progress or a forward-looking outlook, and appears in compounds such as vooruitgang (progress) and vooruitstrevend (progressive). Beyond its generic meaning, vooruit is used as the name for several organizations and institutions in Dutch-speaking regions, reflecting a theme of forward movement.

De Vooruit, commonly shortened to Vooruit, is a cultural center in Ghent, Belgium. It was established by the local socialist movement in the early 20th century as a workers’ palace and has since developed into a multidisciplinary venue for music, theater, cinema, and visual arts. The center is known for presenting avant-garde and contemporary programming and for serving as a platform for national and international artists, researchers, and education projects.

Vooruit is also the name of the Flemish social-democratic political party in Belgium. In 2021, the party formerly known as SP.A adopted the name Vooruit as part of a rebranding toward a forward-looking political identity. The party operates at federal, regional, and local levels in Flanders and participates in the European Parliament’s Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group.