Workers' Assembly Halls

The Workers' Assembly Halls, a nomination led by Denmark, is one of the more prominent upcoming serial transnational initiatives. It is aiming for inscription in 2027. They represent the international democratic labour movement of the years 1850 to 1950. This isn’t a popular subject in the 21st century, but “we” (the workers in the countries where the labour movement had a significant impact) owe perks like the 8-hour workday and holiday bonuses to them. 

Among the 7 proposed Assembly Halls in 6 countries is “De Vooruit” in Ghent, Belgium. It has just appeared on the country’s tentative list (April 2025), and is definitely part of the final selected group that is preparing a nomination and it has received funding to do so from the Flanders government. I visited it on November 9, 2024, on a guided tour.

The ‘Vooruit’ (Dutch for “Forward”) dates from 1913, the year Ghent hosted an International Exhibition. It seemed a good idea to the local socialist movement to celebrate its cause via a grand building, which was to be situated along the main road between the railway station and the city centre. The construction was funded by the eponymous socialist cooperative, which managed a bakery, a brewery, pharmacies, and other businesses aimed at the socialist customer. Workers could use its services against fair prices, to protect them from rampant capitalism.

The building has a very fine facade, but unfortunately, it is completely covered in scaffolding at the moment (works to improve its …

On a Wednesday morning (March 2025), I observed that the CGT building was open. I asked a man at the reception desk if my partner and I can take a look at the lobby. After taking a few photos and as we were about to leave, the man at the reception asked it we would like to see the "salas" and directed another staff person - who spoke no English - to take us around.

The voluntold guide then took us up a flight of stairs to Salon Felipe Vallesse, which is a medium sized auditorium. The auditorium contained 17 rows of seats, a raised platform with a table and a rostrum for speakers, murals around the room, photo portraits of Eva Peron and Juan Domingo Person, and a second-floor balcony at the rear. Our friendly guide directed us to sit at the speakers' table for a photo opportunity. Aesthetically speaking, the auditorium was no different than other dated utilitarian auditoriums from the mid-20th century.

Our guide than took us up another flight of stairs to Eva Peron's former office and current museum. As the museum is not open to the public, our guide first had to locate the key to it. 

The museum is essentially three small rooms. The first room - which I would guess was originally the waiting room - displayed old newspaper clippings of Eva Peron, a few artifacts, and a life-sized figure of Juan Domingo Peron. Our guide directed us to stand …

After I had an outside view of the Worker’s Assembly Hall in Buenos Aires, I got the opportunity to visit the building with the same purpose in Copenhagen.

The Danish Worker’s Assembly Hall is now part of the Workers Museum. It’s just 3 minutes walking from Norreport metro station and open daily from 10:00 to 17:00.

While, unlike in Argentina, the building is unremarkable from the outside, with an entry to the museum you get access to the actual assembly hall with its impressive banquet hall. As it seems to be custom in Denmark, you first pay a high entry fee (around 17 EUR) and then just walk in without anyone ever checking your ticket. The museum itself is very nice, but the only explanation in English you will find is within the banquet hall and the temporary exhibition in the basement. All other information is Danish only.  

The Assembly Hall in Copenhagen was the first in Europe, inaugurated in 1879. It was financed and erected by the Danish labour movement. It included offices and meeting rooms, which are now used as museum exhibition rooms, and the banquet hall. The building is a museum since 1983. The banquet hall is likely the only room that justifies UOV. It was renovated in 2021 and is decorated with wood carvings of traditional professions and a big mural.

I still think these buildings represent a significant stage in human history and deserve their spot on the list, as without …

A visit to Argentina’s contribution to the Workers' Assembly Halls serial nomination at the moment is mostly about what you do NOT get to see. The building of the CGT at 802 Azopardo Street itself is a mildly interesting example of modernist architecture. On its façade it features a mural depicting Eva Peron at a young age, which symbolizes the relationship Juan and Eva Peron had with this labour organization and the building. It’s very much a symbol of the Peronist era, and one wonders what Argentina’s current right-wing government thinks of it and whether they hate it enough to oppose a WH nomination.

Inside, but closed off now to non-members, are two main points of interest. There is the Eva Peron Museum, a reminder that this was the place where Eva’s embalmed body was on display for years after her death. And there is the Salon Felipe Vallese, the main hall decorated by murals depicting scenes of the labour movement.

It will be interesting to see what the focus of the narrative of the overall nomination will be. The title says ‘Assembly Halls’ and indeed what all locations seem to have in common is a multifunctional venue where debates, political meetings, etc took place geared to the ‘working class’. This CGT building apparently has just that in the Salon Felipe Vallese, but it would make no sense to include it in the nomination and keep it closed to the outside world.

I see a lot of potential in this nomination. The CTG is the biggest syndicate in Argentina, a country that loves (and is probably partially ruined by) syndicates. This topic is not represented on the list, so it would fill a gap. The building itself was inaugurated 1950 by Juan Perón and was built in Rationalism style. It survived the military dictatorship and is still in use. Unfortunately, it is currently not open to public, but this could change in case of a successful inscription.

I passed the building on a walk through the city centre. It’s just a few blocks from the Casa Rosada (the Argentinian White House) and close to the interesting Mercado San Telmo, the fancy Perto Madero and Siga La Vaca, the one restaurant that every Uber driver recommended to us. It was a short visit of course, as it is only one inaccessible building. At least you can take a picture of the entry area with the stairs through the partial glass door.

If this gets inscribed and opens to public I will definitely be back. I also got inspired to visit the worker’s museum in Copenhagen.