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Baerekracht launch event
From Alaska to Mexico – with Michiel De Smet
Baerekracht launch event
An evening full of inspiration – From Alaska to Mexico.
On Thursday 25 April 2025, dozens of visitors gathered at GC De Kluize in Oosterzele for a special evening: the From Alaska to Baerekracht: Launch event.
The atmosphere was warm and full of anticipation when the doors opened at 6.30 pm — and rightly so, as it turned out to be an unforgettable experience centred on inspiration and perseverance.
Michiel De Smet — From world record to life story
The guest of honour for the evening, Michiel De Smet, the world record holder for long-distance handcycling, took the audience on his incredible journey from Alaska to Mexico.
With passion and honesty, he spoke about the physical and mental challenges he faced along the way:
the endless roads, the harsh weather conditions, the moments of doubt and the triumphs that followed.
“"The greatest victory wasn’t the record, but the confidence that I could handle anything, no matter what obstacles stood in my way."
His story moved the audience deeply — a powerful testament to resilience and perseverance that perfectly reflects what Bear Power stands for.
Official launch of Baerekracht vzw
At the same time, the mission and vision of Baerekracht vzw proposed.
Our dream: to make it possible for everyone to experience nature, regardless of physical limitations.
Using Michiel’s journey as a symbolic thread running through the narrative, we emphasised that boundaries can be pushed — even in nature tourism.
Baerekracht aims to make nature accessible, not just in theory but, above all, in practice.
From adventurous trails to innovative aids, from inspiration to real-life experiences: we are building a natural world without boundaries.
An evening of togetherness
As well as Michiel’s impressive story, there was time for meeting people, chatting and building connections.
Visitors shared their own dreams and plans for experiencing nature, and many showed their support by making a donation as part of our crowdfunding campaign.
The evening concluded with a short video presentation — a glimpse into the projects and dreams that Baerekracht hopes to realise.
Watch the video below for some highlights from the evening.
Thank you
We would like to thank everyone who attended for coming, for their enthusiasm and for their support.
With this evening, we not only celebrated Michiel’s achievement, but also took a significant step towards a future in which experiencing nature is truly accessible to everyone.
Would you like to find out more about our mission or get involved yourself?