Between 6–9 June 2025, the Heartsafe consortium joined forces at the Nerdland Festival in Wachtebeke, Belgium, bringing lifesaving knowledge to one of Belgium’s most creative and science-focused events.
Together with KU Leuven, we presented the interactive experience “Van omstaander tot held” (“From Bystander to Hero”), a 15-minute parcours where visitors could learn the essentials of CPR and AED use. The setup was designed to be accessible, fun, and hands-on, ensuring that anyone — regardless of age or background — could walk away with basic lifesaving skills.
The response was overwhelming. Families with children, students, and young adults all lined up to take part, transforming from curious bystanders into confident “heroes” in just a few minutes. By embedding CPR practice into a festival experience, we showed that lifesaving education doesn’t have to be confined to classrooms or training halls — it can be engaging, entertaining, and community-driven.
Beyond raising public awareness, Nerdland Festival gave us a platform to showcase collaboration, innovation, and the power of citizen engagement in emergency response.