Consulate General of Belgium in New York

"I am thrilled to start my internship at the Consulate General in New York and explore its different sections! I am passionate about helping people and have a profound interest in international relations. The current situation in my native country, Ukraine, has further shown me the importance of good cooperation between different states. I would therefore like to work in an international context later on, and the Consulate General seems like the perfect place to start my career!" Welcome to the team, Marianna Mertens ! Filip Vanden Bulcke Laurent Frédérickx Brice Gilson Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America #belgiumintheus

La Belge is a unique interview series where we celebrate Belgian women and their personal NY stories. Throughout eclectic portraits, we create a common thread by asking each interviewee the same questions. Today in La Belge: Emma de Muelenaere ?? community builder and representative of Vlamingen in de Wereld in NY Location: Harlem Hello Emma! Since when do you live in NY? Since 2013. How did you end up in NY? Thanks to love! When my then-boyfriend, now husband, Tom, returned to Belgium after finishing his Erasmus program, he told me that he never wanted to leave again without me. Of course, I was very moved by his words. A few months later, he was accepted at NYU, and eleven years later, we’re still here. It took us a while before we realized that we had actually immigrated, but now we’re ready to apply for American citizenship. Our two young daughters are American, and we want the flexibility to travel freely between both countries, especially as we think about the future. What’s your favorite spot in NY? It’s hard to choose! But I’d pick the NY Botanical Garden. It’s a beautiful place to visit year-round and witness the changing seasons. When you're an expat family, you need to create your own traditions as a small unit. One of ours is visiting the garden and their yearly events like the holiday train show. How has your connection with the city evolved? When we moved here in 2013, I had never visited NY before, and the idea of living anywhere other than Belgium felt daunting. Luckily, I instantly fell in love with the city! It’s a place that constantly reveals itself in new ways. Every time we changed neighborhoods or jobs, we discovered a new perspective on the city. Read the rest of the interview on https://lnkd.in/g8HS9D3F ! Filip Vanden Bulcke Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America

Huddled in big coats, people rush to their next appointment. If it weren’t so cold, their pace might be slower—or perhaps not. After all, this is New York. It’s a sunny winter day when we meet Sandrine Versavel, Director of Sales & Marketing, Press & PR at Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp. In New York to promote Antwerp as a pocket-sized metropolis, she shares with us why Botanic Sanctuary embodies what the city is best known for—style, art, and haute cuisine. As Antwerp stands out as a must-visit destination, Sandrine stands out in shaping the hotel's success. With over 20 years of experience in luxury and lifestyle hotels, you are one of Botanic Sanctuary’s leading women. How did this opportunity come about, and what made Botanic Sanctuary stand out as the perfect next step in your career? "Ever since I started working in the hospitality industry, it has been my ambition to work for a five-star luxury hotel, though opportunities were limited. So when the former Managing Director of Botanic Sanctuary asked if I wanted to lead their pre-opening project, developing the entire commercial setup, it was a dream come true. I already had 20 years of commercial experience managing hotel rebranding and pre-openings, but this project was especially unique—it was the first five-star luxury hotel in Antwerp. The start of a new adventure! Two and a half years ago, after some delays due to the pandemic, we finally opened Botanic Sanctuary. Originally a monastery dating back to the 15th century, the 20,000 square-meter site was given a new purpose by its owners, who sought to restore its grandeur. A fusion of art, gastronomy, and nature, it is truly a destination within a destination." Read the rest of the interview on https://lnkd.in/eH9yN_ys ! The Leading Hotels of the World Filip Vanden Bulcke Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America #BotanicSanctuaryAntwerp #LeadingHotelsOfTheWorld #belgiumintheus

Dreaming of an internship in the U.S.? Make it happen and mark your calendar! On April 30th, BelCham and KU Leuven are hosting The BelCham Summit for U.S. Internships, a must-attend event for students and recent alumni eager to launch their international careers. ? Access insider tips on how to land an internship or traineeship in the U.S. ? Get expert visa advice from J-1 Visa Director Jeanette Murray Johnson. ? Hear inspiring stories from former interns. ? Mingle at the networking reception with free food & drinks. ?? When? April 30, 18:00 – 21:00 ?? Where? KU Leuven KICK All students -regardless of their nationality and school, are welcome to join! This event is organized in collaboration with KU Leuven, University Ghent, HOGENT, University of Liège and Ichec Brussels Management School. #InternshipOpportunities #USInternships #CareerLaunch #GlobalExperience #BelCham #belgiumintheus Filip Vanden Bulcke AWEX USA Wallonie Bruxelles International hub.brussels Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT)

When two dear friends and journalists sit down for coffee, great stories are bound to unfold. Just days before his return to Belgium, Bj?rn Soenens did exactly that with Ana?s Raes. The result? An honest interview about life in New York, the road ahead, and the unexpected perks of growing a mustache. Ana?s: They say you can call yourself a New Yorker after ten years. You have been here eight, close enough. Do you feel like a New Yorker? Bj?rn: No and yes. When I go back to Belgium, I do feel like a New Yorker because Belgians tend to sweat the small things. When the train is late, they start complaining after about 20 seconds, while New Yorkers just wait for the subway to ride again. On the other hand I am not a New Yorker because I like my peace and quiet too much. I like slow living, I’m not a FOMO person at all. Unlike most New Yorkers, I don’t have to be up and running all the time. When I’m in Europe, sitting on a terrace and drinking a coffee, I can be there for an hour and watch people walking by. I don’t think of it as ‘taking in some food’, no, I simply want to enjoy the meal and the company. And we will talk about the ingredients, not about the carbs (laughs). So in that respect I will never be an American. In my bones I’m still a hardcore European. Ana?s: As a hardcore European, did you feel at home here? Bj?rn: I did, so it will be difficult to leave this all behind. Eight years in New York, that’s a lifetime. The saying goes that you have to be here for ten years, but that’s b.s., because I did feel at home before that. People say you can never say goodbye to New York, and that is true. The city and the people will always stay with me. The skyscrapers might catch people’s attention, but living here you discover that in many ways, New York is like a small town, ‘neighborhoodly’ even. I had a favorite bodega when I lived in Clinton Hill. It was managed by Yemenites. They were not super friendly, rather cold and distant, but after a while they got to know me and gave me my pack of Marlboro Red without me having to ask. My wife Emma and I said goodbye to the people running the small supermarket we often went to. The owners came from Jerusalem in 1967, after the six day war. The woman sitting at the counter is from Niger. She gave us a big hug on our last visit. The city is filled with interesting and kind people like that. Things ending means being aware of the preciousness of time, and this was a very precious time of my life. It’s all about making memories and these eight years in New York will always be a fantastic memory. Something to tell my kids and future grand kids about. But rather than be sad and think about what I’ll miss, I will be grateful and think of how nice it is that I got to experience it. Spread love, it’s the Brooklyn way (smiles). Read the rest on https://lnkd.in/g8HS9D3F Filip Vanden Bulcke Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America #belgiumintheus

Christian Clauwers is a Belgian explorer, photographer, and visual storyteller, who travels to the world’s most remote regions. Commissioned by BELSPO, the Belgian Science Policy Office, he supports the outreach and dissemination of research conducted aboard Belgium’s research vessel, Belgica. Last week, together with the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the United Nations in New York, we hosted Christian who gave a presentation titled 'On the Frontlines of Climate Change- the Belgica and 125 Years of Antarctic Exploration'. As the audience marveled at his photos, Christian talked about Belgica’s renowned Antarctic expeditions, the scientific research conducted aboard, and the effects of climate change on the Small Island Developing States. Before the presentation, we had the chance to catch up with Christian at The Explorers Club, the legendary club where he is a fellow and had spoken the night before. "Photography is a universal language—one that reveals what is at stake. Did you know that one million out of eight million species are at risk of extinction due to human activity? For the past decade, the evolving conflict between humanity and nature has been at the heart of my photographs, serving as a tool to raise awareness and connect science, policy, diplomacy, and industry. As a witness, I capture nature’s beauty but also reveal its fragile codependence with humanity. Every year, I return to Svalbard and see how it transforms. This Arctic archipelago is warming four to six times faster than anywhere else on Earth. In July, I will join a team of Lithuanian scientists documenting the region’s fastest glacial retreat. In the 1950s, the glacier still touched the Arctic Ocean. Now, it has receded into a 1.2-kilometer lagoon, a new biosphere taking shape in real time. Belgium has long played a role in polar exploration. More than 125 years ago, Adrien de Gerlache led the first scientific expedition to Antarctica aboard Belgica. While other explorers focused on reaching the geographical South Pole, de Gerlache and his team conducted some of the first in-depth studies of Antarctica’s climate, ice, and wildlife. As Belgica became trapped in ice for over a year, the expedition also provided critical insights into surviving extreme polar conditions. With our Princess Elizabeth Station—Antarctica’s only fully sustainable research base—Belgium continues to play a pivotal role in international scientific projects related to the polar regions. It makes me very proud and hopeful for the future." Filip Vanden Bulcke Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium #belgiumintheus #climatechangeaction

Featuring ???? 's boldest, The Entrepreneurs series highlights stories about vision, perseverance and how to make it big in the States. In today’s special edition of The Entrepreneurs, we have an in-depth interview with Isabelle Lambotte, the founder of Share My Meals Inc. Launched in January 2020, Share My Meals is a nonprofit organization based in Princeton, NJ. Active across New Jersey, Share My Meals is dedicated to addressing food insecurity and the environmental impact of food waste by safely recovering and delivering healthy prepared meals to local communities. Read the interview on https://lnkd.in/g8HS9D3F ! Filip Vanden Bulcke Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America #ShareMyMeals #theentrepreneurs #belgiumintheus

?? ?? ?New York never stops… and neither do the Ghent University NY-LON students! After a week packed with company visits, networking events, and teambuilding activities, Emilie Van Der Meulen, Matteo Zighem, and Sara Van Tilborgh stopped by at the Consulate to look back on their study trip—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to connect with Belgian and American entrepreneurs. “We can see ourselves living here—as roommates, as colleagues… We’ll be back!” Want to hear more of their impressions? Head to our Instagram page and find out what stood out! A big shoutout to everyone who made this experience possible—mentors, companies, and of course… the organizers. Thank you, Sofie Hondeghem, Stephanie Calewaert and Bertel D.! Filip Vanden Bulcke Delegation of Flanders to the USA BelCham Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America Faculty of Economics and Business Administration (Ghent University) #NYLONStudyTrip #happylearning #belgiumintheus

?? Ready to make 2025 your year of success in the world’s largest market? ???? Join BelCham's 8th edition of US READINESS – a superb 5-day online learning track designed to equip you with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the U.S. market while avoiding common pitfalls! ??? from March 31 - April 4, 2025 ? 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM EST | 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM CET What’s in it for you? ?? Expert insights on entering the U.S. market ?? Tips to understand and embrace cultural differences ?? Guidance on legal, tax, and visa requirements ?? Best hiring practices for the U.S. ?? Advice from successful founders & CEOs ?? Insider tips on attracting U.S. investors ?? Official certificate upon successful completion Apply now! Go to https://lnkd.in/e7QgAbNG and take your business global ?? ! For more info, contact Member Service Director, Eline Van Eldere at [email protected] #USReadiness2025 #WeAreBelCham #BelgiumInTheUSA #GlobalGrowth #Entrepreneurship #USMarket #belgiumintheus #teambelgium

heartfelt words, a stylish pose, and a legendary cap. We said goodbye to our iconic journalist Bj?rn Soenens in style! Go to https://lnkd.in/eunejuKb to catch a glimpse of Bj?rn's farewell party ???? at the Belgian residence! Filip Vanden Bulcke Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America #belgiumintheus