Delegation of Flanders to the USA

? The Fayat Seminar 2025 has successfully concluded! ? The Delegation was thrilled to host all laureates of the Flemish Fayat scholarship and the Flanders Trainee Program (FTP) in the US for an engaging 2-day seminar on Climate & Innovation in New York City last week. ?? On Thursday, we kicked off with an introductory lunch at the Le Botaniste Penn Plaza, followed by insightful presentations about the work of the Delegation of Flanders to the USA, Flanders Investment & Trade - USA and Toerisme Vlaanderen - VISITFLANDERS. The day continued with a thought-provoking panel discussion on the impact of innovation and technology on climate policy in the context of a new Trump administration. The evening provided ample networking opportunities at our reception, including with the US alumni chapters of KU Leuven and Ghent University. ?? Friday began with an inspiring session led by Axelle Moortgat, who shared the journey of her climate tech startup, NOX Energy. The day also included visits to the NYC Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice and the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the United Nations in New York, where?Karl Lagatie & Benjamin Robinet highlighted the Belgian climate priorities at the UN, Emma Siemens Lorenzen talked about the work of the UN Climate Action Team (CAT) of the Office of the UN Secretary-General, and Yannis Derbali & Lise Rymenants presented the actions of the UN Environment Programme and their experiences as FTP's. A guided tour of the UN Headquarters was another highlight. We concluded the seminar with the opening reception of the 'Cities & Eyes' exhibition by Anouk Focquier at Flander House, an example of cultural diplomacy. ??? This seminar was not only an opportunity for professional growth but also for building stronger connections. Some of the laureates stayed in NYC over the weekend to explore the city together. ?? Fayatbeurzen provide financial support to talented students to further their studies at top institutions worldwide. FTP Flanders Trainee Programme provides financial support to ambitious young leaders who secured an internship at a multilateral institution, such as the UN HQ in New York. These students and interns also become ambassadors who help put Flanders on the map as an innovative top region. If you're interested in any of these programs, definitely click on the links above. ?? Capucine Cotier Louise C. Victor Longin Emma Kuypers Charlotte Dierickx-Visschers Tijs Vangrunderbeek Serhat Yildirim Anne Bombay Lennert Plasschaert Marie Verdonck Max Van Den Bosch Justine Haekens Florence Seghers Zo? Nevelsteen Eva Sevrin Lise Rymenants Kimberly A. Marie Mehaudens Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office Departement Kanselarij en Buitenlandse Zaken Sophie Verbist Paul Hegge Elien Werbrouck Laurence Bielen

Allow us to introduce the latest additions to our team! Esther and Maxime are our new interns, fortifying our team here at the Delegation: ?Meet Esther? She’s a graduate student in International Politics with an undergraduate in Social Sciences. She’s been interning here for a little over a month now, participating in meetings and helping organize events and ministrial missions as well as updating our social media platforms. She’ll be with us until the 10th of June. During her free time she loves going for long walks and getting her steps in while taking pictures with her (film)cameras which makes a city like New York the perfect fit for her! She’s also a foodie with a sweet tooth always down to go to a coffee shop for caffeine and a sweet treat! Lastly, she’s an avid music lover and enjoys going to concerts or jazz clubs! ?Meet Maxime? He started his internship three days ago and will be with us until the 13th of June. Maxime will be focusing on keeping our socials up to date, capturing events and daily life at the delegation through photos and videos, creating engaging podcasts, and helping organize events. In his free time, he enjoys playing soccer, drawing, and creating visual content. We’re excited to see his creativity and storytelling skills bring a fresh and dynamic touch to our work! We’re excited to have them on board! Departement Kanselarij en Buitenlandse Zaken Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office #meettheteam?#internship?#nyc?#delegation

Everything is ready for our side event! ? Tomorrow, we’ll be hosting our side event ‘Addressing the backlash – Pushing forward to secure sexual, reproductive, health and labour rights’ at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women ♀? ? In collaboration with the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, the International Labour Organization and the Permanent Representation of Mexico to the United Nations in New York, the event will bring together Caroline Gennez, Laura Nyirinkindi, Emanuela Pozzan, Jennifer Feller and Eefke Deneer for a dynamic panel discussion to reflect on how we can continue to #progress despite opposition. ? We’re looking forward to the insightful discussion as we answer to following questions: ? How can we continue to ensure the sexual and reproductive health rights of women and girls in a rapidly changing world? ? How can we ensure that everyone has access to comprehensive sexuality education? ? How can we create conditions for women and girls to enjoy their rights to equal opportunity, dignity and economic security? ? The event will take place tomorrow, March 11, from 3 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. (EST) at #UNHQ. It is possible to follow the side event #live via UN Web TV. The link can be found here: https://lnkd.in/eE6zQ4Rx ???? ???? United Nations Algemene Afvaardiging van de Vlaamse Regering in de Verenigde Staten UN Women Departement Kanselarij en Buitenlandse Zaken Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores de México Rutgers - For sexual and reproductive health and rights

?? Rights. Equality. Empowerment. #ForALLWomenandGirls?? This year, the United Nations theme for International Women’s Day is “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” It’s been 30 years since world leaders took a pledge at the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing. A pledge for equal rights, opportunities, power and security for women and girls everywhere. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action anchored that pledge and is one of the most comprehensive plans to achieve equal rights for girls and women.?? Unfortunately, at the current rate, it will take another five generations or so before there is full gender equality (source: World Economic Forum). Women around the world still too often encounter barriers, both at home and at work. Past time, then, to shift things up a gear.? Our colleagues from both Brussels and the Delegations of Flanders enthusiastically took photos to raise awareness of the issue. In the familiar ?? pose, they show that we stand strong together. The world cannot wait another 30 years to achieve the promise of gender equality. Let us be the first generation to deliver on that promise and achieve true equality.?? Read more about our Delegations of Flanders’ other initiatives in the context of International Women’s Day: https://lnkd.in/eYJKN-Rn #ForALLWomenandGirls #IWD2025??

On 21 March, KU Leuven and UCLouvain will jointly award an honorary doctorate to the United Nations as part of their 600th anniversary celebrations. Secretary-General António Guterres will accept the honorary doctorate on behalf of the organisation. With this award, the sister universities acknowledge the UN’s pivotal role in protecting the most vulnerable members of society and its ongoing efforts to reform and innovate, despite great geopolitical tensions. More info ?? https://lnkd.in/euu7R-x9 KU Leuven Luc Sels Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office Paul Hegge KU Leuven Alumni - US Chapter Jan Wauters Karl Lagatie Permanent Representation of Belgium to the United Nations in New York Wallonie Bruxelles International Maxime Van Cauter

?? ?????????????? ????????????????, ?????????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ???????? (?????????????? 2)? ?? The Big Leap series is an initiative from Startup.Flanders. The webinar series zooms in on expanding to some of the world’s most competitive markets, with a first focus on the US powered by our local FIT New York team. During this webinar we also highlight how our local New York office can assist in your US expansion. After a successful first session of The Expansion Playbook, it’s time to dive deeper into the tax & legal essentials of international growth. One wrong move can slow you down—or worse, cost you significantly. In Episode 2 – The Tax & Legal Toolkit, top experts from DLA Piper will share critical insights on how to structure your U.S. expansion in a legally sound and tax-efficient way. ?? Our speakers: ?? Virginie Frémat (DLA Piper Antwerp) – legal expert in international business ?? Nicolas Engelmann (DLA Piper Antwerp) – specialist in international taxation ?? Carlos V. (DLA Piper Washington DC) – U.S. insider with hands-on expertise ?? When? ??????????????????, ?????????? 2, 9 ???? - 10 ???? ?????? ?? Where? ???????????? ??????????????????? ?????????????? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ??????????????????? This hands-on session is designed for startups preparing for international expansion. Whether you’re in the early stages or already making concrete plans, these insights will save you time, money, and headaches. ??Register now to secure your spot!! P.S. Stay tuned for upcoming US episodes in June, September and November 2025, where we’ll delve into essential topics including effective pitching, drafting your expansion plan, and smart hiring in the US. Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT) Flanders Investment & Trade - USA Laurence Breynaert Katrien Leinders John Baekelmans #TheBigLeap #StartupFlanders #InternationalExpansion #TaxAndLegal #GoGlobal

?? ?????????????? & ???????????????????? ???? ?? ???????????????? ???????????? On Thursday the 27th of February, the Delegation of Flanders to the USA, in collaboration with Flanders Investment & Trade New York and the US Chapters of the alumni associations of the KU Leuven and the University of Ghent organized a stimulating panel debate on Climate & Innovation in the context of the new US administration. ?? Hans Bruyninckx delivered a key-note speech titled "Climate change ambitions in times of turbulence: leveraging knowledge, innovation and governance". He provided updates on current climate change scientific knowledge, innovative perspectives, global governance (UNFCCC), and EU policies, including the future of the European Green Deal and the Net Zero Industry Act. He emphasized the need for governance innovation to address the triple planetary crisis within the global geopolitical context. ?? Valérie Trouet highlighted the clear and unmistakable scientific consensus that the levels of carbon dioxide and the resulting global climate change are unprecedented in the past 800,000 years. She noted that January 2025 was the warmest on record globally and stressed that anthropogenic climate change is already impacting human systems and ecosystems, with future impacts expected to increase dramatically. According to the IPCC, we have the knowledge, technology, and capital to address climate change, but societal and political will are lacking. ?? Kevin Reed pointed out that 2023 and 2024 were the hottest years on record, with worsening heat waves and extreme rainfall events. He emphasized the need for new tools and research to understand and address these changes. Kevin also mentioned the progress in renewable energy, such as offshore wind in New York, and the challenges of making the grid more resilient and ensuring community benefits. ?? Patrick Verdonck stressed the importance of technology and innovation in decarbonizing the economy by making existing technology more efficient and developing new innovations. Patrick also highlighted the need for both government actions and market incentives to achieve effective climate measures, noting that a combination of both has led to meaningful reductions in emissions and pollution. Paul Hegge, our General Representative at the Delegation of Flanders, moderated the debate, on the basis of discussion questions by the Fayat scholarship students and the Flanders Trainee Program interns at the UN. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect, reflect, and discuss. ?? A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and made this debate so thought-provoking! ???? Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office Departement Kanselarij en Buitenlandse Zaken Flanders Investment & Trade - USA KU Leuven Alumni - US Chapter Ghent University Jan Wauters Nicolas C. Polet Fayatbeurzen FTP Flanders Trainee Programme Consulate General of Belgium in New York #climatechange #technology #innovation #Flandersexpertise #Fayat #FTP

Oscar excitement is building. Two films from Flanders are still in the race for an Academy Award. Flanders Image Delegation of Flanders to the USA Consulate General of Belgium in Los Angeles BELWEST - Chamber of Commerce ????

The Flemish and, by extension, the European industry is under pressure, and European cooperation is needed to tackle this challenge. Today, 400 business leaders, industry representatives, and workers from across Europe gathered in Antwerp to discuss the newly published #CleanIndustrialDeal (CID) with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. This Clean Industrial Deal is a crucial element in the European Commission’s focus on competitiveness, as emphasized in the Draghi Report and the priorities of the Von der Leyen II Commission. At the Flemish level, competitiveness is also a key priority, as reflected in the Flemish coalition agreement, the Flemish position paper on the Draghi Report, and the recently published Flemish Productivity and Competitiveness Agenda. Minister-President Diependaele attended the event and highlighted in his speech the constructive role that Flanders aims to play in realizing the ambitions of the CID. The overarching message today was clear: #DeliverTheDeal. To restore Europe’s prosperity, we need urgent action to:? ? Restore the business case for investments in Europe? ? Implement the EU Green Deal?? ? Safeguard high-quality jobs? New EU policies must be assessed against a simple test:? ?? Do they attract investment to Europe?? ?? Do they keep Europe safe & autonomous?? ?? Do they lower energy costs?? ?? Do they create markets for sustainable products?? ?? Do they secure quality jobs? ?? European industries are ready to contribute and call on EU leaders to take action. Departement WEWIS – economie, wetenschap en innovatie #Flanders #EU

Happy Study Abroad Day! ???? Today, we celebrate the transformative power of studying in a new country—expanding horizons, embracing new cultures, and gaining a global perspective. If you’re looking for an unforgettable study abroad experience, consider Flanders!???? With top-ranked universities, affordable tuition, and a rich cultural heritage, it’s the perfect place to grow academically and personally. Explore vibrant cities like Ghent, Leuven, and Antwerp, immerse yourself in Dutch (and multilingual) environments, and enjoy easy access to the rest of Europe for weekend adventures.?? Click the link below for more information and resources to study abroad in Flanders. ??https://lnkd.in/eMuUNbRG Take the leap—your global journey starts here! NAFSA: Association of International Educators Fayatbeurzen VLUHR Renilde Knevels Erica Lutes Fulbright Association Paul Hegge Flanders Chancellery and Foreign Office Embassy of Belgium in the United States of America StudyAbroad #studyabroad #exchange #studyinflanders #exchangestudent #internationalstudents