On Wednesday 5 February, Belgian students of the College of Europe in Natolin organised the Belgian National Day as a way to share their country and culture with the rest of the Promotion. We were very honoured to welcome H.E. Ct Herman VAN ROMPUY, former Prime Minister of Belgium and former President of the European Council, for a high-level talk on "Belgium in the EU and in the World". In his talk, he offered us an insight into Belgium’s role in the EU as well as into the workings of the European Council. This event was moderated by another distinguished guest, H.E. Luc JACOBS, the Belgian Ambassador to Poland and Lithuania.
The talk was followed by some traditional Belgian dishes including frites, meatballs in tomato sauce, croquettes au fromage and, of course, waffles. The choir of Natolin performed a rousing rendition of ‘Ode to Joy’ and the Belgian national anthem in both French and Dutch. In the evening, a quiz was organised testing Natolin students’ knowledge on Belgian politics, sport, culture and gastronomy. This was combined by a beer-tasting, organised with the help of the Embassy. H.E. Ambassador Luc JACOBS introduced the students to a delightful selection of Belgian beers, explaining the notes and aromas of each one. At the end, students and guests played the Belgian version of N’oubliez Pas Les Paroles where students had to finish the lyrics of well-known Belgian songs.
Photo gallery from the Belgian National Day festivities:
Photo gallery from the high-level visit of H.E. Ct Herman VAN ROMPUY:
