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Local Newsletter of the Embassy of Belgium in Islamabad Issue 7 – May 2015

A message from the Ambassador Dear friends, Our March Newsletter seemed well filled, but the May one beats it. Over the last 2 months, the Embassy has developed a number of activities and its members have been traveling in Pakistan. Moreover, it was again time to honour certain people for their continuing commitment to Belgium in Pakistan. Those are beautiful moments when we are reminded that relations between countries entirely depend on people giving the best of themselves. At a high political level, interactions between Belgium and Pakistan remain low key. But the true commitment resides in our daily activities, and with limited means and minimal staff, my Embassy has always tried its best to act as a reliable service provider in the consular field, promote economic exchanges and develop social and cultural activities. That is not always easy, but it is more than worthwhile. The Embassy has activated a new website that is more attractive and informative than the old one. Please visit it! We are also on twitter and Facebook. As always, we are keen to know your reactions and receive your input, for which we thank you in advance. With best regards, Peter Claes Ambassador of Belgium

Visit of the Ambassador to South Punjab Ambassador and Mrs. Peter Claes went on a private trip to South Punjab and discovered some less known Belgian gems there…

• Belgian splendor in Bahawalpur The historic palaces of the Nawabs in and around Bahawalpur contain some spectacular 19th century Belgian mirror work. In Noor Mahal it has been admirably conserved by the Pakistan Army. The palace is open to the public to admire. All its mirrors are all manufactured in, and

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imported from Belgium at the time of construction. They continue to shine flawlessly as visible proof of Belgian quality. The same is true for the fabled Sadiqgarh Palace, where the grand Belgian mirror still presides miraculously intact over the Durbar Hall, reflecting the tragic decay of this once magnificent palace, now utterly looted and vandalized.

• Brave Belgian Nun working with disabled children in Multan since 1974 In the heart of Multan, the Umeed Gah Center for disabled children, is run by 5 formidable Little Sisters of Jesus, 4 French nuns and one Belgian, Sister Cécile Durt. She came to Multan in 1974 and was instrumental in the establishment and running of the Centre, adding to the rich heritage of generations of Belgians who gave their lives for social development and charity in Pakistan. The Umeed Gah Center takes care of some 30 mentally and physically disabled children who receive basic education during the day. In addition, it offers physiotherapy for another 60 children, sharing this important work with their parents, especially mothers. Most of the children are able to develop the necessary skills to lead a normal life and overcome the worst of their disability. For more information about their work and enquiries about how to help them, please contact the Embassy.

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Belgium in the forefront of the climate change debate: Lecture by Professor Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, Vice-Chairman of the IPCC In collaboration with the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), the Embassy organised a special lecture by Professor van Ypersele in the Marriott hotel in Islamabad on Friday April 17th. Professor Jean-Pascal van Ypersele is the Vice-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the scientific intergovernmental body which, under the auspices of the United Nations, produces the most important and authoritative reports on climate change. As such, it is indeed the only internationally accepted scientific authority on the global climate change problem. The Professor gave a presentation on the challenges and opportunities of climate change, based on the findings of the most recent IPCC report (the so-called Fifth Assessment Report). Mr. Malik Amin Aslam Khan, Global Vice President of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), shed more light on the specific climate challenges which are threatening Pakistan. More than 200 people came to listen to the lecture. Professor van Ypersele is the official Belgian candidate to take over the chairmanship of the IPCC at the elections in October this year and was in Islamabad to present and defend his candidacy to the competent authorities in Pakistan. He met with H.E. Mr. Mushahid Ulla Khan, the Minister of Climate Change, and several other dignitaries.

Visit to Karachi and Hyderabad (April 23-25)

• Visit to Hyderabad On April 23th, the Ambassador and Counsellor Karel Van Hecke traveled to the city of Hyderabad and met with Mr. Gohar Ullah, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, to explore the reinforcement of trade relations between Belgium and Hyderabad, which in a short time has developed in an important economic hub. The Ambassador also used the occasion to visit the ancient tombs of the Kalhora and Talpur Mirs.

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• Visit of the “Exquisite” in Port Qasim On April 25th, the Ambassador paid a visit to the crew of the “Exquisite”, the Belgium-flagged LNG tanker which is docked at Port Qasim in Karachi. The ship is a so-called Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) and takes care of the on-board regasification of imported Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from Qatar. After this process, the high-pressure gas in injected in the national grid and providing 6 to 12% of Pakistan’s total natural gas demand. The ship is property of Exmar Shipmanagment, a company based in Antwerp. In this way, Belgium is contributing to Pakistan’s fight in overcoming its energy problem. In Port Qasim, the Ambassador also had an official meeting with Mr. Agha Jan Akhtar, Chairman of the Port Qasim Authority.

• Participation in the POGEE Exhibition for the Energy Industry On April 23th, the Ambassador visited the POGEE 13th International Exhibition for the Energy Industry at the Karachi Expo Centre, where the Commercial Section of the Embassy of Belgium (the Walloon Trade Office to be more specific) organized a successful pavilion facilitating business contacts and B2Bs. The Ambassador had the honour to show the Belgian pavilion to H.E. Mr. Murad Ali Shah, the Finance and Energy Minister in the Government of Sindh.

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• Belgian diamonds are forever

On April 24th the Ambassador and the Trade Commissioner met in Karachi with representatives of the Pakistan Gems and Jewellery Development Company (PGDJC), a non-profit public/private entity which was created in June 2006 to help develop Pakistan into a regional hub for precious stone cutting and jewellery manufacturing. The objective of the meeting was to discuss possible synergies between the Pakistani gems and jewellery sector and the Belgian diamond industry, one of the world-leading industries for diamond cutting, polishing, finishing and marketing of variety of gemstones.

Decoration time!

• Trade Commissioner Abid Hussain receives the title of Officer of the Order of the Crown

On behalf of King Philippe, Ambassador Claes conferred the title of Officer of the Order of the Crown on Mr. Abid Hussain, since 1994 Belgium’s Trade Commissioner in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The solemn ceremony was held on 31 March at the residence of the Ambassador and assembled the family and close friends of Mr. Husain. The order of the Crown is awarded both to distinguished Belgian military and senior civil servants and to foreign nationals for their services to Belgium. In his speech, the Ambassador praised the qualities of Mr. Hussain for his services rendered during the last 36 years that he has been working with the Embassy and congratulated him on his appointment. In his acceptance

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speech, Mr. Husain thanked the Ambassador for his hospitality and thanked his family, friends and colleagues who helped him achieve the royal distinction.

• Honorary Consul Hashwani receives the Golden Medal of the Civil Cross First Class

On April 20th Ambassador Claes officially conferred to Mr. Sadruddin Hashwani, the Honorary Consul of Belgium in Karachi, the Golden Medal of the Civil Cross First Class of the Kingdom of Belgium in recognition of his longstanding services to Belgium. This prestigious national distinction was awarded during a festive gala dinner at the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, in the presence of his family and many representatives from the industrial, political and social circles.

• Decoration for Takreem ul-Haque, Secretary of the Honorary Consulate in Karachi

On April 24th, on the occasion of a festive dinner hosted by the Pakistan-Belgium Business Forum for the economic elite of Karachi, the Ambassador had the pleasure to formally

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decorate Mr. Takreem ul-Haque, the permanent Secretary of the Honorary Consulate in Karachi. Mr. Takreem, a loyal friend of the Embassy, received the Knighthood in the Order of Leopold II, as a token of appreciation for his more than 25 years of services to the Embassy.

• Embassy Staff On April 21st the entire team of the Embassy was invited at the residence of the Ambassador for a threefold event. Firstly, the Embassy said goodbye to Ms. Samia Haque, who after 5 years of loyal service in the visa section, made the decision to start a new life abroad. In his speech the Ambassador extensively thanked Samia for her excellent work and wished her the best of luck in her new career. The second occasion for the gathering was the conferral of the Silver Medal of the Civil Cross Second Class upon Mr. Mohammad Ziab, who received the award for his services rendered during the last 25 years that he has been working as a driver for the Embassy. And lastly, to his surprise, the Consul and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy, Johan Casaer, was awarded with the Golden Medal of the Civil Cross First Class for his distinguished career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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Belgian chocolate has arrived in Islamabad On May 7th, the Ambassador officially inaugurated the “N Street Chocolate Cafe”, the first chocolate café in Pakistan which uses authentic Belgian chocolate to create handcrafted chocolates and all kinds of customized chocolate delights. The café is located on the 4th floor of the Centaurus Mall in Islamabad and is the start of one of many chocolate cafés that the chain is planning to open this year in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

Jubilee Sisters of Charity of Jesus & Mary The Ambassador and Mrs. Claes attended on April 11th in Lahore the celebrations on the occasion of the different jubilees (from 25 to 70 years) of members of the Belgian Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of Jesus and Mary. This Congregation has been established in Pakistan for over 100 years and is active in education and charity. It operates the famous Sacred Heart Convent School for Girls in the heart of Lahore. Among the Sisters honoured is Sister Martin de Porres from England, who received in 2014 from H.M. King Philip of the Belgians the Cross of Knight in the Order of the Crown. The other Sisters are from Pakistan. Sister Valsala, Mother Superior General (India) graced the occasion with her presence, as did Archbishop Sebastian Francis Shaw of Lahore.

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Working lunch at the residence On April 8th, the Ambassador held a working lunch at his residence which brought together the extensive network of actors on which the Embassy relies to promote its economic and commercial relations with Pakistan: Trade Commissioner Mr. Abid Hussain and his deputy Mr. Shaukat Niazi, Mr. Mohhamad Rajpar and Mr. Sameer Dodhy from the Pakistan-Belgium Business Forum in Karachi, Mr. Athar Rafiq, the deputy Honorary Consul in Lahore and Dr. Ata ul-Haq, the Advisor on Economic Diplomacy.

New website launched

The Embassy is proud to present its updated and modernised website http://diplomatie.belgium.be/pakistan/. You will find here all the necessary information regarding the Embassy, its contact details and opening hours, as well as information regarding visa and other consular matters.

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Belgium supports the Lahore Music Meet

Representatives of the Embassy attended the first edition of the Lahore Music Meet, a two-day event dedicated to the celebration and critique of music in Pakistan. The event was held on 4 and 5 April and brought together music enthusiasts, artists, patrons, industry representatives and academics to discuss the future of the Pakistani music scene. In the evening, some of the country’s most talented singers and bands treated the audience with a number of fantastic concerts and performances.

Award ceremony for the winners of the Francophonie school competition Together with his Canadian colleague, Counsellor Karel Van Hecke had the pleasure of awarding the prizes to the winners of the school competitions which the LSFI (Langue sans frontières Islamabad) organised in the framework of the Francophonie festival. During a beautiful ceremony at the Kuri campus of the Headstart school, the winners of the various painting, writing and singing competitions were called on stage to receive their prizes. The winners included students from schools from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Wah and even Peshawar. The “Belgian” prizes included comic books, rucksacks, T-shirts, notebooks and pens and were generously sent to the Embassy by the cultural service of Wallonie-Bruxelles International, the public authority which is responsible for the international relations of the Walloon region and the French-speaking community in Belgium. Belgium ranks 5th on digital performance in EU The Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI) indicates how digital Europe’s member states actually are. With a rating of 0.59, Belgium made it into the top 5, just behind Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands and Finland. The main contributors to the country’s high DESI score are its excellent digital infrastructure, the connectivity and digital skills of its population, and its comprehensive offering of Digital Public Services. Zooming in on the results, it becomes clear that 73% of the active population in Belgium has an internet connection faster than 30 Mbps. 83% use the worldwide web regularly and about 42% actively use e-government services. Meanwhile, more than 80% of the most important events in someone’s life — such as the birth of a child or moving to a new home — can be registered online.

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What’s more, when it comes to electronic data sharing by means of business management software, Belgian companies perform better than any other country in the European Union. Mons, cultural capital of Europe 2015 Mons (Belgium) and Pilsen (Czech Republic) are the European Capitals of Culture for 2015. The city of Mons, in the south of Belgium, has started a year-long programme of diverse cultural activities which are boosting local community involvement and attracting participants from near and far. With over 300 events and a thousand cultural and artistic activities, including in unusual public spaces, five new museums and two new concert hall, as well as new types of civil participation and innovative digital opportunities, Mons 2015 aims to connect art and technology and to be a project for the socio-economic conversion of the city and its surrounding region. All information can be found on www.mons2015.eu/en The Battle of Waterloo, 200 years later This year sees the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, the legendary battle in which the Duke of Wellington and his army defeated the French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in Waterloo, a town just outside Brussels, on 18 June 1815.

To mark the occasion, commemorative events are planned in both Belgium and the UK. The official events and festivities in Belgium will run from 18-21 June, including a series of the largest battle re-enactments ever seen in Europe and a spectacular sound and light show over the famous Butte du Lion. Another significant event will be the inauguration of the newly renovated Hougoumont Farm, often referred to as “the farm that won Waterloo” because of the importance of its capture for the outcome of the battle. The site was successfully defended by the British and their allies; several thousand fighters on both sides died in the struggle. Over recent years, major rebuilding work has been taking place at the farm, sponsored by both Belgian and British public authorities and private sectors to secure the site as a world class museum. For more information on the commemoration, you can visit www.waterloo2015.org/en

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Belgium 3rd on the FIFA ranking The Red Devils, Belgium’s national football team, have achieved their highest-ever position on the FIFA world ranking following wins against Cyprus (5-0) and Israel (0-1) in the qualifying round for the European Championship in France in 2016. Belgium is now placed third on the ranking.

2015 © Embassy of Belgium in Pakistan - http://countries.diplomatie.belgium.be/en/pakistan

Other official information and services: www.belgium.be