Have you ever wondered…
- What is the American Dream?
- How is the U.S. system of government the same or different as the Belgian system of government?
- What is a school day like in the United States?
- What does a U.S. Embassy do?
- Is America really like what you see on social media or in the movies?
- How do the United States and Belgium work together in the world?
- What are some typical American foods?
- How do the different regions of the United States compare to the regions within Belgium?
- What is it like for Americans living and working in Belgium?
This program is designed to strengthen relations between the United States and Belgium by bringing Americans – U.S. citizens from all backgrounds of life resident or visiting Belgium – together with a wide variety of Belgians to speak with them about the United States. The speakers will come to you when possible, but we also host events at the Embassy. Talks can focus on current policy issues as well as social, historical, and cultural aspects of the United States.
It is our hope that the program will provide open and direct dialogue between the guest speakers and their Belgian audiences, not necessarily a structured, formal lecture. The speakers usually present a short overview of a particular subject relating to American society and culture or talk more generally about their lives (their jobs, the schools and universities they attended, their hometowns) and then open the floor to discussion and questions. The discussions may be conducted in English, Dutch, or French depending on the speaker. Programs typically take place between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The U.S. Embassy Brussels coordinates the program, receives the requests from the schools, recruits the speakers and coordinates all administrative and logistical details. We also have a whole range of support material available which the speakers may use in preparation for their visit, or as hand-outs to the students.
How to Request a MeetUS Program:
Useful information includes
- Desired date (advance notice is helpful; please provide alternate dates when possible.
- Name, address and information about the school or organization, special profiles (a link to the school or organization’s website is great)
- The age range of the audience and preferred language
- Size of the audience
- Layout of the venue (please include details about audiovisual capabilities, Internet access, and other technical details as appropriate)
- Desired subject matter for the program
- The name, email, and phone number for a point of contact for the program
The Embassy will make travel arrangements for the speaker. There is no charge to the requesting school or institution.
Please submit requests and inquiries to MeetUSBelgium@state.gov.