Santa Monica College (SMC) will host an informative talk — “Belgium in the World” — by Henri Vantieghem, the Consul General of Belgium in Los Angeles. The talk is free and open to the public, and will be held Tuesday, October 23, at 11:15 a.m. in Stromberg Hall (HSS 165), located on the main SMC campus at 1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica. Seating is strictly on a first-arrival basis.
Vantieghem will describe Belgium’s position in international affairs, and explain how Belgium became home to the headquarters of the European Union’s institutions. The Kingdom of Belgium—located in Western Europe between France and Germany—was established in 1830 as a constitutional monarchy. Its capital city, Brussels, has been the official seat of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and the European Parliament since the late 1990s.
The talk is sponsored by the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates) — a private organization that funds speakers and special programs on the Santa Monica College campus — and SMC History Department.
Vantieghem, with more than two decades of diplomatic experience, was appointed to his position in Los Angeles in 2016. He is the former Consul General of Belgium in Istanbul, Turkey (2012-2016), and has served in posts that include Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of Belgium in Ankara, Turkey (2006-2009); and Deputy Director of Disarmament department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2009-2012). Vantieghem, also a reserve Navy officer, holds the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the Naval Control of Shipping (NATO).
Please call the SMC Office of Public Programs at 310-434-4100 for more information.
Submitted by Grace Smith
