28 November 2014 - As a tribute to Belgium’s multicultural heritage and in appreciation of its hosting of the Filipino community, the Philippine Embassy in Brussels joined the celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the Consular Corps, held in the city of Liege on November 14. Deputy Chief of Mission and Consul General Robespierre Bolivar, Mme. Maria Aurora Bolivar, and Third Secretary and Vice Consul Ralph Vincent Abarquez represented the Embassy.
The Centenary celebrations included exhibits on the multicultural heritage of the province of Wallonia, a luncheon at the Liege Hotel and Tourism School hosted by the City Mayor, and an academic conference on the history of the Consular Corps at the University of Liege. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, who himself served as an honorary Consular Officer for Tunisia in 2004, served as Patron of the event.
Located in the French-speaking region of Wallonia, the city of Liege is the third most populous urban area in Belgium, after Brussels and Antwerp. The city of Liege hosts 48 Consulates, the biggest number of consular establishments outside of Brussels.
The Consular Corps in the Province of Liege was established in November 1914 to enable countries to help defend the rights of their respective citizens during the outbreak of World War I and the occupation of Belgium. END