Get more info about this event »

Description: The Dole Institute of Politics welcomes his excellency Dirk Wouters, Ambassador of Belgium to the United States. Wouters will deliver remarks at the institute at 7 p.m. April 9th. The program is free and open to the public, and a free livestream of the event will be available. In his talk, Wouters will highlight some of the current challenges facing the European Union and developments in the U.S. that have affected transatlantic relationships. This will include the current U.S. presidential administration’s approach to relations with Russia and China, trade deficits, NATO and Europe’s energy dependence. The ambassador was appointed to his position in September 2016. He represents the king of the Belgians and Belgium’s federal government in the U.S. and in the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. He is responsible for the direction and work of the embassy and its consulates, including bilateral political and economic relations. Prior to his current assignment, the ambassador was permanent representative of Belgium to the European Union (EU). Wouters has served his nation’s international interests extensively, having joined the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1980. In 1986, he began his efforts representing Belgium in European affairs, and he later received an assignment in Rome dealing with political and economic issues. Beginning in the mid-1990s, he served as deputy permanent representative of Belgium to the United Nations (UN) in New York City. The ambassador’s work would shift to the EU in 2003-2009, where he served as permanent representative of Belgium to the Political and Security Committee. He would later join the office of the Belgian prime minister as a diplomatic adviser, and later, the office of the minister of foreign affairs as chief of staff. This program is free and open to the public. No ticket is required. The Dole Forum The Dole Forum brings exciting speakers, panels, and timely events to the Dole Institute of Politics. These programs cover an array of important topics from veteran’s issues to international policy to historical events and their impact on current issues. The Dole Forum is dedicated to promoting Senator Bob Dole’s charge to the Institute to promote civil discourse and non-partisanship for the sake of our democracy. Accessibility: Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend University of Kansas sponsored events. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this event, please contact the Dole Institute of Politics at least four business days prior to the event date by calling (785) 864-4900 or emailing doleinstitute@ku.edu. To learn more about accessible offerings at the institute, please click here. Parking: The Dole Institute is located in KU’s West District, just west of the Lied Center of Kansas. Plentiful free parking is available in the adjoining lot. No permit is required. Video: A free live stream of this event will be available through the institute’s YouTube channel. Following the conclusion of the program, the event will be archived to YouTube. If any technical issues occur, the video will be re-uploaded within two to three business days. Submitted by: Zac Walker Dole Institute of Politics

Thu, April 9th - 7:00pm