Belgium

By: Alex Cunningham

Official nameKoninkrijk België (Dutch); Royaume de Belgique (French);

Königreich Belgien (German) (Kingdom of Belgium)

Form of governmentfederal constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses

(Senate [711]; House of Representatives [150])

Head of state Monarch: King Philippe

Head of government Prime Minister: Charles Michel

Capital Brussels

Official languages Dutch; French; German

Official religion none

Monetary unit euro (€)

Population (2013 est.) 11,237,000

The Ancient Celts

Beginning in 57 BC, Julius Caesar extended the power of Rome into the region of Europe that is now Belgium. The people he encountered there were

the Belgae, one of the various Celtic tribes of early Gaul, and the Romans dubbed their new province Gallia Belgica. In the fourth century AD, with

Rome in decline, control of Gaul was ceded to the Franks, a Germanic tribe that the weakened empire employed as mercenaries. As the Franks

flourished, they decided to dispense with their Roman employers. By 431, they had established an independent dynasty, the Merovingian, with its

capital at Tournai. Soon after, under Clovis I (c.466-511), the Merovingians succeeded in pummeling the last of the Romans in Gaul. They held large

parts of present day France and Belgium as well as southwestern Germany. Clovis also adopted Christianity, thus gaining the support of the Church.

After Clovis' death the Merovingian kingdom began to fragment, and the Frankish lands did not come together under single rule again until the reign of

Pepin III (the Short) in 751. Pepin deposed the last of the Merovingians and founded the Carolingian dynasty, which is named after his son

Charlemagne.

Charlemagne succeeded his father in 768 and ruled for almost a half century, creating during that time an empire that covered nearly all of continental

Europe, with the exception of Spain and Scandinavia. In 800, Pope Leo III crowned him Emperor of the West. Although Charlemagne spent much of

his reign conquering and subduing various parts of Europe, he also did much to foster commerce and the arts. The beginnings of organized trade along

Belgium's rivers was one result of his reign, as was the preservation of classical learning and the arts.

On Charlemagne's death, his empire was divided, and familial feuding led finally to the Treaty of Verdun in 843. Under the terms of the treaty, three of

Charlemagne's grandsons split the empire between them. West Francia, under Charles the Bold, formed the basis of France. The Middle Kingdom was

given to Lothair, though it would soon fragment. East Francia, under Louis the German, became the basis of Germany. West Francia included the

narrow strip of land north and west of the Scheldt river in today's Belgium. The remainder of present-day Belgium was included first in the Middle

Kingdom, under Lothair, but it gradually came under the sway of the German kings.

HISTORY OF BELGIUM TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH

Begin in 57 voor Christus, Julius

Caesar breidde de macht van Rome in

de regio van Europa, dat is nu België.

De mensen die hij ontmoet er waren de

Belgen, een van de verschillende

Keltische stammen van het vroege

Gallië, en de Romeinen noemde hun

nieuwe provincie Gallia Belgica.

Beginning in 57 BC, Julius Caesar

extended the power of Rome into the

region of Europe that is now Belgium.

The people he encountered there were

the Belgae, one of the various Celtic

tribes of early Gaul, and the Romans

dubbed their new province Gallia

Belgica.

Geography of Belgium. Belgium

is a federal state located in

Western Europe, bordering the

North Sea. Belgium shares

borders with France (620 km),

Germany (167 km),

Luxembourg (148 km) and the

Netherlands (450

km). Belgium comprises the

regions of Flanders, Wallonia

and Brussels.

Belgium Flag

flag colors: black,yellow,red

description: The national flag of Belgium was adopted on January

23, 1831, and it has the proportion, width to length 13:15.

The Belgium flag is a tricolor consists of three equal colors, vertical

arranged: black placed at the hoist side of the flag, yellow in the

middle and red at the edge.

The meaning of the colours of the Belgium flag could be that:

- yellow represent generosity and also the lion

- red means the lion's claws and tongue,and hardiness, bravery,

strength

- black, the shield could be determination

België Vlag

vlag kleuren: zwart, geel, rood

Beschrijving: De nationale vlag van België werd op 23 januari

1831 goedgekeurd, en het heeft het aandeel, breedte op lengte

13:15.

Het België vlag is een driekleur bestaat uit drie gelijke kleuren,

verticaal gerangschikt: zwart geplaatst aan de linkerkant van de

vlag, geel in het midden en rood aan de rand.

De betekenis van de kleuren van de vlag van België zou kunnen

zijn dat:

- Geel vertegenwoordigen vrijgevigheid en ook de leeuw

- Rood betekent klauwen en tong van de leeuw, en stoerheid,

moed, kracht

- Zwart, het schild kon vastberadenheid

BELGIUM PARLIAMENT CHAMBER OF REPRESENTATIVES The Chamber of Representatives holds its plenary

meetings in the Palace of the Nation, Brussels. Eligibility requirements for the Chamber are a minimum age of 21, citizenship, and residency in Belgium.

The number of seats in the Chamber is constitutionally set at 150 elected from 11 electoral districts. The districts are divided along linguistic lines: 5 Flemish (79 seats), 5 Walloon (49 seats), and the bilingual district of Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde (22 seats). The districts are the provinces, except for the districts of Leuven (part of Flemish Brabant) and Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde. Each district is given a number of seats proportional to its population (not number of voters) ranging from 4 for Luxembourg to 24 for Antwerp. All districts have an electoral threshold of 5%, except for Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde and Leuven; all districts are monolingual, except for Brussels-Halle-Vilvoorde which encompasses both the 19 bilingual municipalities from the Brussels-Capital region and some 35 Dutch-speaking municipalities in Flemish Brabant, incl. 7 with language facilities for French-speakers.

EURO FLAG OF ALL EUROPE MEANING OF THE FLAG

The European flag is the symbol

not only of the European Union but

also of Europe's unity and identity

in a wider sense. The European

flag consists of 12 golden stars in

a circle on a blue background. The

stars symbolise the ideals of unity,

solidarity and harmony among the

peoples of Europe.

BELGIUM COAT OF ARMS

THE MEANING OF THE

COAT OF ARMS

The coat of

arms of Belgium bears a lion

or, known as Leo Belgicus

(Latin: the Belgian lion), as

its charge.

The Cathedral of St. Michael

and St. Gudula is a Roman

Catholic church in Brussels,

Belgium.

The Cathedral is where the

Royal family attend for mass.

Brussels was a location for settlement since prehistory but it became a noteworthy settlement after Saint Gery built a chapel on the banks of the Senne River in 695, now called Place Saint Gery. The city of Brussels was officially founded in 979 by Charles, Duke of Low Lotharingia, who set down Brussels’ first city charter. Since then Brussels has seen many rulers, renaissances and revolutions.

Middle Ages 979 – 1500After the beginning of its charter, Brussels developed quickly from a town into a city. It was the centre of trade between the cities of Bruges, Ghent and Cologne where the Senne River met the economic route that stretched from the east to the west of the country. The first set of city walls were completed in the 11th century and with increased protection, it precipitated growth of its population. A second city wall was built shortly after to protect citizens and industry spilling outside the walls. From the 12th century Brussels became an important city under the administration of the Duke of Brabant. The Duke made Brussels the capital city of the Duchy of Brabant for several centuries, 12th, 13th and 14th.

At the height of economic development, Brussels exported luxury items such as fabrics and tapestries to Paris and Venice. It washome base for artists such as Rogier van der Weyden, whose paintings flourished and became the cartoon background for many tapestries woven from the finest silk and exported all over Europe to decorate the homes of royals and aristocrats. Tapestries can still be seen on display in European museums such as the Louvre. The Town Hall and the King’s House rose up over the Old Town at the Grand Place in the 1400s; these two opposing buildings still face each other in the current Grand Place.

Renaissance and Revolution 1500 – 1830The period succeeding the 15th century was marked by rebellions and uprisings. At the end of the 15th century, Brussels temporarily lost favour and its title of capital after an uprising against the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I. It regained its status after Charles V took reign between 1519 and 1559. Ruled by the Calvinists in the mid 1500s and then reigned over by Archduke Albert I (1598–1633) the city had grown to a population of 50,000 by mid 16th century.

In 1695, the Bombardment of Brussels, by King Louis XIV of France, left the Grand Place in ruins and thousands of buildings all over the city were torn to the ground. The rebuilding of Brussels was undertaken by a number of craftsmen guilds; they left their historic mark with the building of the guildhalls which gave the Grand Place an enclosed rectangular shape. For the rest of the 1700s Brussels was equally the centre of economic development, occupations and revolts. French troops took hold again from 1746-48, the BrabantRevolt took place from 1788-90 and Brussels was overtaken again during the Napoleonic era. The current Capital of Brussels was established after the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815-1830) ended in 1830 with Belgium’s independence.

Modern history 1830 - presentBelgium’s last great revolt was in 1830 when it protested against King William of the Netherlands to gain independence. King Leopold I, who was the uncle of Queen Victoria, became the first King of the Kingdom of Belgium on 21 July 1831. The walls of the city were taken down during this period (1810-1840) and replaced by a set of boulevards in the shape of a pentagon following the original outline of the Old Town Brussels, called the Inner Ring Road. The current circle metro line weaves around this same ring road. Rapid growth of the population followed and by 1846 Brussels had 123,000 inhabitants.

The 20th century was a period of war and development. After World War I and World War II, Germany occupying Brussels on both occasions, Brussels was a part of the Brussels Pact (or Brussels Treaty) in 1948 which led to the initiation of the Western European defence cooperation. At present, the European Union, an economic cooperation, is still continuing to development. In the 1960s the first metro lines were built to ease urban congestion; in 1970s and 1980s further political reform created the Brussels Capital Region, expanding the City of Brussels to an urban agglomeration with a population of just over 1 million.

10. Mons

9. Dinant

8. Leuven

7. Tournai

6. Mechelen

5. Ardennes

4. Antwerp

3. Ghent

2. Brussels

1. Bruges

1. Royal Windsor Hotel Grand Place|Brussels, Belgium

2. Hilton Brussels Grand Place|Brussels, Belgium

3. Eurostars Montgomery|Brussels, Belgium

4. Rocco Forte Hotel Amigo|Brussels, Belgium

5. Hotel de Tuilerieen|Bruges, Brussels

There are a lot more of them, just can’t add all of them in

In Belgium, Healthcare is a non-profit organization established in 2007 by the most prominent Belgian hospital groups. The

organization receives substantial support from several leaders of the medical technology industry in Belgium.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report 2013–2014, Belgium has outstanding health

indicators and a primary education system that is among the best in the world (2nd).Belgium also boasts an exceptional higher

education and training system (5th), with excellent math and science education, top-notch management schools, and a strong

propensity for on-the-job training that contribute to a relatively high capacity to innovate.

Healthcare Belgium holds a multitude of international collaboration agreements at the level of the Ministries of Health, academic

institutions and hospitals.

Healthcare Belgium offers unique collaboration opportunities:

Academic Knowledge Transfer

• Training

• Fellowships

• Research & Development

Clinical Knowledge Transfer

• Hospital management

• Centres of excellence in joint ventures

• Visiting doctors

Health Technology Implementation

• Equipment and medical devices

• Digitisation of hospital administration

• Design and construction of hospitals

Patient Treatment

• Telemedicine, teleradiology services

• Treatment of patients

• Remote medical opinions/ Second opinions

BELGIUM NEWSPAPERS AUDREY’S PASSPORT

Popular Restaurants in Belgium

More Popular Restaurants in Belgium

Chocolate waffles is the most popular food in Belgium.

Chicon Au Gratin / Gegratineerde witloof

Moules-frites / Mosselen-friet

Gaufre / Wafel

Boudin Blanc / Witte Pens

Frites / Frieten

Stoemp

Crevette Grise / Grijze Granalen

The Chocolate

Carbonnades Flamandes / Stoverij

Filet Américain

Speculoos / Speculaas

Waterzooi

THE BEER

1. Katholieke Universiteit Leuven

2. Universiteit Gent

3. Université Catholique de Louvain

Dutch French

German

Belgians (Dutch: Belgen, French: Belges,

German: Belgier) are the citizens and

natives of the Kingdom of Belgium, a

federal state in Western Europe.

Audrey Hepburn was born Audrey Kathleen Ruston on May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium. She was a blue-blood and a cosmopolitan from birth. Her mother,

Ella van Heemstra, was a Dutch baroness, and her father, Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston, was born in Úzice, Bohemia, of English and Austrian descent, and

worked in business.

After her parents divorced, Audrey went to London with her mother where she went to a private girls school. Later, when her mother moved back to the

Netherlands, she attended private schools as well. While she vacationed with her mother in Arnhem, Netherlands, Hitler's army took over the town. It was

here that she fell on hard times during the Nazi occupation. Audrey suffered from depression and malnutrition.

After the liberation, she went to a ballet school in London on a scholarship and later began a modeling career. As a model, she was graceful and, it seemed,

she had found her niche in life--until the film producers came calling. In 1948, after being spotted modeling by a producer, she was signed to a bit part in the

European film Dutch in Seven Language (1948).

Later, she had a speaking role in the 1951 film, Young Wive’s Tale (1951) as Eve Lester. The part still wasn't much, so she headed to America to try her luck

there. Audrey gained immediate prominence in the US with her role in Roman Holiday (1953) in 1953. This film turned out to be a smashing success, and

she won an Oscar as Best Actress. This gained her enormous popularity and more plum roles.

In contrast to the "sex goddesses" of the silver screen, Audrey Hepburn had a more wholesome beauty and an aura of innocence and class about her which

gained her many devoted fans.

Roman Holiday (1953) was followed by another similarly wonderful performance in the 1957 classic Funny Face (1957). Sabrina (1954), in 1954, for which

she received another Academy nomination, and Love in the Afternoon(1957), in 1957, also garnered rave reviews. In 1959, she received yet another

nomination for her role in The Nun’s Story (1959).

Audrey reached the pinnacle of her career when she played Holly Golightly in the delightful film Breakfast at Tiffany‘s (1961)in 1961. For this she received

another Oscar nomination. She scored commercial success again in the espionage caper Charade (1963). One of Audrey's most radiant roles was in the fine

production of My Fair Lady (1964) in 1964. Her co-star, Rex Harrison, once was asked to identify his favorite leading lady. Without hesitation, he replied,

"Audrey Hepburn in 'My Fair Lady.'" After a couple of other movies, most notably Two for the Road (1967), she hit pay dirt and another nomination in

1967's Wait Until Dark(1967).

By the end of the sixties, after her divorce from actor Mel Ferrer, Audrey decided to retire while she was on top. Later she married Dr. Andrea Dotti. From

time to time, she would appear on the silver screen. One film of note was Robin and Marian(1976), with Sean Connery in 1976.

In 1988, Audrey became a special ambassador to the United Nations UNICEF fund helping children in Latin America and Africa, a position she retained until

1993. She was named to People's magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world. Her last film was Always (1989) in 1989.

Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993 in Tolochnaz, Switzerland, from appendicular cancer. She had made a total of 31 high quality movies. Her

elegance and style will always be remembered in film history as evidenced by her being named in Empire magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time."

Plaque: Audrey Hepburn

Ixelles Local History Society

Here was born, 4 May 1929, the actress, Audrey Hepburn

Original inscription:

CERCLE D’HISTOIRE LOCALE D’IXELLES

ICI

NAQUIT

LE 4 MAI 1929

LA COMEDIENNE

AUDREY HEPBURN

Audrey Hepburn, who lived there from 1963 until her death in 1993,and is

buried there

Tolochenaz Switzerland

MAY 4, 1929-JANUARY 20,1993 INFORMATION ABOUT ANDREY

Andrey Hepburn died at the age of 63 in Tolochenaz Vaud, Switzerland due to Appendiceal cancer.

Her first major film role made her a star. In 1953 romance “Roman Holiday”

In recent years, she made few movies, but traveled the world raising money and awareness for the U.N.

She was a UN ambassador for Unief.

Audrey Spouses:Mel Ferrer (1917 - 2008)Andrea Paolo Mario Dotti (1938 -2007)

Audrey Hepburn, known for her starring roles

in films such as Roman Holiday, Breakfast at

Tiffany's, and My Fair Lady, dedicated the

last years of her life to helping children in

need around the world.

Appointed as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

in 1988, she traveled to Africa, Asia, and

Latin America on behalf of the children until

her death in 1993.

"She was an inspiration," said UNICEF

Executive Director Carol Bellamy, "she

brought enormous world attention to children.

She raised the profile of the challenges

they face."

http://backlots.net/2012/05/05/the-

humanitarian-legacy-of-audrey-hepburn/

http://www.outletshoppers.com/audrey-

hepburn/

Your heart just breaks, that's all. But you can't judge, or point fingers. You just have to be lucky enough

to find someone who appreciates you.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it's at the end of your arm, as you get older, remember

you have another hand: The first is to help yourself, the second is to help others.

I never think of myself as an icon. What is in other people's minds is not in my mind. I just do my thing.

The best thing to hold onto in life is each other

I decided, very early on, just to accept life unconditionally; I never expected it to do anything special for

me, yet I seemed to accomplish far more than I had ever hoped. Most of the time it just happened to

me without my ever seeking it

I don't want to be alone, I want to be left alone

As of today, Belgium has around 11.183.000 people living.

Met ingang van vandaag, België heeft ongeveer 11.183.000 inwoners

Belgium offical name is the Kingdom of Belgium

Officiële naam van België is het Koninkrijk België

Belgium is the 5th smallest country in the EU

België is de 5e kleinste land van de EU

Belgium are crazy for coffee

België zijn gek voor koffie

Life expectancy at birth in Belgium is 81

Levensverwachting bij de geboorte in België is 81

Belgium’s population is highly educated

België bevolking is hoger opgeleiden

The Big Bang Theory originated in Belgium

De Big Bang theorie is ontstaan in België

I’m planning on traveling to Belgium in the next eight to ten years from now. I would already be in my early

thirties, and living on my own. My dream is to visit the Capital city of Belgium which is Brussels. The city itself

to me, is the most beautiful place for travelers to travel, and spending quality time their as much as possible;

and explore the beauty of the country and the culture; and of course trying out different foods. There is one

particular place I what to be when I am visiting Belgium, and that is Ixelles. Ixelles is where the famous

actress Audrey Hepburn was born and raise. Audrey who became well known for her role in Hollywood movies

like “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “Roman Holiday”. She is the reason why I what to visit the Country, and not

just because of her, but to explore the country. I what to learn the culture and the language which has three.

The main language I am learning right now is Dutch, so that I can figure out where I am going in the city of

Belgium. Maybe someday I what to move to Belgium in the future, depends on how the economy are doing. I

hope I can find the love of my life from Belgium, and live with her in America.