Brussels-Asia Society Dialogue

Speech by His Majesty the King
at the closing of the Brussels Asia Society Dialogue

Royal Palace of Brussels, Wednesday 15 June 2016.

Dear Secretary-General, Dear Mrs Ban,

Prime Ministers, Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

Today’s lunch concludes our Brussels Dialogue on Forging a Shared Future. It is a real chance to do so in your presence, Secretary-General and Mrs. Ban. In a short meeting before this lunch we paid tribute to your action over the last ten years. And to the spirit of respect and deep faith in mankind that has driven all your actions. As it was your birthday two days ago, may I suggest we give the Secretary-General a very special applaud.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to welcome you here in the Royal Palace of Brussels. The very place where Emperor Charles the Fifth, had his Palace and where he abdicated in 1555 after having ruled over an empire “where the sun never sets”.

During two days we reflected on the balance of power in the twenty-first century and on the state of world order. Let me thank all of you for participating in this Brussels Dialogue. I thank you for sharing your thoughts and your views on the challenges we face in order to ensure prosperity and peace.

Our world has never been as globalized and as interconnected. At the same time the need has never been so high for exchanging ideas. Nothing can replace personal contact. Our world institutions, our structures and rules need to be further developed in a spirit of respect and recognition.  The genuine dialogue we had between people from the public and private sector, between elderly statesmen and the youth is the good framework to help new ideas to emerge. I am sure Asia, the US and Europe have a special role to play together in shaping tomorrows' world.

Once again, thank you very much.

Ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a safe trip home.