The 19th informal summit of the Heads of State of German-speaking countries will be held in Belgium on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 September. This will be the second time that Belgium has hosted the event.
Invitees include Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen and Swiss President Alain Berset. They will be hosted by Belgium's own King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
The first day of the summit will begin at the Palace of Laeken with a working meeting on the theme of space, in the presence of astronauts Alexander Gerst, Carmen Possnig, Matthias Maurer and Samantha Cristoforetti. The day will end with a concert by the Young Belgian Strings orchestra and a formal dinner.
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The following day, the Heads of State will travel to the German-speaking Community where they will visit Kabelwerk Eupen AG, a family business specialising in the production of high-quality cables, plastic tubes and polyurethane foams. Their wives will visit a local mustard manufacturer in Raeren around the same.
"It is a great honour and a special sign of esteem for the German-speaking Community and its citizens that King Philippe and Queen Mathilde are once again inviting their guests to East Belgium, enabling them to discover the special advantages, innovative creativity and warm hospitality of our region and its people," said Oliver Paasch, the Minister-President of the German-speaking Community.
The summit will close with a working meeting on the circular economy.
