Environmental issues, diplomacy,\u00a0and culture were on the agenda of this week’s 48-hour roundtrip by Prince Albert II to Belgium. As soon as he arrived in Brussels on Tuesday, February 19th, the sovereign prince stepped up to the podium at a conference to address climate and ocean conservation issues. The conference was jointly organized by the Minister of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, Marie-Christine Marghem, and the North Sea Minister, Philippe De Backer. Accompanied by the director of the Denis German Science Center, the sovereign prince signed the “Brussels Declaration on Climate and Ocean Change.” His signature was accompanied by those of French Secretary of State for the Ecological and Solidarity Transition, Brune Poirson, and the European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella.<\/p>\n
In the afternoon, the Prince spoke at the CDP Europe Awards, an environmental rating agency that analyzes the performance of more than 3,000 companies according to three criteria: climate protection, sustainable water management, and the fight against deforestation. Battles that we know are dear to the prince’s heart.<\/p>\n
Without missing a beat, the sovereign prince then spoke with Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission. Though not a member of the European Union (EU), but unofficially affiliated to the Schengen area, for four years Monaco has been engaged in arduous negotiations to obtain an official association agreement. Let us hope that the sovereign has been able to advance the commission president’s views.<\/p>\n
Wednesday’s program of the day was a bit more relaxing, with a scheduled visit of the Museum in Louvain-la-Neuve, Wallonia, and a concert at the Queen Elisabeth musical chapel, located in Waterloo. Prince Albert II also had the occasion to visit the Jean-Michel Folon Foundation. The Belgian artist, who died in 2005, maintained an atelier in Monaco on quai Antoine-1er – a site that is now open to the public. A pleasant way for the prince to conclude his whirlwind visit to the Kingdom of Belgium.<\/p>\n