A partnership agreement has been signed between the US World War I Centennial Commission and the Government of Flanders in preparation for the centenary of America entering the Great War.
The ceremony took place at the University Library of Leuven, a medieval building destroyed during the German occupation of Belgium in 1914 and rebuilt after the war with American assistance.
Koen Verlaeckt, Secretary General of the Flanders Department of Foreign Affairs, said: “The challenging events of the First World War helped to forge a special bond between the people of the United States and the people of Flanders.
“This agreement is designed to encourage our people to mutually remember, explore, and foster those strong bonds”.
Under the deal, the Flanders Government and the World War I Centennial Commission will work together on plans for commemorating the US involvement, sharing their experience, knowledge, and technical means.
The Government of Flanders, representing the northern Dutch-speaking part of Belgium, has been running special education and commemorative programmes from the outset of the First World War Centenary period.
Daniel Dayton, Executive Director of the US Centennial Commission, said: “The story of World War I is multifaceted, with many important lessons for us to embrace.
“This agreement will help the people of Flanders, and the people of the United States, to better understand what happened one hundred years ago, and how it continues to touch our lives today.”
Information & images supplied by Government of Flanders/US World War One Centennial Commission
Posted by: CN Editorial Team