On 25 November Minister-president Jan Jambon visited Vienna to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Flemish post in Austria together with the entire Flemish representation for Central Europe. The highlight of the festivities was a symposium at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Prior to the symposium, Minister-president Jambon was received by the Austrian Bundeskanzlerin Brigitte Bierlein. They spoke about the EU and the challenges facing the Union, but also about the good relations between Austria and Flanders.
Together with their Austrian guests, General Representative Koen Haverbeke, Economic Representative Paul Vanoverloop and Director of Tourism Flanders Liesbet Vandebroek looked back on 25 years of Flemish-Austrian cooperation during the symposium. It was no coincidence that this took place in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. The museum is one of the largest in Europe with an extensive collection of Flemish Masters. Over the years, close cooperation has developed between the museum, Flemish institutions and the Flemish delegation. This resulted, among other things, in the joint restoration of the Kunstkammer in 2012 - 2013, unique exhibitions about Pieter Paul Rubens and Pieter Bruegel the Elder and in Austrian-Flemish scientific research in the art-related sectors.
The historic-cultural link between Flanders and Austria was one of the reasons, 25 years ago when the Iron Curtain fell, to choose Vienna as base to facilitate cooperation with the new free countries in Central Europe. The cooperation was focused on the economic development of these countries and the empowerment of democratic authorities.
Today the Flemish representation in Vienna consists of the General Representation of the Government of Flanders, the Flemish Economic Representation and Visit Flanders and is active in Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Photo: BKA Andreas Wenzel
General Representation of the Governement of Flanders to Austria