[Ambassador] Opening of the Exhibition "Japanese Book Donation to the University of Louvain" and Award Ceremony of the Foreign Minister's Commendation
2022/11/15
On 27 October, Ambassador Shimokawa participated in the opening event of the exhibition “Japanese Book Donation to the University of Louvain: Japanese Cultural Identity and Modernity in the 1920s” at the Dutch-speaking Catholic University of Leuven (KU Leuven). The exhibition is jointly organised by KU Leuven and the French Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain) to mark the centenary of the Japanese book donation made on the occasion of the reconstruction of the University of Louvain library after World War I (see article of 5 September 2022). On 4 August 2022, the Japanese book collection, which is jointly managed by KU Leuven and UCLouvain, was selected as a recipient of the 2022 Foreign Minister's Commendation in recognition of the contribution both universities have made to promoting mutual understanding between Japan and Belgium. This is the first time in history that such a collection has received this award.
In their remarks at the opening ceremony, rector of KU Leuven Sels and rector of UCLouvain Blondel marked the exhibition as a highly important event, testament to the deep cooperation between the two universities and the deep friendship between Japan and Belgium. Ambassador Shimokawa then thanked both universities and all those involved in the Japanese book collection for their contribution to deepening the friendly relations between Belgium and Japan, and awarded them with a Certificate of Commendation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
After the ceremony, Ambassador Shimokawa, together with Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz, toured the exhibition under the guidance of the exhibition's supervisors, Professor Schmidt, Head of the Japanese Language Department at KU Leuven, and Professor Emeritus Vande Walle of the same university. Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz expressed their admiration for the exhibits and their historical background, and were able to view the exhibition with great enthusiasm, well in excess of the scheduled tour time.
The exhibition is divided into a first half (until 20 December) and a second half (from 21 December) and will run until 15 January 2023.
In their remarks at the opening ceremony, rector of KU Leuven Sels and rector of UCLouvain Blondel marked the exhibition as a highly important event, testament to the deep cooperation between the two universities and the deep friendship between Japan and Belgium. Ambassador Shimokawa then thanked both universities and all those involved in the Japanese book collection for their contribution to deepening the friendly relations between Belgium and Japan, and awarded them with a Certificate of Commendation from the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
After the ceremony, Ambassador Shimokawa, together with Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz, toured the exhibition under the guidance of the exhibition's supervisors, Professor Schmidt, Head of the Japanese Language Department at KU Leuven, and Professor Emeritus Vande Walle of the same university. Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz expressed their admiration for the exhibits and their historical background, and were able to view the exhibition with great enthusiasm, well in excess of the scheduled tour time.
The exhibition is divided into a first half (until 20 December) and a second half (from 21 December) and will run until 15 January 2023.