My life
My Belgium

This is the Belgium of today – and tomorrow – told through individual stories of people who inspire us. Their vision for their country embraces diverse ideas, opinions, cultures, races, genders, languages, and religions. They also share a common experience: participating in a U.S. Embassy-sponsored exchange or grant program.

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Featured stories

Educators

Hannah Leyns

Hannah Leyns believes dedicated teaching and mentoring prepares young people for fulfilling professional lives. Through a partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Belgium, her students learned valuable skills that empowered them to serve as inspiring role models in their communities.

Lawmakers

Hans Maes

Hans Maes is a young politician who believes that inspired leadership can help build communities where all members are valued. He participated in the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) through the U.S. Embassy in Belgium.

Youth

Pili Verbinnen

Pili Verbinnen is a young activist dedicated to bringing positive change in such areas as the environment and education. As a teenager, she participated in the Benjamin Franklin Transatlantic Fellows Program (BFTP) through the U.S. Embassy in Belgium.

Entrepreneurs

Sihame El Kaouakibi

In a March 2019 interview, Sihame El Kaouakibi discussed social entrepreneurship and education as tools for social change. She participated in the 2014 “International Visitors Leadership Program ” (IVLP) sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Belgium. 

STEM

Jasna Rokegem

Jasna Rokegem leads a team that designs clothing to improve the way people live and even communicate with one another. Through support from the U.S. Embassy in Belgium, she participated in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in India.

Entrepreneurs

Sana Afouaiz

Sana Afouaiz is the founder of Womenpreneur, a nonprofit dedicated to the empowerment of women through supporting their entrepreneurial ambitions. In collaboration with the U.S.
Embassy in Belgium, she launched a program to support young women in developing their professional careers.

Youth

Alexandra Smarandescu

Alexandra Smarandescu’s passion for politics and leadership is based in her belief that communities benefit from dialogue and a diversity of ideas. She met like-minded young leaders as a participant of the Women to Women Leadership Program (W2W) through the U.S. Embassy in Belgium.

Artists

Mehdi Benallal

As an entrepreneur, Mehdi Benallal dedicates himself to teaching audiences about cultural diversity through promoting live music performances. He has collaborated with the U.S. Embassy in Belgium on cultural outreach programs.

Our programs

Fulbright program

The Fulbright Program is the leading international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government. It is designed to better mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. In addition to exchange programs, competitive, merit-based grants are also awarded annually in most fields of study.

International Visitor Leadership Program

The IVLP is a professional exchange program organized by the U.S. Department of State. Current and future foreign leaders from a variety of fields have the opportunity to develop their skills through short-term visits to the United States. Professional meetings allow participants to share their own expertise as well as learn new approaches from their American counterparts. Projects vary in theme and typically include visits to four U.S. communities over three weeks.

Global Sports Mentoring Program

The Global Sports Mentoring Program provides one-month mentorship experiences. The experiences focus on empowering emerging leaders to serve their local communities by increasing access to sports and opportunities for sports participation.

Your life your Belgium?

Make it your own story!

Are you someone making a difference in Belgium, just like these people? Then we would love to hear from you! Take a look at our U.S. Embassy programs and see which ones will help you do extraordinary things.

Inspired? Let us know!