chaired by honorary-ambassador Lode Willems
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 2017-Sep-06 — /Travel PR News/ — At the end of September, the dialogue sessions for Forum 2040, the consultation platform for the Strategic Vision 2040 of Brussels Airport that is preparing the airport for the future, will commence. The dialogue sessions will be chaired by honorary-ambassador Lode Willems. An independent jury has selected 80 candidates who can participate in Forum 2040.
Lode Willems was permanent representative to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, and he was subsequently entrusted the mandate of ambassador in London and later in Berlin. After his diplomatic career, he moved into the business community. He created and managed the Public Affairs department at BNP Paribas Fortis and was Director of BASF Antwerp. Willems was also chair of the Belgo-British Conference, an annual conference between the two countries.
Brussels Airport Company is delighted that honorary-ambassador Willems will assume the chair of Forum 2040 this autumn. In this position, he will chair the dialogue sessions and ensure that all participants know and discuss each other’s point of view. Currently four dialogue sessions are planned, from September to December.
“Forum 2040 is a unique concept, whereby all stakeholders of a major project are brought together so that they can pose questions and understand each other’s opinion. I am convinced that the positive power of the dialogue will make mutual understanding possible”, says Lode Willems.
Independent jury selected 80 candidates
An independent jury has selected 80 participants from more than 230 candidates to participate in the dialogue sessions for Forum 2040. With this choice, the jury has ensured a balanced representation between the candidates based on the motivation they gave for participating in Forum 2040, their place of residence and their profile.
The jury represented, just like the participants in Forum 2040, four groups of stakeholders: those living in the vicinity, political representatives, social-economic players and the airport community. The members of the jury are professor in Public Governance Joris Voets of the University of Ghent; provincial governor of Flemish Brabant Lodewijk De Witte; Alain Deneeft, business manager of Brussels Metropolitan and Thibault Demoulin, Vice President Flight Operations Brussels Airlines.
All candidates have been notified on whether or not they have been selected for Forum 2040. The 80 selected candidates have also received an invitation for the first dialogue session on 27 September, which will focus on the issue of mobility. In the coming 4 months, a session will be organised each month; the other themes are the development on landside and the development on airside. If it should emerge during the 4 sessions scheduled that more time is required, additional sessions will be planned during the course of next year.
SOURCE: Brussels Airport Company
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