Economic and academic component of the State visit to the Republic of Lithuania

Today, the King and Queen begin their second day of the State Visit to the Republic of Lithuania with a mainly economic and academic programme in the capital Vilnius.

The Sovereigns will be accompanied by Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, Foreign Trade and Federal Cultural Institutions, Mrs Hadja Lahbib, Minister-President of Wallonia, Mr Elio Di Rupo, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region, Mr Rudi Vervoort, Minister-President of Flanders, Mr Jan Jambon and Minister-President of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Mr Pierre-Yves Jeholet.

The day will start at Vilnius City Hall with a high-level business meeting of Belgian and Lithuanian high-tech companies active in the fields of innovation, energy and life sciences. Belgium is a reliable and experienced partner for Lithuania in the dual green and digital transition to a sustainable economy. President Nausėda will welcome the Belgian Royal Couple, in the presence of the Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation, Ms Aušrine Armonaitė, Minister of Environment, Mr Simonas Gentvilas and Deputy Minister of Energy, Ms Daiva Garbaliauskaitė. The high-level meeting will be followed by a visit to the Centre for Natural Sciences and Technology and the Centre for Life Sciences. The morning programme will end with a lunch offered by the President of the Seimas, the Lithuanian Parliament, Ms Viktorija Čmilyte-Nielsen.

In the afternoon, the delegation will take a guided tour of the Old Town and the historical campus of Vilnius University, where the Heads of State will have an informal discussion with Lithuanian and Belgian students. In the Old Town, the Sovereigns will also visit the Heritage Museum of St. Michael's Church and the tomb of the Sapiega family. The Queen is a descendant on her mother's side of this Lithuanian-Polish noble family, which had great political influence in Lithuania in the 16th century.

Concluding the programme in Vilnius, the King and Queen will offer a concert in honour of the President of Lithuania and the First Lady, with musicians from La Monnaie and the National Orchestra of Belgium, followed by a reception.