Annual PEAR Weekend Held in Brussels
Old friends gathered and new cross-generational connections formed during the 2025 Freunde/Pan European Alumni Reunion weekend held November 7–9 in Brussels, Belgium.
Nearly 50 alumni and friends representing five decades of I-House traveled from Austria, France, Germany, Switzerland, the UK, and the USA to attend the three-day weekend of meetings, tours, and dinners.
Belgium is one of the six founding members of the European Union, and Brussels serves as the de facto capital of the European Union as home of the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, and, along with Strasbourg, the seat of the European Parliament. In that context, the weekend began with a visit to the European Parliament and a special session with Member of the European Parliament Pascal Arimont of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats). Arimont described Belgium’s complex federal system structured on regional and linguistic grounds as well as the day-to-day work of a member of the European Parliament.
The session included a question-and-answer period addressing topics including the war in Ukraine, climate policy in Europe, and the implications of artificial intelligence.
That evening, a lively welcome dinner was held at the charming Brasserie Horta, where numerous Belgian beers and other local delights were sampled. The venue was booked exclusively for the I-House contingent for the entire night.
The Freunde des International House general meeting was held Saturday morning at the Mission of the German Speaking Community in Brussels. Following a warm Ostbelgien welcome, the meeting was formally conducted by Freunde President Nikolai Wansart ’18, who presented the list of eight current I-House residents for approval as recipients of Freunde scholarships.
I-House President Sebastian Fries addressed the group, providing updates from New York on centennial celebrations since the last Freunde gathering in Cologne, current activities at the House, and the results of a recent impact study conducted with current residents.
Attendees split up into three groups Saturday afternoon for guided tours of historic Brussels old town, concluding at the famous Grote Markt just as dusk fell and lights in the 17th century square turned on, illuminating the gilt-trimmed 17th century buildings.
On Saturday night, a dinner was held at the Brasserie Bourse de Brussels in the historic former Brussels Stock Exchange building. There was no formal agenda, and members table-hopped throughout the evening until closing time.
The weekend concluded on Sunday with a guided tour of the Musée Magritte, an art museum in Brussels’ Royal Quarter dedicated to the work of 20th-century surrealist artist René Magritte. The afternoon also included a visit to the Royal Museum for Central Africa on the outskirts of the city.
International House gratefully acknowledges the Freunde leadership: President Niko Wansart ’18, Deputy Katrin Schomaker ’95, and Treasurer Martin Schneider ’11. Special thanks go out to the host committee—Daniela Jost ’83, Patricia Salomon ’84, Martina Schmitz ’87, and Markus Hugelshofer ’87—for thoughtfully planning the 2025 Freunde/Pan European Alumni Reunion weekend. I-House also thanks the Mission of the German Speaking Community in Brussels for providing the venue, coffee, tea, and sweets for the Freunde general meeting.