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(As delivered)
Prime Minister de Croo, dear Alexander,
Thank you for your kind words.
It’s great to be back here in this building and it’s a great honour to receive the award.
Foreign Minister Lahbib, dear Hadja
Thank you so much for providing me with this great honour.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I am very proud, to receive the Grand Cordon in the Order of Leopold.
I am truly honoured, thank you so much.
I have lived in Belgium for nearly ten years.
This is a fascinating, very likable and really interesting country.
And I must admit that after a few years in Belgium,
I started doing something I never thought I would do:
I started to visit battlefields.
I visited Waterloo, Ypres, the Ardennes.
And many other places.
I actually guided friends around on these battlefields.
It became very clear to me that war is so close in time and space here in Belgium.
On many street corners,
In every square,
There is a war memorial.
Reminders of the many wars and the suffering that took place in this part of Europe.
So it is fitting that Belgium hosts two of the institutions that were built after the Second World War, to prevent war and preserve peace.
The European Union and NATO.
I don’t know, but I believe you are a good host for the European Union.
What I do know is that you are a perfect host for NATO.
Belgium has been NATO’s home since 1967.
Over the years, you have welcomed many thousands of people.
From a growing number of countries.
NATO staff members.
Representatives from national delegations.
Civilian and military.
And not least, you were in charge of the construction of the new Headquarters that were inaugurated in 2017.
We all come together in Belgium.
We work with each other to keep NATO strong.
And a strong NATO is what we need to preserve peace in a more dangerous world.
Belgium has been in the NATO family from the start.
As a founding member in 1949.
And as a valued Ally ever since.
Contributing in so many different ways, to our shared security.
Thank you.
Thank you for all that you do for our Alliance.
And let me also thank you for your personal leadership and personal commitment to both of you, to the transatlantic bond between Europe and North America.
But Belgium has been more than just NATO’s home.
Belgium has also been my home since 2014,
And it has been the home of my wife.
She served as a bilateral Ambassador for several years from Norway to Belgium.
It has been a real pleasure to getting to know this country.
Its friendly people.
Its rich culture.
Not to mention its fantastic food and delicious beer!
And I should bring that to Norway.
Belgium forever has a special place in my heart.
On the star that was given to me today,
it is written: l’union fait la force.
Unity is strength.
It is the motto of the Kingdom of Belgium.
It is also the idea at the heart of NATO.
That we are stronger together.
So it is no wonder that our Alliance is at home in this country.
It is a privilege to serve at the helm of NATO.
A pleasure to live in Belgium.
And a source of great pride to receive this prestigious decoration today.
So, thank you so much.
Thank you to Belgium and thank you to all of you.