Two UNamur Professors Featured During the Japanese Emperor's Visit

On Tuesday, June 23, the state visit began with an official banquet at the Château de Laeken. Among the approximately 150 guests was Alexandre Mauroy, a professor in the Department of Mathematics at the Faculty of Sciences of UNamur. Invited at the request of the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Cooperation, he represented the University of Namur due to his scientific collaborations with Japanese researchers, particularly in connection with a future Erasmus+ project with Kyoto University. “It was a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of UNamur,” he explains.

At the Castle of Laeken, Alexandre Mauroy encountered a highly formalized protocol and an evening attended by numerous prominent figures. “At the cocktail reception, Prime Minister Bart De Wever was right next to me. At the end of the evening, the King was having his coffee just a few meters away. The next morning, I almost felt like I’d been dreaming.”

The next day, the imperial procession stopped at the Castle of Namur for a visit focused on water management. On this occasion, Isabelle Parmentier, a professor in the Department of History at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters and a specialist in environmental history, was invited by the Governor of the Province of Namur to present a scholarly lecture on the province’s hydrological history. This topic was chosen because of Emperor Naruhito’s interest in issues related to water and the environment.

“It’s a truly special experience,” she explains. “I never would have imagined going through this a few years ago. I was very happy to be able to present my area of expertise to the monarchs.” After the presentations, she shared lunch at the table of the Emperor of Japan and King Philippe. “Protocol dictated that we not speak to them spontaneously, but the Emperor showed great interest in my presentation and asked me several questions.” 

Although their experiences were very different, Alexandre Mauroy and Isabelle Parmentier both share the same feeling: pride in having represented the University of Namur at an event that highlights the strength of relations between Belgium and Japan, as well as the international reach of the research conducted at UNamur.