3^rdInternational Conference on Epilepsy and Treatment August 30-31, 2017 Brussels, Belgium

 Brussels city is capital of Belgium. It is located in the valley of the Senne  River, a small tributary of the Schelde. Greater Brussels is the country’s largest urban agglomeration. It consists of 19 communes, or municipalities, each with a large measure of administrative autonomy.

 The largest commune—which, like the greater metropolitan area, is named Brussels—contains the historic core of the city and the so-called “European Quarter,” where the institutions of the European Union (EU) are located. Greater Brussels officially became the Brussels-Capital Region in 1989, during the federalization of Belgium. Along with the much larger regions of Flanders and Wallonia, the Brussels-Capital Region constitutes one of the country’s three main political divisions.

 As the seat of the EU, Brussels is known as the “capital of Europe and its significance as a centre of international governance and business makes Brussels a true global city—a status shared with such metropolises as New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo. Area Brussels-Capital Region, 62 square miles (161 square km). Pop. (2015 est.) Brussels-Capital Region, 1,175,173; Brussels commune, 175,534.

There are several universities in Brussels. The two main universities are, a French-speaking university with about 20,000 students in three campuses in the city (and two others outside), and  a Dutch-speaking university with about 10,000 students. Both universities originate from a single ancestor university founded in 1834, namely the Free University of Brussels, which was split in 1970 at about the same time the Flemish and French Communities gained legislative power over the organization of higher education.

In general the population of Brussels is younger than the national average and the gap between rich and poor is wider. Brussels has a large concentration of immigrants and their children from other countries, including many of Turkish and Moroccan ancestry, together with French-speaking black Africans from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Burundi..

Brussels is served by Brussels Airport, located in the nearby Flemish municipality of Zaventem, and by the smaller Brussels South Charleroi Airport, located near Charleroi (Wallonia), some 50 km (30 mi) from Brussels. Brussels also has its own harbour, the port of Brussels, on the Brussels-Scheldt Maritime Canal located in the northwest of the city. The Brussels-Charleroi Canal connects Brussels with the industrial areas of Wallonia.

We look forward to seeing you in Brussels!