Wallonia is a land of opportunity, where men and women have ideas galore and hatch all kinds of projects and creations that help people the world over. Wallonia is also a fertile ground for high-level athletes, who try to outdo themselves day in, day out to reach the Olympic Games.

The Games are about taking part first and foremost— that was the view of Pierre de Coubertin, who revived the modern Games in the late 19th century. Or, as Jean-Michel Saive, current president of the BOIC, puts it, the Games are about “living through incredible moments in sport, but also the emotions that will stay with us our whole lives.” These driving forces are underpinned by values such as respect, friendship, and excellence, which go beyond just competitive performance, and which make this issue of WAB all the richer by serving as lessons for all of us.

For these athletes who are putting their hearts and souls into their performance, the Olympic Games are just one stop in their marathon journey. The same goes for the caterers and artists who will bring the Belgium House to life with our core values of excellence in hospitality, and for the artisans and entrepreneurs who seek to show their progress in this interconnected world, which is changing faster and faster. Between every Pierre de Froidmont, every Ricarda Grommes, every Jean-Marie Louis, and Mentissa or Matexi company, there’s not a dime’s worth of difference: they all have the same down-to-earth values and enthusiasm that set them apart.

Is enthusiastically getting involved contagious? Whether on land, at sea, or in space, I certainly hope so!

If you want to subscribe freely to WAB magazine, please send an email to Marie-Catherine Duchêne (Wallonia Export & Investment Agency) - mc.duchene@awex.be