Honorable Michel Gerebtzoff
Consul General of Belgium in Atlanta
“The Visiting Diplomat Program is a unique opportunity for Reinhardt students, faculty and staff, and one that is not available in a textbook or classroom,” says Raj Sashti, executive director of the International Studies Consortium of Georgia (ISCOG), organizer of the program. The Visiting Diplomat Program is an integral opportunity within the ICSOG.
“The main purpose of the program is to stimulate creativity and innovation in those who aspire to higher levels of education and leadership in their professions,” says Sashti. It is offered online and jointly sponsored by Reinhardt University, the University of Pittsburgh European Studies Center, and the ISCOG.
The Honorable Michel Gerebtzoff, consul general of Belgium in Atlanta, leads the Visiting Diplomat Program this fall with a virtual session about his professional career trajectory, sharing the critical knowledge and skills he needed to be part of an overseas leadership team.
Gerebtzoff started his career as a bioengineer specializing in earth observation. He joined the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2005 taking on roles that included postings in Switzerland and China, and deputy chief of staff to the minister of foreign affairs in Brussel. Gerebtzoff took office as consul general of Belgium in Atlanta on August 1, 2020.
Participants in this session can learn more about Belgium and its relationship with Georgia. Did you know that Belgium is one of Georgia’s most important and strategic markets in Europe? Belgium is Georgia’s fourteenth largest trading partner, and Georgia is home to more Belgian companies that any other state. Fifty-four Belgian companies have operations in Georgia, employing approximately 5,000 people.
The ISCOG, which began in 1993, is a group of 17 colleges and universities within the state of Georgia that afford opportunities for faculty and students to expand their knowledge of global cultures and economies and increase cross-cultural understanding. Reinhardt University became the headquarters and lead institution for the ISCOG in late 2020.
This 90 minute virtual session will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2:00 p.m. Reinhardt students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate, and can register online.
To learn more about this exciting opportunity and other ISCOG programs, contact Raj Sashti at raj.sashti@reinhardt.edu.
