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Brussels US Presidential Election Panel Session 2024 17/10/2024 - 19h30 | Conférence apéritif

-- CONFERENCE IN ENGLISH --

This fall, on Tuesday November 5, one of the most important international events of 2024 will take place: the election of the President of the United States. This election is taking place in historically and geopolitically unprecedented circumstances.

At the time we are writing these lines, just 4 months before these elections, it is not yet possible to know for sure who will be the final candidates, the Democrat ticket is still open! Incumbent president Joe Biden, a member of the Democratic Party, initially ran for re-election and became the party's presumptive nominee. However he withdrew on July 21 following a poor performance in the June 2024 presidential debate and increasing age and health concerns. He endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris but it is ultimately the Democratic National Convention (Aug. 19-22) that will select and endorse the Democrat candidate.

On the Republican side, Donald Trump, a member of the Republican Party, is running for re-election for a second, non-consecutive term, after losing to Biden in the 2020 presidential election. In the run-up to the election, on May 30, 2024, Trump was convicted of felonies related to falsifying business records. On July 13, he was shot in an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Trump was nominated during the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 15 along with his running mate, Ohio senator J. D. Vance.

On the evening of October 17th, for the fourth consecutive time, your Club will organize its “Brussels US Presidential Election Panel Session”. As this election is the object of an intense political polarization, we decided it would be best to offer you an information session, bringing together the two main sides and parties of that election in a neutral set-up, rather than organizing a (potentially confrontational) debate.

We will hear two speakers, both American expats living and working in Belgium, both are private citizens, voluntary representing their side in this election. They will give us their opinions about this election in an informative manner. The session will be followed by a Q&A time open to the members of the Club.

Our distinguished guests are:
- MICHAEL KULBICKAS, member of the Royal International Club Château Sainte-Anne, will represent the Republican side
- PAULINE MANOS, will represent the Democratic side.

Hold on to your hats!


MICHAEL KULBICKAS:
• Bachelor of Science in Electronic Engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech)
• Lives in Brussels since more than 20 years
• IT CyberSecurity Management professional
• Management and technology consultant in IT sector since 38 years
• Since 2005: chaired the Belgium chapter of Republican Overseas, associated with the Republican National Committee

PAULINE MANOS:
• Bachelor of Arts in International Relations & Spanish Literature (University of California, Davis) and Master in International Affairs, Economic and Politic Development (Columbia University)
• Dual Greek-American citizen; has lived in Brussels for over 20 years
• Former Chair of Democrats Abroad Belgium, the local branch of the US Democratic Party representing US voters abroad
• Board member of the Columbia Club of Belgium
• Independent marketing consultant and trainer


This conference will be held in English only.
Welcome: 7 pm; Conference: 7:30 pm; Drink and cocktail: 8:45 pm.