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Giving Back
Youth Entrepreneurship Award
The annual Youth Entrepreneurship Award recognises young people who have chosen to become entrepreneurs and aims to foster entrepreneurship in Europe. In 2024, a special focus was dedicated to female entrepreneurs. This initiative is supported by AmCham EU's Executive Council and organised in collaboration with JA Europe.
The winner receives mentorship from top European CEOs of AmCham EU member companies and a monetary prize toward their start-up.
Queen Elisabeth Competition
The Queen Elisabeth counts musicians of the highest calibre among its prize winners. The annual competition is for musicians who have completed their training and who are ready to embark upon an international career.
In recognition of the importance of the arts and young people in the arts, AmCham EU is a long-time supporter of the Queen Elisabeth Competition. By providing resources to present the laureates in the United States, it also adds a transatlantic link to the competition.
Educational opportunities for students
Each year AmCham EU provides an opportunity for university-level European students from the University of Bath to complete a 10-month paid internship in our offices in Brussels. Throughout the year, interns gain hands-on experience in EU affairs and develop a range of skills useful for their future careers.
AmCham EU also welcomes student groups from Europe, the US and beyond for educational briefings about our work, Brussels and the EU institutions.
Andreas Galanakis Internship
AmCham EU selects a young Greek student who is interested in transatlantic and European Union issues to undertake a two-month paid internship at the AmCham EU office in Brussels. This internship programme, in partnership with Greek universities, is in memory of Andreas Galanakis, a Greek national raised in the Unites States working in Brussels who was the Policy Director at AmCham EU from 2010-2016 before his passing in September 2017. The internship programme honours Andreas’ commitment and dedication to transatlantic and EU issues and his overall support and mentoring of young professionals over the course of his career. The Andreas Galanakis Internship is currently on hold.
Supporting local artists
We support local artists! Through the organisation Little Van Gogh, AmCham EU leases 10 paintings that are rotated monthly. Staff, members and other visitors can buy any of the paintings from our offices. Our patronage plays a vital role in helping emerging artists on their professional journey, giving artists exposure as well as an opportunity to sell their work.
Relay for Life
Relay For Life is a community event for all ages that focuses on solidarity and fund-raising for the fight against cancer. For 24 hours, 'team' members will take turns walking the track, as a symbol of the constant battle of patients and their families.
AmCham EU has participated in the Relay for Life in Belgium for several years, with current and former AmCham EU staff and members participating in the Relay and raising a significant amount of money for the Fondation contre le cancer. AmCham EU's team walks to honour those who have survived, those who are fighting and those who are no longer with us, including our dear colleague Andreas Galanakis.
Green strategy
AmCham EU and its members support the Paris Agreement and aim to respect the environment. To this end, the AmCham EU Secretariat has created a 'green strategy' for its own offices to save energy and change behaviour including recycling, reducing consumption of paper and plastic products, among other strategies. In addition, the AmCham EU office donates lightly used IT products such as screens and desktop computers to Oxfam and other local charities.
Raising funds to train guide dogs
AmCham EU helps collect and recycle plastic bottlecaps through a Belgian non-profit, Dopjesactie. The organisation collects money earned from the recycled caps to invest in training for guide dogs for the blind.
AmCham EU members are invited to participate by bringing their bottlecaps to the AmCham EU offices.
Shoe-Box Project
The Shoe Box Project was launched in 1999 by The Samaritans of Brussels to deliver food and other necessities to the less fortunate. In December, AmCham EU welcomes staff and members for an afternoon event to fill and wrap holiday boxes to be donated to those in need.
Over the last 10 years, over 100,000 boxes of food have been donated to The Samaritans to be distributed by various charitable associations during the year-end holiday season (The Samaritans, Les Restos du Cœur, Poverello).
For more information please contact [email protected].
Christmas donation to a local cause
Along with our Christmas greetings, AmCham EU makes a donation to a Belgian charitable organisation. In the past we have donated to:
- Kom op tegen kanker
- Saint-Luc (cancer research)
- Red-nose action
- Cliniclowns
- Villa rozenrood
- Fondation contre le cancer
- Pink Ribbon
- KickCancer
Become a Halloween hero: donate blood or plasma and save lives
Facts:
- In 30 minutes, you can save 3 lives.
- Belgium needs just under 500,000 bags per year to meet its needs.
- Less than 1 person in 10 donates blood, whereas 1 in 7 will need blood someday.
You can make an appointment online for a blood donation in one of the following permanent blood collection centres:
- Red Cross blood centre: Rue des Alexiens 16b, 1000 Bruxelles
- CHU Saint-Pierre: Rue Haute 290, 1000 Bruxelles
- Hospital Erasme: Route de Lennik 808, 1070 Bruxelles
- Red Cross blood centre: Avenue Konrad Adenauer 4, 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert