At the invitation of the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the International Organisations in The Hague, Ambassador Schieb – together with numerous colleagues from all regions of the world - on 29 May 2024 took part in a field trip to Ypres (Belgium).

The battles around Ypres during the First World War are a synonym for the devastating effect of chemical warfare agents: Close to the city of Ypres the German Wehrmacht on 22 April 1915 used chlorine gas against the allied troups. This is considered to be the first major use of poison gas as a chemical warfare.

Besides a visit to the very informative exhibition at the Flanders Fields Museum a visit of the former battlefields was also part of the programme. To conclude the field trip the delegation took part in the “Last Post Signal” in Ypres – a daily ceremony since 1928 to commemorate the more than 600,000 dead and missing of the Flanders battles. The one-day, very moving, visit left a deep impression on all participants and strengthened their resolve to strive for a world free from chemical weapons.