In addition to hosting the World Social Security Forum (WSSF) 2019 in Brussels, the country of Belgium is celebrating its own 75 year anniversary of social security. Additionally, Brussels was the birthplace of the International Social Security Association (ISSA) in 1927.

Belgium is a fascinating multi-cultural country at the heart of Europe. Social security plays a key role in the country with three regions and three official languages. In 1944, Belgium adopted new legislation on social security that formed an important basis for social justice and cohesion in the post-war era. The Belgians continue to modernize and innovate, and recently received the ISSA Good Practice Award for Europe.

The ISSA is preparing the WSSF2019 in close cooperation with the Belgian public social security institutions that have come together to host the event. Together, we are welcoming the global ISSA community of social security leaders, managers and experts from over 150 countries. On day one of the WSSF2019 programme, we will have the opportunity to focus on, and learn from, the Belgian experiences.