Following a tour of Flanders Field Cemetery, President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and King Philippe gave a joint statement. The three leaders reflected on the freedoms afforded their countries by the fallen soldiers, as both King Philippe and Di Rupo promised to keep the memories of the American soldiers alive.
"It is impossible not to be awed by the profound sacrifice they made, so we can stand here today," Obama said. "We know a level of peace and prosperity that those who fought here could scarcely have imagined."
World War I marked the first use of chemical weapons in history. Nearly a century later, Obama said progress cannot be taken for granted, as chemical weapons continue to be used in Syria.
"These weapons have no place in the civilized world," Obama said.
In the midst of the Ukraine crisis and rising international tensions, Di Rupo stressed the importance of international cooperation in preventing conflicts, saying that the current generation must continue to draw lessons from the first World War.
"We have to prevent new conflicts. Those who ignore the past are taking the risk to relive it. Each step to reconcile people is a step away from war. Each step to open up our hearts and minds is a step towards peace," Di Rupo said.
"The so-called War to End All Wars was followed by an even more brutal one, which engulfed most of the world," the King said. "Our countries have learned the hard way that national sovereignty quickly reaches its limits when confronted with heavily-armed adverseries who do not respect that sovereignty."
The three leaders toured the cemetery Wednesday morning and participated in a wreath laying ceremony to honor those buried there. Flanders Field Cemetery, located on a battlefield that saw some of the most intense fighting on the Western Front, houses the graves of 368 Americans who died in World War I.
The wreath laying ceremony began with the Belgian and American national anthems, followed by the placement of the wreaths and the playing of Taps.