Quick, name five famous Belgians. I'll bet you can't. In school, we aren't taught much about the country that houses the headquarters for the European Union and NATO, and though I am sure there are Flemish speakers here in Queens who are proud of their heritage, I suspect it is a small community. But we'll come back to famous Belgians later.

Let's think about gifts -- 'tis the season after all. As we approach the end of the year, it's a good time to say thank you with tokens of appreciation. Whether it's a present for your child's teacher who has stayed late to help her pass the core curriculum test or for the car mechanic who changes your oil in 10 minutes so you're not late to work, these folks help us in big ways. So go to your local shopping area -- we have over 60 of them in Queens -- and pick up a little something to express your appreciation.

In your December travels, whether to buy presents, visit friends or see family, many of you will pass by one of the greatest gifts our borough has ever received: Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. Next year, we will celebrate two historic events -- the 75^th anniversary of the 1939 World's Fair and the 50^th anniversary of the 1964 World's Fair. In the days before internet and texting, world's fairs were the way people from all over the globe met, exchanged ideas, and worked cooperatively to forge a promising future.

The theme of the 1939 Fair was "Building the World of Tomorrow." In 1964, the slogan was "Peace through Understanding." These events changed Queens in many ways, impacting our landscape, economy, demographics and memories. They were also the greatest economic development projects of their times. The 1939 Fair transformed the Corona ash heaps into parkland and gave us structures such as the Queens Botanical Garden and Queens Museum, which has just completed a major renovation and looks spectacular. The 1964 Fair built upon that legacy and left institutions such the New York Hall of Science, the USTA and Queens Theatre. Each fair was full of "futuristic advances" that seemed incredible at the time. But as important as demonstrating advances in science, art and technology, the real benefit of each fair was bringing people together. As they have for hundreds of years, fairs give people from different places the opportunity to meet each other, learn about each other's cultures, hear their music, and taste their foods. The two Queens fairs made our borough the center of the globe during their runs. And to some extent it is still the center of the world, in terms of diversity and tolerance.

Next year, many groups will commemorate the fairs. Plans are being made for concerts, tours and exhibitions within Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and elsewhere in the borough. The institutions in the park, the park administration, the Queens Tourism Council and the Queens Chamber of Commerce are working together to celebrate this important milestone. And as part of the fun, we ask those with memories -- theirs, a family member's or a friend's -- to e-mail them to [email protected], and we will share them!

As for the Belgians, yes, it is difficult to name famous ones, but let's try:

• Jean Claude Van Damme, the "Muscles from Brussels" (though he moved to Hollywood);
• Jacques Brel, the singer/songwriter (come to think of it, he left Belgium, too, for Paris);
• Rob MacKay, QEDC's Director of Public Relations, Marketing, & Tourism (as befitting a Queens resident, Rob's background is all over the map, but he is most proud of his roots in Wallonia, or south Belgium);
• Moules Frites and Bier, okay not a person, but good mussels in garlic butter, crispy fries and a Stella Artios make a great dinner;
• Waffles, again not a person, but at the 1964 Fair, the Belgian Village (below) concession introduced the world to these thick waffles with powdered sugar, whipped cream and strawberries. They sold for $1 each and were known as "Bel-Gem Waffles." For millions of people of a certain age, these tasty treats evoke memories of 1964, the World's Fair and Queens....Truly a gift of the Belgians.