Princess Laurentien's Work with Literacy and Learning


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lucien

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HRH Princess Laurentien,accompanied by Prince Constantijn,performed the kick-off for the annual Week aginst Illiteracy ahead of the UEFA-cup match Netherlands - Bulgaria at the Amsterdam Arena last night.
PPE Agency

Courtesy PPE/St.Lezen & schrijven/G van Dalen.
 
HRH Princess Laurentien,accompanied by Prince Constantijn,performed the kick-off for the annual Week aginst Illiteracy ahead of the UEFA-cup match Netherlands - Bulgaria at the Amsterdam Arena last night.
PPE Agency

Courtesy PPE/St.Lezen & schrijven/G van Dalen.

Wonderful. I have missed the whole match Netherlands-Bulgaria (2-0).
How was the reaction of the public (I assume not very interested in illiteracy but in soccer....) on the princely initiatve?

:flowers:
 
September 12th: Princess Laurentien has held her teaching speech at the occassion of the Week of Literacy at the Pathe theater in Amsterdam and presented the National Literacyawards.

PPE pictures

Laurentien looks rather well IMHO!
 
I know what Marengo means, I speak Dutch too, she sounds more royal than the queen, unnaturally posh, it almost hurts the ears is exagerating a bit but it is something like that
 
In the mean time Laurentien was interviewd by Peter van der Vorst for RTL boulevard about illiteracy again. She suggested that it might be an idea to get a storyline about an illiterate in a soap series to get more attention for the subject and more understanding too. She said all that with her usual terribly affected accent. She also said, when asked, that her own children were progressing well at school, where they returned to just last week (as Belgian schools start on Spetember 1st).

Video - week 37 - Click first at 'WOE' (for the second one 'DO'), then click at the title.

Video RTL Boulevard (week 37, 12-09): Laurentien's 'Lees en schrijf' (hear her voice!)
Video RTL Boulevard (week 37, 13-09): Laurentien ziet heil in voetbal
 
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HRH Princess Laurentien attended the AKO literature prize ceremony at Palace het Loo. The prize went to A. F. Th. van der Heijden with his book ´Het schervengerecht´. Itw as all live on television and presented by Jeroen Pauw and Paul Witteman.
 
Princess Laurentien attended the start of ''Spraak Makend'', a language programme for pre-schoolers in the Brede School in Zuidbroek.

PPE Agency
 
Princess Laurentien attended the start of ''Spraak Makend'', a language programme for pre-schoolers in the Brede School in Zuidbroek.

PPE Agency

Paty, thanks for the pictures. Laurentien is a very affectionate person (seems form the pictures) I loved the pictures of her sitting by the kids and the other reading a story, she looked very intrested. Outfit, lovely coat & intresting print :rolleyes:
 
HRH received the first copy of a special Nijntje/Miffy edition for people with a bad eyesight, it is a ´do, feel and listen book´, Laurentien is the patron of the Dutch Listen and Braille library.
 
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PPE Agency
Princess Laurentien attended the celebration of 75 year ''Onze Taal'' of the organization Genootschap Onze Taal at the Jaarbeurs in Utrecht.
 
23-01-2008 Amsterdam Princess Laurentien at the National Reading Breakfast at the Public Library Reigerbos in Amsterdam.
Princess Laurentien read from the novel ''Little Mouse search for a house'' from Petr Horacek.
The breakfast is an initiative of the foundation Lezen en Schrijven ( Reading an Writing) from which the princess is Chairlady.

PPE Agency
 
Princess Laurentien was shortly interviewed by RTL Boulevard at this occassion. Apparently the Grandmothers also read to Laurentien´s children, complete with funny voices et all.

Others who participated this morning were Princess Margriet (in Apeldoorn), the Prime Minister and singer Gerard Joling.
 
HRH will deliver the key-note speech at the opening session of the UNESCO Regional Conference in Support of Global Litteracy,Baku,Azerbeidzjan,wednesday may 14th.

HRH will attend the two days conference on both wednesday and thursday.
 
The speech of HRH:

Keynote speech by H.R.H. Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands


At the opening of UNESCO’s Regional conference in Support of Global Literacy
(Europe and the Caucasus) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Literacy, the road to human progress


Royal Highness, First Ladies, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,
It’s a great pleasure being here. It allows me to translate the stories of millions of people affected by literacy across our continent, across the globe. Individuals, such as my fellow countrymen and women who learnt to read and write when they were adults. Veronica, Fernando, Fre, Samira, Aljien, Dini, Anke and Ahmed. It’s the story of our children who will so need literacy skills to get on in life. And this is the story about an issue that goes to the heart of our societies.
Like you, I am inspired to be part of this global UNESCO initiative, hopefully making a contribution to our shared efforts. Baku is a perfect setting – for its vibrancy and inspiration, and of course for the commitment to literacy by the First Lady of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mrs Aliyeva. Thank you very much for your hospitality.
We’ve heard the numbers globally: some 800 million adults don’t have sufficient reading and writing skills to function independently. Over 100 million children don’t go to school. And across Europe, about 5 to 20 percent of our populations lack the literacy and numeracy skills to come along.
Do we find this acceptable? Do we see these shocking figures as mere statistical data? Or do we realise that behind each number, there is a person like you and me. Someone often ashamed of his handicap, deprived of chances everyone deserves.
Do we see literacy merely as a technique of memorising letters, words and sentences? Or do we see literacy, as Kofi Annan said, “as a road to human progress and the means through which every man, woman and child can realize his or her full potential”. But is it getting the attention it deserves? The answer lies with you, with us. You know what triggers the right mindset to make this a priority in your respective countries. You know what works and what doesn’t.
So this conference is an opportunity to get inspired. An opportunity to work with an open mind and at times even to be brave enough to challenge commonly held notions. We need to be practical. And most of all – this is an opportunity to make a difference and affect change. We need to be able to look each other in the eye when we meet at future occasions, be it in Hungary or Brazil, and say to each other: “yes, we are making real progress”.
I’d like to look at literacy and illiteracy first from a human perspective, then from a societal perspective. They are the pillars of my firm belief that we urgently need to mobilise our entire societies to tackle illiteracy structurally. I will share some concrete examples of how this could be done.

More here.
 
HRH will deliver the key-note speech at the opening session of the UNESCO Regional Conference in Support of Global Litteracy,Baku,Azerbeidzjan,wednesday may 14th.

HRH will attend the two days conference on both wednesday and thursday.

Baku:
Het Koninklijk Huis
 
HRH will attend,and speech at,the festive gathering of Paediatricians Youth Healthcare Netherlands on occasion of their first lustrum.
Utrecht today.
Het Koninklijk Huis
 
Princess Laurentien attended the National Alphabetize Awards at the Library in Amsterdam.

The Princess held a speech ''Literacy is the best Remedy''. 8th September is proclaimed, since 1966 by the UNESCO, as WorldLiteracyDay

PPE Agency Amsterdam
 
Princess Laurentien attended the National Alphabetize Awards at the Library in Amsterdam.

The Princess held a speech ''Literacy is the best Remedy''. 8th September is proclaimed, since 1966 by the UNESCO, as WorldLiteracyDay

PPE Agency Amsterdam

http://www.koninklijkhuis.nl/content.jsp?objectid=26214

HRH is staying in The Netherlands for a few days,busy as she is with her cause,the fight against Illiteracy,who's strongest advocate she is.HRH gave an interview,too long to translate all of it,but here are some bits and pieces:

She reads to the children,mostly while they'll have a bath in the evening,more often than not that can be up to three books a time;"Eloise loves anything pink and stories for/about girls,Claus loves big boys books and wee Leonor has a opinion of her own"."In bed we curl up with the four of us,reading,só wonderfull if you take the time for it".

That same evening HRH has a meeting to attend,so the ritual is adjusted ;"Because mommy has to go work' .

"Illiterates often miss a senses of dignity towards themselves,fear and embarresment rule,and they don't dare to take part in society""Afraid to take public transport,unable to read bills,unable to read priscriptions for meds which can be very dangerous,vulnerable economically".

"I know a carpenter who got into trouble after he had a promotion and had to work with computers,he couldn't read nor write.His boss took it great and did send him to school to learn".

"I also know this man who could hide he couldn't read nor write for his wife for 25 years.I burst into tears when I heard that.We can not take it for granted that so many illiterate live in isolation".

The number of Illiterates is still as large as it was when you started,how's that possible?

"Most of all because it is such a stubborn problem.When I started out there were plenty of laughing reactions like;"Illiteracy?That's a problem in the development countries".It is not,in The Netherlands we still have 1.5 million peopple that are unable to read and write decently,The Netherlands needed a wake-up call".

Not by pointing a finger - I'm not about that - but we really had to work hard to get attention for this problem,companies,doctors,
municipalities,schools,you name it,all should be alerted by illiteracy and take up responsibility".I was at a pediatricians meeting the other day and the doctors wondered why so many people didn't show up at appointments.Turned out patients had to fill in lists,had they thought of the fact these people couldn't read and write?"
They got a little red on the cheeks,as they'd never given that a thought".

"Thank goodness there are so many wonderfull experiences as well as over 9000 people annually take up lessons/courses ".

Her daily everyday life is in Brussels,the family lives there several years now and they feel great doing so.The children are at school,french-speaking school so they're educated bi-lingual,and Leonore will join Eloise and Claus there in january.If both parents are at home,the whole family walks to school in the morning.The afternoon will see the nanny taking care as both parents work.

Your children are raised in a priviliged environment,you can give them everything.A big contrast with the world of the illiterate.

`Yes,I realise that fully,but we´re not the sort of parents that run along with their kids from here to there and to the next appoinment,Eloise has ballet lessons and Claus has piano lessons,that´s it.Ofcourse you want to stimulate them,but that is not the essence in the end`.We take it very relaxed,if the children feel OK,it all comes natural.Having this easy attitude has much to do with what I learned from illiterates,I view the awareness of selfconfidence".

How do you combine work and family?

"That's a puzzle in a ever changing situation!Eloise has homework from school for the first time,and I've already planned days till december that I want to help her out with that a few days a week,she's entering a new fase and I want to be there for her.Being a mother also gives a lot of energy,the happy,silly,funny moments you have with children,and the moments you think;"Grrrrr!"........But I always try to take the angel out with humour".

Wonderfull interview,just too long to translate it all:
Achtergronden Royalblog.nl: Laurentien leert veel van laaggeletterden
 
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Princess Laurentien at a pressconference at Nieuwspoort in The Hague.
The Princess revealed a new plan for illiteracy.


PPE Agency The Hague
 
I really admire Laurentien for her devotion to this cause. I was particularly impressed with the interview that Lucien posted above. She has done her homework on this issue, and seems to genuinely care about doing something to combat illiteracy.
 
Thanks for translating much of the interview lucien, it is appreciated!

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In a press conference Princess Laurentien said that she will be helped by 28 well known Dutch people to ask for attention for ill literacy. Some of them: singer Frans Bauer, swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband, tv-presentor Paul de Leeuw, tv-presentor Daphne Deckers, violinist André Rieu en tv-presentor Wendy van Dijk.

The princess said that help is needed since the cause still has a low priority and because it still is a sort of taboo.

Source: royalblog.nl
 
By invitation of First Lady Mrs. Laura Bush Princess Laurentien will attend and speech at the White House Symposium on the Advancing Global Literacy,
Metropolitan Museum,NYC,monday september 22nd.
Het Koninklijk Huis
 
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Speech by HRH Princess Laurentien at the White House Symposium on Advancing Global Literacy,Metropolitan Museum,New York City:

Het Koninklijk Huis
 
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