Willem-Alexander & Maxima visit Morocco: November 13-16, 2005

Mandy · #1 11-02-2005, 11:51 AM

Willem-Alexander and Maxima of the Netherlands will visit Morocco November 13 to 16, 2005 to celebrate 400 years of Dutch-Moroccan relations.

**Marengo** · #2 11-09-2005, 12:02 PM

According to NOS Teletekst 7 young dutch(wo)men from maroccan descent will join the prince and princes in Marocco. This was suggested by the court itself and will be financed by the Orange Fund (wedding gift of the population to WA and Maxima for theri marriage). I like the signal the couple want to give with this, let's hope it will do some good.

purple_platinum · #3 11-13-2005, 12:36 PM

Do we know when they are going to arrived or to what city?
Is there somewhere to find their program for this visit?

The Watcher · #4 11-13-2005, 03:00 PM

Message from BRMB, posted by joris

Quote:

Willem-Alexander and Máxima have just arrived in Morocco.

The Dutch Royal Site published a long text about the visit. Let me post the loaded schedule in English

Quote:

Sunday evening, 13 November
- Reception at Marrakech Airport by HRH Prince Moulay Rachid.

Monday morning, 14 November
- Prince Willem-Alexanders delivers opening speech at water congress 'Between Windmill and Watermill', organized at Marrakech University by the Morocco-Netherlands 400 Years Foundation (1605-2005).
- Princess Máxima partially attends the Women's World Banking Conference at the Palmeraie Goplf Palace Hotel. She will be received by Morocco's PM Driss Jettou. Conference is organised by WWB Global Network for Banking Innovation (GNBI). Microcredit is seen as profitable issue.

Monday afternoon, 14 November:
- Prince and Princess visit the Bassin Hydraulic du Tensift. Focus on watermanagement, watercleaning at the Station de Traitement des Eaux.
Monday evening, 15 November:
- 'Art en Tour Marrakech', an intercultural music programme aimed at the cultural co-operation between Morocco and The Netherlands, organised by the Dutch Amateur Arts and Performing Arts Fund, commissioned by the Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education, Culture & Science, on the occasion of '400 Years Morocco-The Netherlands'. Musicians: Fra Fra Sound, DJ Saif and Majid Bekkeas.

Tuesday morning, 15 November:
- Prince and Princess visit the Medina of Marrakech. Focus on microfinance. Visit to the Al Amana office where credits are given. Couple visit several shops, a.o. a shop for herbs/spices and a manufacturer of chairs.

Tuesday afternoon, 15 November:
- Prince and Princess visit Koran school. Discussion with 15 students about Religion and Identituy.
- Visit to Musée Dar Si Saïd: opening of exhibition 'Respect! Forms of co-existence, organised by the Mondrian Foundation: modern Dutch art, commissioned by Dutch Ministries of Foreign Affairs and of Education, Culture and Science, celebrating 400 Years Morocco-The Netherlands.

Wednesday 16 November:
- Prince and Princess visit town of Amizmisz. Received by Mayor.
- Visit to Girls boarding school.
- Visit to several studios where craftsmen are working: a furniture maker, a smith, a frame maker.
- Visit to reservoir lake Barrage Lalla Takerkoust.

During the visit 12 youngsters from the Netherlands will accompany parts of the visit of the Prince and Princess. 6 of them are Dutch, 6 of them have Moroccan roots.
The project is 'Connecting Identities'.
Prince and Princess will talk with them and the 12 youngsters will lecture about their experiences at Dutch schools.

At the news bulletin this evening it was said that Prince and Princess also will be received by King "M6".

The Watcher · #5 11-13-2005, 03:40 PM

Pictures: ANP

Roxsteve · #6 11-13-2005, 04:14 PM

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...1&d=1131914386

I never realized how big Maxima's feet were!! Or is this just the way the picture was taken???

La la · #7 11-13-2005, 04:27 PM

I think it's just her pointy shoes.

Amira · #8 11-13-2005, 04:28 PM

more pictures :)

The Watcher · #9 11-13-2005, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roxsteve

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...1&d=1131914386

I never realized how big Maxima's feet were!! Or is this just the way the picture was taken???

Yes, she has big feet. But I'm not sure how big exactly, I thought size 42 (Europe). But they are big, esp. for an argentinian woman.

carlota · #10 11-13-2005, 04:37 PM

well, argentinian woman, as well as latin ones, tend to be quite tall. maxima seems to be tall as well, and we need to have into account that the shoes are pointy shoes and not rounded. those look bigger, specially when seen from the profile and not from the front or from above...

i loved the reception in the airport. willem, maxima and moulay raschid seem to be happy to meet each other. i also liked the part of him kissing maxima's hand, he is such a gentleman!
according to protocol, does he have to kiss her hand? they are both prince and princess.. why is that then? is it just a polite gesture to her as she is a lady?

what were those things they offered them?

i don't know why, but all this looks so glittery to me! probably it's because of the fact it's at night, but there seem to be so many people there and the nice thing of offering them things to eat and drink that are specially from the country they are visiting... it looks to me so beautiful.

La la · #11 11-13-2005, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carlota

what were those things they offered them?

I think it's dates.

Amira · #12 11-13-2005, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by La la

I think it's tea and dates.

No, its not .... in morroccan tradition we offer to our guests Milk and Dates :)

**Humera** · #13 11-13-2005, 05:02 PM

great pictures! Its just too bad we didnt see any of the Moroccan princessesses. I hope we'll see them over the next few days.

La la · #14 11-13-2005, 05:03 PM

Oh, ok. I wasn't sure about the tea (that's why I edited it) mainly because it wasn't served in the beautiful Moroccan tea glasses.

The Watcher · #15 11-13-2005, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~*~Humera~*~

great pictures! Its just too bad we didnt see any of the Moroccan princessesses. I hope we'll see them over the next few days.

Tomorrow Willem-Alexander will visit Mohammed VI and Máxima will visit Lalla Salma.

carlota · #16 11-13-2005, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Watcher

Tomorrow Willem-Alexander will visit Mohammed VI and Máxima will visit Lalla Salma.

great news! thanks the watcher... what's the source? in the official planning it doesn't say anything... will it be a gala dinner as the one they hosted for the spanish king and queen?

i can't wait to see a photo of maxima and salma. in some way, they look so much alike to me, they both seem to be really determined, intelligent, feminine but not shallow and interested in important things (as rania, mathilde for example, as well)