From Thursday, queen Silvia gave an interview to Rhein-Neckar Zeitung.
Your Majesty, Today is the opening of the second German Childhood House in your native city. How important is it for you to be represented in Heidelberg with your foundation?
- The first Childhood house in Germany was founded in Leipzig. That made me very happy, because it is a prime example. Of course, I'm really pleased that Heidelberg is following the example, because I realized that the problem was understood, tackled and made the house possible in a very short time. Of course, the experts in Heidelberg have worked well before, but now all the institutions involved in the Childhood House have a common home. It is so important that the children are welcomed in a child-friendly environment, there is a calm atmosphere and the experts are not constantly interrupted. In the Childhood House, the question is at the center: How to help the children? It fills me with pride that my Heidelberg has implemented this.
More Childhood houses are planned in Berlin, Offenburg and Dusseldorf. When you founded the foundation in 1999, did you believe that the idea would prevail in such a way?
- The foundation was founded a long time ago, 20 years ago. There was another situation. Today, "Me too" is everywhere in the world, where women who have been exploited attract attention. That they have found such a hearing, I think is incredibly important. But 20 years ago, children were not listened to. What happens to children is taboo in many countries, people do not talk about it. Also for me it was not easy to talk about it - as a woman, as a mother and as a queen. But I thought: if no one talks about it, you can not change it. That moved me to go ahead and found the World Childhood Foundation in Sweden, Germany, Brazil and the US. Today we have 100 good projects every year, which we implement very carefully and responsibly.
In Heidelberg you are celebrating the 20th anniversary of your foundation at the castle. Do you remember your first state visit here in Heidelberg?
- Yes, I do: That was 1979. Were you already born?
No, I was born just one year later ...
- But yes, I remember. It was a strange situation because I expected Prince Carl Philip, the eighth month. That was a bit complicated. A state visit to Germany was, of course, the first thing you wanted to organize after the wedding in 1976 from the German side. But then I expected Victoria and we had to stop the planning. In 1979 I did not dare to cancel for the second time. It was fantastic: All people of Heidelberg were on their feet, you had to form a ring of security around me so I could move. But there was much warmth, even to the king. It was really nice. I also sneak back to Heidelberg every now and then. My parents are buried here, including my brother. I am in Heidelberg more often than you know.
When you are in Heidelberg, are there any special memories that you have of your childhood?
- Naturally! Not only that my father was born in Heidelberg, my mother also was brought here from Berlin in 1943 during the dangerous years. My brothers were here at school, I was born here - and of course that connects. I remember when my father drove past a certain bridge, he always spoke in the Heidelberg dialect and told us a lot about his jokes in school. That's why the city is very much alive in our family. When we came back to Heidelberg in 1957/58, the house was not yet ready: until it was finished, I was at the boarding school in Wieblingen. These were my first experiences in Germany: school. "Not yet on a class level," it was said at that time about me - and I was actually not yet. Wieblingen was particularly interesting, a good school, strict, At that time, there was only girls. I experienced my first snow and my first advent singing here. It was a great time.
In the establishment of the Childhood House, your foundation placed great value on the connection to your old school, the Elisabeth-von-Thadden-Schule: All the pictures in the rooms are from the pupils there.
- This is a very delightful thought and I thank the team of Childhood Germany. That is especially nice, the connection between the school and the children being looked after here.
Did your foundation ultimately make you talk more about sexual abuse?
- In many countries it is still a taboo topic. Of course the Childhood House has become a symbol: we have 37 houses in Sweden, two in Germany and I know that many will follow. I'm glad about that. But we are also active in other areas: many years ago we received a call from a young engineer who wanted to do something against pedophilia. He has developed the "Netclean" computer program, with the help of Childhood, which companies can install to report police who download child pornography material during working hours. Many pedophiles have been found with it in Sweden. So we have ensured that in everyday life on this topic is spoken.
One last question about Heidelberg: When you're in Stockholm, what comes to your mind first when you think of Heidelberg?
- I have to say, the warmth of the people. Really, I have friends - friends everywhere. And when I walk through Heidelberg, I feel that everyone is friendly to me. And in a cordiality that is really moving. I also got several serenades. So it's always nice.
Exklusiv-Interview_ Das sagt Königin Silvia der RNZ über ihre Liebe zu Heidelberg - Nachrichten aus Heidelberg - Rhein Neckar Zeitung
ROYAL: Silvia beim 20. Jubiläum der World Childhood Foundation in Heidelberg, Tag 1
From Thursday evening
Photos from Instagram of Roger Lundgren, the editor-in-chief of Kungliga Magasinet
https://www.instagram.com/p/B2D96PUi8QA/
Countess Bettina Bernadotte and Philipp Haug were also invited to the dinner
http://imageupper.com/i/?S1200010090011V15677800351673883
ROYAL: Silvia beim 20. Jubiläum der World Childhood Foundation in Heidelberg, Tag 1
For 20 years, Swedish Queen Silvia and her foundation "World Childhood Foundation" have been giving intensive care to disadvantaged children. In Heidelberg, she has now honored an hr editorial team with the Childhood Award 2019 for the multimedia project "Opfer ohne Stimme".
High level visit to Heidelberg: Queen Silvia of Sweden has visited her hometown and inaugurated a house in which children and young people get help if they have become victims or witnesses of violence. The fact that the Hessian Broadcasting company has also dealt intensively with the subject has not escaped Queen Silvia.
And so, late in the evening, she awarded the Childhood Award 2019 to an hr eleven-member journalist team for the multimedia theme special "Sacrificial Voice - How to Protect Our Children from Violence," published in May 2018.
Childhood Award 2019_ Königliche Auszeichnung für hr-Team _ hr-iNFO _ Programm
