Crown Princess Victoria paid a visit to Kenya from November 11th to 14th. During the first day the Princess inaugurated the Conference of Climate Change Day, that is the biggest event during the Swedish EU presidency in Kenya.
Later the day she attended the opening of the Victoria Trade Council offices in Nairobi. There she took part in a colorful danshow with Maasai.
Click at the image to see a gallery at Svenskdam.se
Princess Victoria mainly visited Kenya to inaugurate a school built by Gundua Foundation. The Crown Princess is a patron of the school. The Gundua secondary school in ex-Lewa provides more children the chance to educate themselves, although they live poor conditions.
During her last day in Kenya Victoria met the professor and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. The women planted a tree as a symbol of the friendship between Kenya and Sweden. The Princess visited a Swedish school in Nairobi. Many children wanted to meet the Princess, who recieved flowers and gifts and took the time to answer the childrens’ questions.
You can find a thread about the visit to Kenya here.
Her_Majesty Swedish Royals Children, Kenya, Official Visit, Princess Victoria
Crown Prince Haakon visited Botswana from November 11th to 13th in his capacity as Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP. The Prince met Vice President Mompati Merafhe with whom he discussed key topics related to development cooperation effort. Afterwards he met the Minister for Foreign Affairs Phandu Skelemani and the permanent secretaries of the Ministries of Environment, Wildlife & Tourism, as well as local UN representatives.
Click at the image to see it at Kongehuset.no
On Thursday Prince Haakon paid a visit to the Okavango Delta, which is the world’s largest inland delta.
There he met with the local authorities and fishermen and talked to them about fishing conditions in the delta.
In the afternoon Prince Haakon visited Xakanaxa in the Moremi Game Reserve. There he had a look at how water resources are managed. The aim of the visit to Botswana is to look at the impact of climate change and the battle against poverty in Botswana.
Prince Haakon was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) in 2003. Since then he has visited Tanzania, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Burundi, Mongolia and now Botswana.
You can read two articles about Haakon’s visit to Botswana here and here.
Her_Majesty Norwegian Royals Botswana, Climate Change, Official Visit, Poverty, Prince Haakon, United Nations
Barack Obama concluded his two-day visit to Japan – the first country he visited on his nine-day Asian tour.
Courtesy: Yahoo! News
Speaking in front 1,500 people in Tokyo Concert Hall, Obama promised an ‘unshakable’ commitment to Asian security and re-affirmed the alliance between Japan and the United States.
During his speech, Barack Obama touched some lighter topics as well; he shared with the audiences his memories of a childhood visit to Japan and recalled being rather interested in consuming ‘matcha’ – green tea ice cream. He also sent his greetings to the small Japanese fishing town Obama, which was actively supporting his candidacy during the presidential campaign and which now enjoys a booming industry thanks to its famous namesake.
Obama also congratulated the Emperor on the 20th anniversary of his accession to the Throne.
Following his speech, the President had lunch with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Upon arrival, Obama showed his respect for the Emperor with a deep bow, which will no doubt be warmly received in a country where bows are sign of great respect and regard.
The bow however proved controversial outside Japan, where a lot of English-language newspaper sported similar headlines – “How low can he go?” President Obama has already been in a centre of similar controversy, when he allegedly bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, which the White House denied.
Watch the video of Obama being welcomed by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko
Marsel Japanese Royals Bowing & Curtseying, Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, Official Visit, President Obama, United States of America
The Prince and the Princess of Asturias, on Monday, began a two day visit to India in order to attend the opening of the new Instituto Cervantes and to support the presence of Spanish enterprises in India.
View the image at Casa Real
On Tuesday Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia began their official engagements with a meeting with Spanish businessmen participants in the business conference Spain-India. Prior the conference, the Prince and Princess had a brief meeting with Sanayangba Chubatoshi Jamir, governor of the state of Maharastra, and with representatives of Indian’s enterprises. Once the meeting finished, they presided over the conference Spain-India in the Crystal Room Central at the Taj Mahal Hotel
“India is a great and friendly country for which Spaniards feel a very special and growing admiration, respect and sympathy” Prince Felipe said, and added “For me personally, India bares great childhood memories and so I always feel very happy when ever I have the chance to come back, like today together with the Princess; even though this one is truly a very short visit with no time to enjoy the wonders India has to offer.”
At the evening the Prince and Princess of Asturias along with the Spanish ambassador in India, Ion de la Riva Guzmán de Frutos, met with the Spaniards living in Mumbai. Read more…
Paty Spanish Royals India, Official Visit, President Patil, Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Princess Letizia, Princess of Asturias
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Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev arrived in Amman on Tuesday for two-day official visit to Jordan upon the invitation of His Majesty King Abdullah II. Nazarbayev was welcomed by King Abdullah at Royal Offices at the King Hussein Bin Talal Mosque in Amman.
At the meeting the two leaders discussed about ways to enhance cooperation between the two countries. They also touched on efforts to relaunch peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.
On Tuesday evening King and President attended a concert of Kazakh music at King Hussein bin Talal Convention Centre in the Dead Sea. They also opened the exhibition of Kazakh ancient jewelleries and souvenirs was organized within Kazakh Cultural Days in Jordan.
That night King Abdullah hosted a dinner banquet in honour of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
On day 2 the President Nazarbayev visited the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau Industrial Park (KADDB).
It is the second visit of Nazarbayev to Jordan. The first one was in November 2006.
salma Jordanian Royals Abdullah II, Kazakhstan, Official Visit, President Nazarbayev
UAE Foreign Minister, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, met with Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, at the Presidential Palace in the Colombian capital. Sheikh Abdullah handed him a letter from President H.H. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President & Sheikh Abdullah held meetings on ways to establish trade, economic relations and business contact.
Sheikh Abdullah said that such meetings underscores the commitment of the two countries, he also called for signing a few deals between the two contries in various fields.
dazzling UAE Royals Colombia, Official Visit, President Uribe, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed
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King Albert received Ukrainian President Victor Yushchenko at Laeken Royal Palace in Brussels on October 15.
During the meeting, a great number of questions were discussed, including cultural and economical cooperation, bilateral relations, as well as European and Euro-Atlantic ambitions of Ukraine.
President Yushchenko gave an interview, where he stressed Belgium’s importance for Ukraine, noting: “Belgium as a representative of an Old Europe is a special partner. Cooperation with Belgium enables us to solve considerable part of Ukrainian issues in Europe”.
Yushchenko is on 2-day visit to Belgium – the first ever official visit by a Ukrainian President since the countries established diplomatic contact.
The President will hold meetings with Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barrose, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek and others.
Marsel Belgian Royals King Albert II, Official Visit, President Yushchenko, Ukraine
The Prince and Princess of Asturias arrived on Sunday in the USA to start a three-day visit to New Mexico and Chicago.
Click to see the image at Casa Real
Their Royal Highnesses visited on Monday the new facilities of the National Hispanic Cultural Centre in Albuquerque, and the Cervantes Institute, which was inaugurated by the Prince and Princess in their visit in 2004.
Afterward they went to New Mexico Univiersity (they already visited in 2004) where they had a meeting with the Advisory committee of the Prince of Asturias Endowed Chair at Zimmermans Library. The Prince of Asturias Endowed Chair, which this year goes to Fernándo Pérez-Gómez, was created in honor of the heir to the Spanish Crown, and its aim is to promote collaboration between Spanish and U.S. scholars by “bringing a preeminent Spanish scientist to the University of New Mexico to engage in teaching and research in information science and technology.”
Click to see the image at Casa Real
At the end of the day Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia attended a dinner that New Mexico governor Bill Richardson and his wife Barbara Richardson hosted in their honor in their official residence in Santa Fe. The dinner was also attended by the First Lady of Mexico, Margarita Zabala.
On Tuesday, Felipe and Letizia attend the major event of their visit to New Mexico, the City of Santa Fe’s 400th anniversary celebrations. As heir to the Spanish Crown, Prince Felipe, declared his joy and honour to represent Spain, together with the Princess, in the ceremonies that commemorate the Founding of the capital of “this beautiful and fascinating” State of New Mexico. Read more…
Paty Spanish Royals Official Visit, Prince Felipe, Prince of Asturias, Princess Letizia, Princess of Asturias, United States of America
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After her private visit to attend the baptism of Prince Pavlos and Princess Marie Chantal’s 5th child, Queen Sofia arrived yesterday at Thessaloniki from Athens, where she was since Monday, to attend the official inauguration of “El Miró de Mallorca” exhibition.
The exhibition, which will run until February 5 2010, is organized by the Teloglio Foundation and Pilar i Joan Miro of Mallorca, and shows more than 400 works made by the Spanish artist during his life on the island.
Yesterday the Queen was back in Athens to visit the New Acropolis Museum which was inaugurated last June. The museum has been recently constructed with Greece and European Union funds (almost 150 million Euros). The beautiful building is made of glass, stainless steel and cement and is located in the southeast of the Acropolis. A truly gem that a high value of archeology as Queen Sofia couldn’t miss.
Paty Spanish Royals Exhibition, Greece, Official Visit, Queen Sofia
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On day 4 of Queen Rania’s visit to New York, Her Majesty attended a breakfast which was hosted by the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and took place during the 64th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters in New York.
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This event took place to mark the the 60th anniversary of the U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees which was also attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. “I wished there was no anniversary to mark,” she said. “But you and I know the reality is very different. Their’s (the refugees’) life is very different. Their’s is a life interrupted, a life half lived. Hours wasted at checkpoints, another work day lost, another pay check canceled, worried about what the family will eat … praying for an aid parcel.”
Later that day, Her Majesty attended the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative where Queen Rania joined the panel of “Human Capital- Creating Good Jobs and Strong Communities”.
dazzling Jordanian Royals Clinton Global Initiative, Official Visit, Queen Rania, United States of America
