Summary of article in Billed Bladet #17, 2023.
Written by our man in Oceania, the Ulrik Ulriksen.
Who covers Mary's visit to Vanuatu.
Arriving in Vanuatu after a very long 20 hour journey Mary faced a temperature of 30+ degrees C - Which was about 20-25 degrees warmer than back in DK.
She was accompanied by a minor Danish delegation, including the Minister for Development, Dan Jørgensen. Who shortly after arrival held a meeting with the Vanuatu Minister for Climate Change. - Mary was also present at this meeting, which basically consisted of a briefing of the situation of Vanuatu, which consists of 83 islands. - (That was basically a we-need-help-briefing!) That has been hit by no less than two cyclones and two earthquakes. This year alone! In particular the island of Pele, and this is where Mary and the delegation was heading to.
Arriving by boat it was the intention to drag the boat ashore, so Mary could step off to the beach, but Mary opted to ditch her shoes and wade ashore. - Makes for better photos, no doubt nice to cool your feet and IMO it looked less awkward than just have Mary standing there, while the pretty large boat was dragged up on the beach.
The reception was very traditional. An elderly gentleman dressed in dried palm-leaves ran back and forth on the beach shouting before joining a choir from his tribe, singing for Mary.
Further down the beach another gentleman in traditional attire blew a conch shell.
There really aren't that many people on Pele Island, only one village and it appears Mary was pretty much greeted by all of them. Then the talk with the locals, who feel it first hand, went to the ongoing climate changes. All of it culminating with two pupils from the local school requesting that Denmark not sending money, but instead that the rest of the world go green. (Something DK is bound to promote should we get a seat in Security Council, so there was a good deal of politics as well.)
The visit lasted a couple of hours, but before heading back to the hotel on Vanuatu, Mary planted a "peace tree", a palm tree to be exact, which will symbolize peace and harmony between humans and nature. - If it remains standing for long that is, because the tree was planted near the worst hit sites of cyclones...
Back on Vanuatu and on day two of the visit, Mary went to Esta to visit a EU sponsored project by ADRA. The project aims at helping local women in earning their own living and that includes enabling the women to pay for their children going to school.
Unfortunately the article doesn't go into details as to women why are particularly vulnerable and why women, rather than families, need support.
Anyway, the women produce various handmade items including handbags and Mary bought for to take home to her daughters. The bags can be seen clearly in one of the photos in the article. (Scans will come up later.)
While there Mary wore a blue wrap-around dress from Zimmermann and earrings by Dulong Fine Jewellery as well as a necklace by Julie Sandlau with the initials of her children. And finally a necklace by Halberstand with a small F for Frederik.
Mary also took part in an event at University of the South Pacific, where the topic was climate changes and what very real consequences it has for nations like Vanuatu.
Here Mary gave a speech calling for a global climate policy saying among other things:
"We don't live on planet Earth, we live with planet Earth and with these words I will wish you all the best for the future and wish the best for the friendship between Vanuatu and Denmark."
As a representative for the Danish head of state it's customary to pay a visit to the local government. Unfortunately both the President, Nikenike Vurobaravu and the PM; Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau had to excuse themselves due to illness and instead she and the DK Minister was met by the Foreign Minister, Napat. Who presented Mary with tooth from a wild boar. Such a tooth being a symbol of authority and as such Mary is now (honorary) chief in Vanuatu.
Normally you are met by a red carpet upon arrival. But I imagine Mary and everybody else were pretty wasted after 20 hours of flight and in dire need of a shower, a nap and a change of clothes - and who knows when the plane touched down?
So Mary got the red carpet treatment upon leaving. Complete with a parade and a band playing the Danish national anthem. (I understand the national anthem is considerably simpler to play than the royal anthem.)
