Crown Princess Mary Launches New Swimming Project

Denmark’s Crown Princess Mary today attended the launch of a new swimming project aiming to encourage more Danes to learn to swim.

“Everyone must learn to swim” is initiated by the Danish Swimming Union, of which the Crown Princess is patron. The purpose of the project is to establish ways that people can learn to swim, in particular increasing the number of public and private primary schools that offer swimming lessons to their pupils. Recent studies by YouGov found that one third of adults and every second child in Denmark do not meet the Nordic definition of being able to swim (which is swimming 200m without aid).

Mary delivered a speech during the launch at the Kildeskovshallen in Gentofte. “We are a country surrounded by water! And we love water so we should be able to swim as well,” she said. She also discussed swimming in her childhood and the great importance of learning to swim as a child.

Children from a local primary school demonstrated their swimming skills at the event.

The project is expected to run over the course of three years.

Filed under Denmark
Tagged Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Patronage, Sport.