Busy Week For Queen Beatrix…

Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands had a busy week with a lot of public engagements. On wednesday HM visited the RIVM (National Institute for Health and Environment) in Bilthoven, on the occasion of it’s 100th anniversary. She met the director of the institute, Roel Coutinho, and several other employees. The RIVM started as a small laboratory for health care inspectors but in 100 years it developed into a knowledge institute of infections, prevention, sicknesses and health care.

A day later queen Beatrix handed out the Silver carnations at palace Noordeinde. The silver carnations are the annual awards of the ‘Prince Bernhard Culture Fund’. The fund gives the awards each year to volunteers who try to preserve culture or nature in The Netherlands or on the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. Until his death in 2004, prince Bernhard handed out each award since the organization started in 1950. After his death his eldest daughter took over this task. Among the people who received an award was Sister Elisabeth (86) from Oosterhout, who has been actively involved in the preservation of religious heritage since 1954.

On Friday queen Beatrix attended the 100th anniversary of the Orange Cross in the Corpus museum in Oegstgeest. The Orange Cross was founded by prince Hendrik, husband of Queen Wilhelmina, in 1909 to change the first aid at national disasters. Over the years the Orange Cross has become the first aid organisation of The Netherlands. Among other things they organize hundreds of first aids courses each year.

A day later the queen attended the 40th Poetry International festival in the theatre of Rotterdam. Earlier during this day, HM also re-opened the royal palace in Amsterdam, more about that in this blog entry.

Filed under The Netherlands
Tagged Anniversary, Awards, Culture, Health, Poetry, Prince Bernhard Culture Fund, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands.