Day 2 of the official visit to Vasa (14 September), honouring their 400th jubilee, started out with a visit to the Åbo Academy University together with the Presidential Couple of Finland. The King entered together with the Director of Developments and the Queen stepped in together with President Tarja Halonen and Doctor Pentti Arajärvi. Welcoming them did the academic choir Pedavoces.
At the Åbo Academy University, pictures from Vasabladet.
The programme was focused to the auditorium, Academil, where the Royal Couple and Presidential Couple were presented with topics connected to the City of Vasa - like the Vasa University, the Swedish Vasabladet newspaper and the Finish Swedish television of YLE.
Next on the programme was a visit to the Ostrobothnian Museum. David Öst, a young boy, had the honour of giving Queen Silvia a bouquet of flowers. He was very nervous and had practised at home many times to perform this honrary task - his mother had even had to act as Queen to perfect the practice. Bowing was also on the practice schedule, his mother pointed out.
The Queen at the Mussor special school, pictures from Vasabladet.
After the museum visit, the King and Queen went separate ways for a while. The King was taken to the manufacturing and service company
Wärtsilä while the Queen visited the special school Mussor and the unit for multi and physically handicapped. The pupils at the Mussor school performed a special "Queen song" that they had made and even recorded on CD for the Queen. Twelve year-old Kent Bräster from Malax had the task of handing over flowers to the Queen, he noted:
– I am just to give flowers, shake hand and bow. If the Queen starts a discussion, I'm in troubble.
The headmaster concluded the visit by noting that the Queen's visit had spread immense joy among the children. The Queen herself noted:
- Incredibly nice athmosphere in the school. There was that calmness that the pupils need. It was a nice school. Interesting to see that they are using conductive pedagogics in accordance with the Hungarian model. I have studied it in Hungary.
After their own respective visits apart, the King and Queen joined forces again for the last stop of the two-day official visit to Vasa. The Tikanoja Art Museum was on the schedule. There they also held a press meeting afterwards.
The Tikanoja Art Museum, pictures from Vasabladet.
The press meeting, pictures from Vasabladet.
Notes & translations from the press meeting:
* The King is expecting a very even general election on Sunday. As tradition follows, no one in the Royal Family will vote as they have to remain neutral in political issues.
* As he has said before, the King feels that the cooperation between the countries around the Baltic Sea should be expanded. The King said that he brought up this topic with President Tarja Halonen at the official dinner on Wednesday.
- The Baltic Sea's huge problem is contamination. More and better purification plants are needed, especially in the Baltic countries.
* Swedish-Finland's (the Swedish speaking parts of Finland) bilinguality is something the King sees as a great wealth.
- I appreciate it and estimate that the cooperation between our two countries can give a better result thanks to the language.
* The King was asked about the Nordic societies openness and if it's possible to remain with it after the demonstrations etc around the EU summits in Sweden and Finland.
- One cannot give up to outer influence. If one does that, one has lost the initiative.
* About the media's coverage of the Royal Family the Queen said:
- As parents, we would like to nurture (our children) in a way that shows consideration and warmth. We all need to be able to breath and have a private sphere were we can load the batteries. When we are on vacation, we want to be private.
* On a coming engagement for any of the royal children soon:
- What is soon? We hope it will happen sometime in the future.
* When asked about the children's activities, the King said the following about Prince Carl Philip:
- Carl Philip has finished his education in graphic design and will now get to follow one of Sweden's best nature photographers who works for the coming Linné jubilee (Carl von Linné jubilee 2007, my note).
And the Queen noted:
- The King is a little jealous of him for this.
* If the King has an Ericsson or Nokia mobile:
- Right now I have neither. True really.
http://www.vasabladet.fi
The visit to Vasa, Day 2 - 14 September
- Visit to Åbo Academy University & Academil
- Visit to the Ostrobothnian Museum
- The King visits the company Wärtsilä
- The Queen visits the special school Mussor
- The Tikanoja Art Museum
