The Swedish Royal Couple Returns to Vilnius University after More Than 20 Years
The King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden will visit Vilnius University (VU) on 7-8 October. The Royal couple coming back to the VU after 23 years will participate in the opening of the photo exhibition, will meet professor Artūras Žukauskas, the VU Rector, attend a festive concert at the Church of St. Johns.
“We are pleased and honoured by the fact that the Royal Couple of Sweden will visit VU for the second time. The attention to our Alma Mater testifies its essential role both in Lithuania as well as in the region. We are proud of our strong and competent Centre for Scandinavian Studies, which received the award of the Swedish Institute, as the pioneer of the Scandinavian studies in Lithuania”, the VU Rector said.
On the first day of the visit the Royal Couple will participate in the opening of the photo exhibition „AccessAbility“ at the VU National Open Access Scholarly Communication and Information Centre.
The Swedish Institute and the “Lithuanian Disability Forum” will present 14 Swedish and 7 Lithuanian portraits of people with different disabilities. All the portraits manifest the trait of human dignity.
At 11.30 a.m. on 8 October the Queen Silvia will meet professor Artūras Žukauskas, the VU Rector, representatives of the VU Centre for Scandinavian Studies, will join students for the informal dispute at the Smuglevičius hall of the VU Library. At 12.00 Her Majesty Queen Silvia will attend a concert at the Church of St. Johns, where musicians will perform “The Last Pagan Rites”, one of the prime contemporary musical performances, composed by Bronius Kutavičius.
The first visit of the Royal Couple to Vilnius University took place after Lithuania regained its independence in the middle of October, 1992. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden were introduced to “Catechism” of Martynas Mažvydas, other antique books, the Majesties visited the Chair of Scandinavian Studies, Queen Silvia signed the Guestbook.