OREANDA-NEWS. June 24, 2008. President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus and Mrs. Alma Adamkiene welcomed Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands who came to Lithuania on a three-day state visit, in the official welcoming ceremony in the Courtyard of the Presidential Palace.
   
At the driveway to the Presidential Palace Courtyard the Queen’s cortege was met by the Guards of Honour dressed in Lithuanian military uniforms of the Middle Ages. 

The arrival of Queen Beatrix, President Adamkus and Mrs. Alma Adamkiene was greeted with fanfares played by the Orchestra of the Guards of Honour, followed by anthems of the Netherlands and Lithuania. Having inspected the Guards of Honour, the Netherlands monarch exchanged greetings with members of Lithuania’s Parliament and Government, other public officials and residing members of the Diplomatic Corps.

Later, Queen Beatrix, President Adamkus and Mrs. Alma Adamkiene had a meeting in the Presidential Palace.

The President and the First Lady of Lithuania and the Queen talked about the need to strengthen cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of culture. The focus was on the promotion of exchange of achievements between young people and on the need to help them uncover their talents.

“It is a great honour for Lithuania to be visited by such a prominent personality, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix. I am confident that this royal visit by the Queen of the Netherlands will bring our cultures still closer together and promote a better understanding of their riches”, President Adamkus said.

The President briefly described to the Queen the issues of concern to Lithuania and other Baltic states and our relations with the neighbouring countries. According to the President, joint Baltic-Nordic energy projects will contribute to the development of a single European energy network and real integration of infrastructure.

After the meeting, the Lithuanian President and the Dutch Royalty exchanged state decorations.  President Adamkus decorated Queen Beatrix with Lithuania’s highest state award, the Order of Vytautas the Great with the golden collar. The Order of Vytautas the Great may be awarded to Lithuanian and foreign heads of states and citizens for their special merits to the State of Lithuania.
   
Queen Beatrix decorated Lithuania’s Head of State with the Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion, and the First Lady of Lithuania Mrs. Alma Adamkiene with the Order of the Crown.

Lithuania’s President presented the Queen with a work of small plastic art entitled “Bridges” made of silver, gold and granite (author Ruta Nichajiene).

From the Presidential Palace the Queen of the Netherlands went to the Antakalnis cemetery to honour the memory of our nationals who died for freedom.

After that, the Queen in the company of President Adamkus visited Vilnius Academy of Arts. Later today, the President and the First Lady of Lithuania will host a state dinner  in the honour of Her Majesty Queen. The dinner will be followed by a presentation of traditions of the Feast of St. John (Jonines), Lithuanian folk dances and songs in the Courtyard of the Presidential Palace.

On the second day of her visit, June 25, Queen Beatrix will visit the Library of Vilnius University for a discussion with students on Lithuania‘s future within the European Union. Her Majesty will also take part in a discussion with Lithuanian economy experts about economic developments in Lithuania as a member of the EU.

Other events scheduled include a sightseeing tour in the Old Town of Vilnius, meeting with the Dutch community, and a visit to Trakai to see the Trakai Castle, where experts of the social area will make a presentation on the activities of social networks in Lithuania.

Later in the evening, the Queen will invite President Adamkus and Mrs. Alma Adamkienл together with other distinguished guests to watch a performance by the quartet Loeki Stardust and to a reception in the National Philharmonic Hall.

On 26 June, Queen Beatrix will go to Kaunas to visit the company Elinta which develops, among other products, spatial laser scanners and intelligent computer systems, and to visit  the home of Japanese diplomat Ch. Sugihara, who has helped, together with the Honorary Consul Jan Zwartendijk of Netherlands, several thousand Jewish people to leave the region hit by war, by issuing transit visas in June 1940.

The state visit by Her Majesty Queen of the Netherlands will be concluded by a lesson of excellence to be given by the quartet Loeki Stardust for students of Juozas Naujalis Music Gymnasium, to be honoured by the Queen's presence.
 
The same day the Queen Beatrix will depart from Lithuania.