Home | First lady | Activities of Silvia Gašparovičová | Year 2011 | President of the Slovak Republic and his wife received the Bethlehem light from scouts
President Ivan Gašparovič and his wife Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová adopted on 10 December 2011 at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava Slovak scouts, who handed them over the Bethlehem light – the flame from the Church of Nativity in the Holy Land.
Chief of Slovak Scouting Mr. Ľubomír Ondrušek pointed out that the lights from Bethlehem is passed first to the head of state – to the representative of the country – roght after the Beavers group from Dolný Kubín exploded it in Vienna in the Church of St. Family. Children scout troops will continue to spread the litle flame across Slovakia. "By each firing of the flame we hope it will spread throughout Slovakia the idea of peace, love and human understanding."
President Ivan Gašparovič pointed out that such a meeting at the Presidential Palace becomes a rule: "Always at the end of the year when we celebrate Christmas, Bethlehem light should bring us new hope, new joy of life and remind people that people in the world should love and respect each other and should create conditions to make the world better and more beautiful."
According to President Ivan Gašparovič, the fact that scouts spread the Bethlehem light already for 22 years „suggests that it is not just coincidence – you have your idea – to walk through the world and spread among the people the idea of love, justice and satisfaction. And, what is very important today, about solidarity and support for those who don´t have joy in their life every day and who need to encourage."
The tradition of flame spreading was established in neighboring Austria. In Slovakia, this custom extended after 1990. |
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