Home | First lady | Activities of Silvia Gašparovičová | Year 2011 | Open Day at the Presidential Palace
Even the unpredictable weather did not discourage visitors from the rich program of the Open Day at the Presidential Palace in Bratislava and the adjacent garden on 10 June 2011. This year the Presidential Palace visited more than eight thousand people. Before opening the gates of the palace could both children and adults at the Hodžovo Square admire unique historical vehicles, which ride through the streets of Bratislava personally started President Ivan Gašparovič.
Guests were greeted in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace by the Military Band of the President. Visitors were naturally most interested in a personal meeting with the head of state and autograph of the presidential couple. President Ivan Gašparovič and his wife Silvia handed out several thousand signatures and met the candidates on numerous personal photos with the presidential couple.
Spontaneous interest in meeting with the president and his wife had especially many children. Like each year, they decorated with their drawings halls of the Presidential palace. First Lady Silvia Gašparovičová commenting the large number of curious young visitors said: "I am very glad to see that there are many schoolchildren, children and those with great interest in looking around the palace premises. For them it is not a daily affair, and they discover everything. They are happy when they see also my office. And they even asked if I also receive awards. They asked about my professional activities, they see my computer on the table, that is already historical. It’s a surprise for them," said the First Lady.
The accompanying events in the courtyard of the Presidential Palace were e.g. majorettes, visitors could watch police cars and limousines. Traditionally, great interest was on signatures of famous athletes – hockey players Milan Jurčina, Michal Sersen and Tomáš Surový, bob-sleigh rider Milan Jagnešák, ski rider Jana Gantnerová, football player Marek Hamšík and Marek Čech, tennis player Henrieta Nagyová and other athletes.
In the garden of the Presidential palace the whole afternoon long featured children’s and youth ensembles, a number of art schools, groups Gerulata, Klnka, folk groups from Pohorelá and several Superstar singers. The greatest interest naturally led the appearance of Martin Chodúr and Dominika Stará. An accompanying program of the Open Day at the Presidential palace were numerous competitions, workshops for children and presentation of activities of the Slovak Red Cross. |
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