Home | First lady | Activities of Silvia Gašparovičová | Year 2007 | From Spain – noble and cordially visit and an interesting offer for the foundation of Silvia Gašparovičová – help at founding „Slovak Virtual University“ with teaching via internet
Mr. Ivan Gašparovič and Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová visited on October 22-24, 2007 the Spanish Kingdom.
After landing at the airport Barajas in Madrid the presidential couple vent to the palace El Pardo, where he met the spanish royal couple and also where the official welcome-ceremony took place. After that followed a private lunch of both couples with their suites in the royal palace Zarzuela. At this opportunity gave the slovak president Mr. Ivan Gašparovič with his spouse Silvia a gift to the royal couple – a representative collection of the slovak crystal and a finest necklace for the Queen. Also „fujara“ (a typical slovak music instrument) didn´t miss among the gifts, at which the president Gašparovič also played. Fujara and the play at her fascinated the whole royal family, mainly H. M. Queen Sofia – she collects various music instruments.
President Gašparovič yield H.R.M. Queen Sofia the Order of White Doublecross, 1st class. H.M. King Juan Carlos I. received the highest slovak order from the former slovak president. Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová received from H.R.M. King Juan Carlos I. the Grand Cross of Isabela the Castilian.
In the afternoon the presidential couple lay down a bouquet to the statue of Alexander Dubček and met the directory, teachers and students of the Philological Faculty of the University Complutense where also Slovak is teached. Later they admired paintings of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Gaudí – the two main spanish artists – in the Museum Reina Sofia. In the evening took place a gala dinner in the royal palace.
On tuesday, October 23, 2007, the presidential couple and their suite lay down a garland to the Cenotaph for Spain at Plaza de la Lealtad. At the Town Hall of Madrid the slovak president ceremonially received the key of the city. During president´s session with the head of parliament visited Mrs. Gašparovičová together with Queen Sofia the National Library and the exhibition of old books, maps. They also could see the first spanish grammar and the first music book-print. Digital adaptation of all rare historical works and maps of the museum with the possibility of listing at different screens was also very interesting.
After visiting the library could Mrs. Gašparovičová together with her husband get to know Madrid with his beauties and supported the instant gathering of the Red Cross at the stand with Princess Letizia. After city-tour the presidential couple took part at the slovak-spanish ekonomic forum in the Spanish Chamber of Commerce. The second day of the state visit in Spain was finished by a concert of slovak artists – opera-singer Martina Masaryková and pianist Marián Lapšanský in the royal palace El Pardo in Madrid. The concert was a big succes.
On wednesday, October 24, 2007, the spanish king Juan Carlos I. and Queen Sofia took leave of the slovak presidential couple with a ceremonially farewell. After the slovak president left to Barcelona.
At Barcelona Town Hall they met the mayor Jordi Hereu, from which Mr. Ivan Gašparovič received a „gold key“ of the city. In Barcelona they met also Mr. José Montillo, chairman of the Autonomous Government of Catalunya.
In Barcelona during discussion with Mr. Montillo at the lunch get Mrs. Silvia Gašparovičová a very interesting offer on co-opeartion and contact of the rector of the Barcelona Virtual University for reaching her dream – open a Slovak Virtual University.
At the end of the three-day state visit in the Spanish Kingdom the slovak president and his spouse Silvia also visited the National Museum of Catalunyian Art and left to Slovakia. |
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