Culture, the creative economy and the conservation of the Baltic are to the fore.

The Swedish Crown Princess couple to visit Turku 19-20 Sept.

The Swedish Crown Princess, Victoria, and Prince Daniel will visit the European Capital of Culture, Turku, 19-20 September. The visit is the first the Crown Princess couple will make to Turku since their marriage.

The royal couple will arrive from Stockholm on the brig, Tre Kronor, which does educational and conservation work on behalf of the Baltic Sea. Crown Princess Victoria is the godmother of the Tre Kronor. The vessel will moor at the Forum Marinum at about 10.45, so as to allow a public reception.

The conservation of the Baltic Sea is central to the Crown Princess couple’s programme and they will be given a presentation on, among other things, measures for the protection of the Baltic Sea as well as the challenges facing Helsinki and Turku as well as the activities of the Baltic Sea Action Group.

Seal sculpture to be gifted to the Crown Princess

During the Baltic Sea Living Room conference (organised by the Baltic Sea Action Group), practical action that can be taken for a healthier Baltic Sea will be presented. Different actors, from companies to institutes will describe how they are committed to improving the condition of the Baltic and are helping to face its future challenges. During the event, the royal couple will be given Guardian of the Baltic Sea jewellery.

Crown Princess Victoria will also unveil her own name plaque, in aid of the conservation of the Baltic Sea, in front of Forum Marinum. At the same ceremony she will be presented with a fibreglass seal sculpture from the HejHylje! charity project. As part of the Capital of Culture year Turku’s streets have been decorated with these seal sculptures in order to raise funds for the protection of the Baltic Sea.

Debating the significance of the creative industries to the success of Sweden and Finland

The royal couple will also meet with young adult leaders and experts on Åbo Akademi’s premises. They will especially debate the creative industries and the significance of culture to Finnish and Swedish success now and in the future. The discussion goes under the theme "Re-Imagining Turku / Åbo – The Creative Generation and the Challenges of Tomorrow." Approximately 40 experts in their field, primarily from the Turku area, have been invited. The debate will be chaired by Åbo Akademi University, Professor  Alf Rehn.

The host of the royal couple’s visit to Turku, Aleksi Randell, says he is extremely delighted that the Crown Princess couple is visiting Turku, especially during Capital of Culture year:

- Today, there is much talk about the cultural and creative sectors' importance in providing a competitive edge in the future. The exchange of ideas, interaction and common cultural heritage of Finland and Sweden provide an interesting perspective on this debate, which the royal couple will attend.

- Our shared culture has led to many opportunities and their realisation has been promoted by the Capital of Culture year. For example, many of the cultural players will certainly benefit from the cooperative work done for Turku 2011.

A little bit of 2011 culture on the side

The visit will also include a visit to the main exhibition centre of the Capital of Culture and the future centre of Turku’s creative economy, Logomo. The new Main Library of Turku and its children's department and the Turku Art Museum’s Carl Larsson exhibition, which is part of the Capital of Culture programme, will also be visited.

Capital of Culture year targets and achievements will be presented at Logomo by the Turku 2011 Foundation Chairman, Christoffer Taxell and its CEO, Cay Sevón. At Logomo the royal couple and youths from Turku will be introduced to a children and youth's choir from Japan, which is visiting Turku at the same time.

- The Princess' hometown of Stockholm and Turku have a special bond and relationship that appears in the Capital of Culture programme, and we want to demonstrate that during the visit. One of the high points will come in November, when a new opera will tell the story of the Swedish King Erik XIV and his time in Turku Castle, says Sevón.

- We hope that the Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel will enjoy their visit to Turku. We believe that Capital of Culture will reveal its best side to them – as it has done to hundreds of thousands of people so far, adds Sevón.

The people of Turku will get have an opportunity to see the royal couple

The public can best follow the royal couple's visit on Monday when they visit the maritime museum, Forum Marinum, and on Tuesday at midday in Vähätori.

The reception ceremonies and festivities at Forum Marinum will start on Monday at approximately 10:45 and last for about half an hour. Then the royal couple will participate in the Baltic Sea Living Room conference at Forum Marinum. When that is over they will walk to Suomen Joutsen and the public will also have the opportunity to see them then.

On Tuesday, 20.9. the royal couple will walk from the Main Library along Läntinen Rantakatu to Vähätori at about 12.00. After the debate at Åbo Akademi the visit will end and the royal couple will fly from Turku airport at 16.15.