King Willem-Alexander greets herbalist Dinah Veeris who is holding a picture of an earlier royal visit, during the “Festival di Pueblo” that followed the official Flag Day ceremonies at Plasa Brion.
WILLEMSTAD–Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima concluded their lightning trip to Curaçao on Monday afternoon with a visit to the Excel Arts Academy, winner of the “Appeltje van Oranje,” the annual prize of the Orange Fund of which the royal couple are patrons.
Subsequently, a meeting was held in a youth centre with participants in the Opportunities for Young People programme that was previously also supported by the “Oranje Fonds.”
The king characterised their visit as “nice.” According to Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath it was “totally successful.”
Their appearance at the award-winning art school was one of the highlights of the royal couple’s last day on the island. It was also one of the few occasions they could move around because their participation earlier in the day in the festivities of “Dia di Bandera” (Flag Day) consisted mainly of sitting and watching for three hours at Plasa Brion.
“Young and socially enterprising” was this year’s theme that fund had chosen for the “Apples of Orange.” They search for young people who are committed to society in a special way.
The Excel Arts Academy that Shelomi Doran-Bakhuis founded in 2000 not only emerged as one of the three winners, but also received the largest “Appeltje” at the Noordeinde Palace at the beginning of last month – an extra royal praise.
Doran-Bakhuis was slightly nervous for the special visit, but the children and young people who allow her and volunteers a chance to develop their artistic talents were not very aware of restraint. They went all out in their presentations, told the curious king and queen about their goals and wishes, and shouted and clapped enthusiastically when Orange Fund Director Peter Douwes emphatically put the academy in the limelight once again.
“You are the future,” he said to the participants and praised them for their courage to use and develop their talent.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/78250-king-and-queen-end-curacao-visit
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