President Halonen to make official visit to Sweden

Office of the President of the Republic of Finland Press release 22 December 2008

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen and Dr Pentti Arajärvi are to make an official visit to Sweden on January 15-16, 2009 at the invitation of the King of Sweden.

President Halonen will begin her visit by attending the launching at the Swedish Parliament of the events commemorating the year 1809, in the company of the King and Queen of Sweden and the Crown Princess. Also representing Finland on this occasion will be Finland’s Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and Speaker of Parliament Sauli Niinistö.

During the first day of her visit President Halonen will speak at the Swedish Foreign Policy Institute in Stockholm and meet with the Swedish Prime Minister, Fredrik Reinfeldt. There will also be a banquet at the Royal Palace.

On Friday January 16 President Halonen will visit a school attended by Finnish-speaking Swedish children in the municipality of Botkyrka and will meet representatives of the organisation for Finnish-speaking Swedes. She will also visit Södertälje and there be briefed about the work of this multicultural municipality.