The Crown Prince and Crown Princess in India

The official programme:

Monday 30 October 2007 - Mombai

Following a meeting with Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, Governor of Maharashtra, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess participated in an oil and gas seminar entitled “Exploring Opportunities for Cooperation between Indian and Norwegian companies in Oil and Gas and the Maritime Sector”.

The Crown Prince then participated in the opening of the seminar entitled “Norway as a Tourist Destination for India”, while the Crown Princess participated in a Norwegian-Indian workshop on film.

The Crown Prince later opened the Norwegian film week in Mombai.

Tuesday 31 October 2006 - Mombai and Agra

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess participated in the opening of the Indo-Norwegian Maritime Cooperation Forum. The Crown Prince then attended a presentation by Reliance Industries, India’s largest private sector company, and participated in the opening of the new Mumbai offices of the Orkla Group, one of Norway’s largest listed companies. The Crown Princess visited the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and the department for the treatment of HIV/AIDS patients at Sion Hospital.

In the afternoon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess travelled to Agra and the Taj Mahal, the mausoleum built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife.

Wednesday 1 November 2006 - New Delhi

The day began with a visit to Rajghat, where the Crown Prince and Crown Princess laid a wreath in commemoration of Mahatma Gandhi, India’s great political and spiritual leader.

Following a meeting with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess attended a luncheon for young Indian political leaders sponsored by the Norwegian embassy.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess met with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and later with Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

In the afternoon the Crown Prince delivered a speech at the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) entitled “Peace and Development – Why Should We Engage?”

Thursday 2 November 2006 - New Delhi

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess participated in several seminars focusing on Norwegian-Indian cooperation:

• “India-Norway Business Cooperation”
• “Norwegian Salmon Academy” (the Crown Prince only)
• “Norway as a Tourist Destination”(the Crown Princess only)

“Panchayati Raj” is a system of self-governance at the village level. The governing councils consist of five members, with a certain number of places reserved for women. Women’s participation on these councils has strengthened the position of women in society as well as democracy in general. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess participated in a ceremony in which 188 women received diplomas for their completion of a one-year training programme aimed at providing them with the necessary skills to serve on the councils. The event took place at the Crafts Museum.

In the afternoon the Crown Prince and Crown Princess participated in the Ibsen seminar entitled “Nora’s Sisters”. The seminar was part of the observation of the Ibsen Year 2006.

The afternoon programme concluded with a Norwegian-Indian concert at the Sanskriti School.

Friday 3 November 2006 – Rajasthan

In the morning the Crown Prince and Crown Princess visited the Community Health Centre in Chomu, where a Norwegian-Indian partnership collaborates on efforts to combat infant mortality.

Later the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were given a guided tour of Amber Fort outside of Jaipur. Constructed of white marble and red sandstone, Amber Fort is regarded as the most well-preserved fortress in India.

In the afternoon meetings were held with Ms. Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, and Ms. Pratibha Devisingh Patil, Governor of Rajasthan.