The visit underscores the close friendship between Estonia and Sweden, all the more so given that it is taking place during the 50th anniversary of King Carl XVI Gustaf’s accession to the throne. The State Visit will focus on a number of topics: boosting security and defence cooperation; further enhancing economic ties; green and digital transition opportunities; and cooperation in the fields of education, research and innovation.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Tobias Billström, Minister for Defence, Pål Jonson and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, Johan Forssell will accompany the Their Majesties on their visit as representatives of the Swedish government.
President Alar Karis and Sirje Karis will welcome Their Majesties the King and Queen of Sweden on May 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Vabaduse Square. The Estonian people are also invited to welcome the Their Majesties there. The King of Sweden will place a wreath at the foot of the War of Independence victory column on Freedom Square.
The visit also includes meetings with President of Riigikogu Lauri Hussar, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. A discussion of security policy is held at the Ministry of Defence with of Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur and Swedish Minister for, Defence Pål Jonson. The King of Sweden will visit the cybersecurity training centre Cyber Range 14 (CR14).
President Karis and King Carl XVI Gustaf will open the Estonian-Swedish Business Forum. Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology, Tiit Riisalo, and Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and will hold speeches. Their Majesties will be accompanied by a Swedish business delegation with the aim of strengthening business ties between Estonia and Sweden.
At the Niguliste Museum (St. Nicholas' Church) Their Majesties and President Karis will be given a pre-viewing of the exhibition ‘Michel Sittow in the North? Altarpieces in Dialogue’. This exhibition of the Art Museum of Estonia and the Hälsingland Museum focuses on two masterpieces of the Late Middle Ages: the Tallinn Passion Altarpiece and the Bollnäs Holy Kinship Altarpiece.
A concert will also be held as a musical gift in honour of the King and Queen of Sweden, the program of which has been put together just for this occasion. Works by Eduard Tubin, Arvo Pärt, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Tõnu Kõrvits, Cyrillus Kreek and other Estonian composers will be heard. Hans Christian Aavik, Vox Clamantis, DuObsolute, ERSO chamber ensemble, VHK string orchestra and conductors Jaan-Eik Tulve, Kaspar Mänd and Rasmus Puur will perform at the concert.
The King and Queen of Sweden will then visit the Gustav Adolf Grammar School, where they will meet Swedish language students.
Their Majesties, President Karis and Sirje Karis will also visit the Memorial to the victims of communism at Maarjamäe and the “Broken Line" monument to the victims of Estonia.
Queen Silvia and Sirje Karis will visit the Arvo Pärt Center and the SOS Children's Village in Keila. Sirje Karis is the patron of SOS Children's Village in Estonia.
On May 4, Their Majesties will be in Tartu together with President Karis and Sirje Karis. Mayor Urmas Klaas will welcome them at 11:25 a.m. on the square of Tartu Town Hall, and by then the people of Tartu are welcome to greet the guests.
In Tartu, they will visit the University of Tartu and the Delta Centre of the University of Tartu and the Estonian University of Life Sciences. They will also visit the Estonian National Museum, where President Karis will give Their Majesties a guided tour.
Queen Silvia and Sirje Karis will visit the University of Tartu Museum as well as Tammistu Family Centre near Tartu, belonging to the Estonian Agrenska Foundation. Queen Silvia is the patron of the Ågrenska Family Centre in Sweden.
The Swedish business delegation includes the companies Asker Healthcare, Autoliv, BAE Systems Bofors, Carl Bennet, Circulate, Comex, Einride, Elonroad, Epiroc, Ericsson, FAM, Hitachi Energy, MW Group, Nordic Equities, Saab, SEB, Sectra, SKF, St Hunna, Swedbank, Tele2, Telia, Volvo Cars, Volvo Group, Wallenberg Office and representatives of Business Sweden and Agrenska Foundation.
