On the 13-th of December in Kyiv some traditional Swiss holiday, Saint Lucia Day, was celebrated.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sweden to Ukraine Martin Hagstriom greeted everybody and congratulated with this holiday. As well, he told about the history of this date. It is considered as the unique Swiss tradition as nowhere else is it celebrated in such an ambitious manner.
The celebration welcomed the Heads of diplomatic missions from such countries embedded in Ukraine as Azerbaijan, Canada, Finland, Croatia, Slovenia, etc.
It is said that night of Saint Lucia day is the longest in the year. Such an opinion was put forward in times when in Sweden people used Julian calendar. The 13-th December was marked with the day of winter conjunction. When in 1753 the country switched to Gregorian calendar, the conjunction was moved to the 21-st of December, but night of Saint Lucia kept its meaning of the longest and darkest one. Since the time of Medieval Ages in Sweden the great holidays have been organized. Sweden Lucia has several guises. One of them represents a little girl dressed like an angel who gives presents. It is often depicted in the wreath with candles.
Only in the XX century the holiday got its current look. Today Lucia wears long white dress with red silk belt with the five-candle crown on her head. She brings coffee and special buns with saffron called luccecatter. In Sweden the holiday is celebrated in schools, kindergartens, and different organizations.
Icerink instead of heated floor. Bomber hat and a puffer jacket as an alternative to terry robe. Eco-hotels and cafes in Canada, Romania and even hot Dubai offer a possibility to have leisure time a-la North Pole. The exotic hotels are not only those near the ocean and tropic palms.
The closer winter holidays are, the louder all-nation weeping for the lost charms of New Year night is. Rains, fogs, and ordinary tiredness obstructed the way of joy into city, and fairy-tale stands back at the North, in far Lapland. The shivering glow of the polar lights fleshes out the ancient tales and blows off the golden dust from the holiday cards...
Sweden probably isn’t one of the most popular touristic destinations among Ukrainians. Our fellow countrymen far more willingly go to warm states or to more popular European capitals with easier access. Our today’s company, vocalist of “MYACH” band from Kyiv, Yuriy Rozenko, on the contrary, makes sure he visits the kingdom several times a year.
It is often compared to San Francisco due to abundance of bridges, water, hills and fish restaurants catering for every taste and pocket. There, even usual tap water is real mineral water, the city is awash with luscious leafy green spaces inhabited by undisturbed rabbits and hares... It may seem that this is a fairy tale abode, but in fact this is city of Gothenburg located in Sweden.
And since winged horses of Valkyries darted away to Valhalla forever, Dalecarlian horse has remained the guardian of Vikings’ traditions – painted folk toy, first mentioned in chronicles of 17th century. Dalecarlian horse serves as an amulet of non-touristic Sweden by saving from oblivion ancient fables and beliefs.
Stockholm is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Nevertheless, its residents are satisfied with this status of the capital, and it is no wonder since an average salary in the city reaches USD2800... So, at first glance, it is a difficult task to have a good fun in the Swedish capital if you have just USD10 in your pocket. But this task is not hopeless once you stir your imagination and wind up your brain.
Treehouses, dug-outs and secret shelters – all the things we used to build when children. Unfortunately, as we grow older, fantasy fades and most of us now live in uncomfortable grey “boxes”. However, there are people who have created dwellings of their dreams by themselves.
Australian Ambassador to Ukraine Bruce Edwards in his appeal on the occasion National Day addressed the main challenges that Australia faced in 2020 and also assured that "together, we will make a difference".
A few centuries ago sea transport was not just the most popular, but the only way to get from point A to point B. However, as you know, force majeure occur on any roads, even on water routs, and through a long history of mankind many ships did not manage to reach their destination ports and ended underwater. Nevertheless, the relative "reservation" allows wreck vessels to live a second life as a museum.
On November 18 Director-General of the OUTLOOK Project and a public figure Daria Kariakina participated as an expert in a cross-border project European Values and Cultural Diplomacy: Youth Meetings Ukraine – Georgia.
The International Golf Tournament "Ambassador’s Cup" is a sporting event for diplomatic guests has been organised by GDIP together with "Kozyn" Golf Center for several consecutive years.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Commonwealth of Australia Melissa O’Rourke welcomed the guests of honor on 27 January on the occasion if the National Day . Ambassadors of India, Belgium, Greece, Afghanistan, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Switzerland, Slovenia and diplomats from other countries were invited.
On January 27, the Embassy of India organized a reception to mark the 71st Day of the Republic of India. India gained independence from colonial occupation on August 15, 1947, and the Constitution of modern and independent India came into force on January 26, 1950. This day became the history of the state and has been celebrated since that times.
The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Croatia to Ukraine, Ms. Anica Djamić, organized a concert in Kyiv on the occasion of Croatia's presidency of the Council of the EU. Friends and partners of the diplomatic institution as well as statesmen visited the philharmonic.
On the occasion of the Sudan National Day, a diplomatic reception took place in the capital of Ukraine, gathering at one of the five-star Kyiv hotels heads of diplomatic missions, regional and international organizations accredited to Ukraine, Ukrainian officials and Sudanese students studying in Ukraine.
On January 14, 2020, the International Conference “Turkmenistan and International Organizations: Cooperation for Peace and Development” dedicated to the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan in the year of 2020 marked by “Turkmenistan – Home of Neutrality” has started in Ashgabat.
Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to Ukraine and OUTLOOK project on December 23, 2019 in the creative space "Art Prichal" within the framework of the OUTLOOK WORLD CULTURE FESTIVAL hold FEEL Indonesia special event on December 23, 2019 in the creative space "Art Prichal".
A meeting of representatives of the diplomatic sphere with students took place at the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia in Ukraineat the end of December. The School of Young Ukrainian Diplomat ofthe Institute of International Relations of KNU n.a.Taras Shevchenko ...
On December 4, 2019, a diplomatic reception on the occasion of the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan was held in the capital. Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Hungary, representatives of state institutions and international organizations...
