‘Together’ is the theme of the celebrations envisioned for the enthronement or inauguration of King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. The King and Queen in waiting and the present Queen Beatrix want everyone to be able to take part in the celebrations, and the National Committee charged with finding ideas for 30 April, has come up with some suggestions.
All grammar schools will offer their pupils a breakfast
ahead of a day filled with sports, the King’s Games, on Friday 26 April, the
Committee-chairman Hans Wijers announced during a press presentation in The
Hague. The Ministery of Education had already given the go ahead, and now
‘only’ all the mayors and all the schools have to agree and get going – with
less than 2 months to go.
The Committee wants the Dutch to sing and dance and has asked musicians and song writers to come up with a ‘King’s Song’ which can be sung by all and can be played by musicians and can also be danced to – even for people who are not really the dancing type. Those of whom one can really say or ask: So you think you can dance? In this case the whole country – including the Caribbean part – should be able to say yes.
The idea is that the song is sung sometime on 30 April, simultaneously in the whole Kingdom, and directed by the same conductor via modern communication means. The internet for instance.
Foremost in the plans is the call to the entire population to come up with a vision for Holland’s future – ‘my dream for our country, inspiration for our King’ [mijn droom voor ons land, inspiratie voor de koning] as the motto goes. All ‘dreams’ will be judges and the best, most creative, funkiest or what have you, will be incorporated in a book presented to (princess, as she will be than) Beatrix and the new King. All Dutch households are to get a copy.
Sounds exciting? Well, Queen Beatrix gets a proper send off after 30 April, with music and dance and Amsterdam still has some events up its sleave which the Mayor will announce on Wednesday. Of course, the abdication and inauguration, happen on so-called Queen’s Day [Koninginnedag] when the whole country is traditionally already drenched in beer and orange; not too many activities need to be added.
© RB Hans Jacobs
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