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PETROZAVODSK, September 17. /Correspondent of ITAR-TASS Yuri Shleikin/. The four-day visit of HRH The Prince Edward, the member of the Royal Family of the Great Britain, the youngest son of HM The Queen Elizabeth II, to Karelia came to an end. Today, after a walk by boat over Onego lake, Prince went home. As a as a keepsake of his trip to the Russian North Prince was presented with souvenirs made of Karelian birch, among them ther was casket for his spouse HRH Sofia, The Countess of Wessex.
Prince Edward, the Head of Karelia Sergey Katanandov and the Rector of PetrSU Victor Vasiliev with the folk music ensemble Toive
Photo by Alexey Stetsenko
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Prince is the head of the Award programme International Council. About 600 thousand young people at the age from 14 till 25 from more than hundred countries of the world participate in programme of personal development of young people. In 2001 Karelia became the first region in Russia where new youth movement was launched. Therefore, an overall objective of the Prince's visit was meeting organizers and participants of the programme, which except for Karelia was launched in Murmansk, Veliky Novgorod and Leningrad region.
Representatives of these cities and regions, and also visitors from Finland and Estonia participated these days in the International Youth Leadership Academy camp. Prince Edward and the Head of Karelia Sergey Katanandov, visited the camp, together with children have passed the tourist routes full of adventures. Prince searched for a 'treasure' in the jungle of the Karelian wood, shot the bow, rode a bicycle, and perfectly hit the mark with a life-line.
The main event was the solemn ceremony of awarding Golden, Silver, and Bronze signs of recognition to fifty participants of the programme. Petrozavodsk students Maria Kuznetsova, Anastasia Panova, Natalia Shugurova and a guest from Finland Mirka Inkinen have received their Gold awards - badges with a silhouette of a pigeon - from the Prince's hands. It is supposed, that the next year representatives of Karelia will take part in the meeting of active participants of Award programme in Hong Kong.
The Head of Karelia Sergey Katanandov has told the ITAR-TASS correspondent, that he is very pleased with the results of the Prince Edward's visit. "Participation of young people from Karelia in this international programme is a break for our youth which represents all Russia in this movement. The children have gained new opportunities to announce themselves and their achievements."
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