At the invitation of TRH the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and his wife Eva Pavlová are paying a State visit to Luxembourg from 29 February to 1 March 2024. The presidential couple is accompanied by a delegation including around thirty Czech companies.
Thursday 29 February 2024
The President of the Czech Republic and his wife are officially welcomed by TRH the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess on the forecourt of the Grand Ducal Palace. After the military honours, the playing of the national anthems, the troop review, the presentation of the respective authorities and delegations and an exchange of gifts, Petr Pavel and Eva Pavlová are received for a meeting with the Grand Ducal couple at the palace.
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(fr. l. to r.) HRH the Grand Duchess ; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic ; Eva Pavlovà, First Lady of the Czech Republic ; HRH the Grand Duke
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(fr. l. to r.) Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic ; Luc Frieden, Prime Minister
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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(fr. l. to r.) HRH the Grand Duke ; etr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(front l. to r.) HRH the Grand Duke; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic --- (back l. to r.) Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duchess
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Group photo
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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State visit to Luxembourg by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and his wife Eva Pavlová
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(fr. l. to r.) HRH the Grand Duchess; n.c.; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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State visit to Luxembourg by the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and his wife Eva Pavlová
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
The Head of State of the Czech Republic, accompanied by his wife, then deposit a wreath of flowers at the Luxembourg National Solidarity Monument, in the presence of Prime Minister Luc Frieden, Minister of Defence Yuriko Backes and the Chief of Staff of the Army, General Steve Thull. As they leave the chapel, Petr Pavel and Eva Pavlová greet flag bearers, members of the Committee for the Remembrance of the Second World War and representatives of patriotic movements and associations.
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(fr. l. to r.) Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence; Colonel Robert Kohnen, aide-de-camp to the House of the Grand Duke; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; n.c. (security); Luc Frieden, Prime Minister
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(fr. l. to r.) n.c.; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Patrick Majerus, Head of the Service for the Remembrance of the Second World War
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verheagen
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Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verheagen
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Luxembourg National Solidarity Monument - Laying a wreath of flowers at the foot of the flame of remembrance
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Luxembourg National Solidarity Monument - Laying a wreath of flowers at the foot of the flame of remembrance
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verheagen
Back at the Grand Ducal Palace, the Czech Head of State is granted audience with the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Claude Wiseler, Prime Minister Luc Frieden and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Xavier Bettel.
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(fr. l. to r.) Claude Wiseler, President of the Chamber of Deputies ; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(fr. l. to r.) Luc Frieden, Prime Minister ; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(fr. l. to r.) Xavier Bettel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs ; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Julien Warnand
Petr Pavel and Eva Pavlová then join the grand-ducal couple at the palace for a private lunch to continue their talks.
In the early afternoon, the Czech presidential couple and TRH the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess are welcomed to the Town Hall by Mayor Lydie Polfer for an academic session, in the presence of the College of Aldermen and the Municipal Council. The musical accompaniment is provided by a group of musicians from the Conservatoire de la Ville de Luxembourg.
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(from left to right) Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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(from left to right) Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke; HRH the Grand Duchess; Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duchess; HRH the Grand Duke; Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Group photo
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) HRH the Grand Duchess; HRH the Grand Duke; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) HRH the Grand Duke; Martine Deprez, Minister of Health and Social Security; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(from left to right) Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duchess; HRH the Grand Duke
© SIP / Julien Warnand
The programme continues with the laying of a wreath in Jan Palach Square by the President of the Czech Republic and HRH the Grand Duke, in the presence of the Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, Lydie Polfer. Jan Palach Square was created to commemorate the sacrifice of the Czech student, born on 11 August 1948 in Prague, who set himself on fire on Wenceslas Square in Prague on 16 January 1969, as a symbolic act of resistance to the invasion by Warsaw Pact forces.
The Czech and Luxembourg heads of state then place a wreath at the tomb of John the Blind, and visit the nave of the cathedral, in the presence of HRH the Grand Duchess and Eva Pavlová. In 1946, six centuries after his death, the remains of John I, King of Bohemia and Count of Luxembourg, a key figure in linking the history of Luxembourg with that of the Czech Republic, were placed in the crypt of "Notre-Dame de Luxembourg" cathedral, his third tomb.
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(from left to right) Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke; Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg.
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Laying of a wreath at Jan Palach Square
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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Laying of a wreath at Jan Palach Square
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(from left to right) Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke; Lydie Polfer, Mayor of the City of Luxembourg.
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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Laying a wreath of flowers in front of the tomb of John the Blind
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) Georges Hellinghausen, Provost of the Cathedral Chapter; Tom Kerger, parish priest of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Luxembourg; HRH the Grand Duke; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
At the end of the afternoon, the Presidential couple and the Grand Ducal couple proceed to the Château de Betzdorf, the headquarters of SES, where they are welcomed by the Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, the Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity, Elisabeth Margue, and representatives of SES. After a brief presentation of the company's activities and explanations of SES's history and strategic vision, as well as relations with the Czech Republic, the Presidential couple and the Grand Ducal couple visit the satellite control centre.
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(from left to right) Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence; Elisabeth Margue, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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Visit to the SES headquarters at Château de Betzdorf
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(from left to right) Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke; HRH the Grand Duchess; Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Visit to the SES headquarters at Château de Betzdorf
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Group photo
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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Visit to the satellite control centre (SOC)
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
The first day of the State visit ends with a gala dinner hosted by THR the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess at the Grand Ducal Palace in honour of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, and his wife Eva Pavlová, in the presence of HRH the Hereditary Grand Duke and Hereditary Grand Duchess.
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(from left to right) HRH the Crown Princess; HRH the Grand Duke; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duchess; HRH the Crown Prince
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) Luc Frieden, Prime Minister; HRH the Grand Duke; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic.
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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(from left to right) Yuriko Backes, Minister of Defence; HRH the Grand Duke; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic.
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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(from left to right) Elisabeth Margue, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister for Media and Connectivity; HRH the Grand Duke; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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Grand Ducal Palace - Gala dinner
© SIP / Julien Warnand
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(from left to right) Lieutenant General Ivo Střecha, Czech military representative to NATO and the EU; HRH the Grand Duchess; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Colonel Robert Kohnen, aide-de-camp to the House of the Grand Duke
© Maison du Grand-Duc / Sophie Margue
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(from left to right) Lieutenant General Ivo Střecha, Czech military representative to NATO and the EU; Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic; HRH the Grand Duke; Eva Pavlová, First Lady of the Czech Republic; Colonel Robert Kohnen, aide-de-camp to the House of the Grand Duke
© SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen
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Illustration
© SIP / Julien Warnand
Press release by the Information and Press Service (SIP )