On Wednesday, November 21, 2012, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands continued their five-day visit to Brazil.

Whilst in São Paulo Prince Willem-Alexander visited an exhibition entitled, Waste to Waste, and attended the signing of a “… memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the NL Agency and the Environment Agency of the State of São Paulo.”  The prince also gave a speech during the Brazilian-Dutch Science & Technology Seminar entitled, Bio-based Economy.  He also attended the opening of the establishment of an office of BE-Basic (Bio-based Ecologically Balanced Sustainable Industrial Chemistry) in Campinas.

Meanwhile, in the city of Piracicaba, Princess Maxima opened the “… production house of Paques Brazil. Paques is a Dutch SME and company which is active worldwide in the development and construction of cost-effective water and gas purification systems.”

In the afternoon, the royal couple met with the Governor of São Paulo, attended the opening of the exhibition entitled, Connecting Concepts, and attended a reception with Dutch and Brazilian businesses.

On November 20, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Mathilde of Belgium was in the municipality of Berchem-Sainte-Agathe to visit the rehabilitation centers, L’Etoile Polaire and De Poolster.  The centers are “… for children with hearing and developmental disabilities.”

On Tuesday, November 20, Their Royal Highnesses Prince Willem-Alexander of Oranje and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands continued their visit to Brazil.  Today, the royal couple attended a seminar entitled, Future of Food Business, held at the University of São Paulo.  Thereafter, the prince and princess visited the Dutch owned company, CRV Lagoa as well as attended a meeting.

On Tuesday, November, 20, 2012, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands welcomed the President of Slovakia, Mr.Ivan Gašparovič and his wife, Silvia, to Amsterdam.

President Gašparovič is in the Netherlands on a two-day state visit.  The purpose of the visit is to “… continue the good bilateral relations between the Netherlands and Slovakia and to deepen the intensive trade relationships [between the two countries] …” according to RVD.

After the official welcoming ceremony, held at the Koninklijk Paleis in Amsterdam, President Gašparovič along with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte “… laid a wreath at the National Monument on the Dam …”

Later in the afternoon, Her Majesty and President Gašparovič “… toured the restoration workshop at the Rijksmuseum …”  In the evening, Her Majesty hosted a state banquet in honor of President Gašparovič’s visit.

On November 17, 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands along with her daughters were in Scheveningen watch the arrival of “… Sinterklaas and his Zwarte Pieten…”