Remarks By H.E. Governor Eugene B. Holiday at the “Orange Bow” award ceremony in recognition of activities to celebrate the Inauguration of King Willem Alexander.

Good Morning and welcome to this "Orange Bow" award ceremony.

On January 28, 2013, Her Majesty Queen Beatrix announced that she had decided to abdicate the throne in favor of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, who will be inaugurated as the New King on April 30 upcoming.

As a result the Dutch Government decided to install the "Nationaal Comité Inhuldiging" to coordinate certain festivities surrounding the inauguration throughout the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Similarly the Government of Sint Maarten installed the Organizing Committee for the Inauguration (OCI) to coordinate all activities related to the inauguration of the New King on Sint Maarten as well as to synchronize activities with the "Nationaal Comité Inhuldiging".
To officially recognize persons and organizations for their work to mark the inauguration of the New King, the "Nationaal Comité Inhuldiging" designed an Orange Bow. To qualify for an orange bow activities organized by persons, associations and/or organizations must meet the following requirements:

1. The activity must be original, positive and authentic;
2. It must speak to a wide audience; and
3. The activity must fit within the theme "My dream for our country, inspiration for our King"

The Orange Bow is a logo representing a special distinction, which recipients may use at their activities or when announcing their activities via posters, brochures or on their website.
To award Orange Bows to candidates I requested the Organizing Committee for the Inauguration to accept and evaluate applications from eligible candidates. A total of 6 applications were received and reviewed against the requirements.
Today we are here to grant this special Orange Bow award to three of those six organizations in recognition of their valued community activities and their contributions to the events to celebrate the inauguration of King Willem Alexander on April 30, 2013.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Having reviewed the applications and the recommendations by the OCI I have on behalf of the "Nationaal Comite Inhuldiging" decided to grant Orange Bows to the following organizations:

1. The first organization is: the No Kidding With Our Kids Foundation for its "ASA King day/Crown Carousel", an activity aimed at introducing some 150 children to the topic, and planned to take place on April 15 and 19;
2. The second organization is: the Sint Maarten Soccer Educational Foundation for its "primary school soccer tournament" being organized as part of the King's Games on April 26, 2013;
3. And the third organization is: the SIMARC Foundation for its project "Our dream of a more heritage conscious Sint Maarten" in which students will be repainting and repairing the information signs at Fort Amsterdam on April 27, on the birthday of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander.

I hereby applaud each of you for your efforts in celebrating the inauguration and for your positive and educational work towards our future by involving our youths.
In a few minutes each of you will in recognition for these activities be called forward to receive your Orange Bow Award and I thus hereby, in closing, congratulate each of you and your organizations with your special distinction and wish you success with the execution of your respective activities now and in the future.

Thank You