March 2010
Invitation To Guatemala by Margareta Eidensten
The Honorary Consulate and the Embassy of Guatemala in Stockholm invites you
to meet this fascinating and colourful country and to support the Orphanage San
Francisco Xavier.
Program
• The Orphanage Hogar San Francisco Xavier in Mixco, Guatemala presented by
Margareta Eidensten, Honorary Consul , who recently returned from Guatemala
• Guatemala and the Mayan Civilization presented by Ambassador Ulf Lewin.
The Mayas settled in Guatemala as early as 1 500 B.C. At its height the Mayan
civilization consisted of more than 40 cities and 2 million people. The Mayas
developed hieroglyphic writing, sophisticated timekeeping and astronomical
systems. They were known for their laborate and stunning sculpture and relief
carving and pyramid constructions. Spirituality was more important than anything
else and time for the Mayan pople was an endless procession of gods. The Mayan
calendar predicted the end of the world in 2012. Today, the Mayan civilization
is very much present in Guatemala as more than 60% of the population are
descendents of the Mayas and they use their traditional colourful clothing while
maintaining their old traditions.
• Songs from Guatemala and Sweden with Holiday Singers, a vocal group. Our
national poet, Evert Taube, visited Guatemala many times. It inspired him to
create several ovely compositions.
• Lottery for the Orphanage