KSLA dinner in the Gold Room of Stockholm City Hall
In Stockholm's City Hall, there's a room called the Golden Hall where 18 million gold mosaic tiles depict historical motifs and scenes of Sweden's capital city. It's a rectangular banquet hall that hosts guests such as Nobel Prize winners and those elected to the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA).
This past January, Stan Blade, dean of the Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, was one of five new international fellows elected by the academy. Blade was chosen because of his work related to the academy's mission: "To promote agriculture and forestry and associated activities with the support of science and practical experience and in the interest of society."
Blade joined Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and other dignitaries and fellows for the ceremony and banquet.
"It is a great honour to be inducted as an elected International Fellow of the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry," said Blade. "I appreciate the academy's acknowledgement of my Canadian and international work, but as always, it is a recognition of the many remarkable people and organizations with which I have had the opportunity to be engaged. The formal ceremony and dinner (following the 207th annual meeting of the KSLA) were held at the beautiful Stockholm City Hall in the same venues as the Nobel Prize ceremony and dance, so it was a remarkable experience."
Kongl. The Swedish Agricultural Academy was founded in 1811 by then-Crown Prince and later King Karl XIV Johan. At this time, about 85 per cent of the country's population was employed in agriculture. The academy is an independent organization that addresses issues concerning agriculture, horticulture, food, forestry and forest products, fishing and aquaculture, the environment and natural resources. Now named Kungl. The Forest and Agricultural Academy, the organization is under His Majesty the King's protection (Carl XVI Gustaf is the king of Sweden). The academy has more than 600 members from research, internship, administration and business areas.