Today was the 395th anniversary of the official founding of the city where I live (Borås), and, as has become a tradition, it was celebrated with free cake for everyone attending the ceremony in the city centre at noon. (This being lunchtime for many people working in the city usually means quite a good turnout.)
Speeches are kept short but the ceremony also involves announcing a new “ambassador” for the town every year. Last year it was a an elderly business man, a survivor of WWII concentration camps. This year a young girl, Shahrzad Kiavash. I never heard of her before, but learned a bit about her story now: She came here as a refugee from Iran at age 5. Four years ago she had a septic infection and had to have both her legs amputated. Not only did she survive - last year she managed to partake in a triathlon race!
This image from http://shahrzad.nu
Amazing stories and people. That's some pretty impressive cake as well. LET them eat cake. Cool.
ReplyDeleteNo true citizen of this town (founded back in the 1600s as a market town) can resist free stuff! ;)
DeleteOh my, what a story she has! How did she get sepsis, do you know? The cake looks so good! I seem to remember a few years ago, there was cake in the city center. But I cannot remember the occasion. So which cake did you try?
ReplyDeleteNo, Ginny, I don't know the cause of the sepsis. I have probably blogged about the celebration of the town's birthday several times. Usually it takes place in the square but this year they had moved it to the park. (Good move in my opinion because there we now have a small permanent stage with benches in front where people can sit.)
DeleteYou certainly live in a very interesting place.
ReplyDeleteLouise, there have been giant efforts made in the last few decades to make the city a lot more attractive than it was considered to be back in the 1980s when I first moved here to live.
DeleteI remember your posts about the free cake (typically, that's what sticks to my mind more then what it was actually for...) from previous years and I'm glad you were able to attend this year's ceremony. The weather looks perfect, too!
ReplyDeleteAn impressive young woman, she certainly is a good choice as your town's ambassador.
It would probably take a heart of steel not to be both moved and impressed by her determination and progress, Meike!
DeleteAs for free cake, we also the harvest festival in the autumn with free apple pie and custard... I know I've blogged about that as well!
In my original post there was a typo saying 365th anniversary. Should be 395th. I've corrected it this morning, but know from experience that whatever original mistakes one happens to publish tend to linger in for example the Feedly reader...
ReplyDeletethe cakes are so pretty and look delish to me. a great idea and that is a LONG LONG time to be a city... the girl is amazing, these new prosthetic s are fantastic. we saw a girl dancing on them on Dancing with the stars..
ReplyDeleteShe wasn't wearing those when holding her speech receiving the ambassador title (she was wearing ordinary trousers and shoes like anyone else) so I didn't quite "get the picture" until I had a look at her website when I got back home!
DeleteOf course I, too, remember the cake posts. The young lady is quite astonishing and if her resolve is anything to go by she should be a good ambassador.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Graham!
DeleteLooks like a fun celebration! And what an inspiration the young woman is!!!
ReplyDelete