38 Swedes visit La Digue as ties blossom-. 21 physiotherapists among them take part in workshop |15 April 2013

Special links between the island and Sweden started in 1999 when its school started an exchange programme with Umeå school students, La Digue’s head of science Alex Jacob told Nation.

On Monday last week they visited parts of Mahé including the State House gardens in the company of the honorary consul of Seychelles in Umeå Lennart Swenson.
Ten Seychellois physiotherapists attended the workshop and told Nation they greatly appreciated the chance to exchange ideas with the visitors.

The physiotherapist in charge at the Seychelles Hospital Patricia Rene said the 10 members of her staff who took part in the workshop benefitted a lot as they were able to learn how to use more recent technology than they were used to before.

She thanked the Swedish team for sponsoring their trip to La Digue.

“There have been many exchanges since our first exchanges and the programme has now been formally strengthened through a number of memorandums of understanding, the first of which was signed in 2003 when former education minister, Vice-President Danny Faure, visited one of our university towns,” said Mr Swenson.

He said many Seychellois have benefitted from studying in Swedish universities where Professor Rolph Payet is a lecturer.

Football teams from that country have also held friendly matches with some of our teams which have occasionally won and been invited to play in Sweden.