Bestowment of SWECA founder Margareta N. Eidensten

On June 1, 2023, Mrs. Margareta N. Eidensten was bestowed by the President of Guatemala Dr. Alejandro Giammattei the Order of Antonio José de Irisarri in the rank of “Comendador” för her many years of service as Honorary Consul of Guatemala in Stockholm County. The handover took place at the Guatemalan Embassy in Stockholm and was officiated by Ambassador Georges de La Roche Du Ronzet Plihal. The Order of Antonio José de Irisarri was established in 1973 by the Government of Guatemala to honor the statesman, diplomat, and writer Antonio José de Irisarri. Mrs. Margareta N. Eidensten also founded the SWECA – Swedish Central American Chamber of Commerce 2008 together with the Stockholm-based honorary consuls for El Salvador and Costa Rica. In addition to the mentioned duties, Margareta Eidensten has been chairperson of the interest organization The Consular Corps of Stockholm, in which she is now an honorary member. An honorary consul works voluntarily after being invited by a foreign state to work in the country or parts of the country. The appointment is confirmed by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which issues a so-called Exequatur. The honorary consul is governed by the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations. Guatemala’s honorary consulate in Lidingö long represented the commitment and interests of the state of Guatemala in Stockholm County. The consulate performed the tasks necessary to develop and improve cooperation between Sweden and Guatemala. The Guatemalan Embassy in Stockholm covers the Nordic and Baltic Countries in addition to Sweden. Champagne was offered with canapes plus a medal presentation at the Guatemalan Embassy.