Sibelius Academy’s Violeta Simjanovska invited by King Charles to Royal reception in London
Violeta Simjanovska, Head of the Arts Management Department at the Sibelius Academy of Uniarts Helsinki, attended a royal reception hosted at St James’s Palace in London on 21 October 2025. His Majesty King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted the event for the leaders of several Western Balkan countries, ahead of the UK-hosted Western Balkans Leaders’ Summit.
The reception formed part of the Berlin Process, an international initiative supporting cooperation, economic development and European alignment in the Western Balkans.
The reception gathered cultural leaders, policymakers and international partners to highlight the role of the creative industries in strengthening cooperation across the Western Balkans. The evening celebrated artistic innovation in a region where Simjanovska has worked extensively and continues to collaborate with the British Council as an expert.
“The arts have a unique power to build trust, create shared understanding and open space for dialogue,” Simjanovska says. “It was an honour to take part in a reception that recognises the role of culture in international cooperation and in the future of the Western Balkans.”
The Berlin Process brings together the governments of all six Western Balkans countries, alongside their European partners, with the goal of advancing regional cooperation, supporting economic development and accelerating progress toward closer European integration. This year’s summit in London on 22 October focused on security, growth and cross-border collaboration.
“We are extremely proud of Violeta Simjanovska’s work and her long-standing international impact. Her invitation to a royal reception is a testament to the global recognition that Sibelius Academy experts enjoy,” Sibelius Academy Dean Markus Utrio says.
“Participation in forums of this level not only reinforces the role of the arts in supporting democratic and societal development, but also strengthens our role as one of the leading institutions in the field internationally.”