Norway’s National Day

The 17th of May is more than a national day to Norwegians. It is a celebration of the values on which Norway was built, the values of peace, democracy, and freedom.

In 1814, the Norwegian constitution was drafted and unanimously adopted by the National Assembly in Eidsvoll. Norway has celebrated its National Day on 17 May since 1833. In 1870, celebrations became more official when children paraded through Oslo, chanting the national anthem “Ja, vi elsker dette landet” –  yes, we love this country – written by author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.

Ever since, children’s parades have taken centre stage across the country on 17 May. In Oslo, more than 60,000 children parade the city streets singing and waving flags, preceded by dozens of marching bands, making their way to the Royal Palace to greet the Royal Family. Many gather with family and friends around a fancy May 17th breakfast of smoked salmon, freshly baked bread, scrambled eggs and champagne before heading out to celebrate. Others enjoy treats of the day, notably hotdogs, plenty of ice cream, and sodas on the streets. In fact, it is estimated that Norwegians buy around five hot dogs and six ice creams per person on 17th of May. On the day, Norwegians glam up in their ‘Bunads’, the traditional folk costumes, indicating where in Norway the owner’s ancestry lies.

Celebrating the 17th of May in Cairo

This year, the Norwegian Embassy in Cairo is delighted to organise a celebration of the National Day after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic. Ambassador Hilde Klemetsdal, the Ambassador of Norway to Egypt and Libya, marks the day, saying: “Today, Norway celebrates freedom, democracy, human rights and peace – core values that we sometimes tend to take for granted in our quiet corner of the world. However, Russia’s war and invasion in Ukraine is a stark reminder that we must never stop protecting and promoting these universal values, in our own country and region, and globally”.

The Embassy’s National Day celebration in Cairo will also showcase Egypt and Norway’s vibrant cultures. The embassy is hosting Trygve Seim, a renowned Norwegian musician, joined with Egypt’s Grammy Award Jazz star Fathy Salama and his band Sharkiat, to perform a mixture of jazz music and oriental tunes. The Norwegian artist has strong links to Egypt, as he studied Arabic music in Cairo between 2005 and 2010 and has visited numerous times over the last 15 years, holding more than 100 concerts with Fathy Salama. Their collaboration, representing a fusion of eastern and western cultures, mirrors the robust and friendly relations between our two countries.

Bilateral relations with Egypt

Norway enjoys long-standing and broad bilateral relations with Egypt. The close contact and interchanges on issues of common interest, is a testimony to close bilateral ties. Noting Egypt’s pivotal role in maintaining stability and promoting peace in the Middle East and Africa, Norway appreciates the co-operation and close dialogue. This was demonstrated during the high-level meetings held between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in February 2022, and further reiterated during Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt’s meetings with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli and her Egyptian counterpart Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in Cairo last month.

Investments and the green shift

Like Egypt, Norway is committed to further strengthening global co-operation to solve the world’s climate and energy challenges, and places great emphasis on the upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP 27) in Egypt in November.

As a global energy leader, with more than 100 years of experience as a major producer of renewable power, it is a priority to work with business, industry, and social partners towards a just transition to a renewable and sustainable future. Norway is positioned to take a lead in developing ocean-based climate solutions such as offshore wind; green shipping; carbon capture and storage; hydrogen, green shipping, and electric mobility.

Over 20 Norwegian companies have invested in Egypt over the past years. The Norwegian company Scatec, a pioneer in supporting the Egyptian government’s plans to increase its share of renewable energy, is the biggest foreign investor in the Benban solar park in Aswan. Their construction of a green hydrogen and ammonia facility, the first large-scale project for production of green ammonia in Egypt, is another example of innovative and green co-operation between Norwegian and Egyptian partners.

Other Norwegian companies in Egypt include Jotun, the paints and coating products company, which has been present in Egypt since the mid-1980s.  Skretting is a leading world supplier of feed and services for aquaculture that was established in Egypt in 2008 and has helped the Egyptian aquaculture industry grow into the largest in Africa. Another example is Sterner, who plans to build a state of the art, sustainable fish farming facility in Ain Sukhna. Leth Agencies is a company with long traditions.

In 2024, it will celebrate its 100-year anniversary for establishing its Egypt office. Its core activity is offering swift and secure transits for cargo vessels through the Suez Canal. Yara is one of the world-leading companies within field crop nutrition/nitrogen fertilisers. Eltek is a world leader in high-efficiency power electronics and energy conversion, helping customers save energy and money while reducing their environmental impact. And those are just some of the Norwegian companies active in Egypt!

Norwegian companies are keen on strengthening their presence in Egypt in various fields, while Egypt is committed to creating conducive conditions to ensure their success.

Human Rights and Women’s Rights

Norway upholds its dedication to human rights, to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. In Egypt, Norway continues its strong support for initiatives to end gender-based violence and harmful practices, and foster the leadership, participation, and education of girls. Last year, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, 2021, the embassy in Cairo and UNFPA Egypt hosted the theatre performance of “A Paper Kite” to raise awareness of the dangers of female genital mutilation (FGM).  Women’s rights continue to be an area where Norway and Egypt share a close dialogue. This year, for the first time, the Cairo International Book Fair invited a Norwegian author Marta Breen as a guest. She presented her book “Women in Battle”, which was recently translated into Arabic, about the women’s rights movement over the years.

Egyptian-Norwegian relations and co-operation cover a broad range of issues, from peace and security to trade and investments, from human rights and gender equality to music and literature. The two countries enjoy open exchanges, based on mutual respect and historic bonds.