Agreeable introduction to discover Norway’s culture featuring our guest Kristin Skjefstad Edibe : Norway is an active participant to world affairs and takes its share of responsibility in global issues. Norway has a foreign policy known as the “Norwegian model,” the goal of which is to contribute to peace and stability through a coordinated response among governmental and non-governmental Norwegian organizations; acting as an honest broker in international conflicts; an informal network of Norwegian individuals with access and credibility among parties; and the willingness to take the long view in international issues. Norway works actively to find lasting political solutions to wars and conflicts by facilitating dialogue between parties to conflict and supporting other actors’ conflict resolution efforts. See additional information on the subject here : Kristin Skjefstad Edibe.
Tromsø and the land of the northern lights : The capital of the Arctic, Tromsø, is located right in the middle of Northern Norway. Northern lights, whale watching, midnight sun, and epic nature adventures are the features of this region. The conditions are superb for ski touring, biking and hiking in the Lyngenfjord region. The Sami culture is prevalent in towns like Karasjok and Alta, and the northernmost point of Europe can be reached at the North Cape.
Are you tough enough for our quirky cuisine? Norwegian food is not known for having spicy flavours and bright colours, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring! From pungent seafood to crumbly cheeses and unusual meat dishes – here is the food you never knew you wanted to try. First things first: We can’t talk about Norwegian cuisine without mentioning seafood. There is more to it than just salmon and fresh cod. Take stockfish, for example. We call it tørrfisk, and it doesn’t have an appealing odour – but stockfish is the smell of money. You see, it’s the fish that built Norway. The unsalted skrei, or migrating cod, is dried by the wind and the sun on giant wooden racks in Lofoten and other areas in Northern Norway. You can enjoy it grilled, baked, or cooked. Small, dry slices of tørrfisk are also a healthy and popular snack! You can also try Lutefisk, various cheese and other specialties
Bergen in Norway is home to KODE. Ride the scenic and iconic Bergen Railway line across the country to the cultural hub of Bergen, and explore the city’s KODE Art Museums and Composer Homes, which hosts one of the biggest collections of art, arts and crafts, design, and music in the Nordic countries. Almost 50,000 pieces are exhibited throughout the four museum buildings KODE 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the city center of Bergen, and in the homes of the famous musicians and composers Ole Bull, Harald Sæverud, and Edvard Grieg. Head straight to KODE 3 if you want to see Jealousy and The Woman in Three Stages by Edvard Munch. In KODE 1 and KODE 2 you’ll find temporary exhibitions featuring artists ranging from Paul Cézanne, Nikolai Astrup, and Paul McCarthy, as well as contemporary Norwegian artists. KODE 4 is hosting a take-over program with artists and students from the Bergen area.
Norwegian design is part of the minimal, functional, and aesthetic Scandinavian design which is a major force in furniture and interiors. Scandinavian design first emerged as a common term in the 1950s, when designers from Norway and the neighbouring countries toured the world with their products, characterised by minimalism and functionality. Norwegians haven’t perhaps been as skilled or eager as our Swedish and Danish neighbours in promoting our post World War II-era design icons. But this could be seen as an advantage: the new generation of designers are now able to express themselves more freely, without having to constantly live up to a legacy. Already, many are gaining international recognition. They work with multiple formats, but the common thread is the willingness to experiment and take risks. The design scene in Norway has really been blooming in the 21st century with brands like brands like Fjordfiesta, Eikund and Hjelle.
A new building has transformed Oslo’s skyline, nodding respectfully towards Norway’s bustling capital. In order to honour Munch’s legacy, Oslo has built the new MUNCH museum, one of the world’s largest museums dedicated to a single artist. Estudio Herreros designed the sixty-metre tall building, which has less than half the emissions of corresponding buildings. Many of the architectural decisions were climate driven. The building is clad in wavy recycled aluminium panels that have varying degrees of transparency. The exterior is designed to screen and reflect sunlight to maintain a stable temperature inside. Moving the fragile paintings into the museum was no easy job. The largest paintings, which are up to 50 square metres in size, had to be transported by water to the new museum. They were then lifted 21 metres by crane and maneuvered through a large opening in the side of the building’s sixth floor. Afterwards, the seven-metre high opening was sealed shut – for good.
The most popular sports in Norway are Football, Cross-country skiing, Biathlon, Ice hockey, and Alpine skiing. Cross-country skiing is de facto the national sport of Norway. Norway has some of the best athletes in the world for both Cross-country skiing, Biathlon and Alpine skiing, with the national team often being very successful in those sports.