“Gratulerer med dagen!” That’s the phrase millions of Norwegians would be greeting each other with on Sunday as they once again celebrate their national day on the 17th of May. The holiday is always enormously festive, but this year, Norwegians will also be celebrating 70 years of hard-won freedom after the country’s occupation during World War II.
Events begin early, with choirs singing outside selected churches from 7am, followed by formal flag-raising ceremonies and memorials at 8am. It was cold and raining in Oslo Sunday morning, but that wouldn’t stop wreath-layings at the National Monument at Akershus Fortress, at the graves and statues of distinguished Norwegians, or the huge parade featuring around 100,000 children and marching bands that begins at 10am.
We’ll be out on the streets as well and will come back with some coverage. In the meantime, we’d like to thank all of you for reading newsinenglish.no as we also mark the website’s own 6th anniversary on the 17th of May. You’re the ones who make this all worthwhile.
newsinenglish.no/Nina Berglund
