Norway is getting ready for May 17 – without restrictions
Most of the school children in first to third grade will for the first time be able to experience going on school trains. If it gets crowded along the route, it does nothing.
– Now the corona has taken a new turn, so that we can look for all the old traditions from our 175-year history of celebrating 17 May. Now we will have a traditional celebration that we had in 2019, with a program from early morning to evening, says the leader of the May 17 committee in Bergen, Liv Cecilie Lycke, to NTB.
Parade at sea
The National Day celebration in Bergen, however, received a new grant the two corona years. A byfjord parade where boats went in procession along land north of the city and ended up on Askøy, turned out to be extremely popular.
– The Byfjord parade became very popular. We had over 1,000 boats participating. We in Bergen have a motto that May 17 should be for everyone, both on land, at sea and in the air. Everyone who wants to join in and celebrate, and they can put up the flag they want, says Lycke.
Ukrainian flag
Both in Bergen and a number of other places, it has been a tradition for years to allow other flags than the Norwegian one. In Nordland, Rana mayor Geir Waage (Labor Party) is issuing a clear invitation to residents from other countries to participate in the May 17 celebrations.
– The Ukrainian refugees who have just arrived in Rana have also arrived. I hope that our citizens from other countries line up in national party costumes. There is also the opportunity to bring their national flags. Together with the Norwegian flags, this will play the colorful society we have become. Opening up to other national flags, Sami flags and the like is something we have also done at previous celebrations of the national day, Waage says to Rana.no.
Cancels salute
The Ukraine war has led to Vik in Vestland county setting foot for salute during this year’s May 17 celebration.
– We believe it is wrong to salute when we could have had refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. We have refugees from other war areas, and I know that several of them get a reaction, says Vik mayor Roy Egil Stadheim to Sogn Avis.
Children’s train again
In Oslo, the stage is again set for this spring’s most beautiful adventure when 60,000 pupils from 130 primary schools go up Karl Johan, past the Storting and up to a waving royal family on the castle balcony. The children’s train usually gathers around 100,000 spectators along the route, which ends at Rådhusplassen.
True to tradition, the day also starts in the capital with the wreaths of memorials. Ukrainian-born human rights activist Olga Shamshur Flydal is among the speakers this morning.
All welcome
In Stavanger, the city’s status as an international city will be reflected in the May 17 celebrations. Acting mayor Dagny Sunnå Hausken emphasizes that everyone is welcome.
– When we celebrate National Day, we also celebrate openness, tolerance and solidarity. Everyone should feel welcome and be who they are – with their national costume and with their flag as a symbol of unity and pride, she writes in the official program for the celebration.