JANUARY 26, 2023

Issue #5

We hope you enjoy this brief look into recent developments in Norway and at the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C. If you are not subscribed but would like to be, please send us an email here. 

Cover art: Haakon Lundkvist, VisitNorthwest.no.

This week, the Storting's Standing Committee on Business and Industry has been in Miami, FL, along with representatives from the Embassy, the New York Consulate, and Innovation Norway. The Norwegian business sector and Norwegian firms are very interested in developments in the U.S. market, as well as prospects for potential cooperation.

Their schedule was a busy one that covered a range of industries. The group had the opportunity to tour the Royal Caribbean's "Icon of the Seas," a newly built cruise ship. The cruise industry is one of the areas in which Americans and Norwegians cooperate in Florida. Andreas Aasen, who is Executive Vice President at the Royal Caribbean Group and President of the Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce in Florida, showed the group around the ship. Later on in the visit, the delegation toured the Carnival Cruise Line Operations Center.

The group also got to see the Miami Dade College AI Center and the University of Miami XR Initiative. Technology and AI is another area of collaboration for Norway and the U.S., particularly as the industry develops at breakneck speed! 

Toward the end of their time in Florida, the delegation paid a visit to the Norwegian Seamen's Church – an independent volunteer organization that connects Norwegians living overseas, as well as facilitating meetings between Norwegians and people from all over the world. In addition to working with the foreign service, they support companies, academic institutions, and private citizens in times of need. While there, the Committee met with representatives of Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce member companies. A productive and meaningful time was had by all!

Today, the delegation will tour the cargo operations at Port Miami and meet with Mayor Francis Suarez before heading back home.

One of the films that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this week was Ibelin, the work of Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree. It chronicles the story of Mats Steen, a dedicated gamer who passed away at just 25 years old, and whose impact reached far beyond his country's borders. After its screening, it received a standing ovation. Shortly afterward, the film was acquired by Netflix. 

In a statement, Ree said, “Many of my favorite documentary films and series of all time have been distributed by Netflix. It’s a huge honor that Ibelin will now be on Netflix and Mats Steen’s story will be available to so many millions of people across the world. I couldn’t be more excited.”

To read an interview with Ree, click here. To learn more about the Netflix deal, click here.

Photo credit: Marc Sagliocco, courtesy of Sundance Institute.

In mid-January, the Norwegian Government announced that it would allocate 2 billion kroner ($192 million) to increase production capacity in the Norwegian defense industry, particularly for artillery ammunition. This decision was propelled by Russia's unjustified war in Ukraine, security needs in Europe, and Ukrainians' need for additional ammunition.

Minister of Defense Bjørn Arild Gram commented, "Enhancing the capacity in the defense industry is important, both for Ukraine and for our own security."

Additionally, this month, Ukrainian fighter pilots have begun training in Denmark using Norwegian F-16 fighter jets, which will help them develop a modern air force. Norway has also sent 10 instructors to aid in this endeavor. In a press release, the Norwegian Government stated, "Norway has decided to follow Denmark, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and will also be donating F-16s to Ukraine, and the training and education of pilots is an important part of the donation."

Photo credit: Regjeringen.no

The Washington, D.C. area was recently surprised by its first significant snowfall in about two years. To celebrate, our colleague Simen picked a particularly Norwegian way of getting to work – cross-country skiing! Despite its rarity as a mode of transportation in this city, we think he managed far better than some of our colleagues who were stuck in traffic. He also had a near-viral moment on social media, as you can see in this post.