MARCH 22, 2024

Issue #9

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 add your contact information to our Google Form. We also recommend following our social media accounts (links above).

Cover art: Haakon Lundkvist, VisitNorthwest.no.

The evening of March 21 marked 10 years of celebrating Arctic Cool – a yearly tradition that brings guests together in appreciation of the Norwegian-American bilateral relationship. It also draws attention to the Arctic – a highly important area to both Norway and the United States.

This year, the event included reindeer stew, a live band, cozy fire pits, a photo booth complete with Norwegian props and backdrops, and more! We are thankful for all who attended and made this event such a fulfilling one.

Photo credit: Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.

On March 20, the UN International Day of Happiness, the 2024 World Happiness Report rankings were announced. This annual list is formed by data from the Gallup World Poll and then analyzed; it is the result of a partnership between Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR's Editorial Board.

This year, Norway and all of the other Nordic states ranked in the top 10. Norway was #7 overall, and it was also notably #3 for people over 60 years old.

To see the report, click here.

Picture credit: World Happiness Report

The Holberg Prize was established in 2003 by the Norwegian Government for scholars who have made outstanding contributions to research in the arts and humanities, social sciences, law, and theology. Meanwhile, the Nils Klim Prize is awarded annually to a young scholar who has excelled in one of the research areas covered by the Holberg Prize. The 2024 laureates for each were announced last week.

This year’s Holberg Prize Laureate is Cameroonian Achille Mbembe, a professor in history and politics at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. As a pioneer in the fields of African history, post-colonialism, and political philosophy, Mbembe has connected questions of decolonization with pressing issues such as racism, pandemics, climate crises, and artificial intelligence.

The Nils Klim Prize Laureate is Indian national Siddharth Sareen, who receives the award for his research at the intersection between social sciences, the humanities, and technological and environmental sciences. His research includes complex topics such as sustainability and accountability, energy history, environmental justice, democracy, and social inclusion. He has also published dozens of articles in leading journals and edited several collections.

To learn more about the laureates, click here.

Photo credit: The Holberg Prize

The Norwegian Embassy observed International Women's Day with a dynamic panel discussion titled "Creating a More Secure World." The event brought together a distinguished all-female group of panelists and more than 150 inspiring women from the foreign policy community.

Moderated by Olivia Gazis of CBS News, the discussion tackled critical security challenges facing the world today. Norwegian Ambassador Anniken Krutnes and our guest of honor, Ambassador Oksana Markarova of Ukraine, offered valuable perspectives alongside esteemed experts Constanze Stelzenmüller (Director of the U.S. and Europe Center, Brookings Institution), Melinda Haring (Senior Advisor, Razom for Ukraine), and Sonata Coulter (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. Department of State).

Beyond the panel discussion, the evening offered a lively social hour. We are grateful to all the panelists, attendees, and our partners in the Women's Foreign Policy Group for making it a resounding success! 

Photo credit: Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C.