We hope you had a wonderful day if you were celebrating Norway’s National Day. Thanks to everyone who joined us in Cardiff. We think there were more than 100 in the procession from the Wales Millennium Centre to the Norwegian Church. Here’s a flavour. Thanks again to the Salvation Army Band for providing music, including ‘Norge i rødt, hvitt og blått’ – Norway in red, white and blue, as seen here today!
The procession was joined by a flag-waving Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Bablin Molik, who welcomed everyone to the church and to Cardiff. She extended a special welcome to visitors from Norway, including students from Åsane High School from Cardiff’s twin region of Vestland. They had come to Wales especially to set up an exhibition on tourism to the region in the upstairs gallery of the church.
Åsmund Berthelson of Vestland Council remembered the long ties between the two regions. The trade in pit props from Norway and coal from Wales had long been superseded, he said, but trade and educational ties remained, and the bonds between the two countries remained strong.
Tony Olavesen, one of the Welsh Norwegian Society’s new honorary members, recalled the wartime collaboration between the UK and Norway. He laid a wreath to recall those who lost their lives fighting to preserve freedom.
Music was provided indoors by young vocalist Freya, who sang a modern Norwegian tune, ‘Stardust’, and pianist Janet Neilson.
Welsh Norwegian Society 