See photos from the event. The pictures may be used freely if credited.

The Storting building, home of the Storting (Norway’s parliament), was completed in 1866, and its 150th anniversary was celebrated in Eidsvoll Square – the lawn out front. Erik Solbakken led a stage show featuring the marching band Kampen Janitsjarorkester along with dance groups, a costume parade and a rendition of Norway’s birthday song in honour of the Storting building.

The event was created especially for democracy-bearers of the future – in particular, for school children in Year 5 who managed an invitation. Due to heavy demand, participation was determined by lottery among the registered forms.

Minecraft

Year 6 pupils at Brundalen school in Trondheim had developed a model of the Storting building in the computer game Minecraft. Collaborating on the project was the Norwegian Centre for ICT in Education (an arm of the Ministry of Education and Research). On Monday, 9 May, the children taught the game to Prime Minister Erna Solberg and the President of the Storting, Olemic Thommessen.

Karoline, of Brundalen school, had the honour of demonstrating the Minecraft version of the Storting building to the Prime Minister. She found this duty to be quite enjoyable.

Did the Prime Minister understand any of it?

“Sure, she managed to move around in the game, and by itself that’s very good,” says Karoline.

She says working with the game has been a pleasure.

“It is also a little difficult because the building has so many details,” she says. “We chose to focus on getting the outside finished. The teacher helped us to complete the inside.”

The Prime Minister herself had a good time trying out the game.

“It was fun moving around,” Erna Solberg says. “Someone else had made the structure, and it was very well done.”

As a Minecraft player, Storting President Olemic Thommessen may be far from expert, but he was impressed with what the students had accomplished.

“It’s a very nice way to learn about the Storting building,” he says.

Speakers’ Corner

London’s Hyde Park is renowned for Speakers’ Corner. On 9 May, Eidsvoll Square had its own Speakers’ Corner, where the pupils could freely express their opinions. One who took advantage of the opportunity was Tirill, from Benterud school in Lørenskog.

You delivered a speech. What was it about?

“I talked about human rights and what we kids can do to make a better world,” she says.

 What can children do?

 “We can be kind to others, care about them, and help them,” says Tirill.

 “Those of us who got to come here today were lucky,” she adds.

Storting building in Lego bricks

One highlight of the event was the unveiling of a Lego version of the Storting building.

The Lego building was made by Matija Pužar, one of 13 certified Lego builders in the world. The building, composed of almost 35,000 Lego pieces, was made to a scale of 1:65. The real Storting building had been photographed and studied down to the last detail to make sure the copy looked authentic.

“The building is constructed from standard parts only – Lego pieces that are now in production,” says Pužar.

How long have you spent on this project?

“About a month,” he says. “I have a regular job as well, so I’ve been using my evenings. For the past two weeks, I had to take holiday in order to finish, working from 9 in the morning until 1 or 2 at night.”

Was it a difficult building to work with?

“It had its challenges, but that just makes it more entertaining. I think it’s a very fine building, and I’ve wanted to make it in Lego bricks for a long time.”

Lego builder Matija Pužar (left) shortly before the unveiling. Right: Lars Nerli. Photo: Morten Brakestad/Storting.

“Full of nice details”

Per Kristian Engebretsen, who may be Norway’s foremost expert on the Storting building, has worked there since 1975. He was impressed by the Lego version.

“I’ve tried to look for errors,” he says. “There is a limit to what you can do with Lego, but this goes quite far. It’s full of nice details. I’m impressed.”

Storting President Olemic Thommessen, who has done very little Lego construction in the past 45 years, was pleased.

“This is both impressive and fun,” he says.

Memories of the building

Olemic Thommessen has had the Storting as his workplace since 2001 – accounting for 15 of the building’s 150 years.

What is your strongest memory in those 15 years?

“That would have to be the debate on the new Marriage Act – marriage between two persons of the same sex,” he says. “Afterwards, many people in the public gallery and in the Central Hall were emotionally moved by the decision. That was direct confirmation that this was something many people cared about. I was the spokesperson for the issue.”

Were you happy with today’s event?

“Yes. I think it’s great to engage with Year 5 school kids,” the President of the Storting says. “During the National Constitution Bicentenary in 2014 we also addressed ourselves to young people, with good results. I think it’s important that young people be made aware of what the Storting is, about how we work, and that the Members of the Storting participate in deciding how Norway should be run.”

In addition to Speakers’ Corner, the Lego building, Minecraft and the stage show, the event included storytelling, a comics drawing workshop, a colouring workshop and tours of the Storting building.

Read more about the building’s anniversary.

Watch a video on the Storting building.

Prime Minister Erna Solberg with Svein Roald Hansen, Marit Nybakk and Ingjerd Schou of the Storting’s Presidium. Photo: Morten Brakestad/Storting.

 

The stage show included dance performances representing a variety of eras. Photo: Morten Brakestad/Storting. 

 

Pupils from Grav school in Bærum in the drawing tent. Photo: Morten Brakestad/Storting.