“I will be taking the opportunity to exchange views and experiences about democracy, equality, and how to involve children and young people in the democratic process. Democracies take on different appearances, and it’s always interesting to discuss these topics,” said Tone W. Trøen, President of the Storting.

The President of the Storting will receive Prime Minister Abiy at the main entrance.

Also meeting the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee

After meeting the President of the Storting, the Nobel Laureate will sit down with the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee. This committee visited Ethiopia in September. Wednesday’s meeting with Prime Minister Abiy will provide the opportunity to discuss recent developments in domestic and foreign policy.

It has long been the tradition for the President of the Storting and the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee to receive the Peace Prize Laureate at the Storting.

History

The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize is announced every year by an independent Nobel Committee. Alfred Nobel’s will conferred the job of appointing the Nobel Committee on the Storting. Quite why Nobel gave the Storting this responsibility is open to question, but one possibility is the Storting’s active efforts to promote peace at the end of the 19^th Century. Even though the Storting makes the appointment, the Nobel Committee itself is entirely independent of the Storting and other Norwegian authorities when conducting its work and making its decisions.

See also

Speech by the President of the Storting at the Nobel Banquet 2019