The Storting Chamber will be the scene of several of the session’s debates, all of which will be broadcast on the Storting’s own web TV.

The first plenary sitting started in the Storting Chamber at 14.30 on Tuesday 29th October. Sittings in the Storting Chamber are open to the public, and will be broadcast on the Storting’s own web TV.

Channel options, web TV:

Sittings in the Storting = no interpretation, Scandinavian languages
Hearing room 1= interpretation into Finnish
Hearing room 2 = interpretation into Icelandic
Hearing room N-202 = interpretation into English

A session of the Nordic Council is a summit between the prime ministers, other ministers and parliamentarians from the Nordic countries. Sessions take place on an annual basis in the country that holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council.

The First Vice President of the Storting, Marit Nybakk (A) is the current President of the Nordic Council and Chair of Norway’s Presidency. Michael Tetzschner (H) recently assumed the office of Vice President after Per-Kristian Foss.

The Storting’s Presidium has great experience with Nordic cooperation. Not only is Marit Nybakk the President of the Nordic Council, but the new President of the Storting, Olemic Thommessen, has been a member of the Norwegian delegation for many years, most recently as Chair of the Nordic Council’s Culture and Education Committee.

“Nordic cooperation is of importance because the Nordic Region is facing tough international competition within virtually every segment of society. If we work together, we stand a much greater chance of meeting the challenges we face in the globalized community,” said Olemic Thommessen, President of the Storting. The flags of all the Nordic countries will be flown from the Storting during the Session of the Nordic Council.

Prize Gala

This year the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet will be the venue of a prize gala to mark the award of the Nordic Council Prizes. On Wednesday 30th October viewers from all the Nordic countries will be able to watch as the winners of the Nordic Council’s five prizes – for literature; music; film; nature and the environment; and a totally new prize for children and young people’s literature – are announced and presented with their awards. The new prize will be co-presented by Marit Nybakk, the President of the Nordic Council, and Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, the Swedish Minister for Culture and Sport.

Meetings, meetings, meetings

A great number of meetings will take place during the Session. The major debates will take place in the Storting Chamber, while countless other meeting rooms will be in use.

“The fact that this year’s session of the Nordic Council is taking place in the Storting makes the Storting an arena for Nordic networking. Building up good relationships and networks is as an important element of Norwegian collaboration as the political decisions made. The Session is an essential meeting place for decisionmakers, organizations, parliamentary party groups and civil servants,” explained the President of the Storting.

900 delegates and guests

Around 900 accredited delegates and guests are taking part at this year’s session. Among these are Nordic parliamentarians, civil servants, ministers and presidents along with guests from Russia. The Storting’s delegation to the Nordic Council was elected earlier this month.

“I am greatly looking forward to playing host to my colleagues, the Nordic presidents of parliament. It will be important for us to develop common positions, and to see how we can strengthen the international profile of the Nordic region through the international work done in our Parliaments,” said the President of the Storting.