EM Norway celebrated the Nobel Peace Prize with breakfast seminar, torch procession and party in honour of the EU.

Henry Dunant, Bertha von Suttner, Fritjof Nansen, the International Committee of the Red Cross, George Marshall, Dag Hammarskjöld, UNICEF, Willy Brandt, Lech Wałęsa, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan and the United Nations. These are but a few of the members of the world’s most exclusive club, joined by the European Union in Oslo on Monday 10 December 2012 – as Nobel Peace Prize laureates.

In his announcement on 12 October the chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Torbjørn Jagland said that:

In the inter-war years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee made several awards to persons who were seeking reconciliation between Germany and France. Since 1945, that reconciliation has become a reality. The dreadful suffering in World War II demonstrated the need for a new Europe. Over a seventy-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable. This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.

With the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded the EU for having “over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe” history has demonstrated that differences can be solved through negotiations rather than war and enemies can be allies and partners.

Breakfast seminar with 300 guests
For the European Movement Norway 10 December was one long day of celebration. Together with the liberal and social democratic think tanks Civita and Progressiv EMN organised a breakfast seminar titled “Restoring Hope: The European Union and Peace – What does peace in Europe imply in the 21th century, and how can the EU secure a peaceful development in times of social unrest?” Although the seminar started at 8 o’clock Café Christiania, just adjacent to the Norwegian parliament, was packed with over 300 guests.
The panel was filled with high profile speakers. EMI President Jo Leinen was there together with the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide, Vice Presidents of the European Commission Viviane Reding and Maroš Šefčovič, and Cypriot Deputy Minister for European Affairs Andreas D. Mavroyiannis. After short introductory speeches from each of the panelists the chair opened for questions from the audience. The meeting was chaired by the accomplished Norwegian professor of European law dr. Fredrik Sejersted from the University of Oslo, author of the mammoth government white paper “Inside and Outside“ on Norway’s relations with  the European Union.

The meeting was a huge success, with all panellists giving inspiring and personal interventions filled with humorous anecdotes. The audience was vividly engaged, and questions ranged from the higher ideals of the founding of the Union to bread and butter issues linked to today’s economic crisis.

Videos and podcast from the seminar can be found on Civita’s homepage.

From left to right: Commission Vice President Viviane Reding, Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide, Cyprus Deputy Minister for European Affairs Andreas D. Mavroyiannis and EMI President Jo Leinen at Café Christiania
2000 people in torchlight procession
Over the years a tradition has been established that the Nobel laureates are honoured with a torchlight procession. Due to the controversies surrounding this year’s winner the Norwegian Peace Council, which normally organises the procession, decided to take part in a counter-demonstration the day prior to the award. Fearing there would not be any procession this year EMN stepped up and formed the Alliance Torchlight for Peace together with partner organisations. While the organisers of the counter-demonstration boasted 50-something co-organisers, mainly far-left parties and their youth organisations together with labour unions, the Alliance was made up of a mere 11 organisations, including EMN, JEF Norway, Civita and Progressiv together with the Young Conservatives, Young Liberals, Brussels Alumni, the Polish Club in Oslo, the Lithuanian Association, the Romanian Association and Oslo International Club.

With the current political climate in Norway the Alliance had only modest hopes for the turn-out at the procession. When however the counter-demonstration drew a mere 500 people and the broadcasts were dominated by red flags expectations of public support grew. Kjetil Wiedswang, EU expert in the business paper Dagens Næringsliv, reported from the march. “A group of eastern Europeans watching the demonstration were deeply startled. – They are marching under banners with the hammer and sickle – and demands more democracy in Europe?”   

When the time for the procession finally came reality trumped EMNs wildest dreams. On this cold and dark winter night in Oslo 2000 people walked up Karl Johans gate, the main street in Oslo, according to police estimates. Ending in front of Grand hotel the procession was greeted by Presidents Barroso, Van Rompuy and Schulz.
 
For EMN this truly was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. To be able to celebrate the accomplishments of the EU, together with literally thousands of people, in central Oslo is not an opportunity that comes around all too often. It was only natural that the procession did not mark the end of the day. The celebration lasted into the small hours as EMN, JEF Norway and friends moved on to the rooftop nightclub Stratos for a proper Peace Party.

The torchlight procession outside Grand Hotel, with Parliament in the background. Picture from Norwegian Public Broadcasting (NRK).

Article by Øystein Holm-Haagensen, Project Coordinator European Movement Norway