The 17th of May is the Norwegian Constitution Day, marking the independence of the Royal Kingdom of Norway since 1814. This day is a national holiday, celebrated by Norwegians in Norway as well as abroad.
16/05/2008 ::
On the 17th of May 1814 the Norwegian constitution was signed by the Danish king Christian Fredrik. During many years Norway had been in a union with Denmark. The signing of the constutution marked a short period of independence, and was an attempt to prevent Sweden from taking over Norway. Although that still happended the constitution was kept, and secured a degree of Norwegian independence during this period.
After almost a hundred years working to free themselves from Sweden, Norwegians elected their own king Haakon (who was actually Danish) in 1905, and had finally gained their independence.
The tradition of the celebration had an official start in 1836, when the Storting celebrated the first 17th of May. Before 1844 the celebration was actually illegal, because it was seen as a provocation against Sweden and their Royal family who was still ruling Norway. Only when the Swedish king Carl Johan died and his son Oscar the 1st took over, the Constitution Day could be celebrated openly.
In contrary to other countries’ celebrations, the Constitution Day is not celebrated with a military parade, but with children’s parades all over the country. During the biggest parade in Oslo the Norwegian Royal family will greet it’s people from the balcony of the castle, which they have done since 1906, except during the years of German occupation in the Second World War.
The first children’s parade started in 1870 after an initiative from the famous Norwegian writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. During the Constitution Day most men and women will dress up in national costumes, which symbolices what part of the country they come from.
Since then the celebration has been a tradition for Norwegians in Norway as well as abroad. Especially (and maybe ironically) in Sweden, where there have been official 17th of May-parades for many years, but also in cities like New York.
By the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beirut