The new Nobel Laureate hailed by cheering, torchlit crowd of well-wishers

Oslo.The Nobel Peace Prize to the president of Colombia, 2016 Juan Manuel Santos. Torchlight from Railway Square to the Grand Hotel in connection with that the Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos received the peace prize in Oslo on Saturday.Photo : Audun Braastad / NTB scanpix

‘Viva Colombia’ was cheered as Colombian President, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Juan Manuel Santos,true to tradition, was rowdily feted with torches outside the Grand Hotel.

The Nobel Laureate, Juan Manuel Santos, came out onto the balcony of the Grand Hotel at 19.00 on Saturday and received tribute from approximately 1,000 people who’d shown up in the
uncustomarily mild, December evening air.

‘Viva Colombia’ was shouted to him as he stood alone on the balcony, before he eventually brought the whole family out.

There was a lively turnout to honour this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner. People in traditional Colombian costume danced and sang their way up Karl Johan main-street to Colombian music. Many bars flew the Colombian flag.

The Norwegian Peace Council and Colombia Forum were behind this year’s torchlight ceremony.

‘With this, we join the hundreds of thousands who demonstrated in Colombia to show their support for the peace process in recent weeks’, said the head of the organisation, Hedda Langemyr.

The day ended with a gala dinner at the hotel, including octopus carpaccio, Aquavit sorbé, and reindeer tenderloin from Roros on the menu.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today