One in four new citizens attend the national ceremony

New Norwegian citizensOslo.New Norwegian citizens.Photo : Fredrik Varfjell / NTB scanpix

Oslo and Akershus invited all new citizens to a national ceremony this coming Sunday, only 26 percent of the new citizens participated.

 

1,409 new citizens were invited to take part at the ceremony at Oslo City Hall to mark becoming Norwegian citizens. Of those only 368 people, or 26.1 percent, choose to participate.

– These ceremonies are held nationwide hosted by the Norwegian government to welcome its new citizens, and to ensure our new members feel welcomed into the Norwegian community.

“Including guests there will be around 800 people who will participate this year,” writes Kari Anne Gay from the County Governor office of Oslo and Akershus in a press release.

The proportion of new citizens in Oslo is slightly lower than average, of the 859 invited, only 24.9 percent registered.

The ceremony was introduced in 2006 and its voluntary to participate. The program includes welcome speeches, cultural insights, receiving a book of Norwegian culture, the oath for citizenship and a simple dinner. Those who attend give their allegiance. The promise is a symbolic act without legal obligations.

The promise of allegiance reads: “As a Norwegian citizen, I promise to my country Norway and to Norwegian society, that I support democracy and human rights and will respect the laws of the country.”

In the last ten years, 130,000 people with immigrant backgrounds have become Norwegian citizens. Three out of four have backgrounds from Asia and Africa, while 20 percent are from countries in Europe, figures are from Statistics Norway (Statistics Norway).

 

©  NTB Scanpix / Norway Today