Tromsø Mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen challenges Oslo to use more Samí language

Tromsø Mayor Gunnar Wilhelmsen (AP) has challenged Norway’s larger cities, like Oslo, to broaden their use of the Samí language on public buildings.

Oslo has more Samí than Tromsø

Gunnar Wilhelmsen, the Mayor of Tromsø, has challenged Norway’s larger cities to increase their use of the Sami language on signs for public buildings. Wilhelmsen has especially thrown down a challenge to the Mayor of Oslo, Raymond Johansen. Talking to the newspaper VG, Wilhelmsen explained his challenge to Johansen due to the fact that “Oslo is the only city in Norway with more Sami than Tromsø, so the challenge goes first to Raymond Johansen.”

Wilhelmsen call was made as part of the celebrations for Sami National Day on February 6. He feels that the Sami are an integral part of Norwegian culture and more must be done to accommodate Samí speakers in the public sector, according to VG.

This comes at a time when the Sami language is becoming increasingly widespread nationwide. Several major road signs, spread across Northern Norway, have been updated to include Samí.

Source : © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayTravel

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