Earlier in the afternoon, Oslo Teknopol organised, on behalf of the City of Oslo, a seminar focussing on renewable energy and wind power. Governing Mayor of Oslo, Mr Stian Berger Røsland hosted the event, whilst the Norwegian Ambassador to the UK, Mr Kim Traavik, moderated the meeting at Travellers Club, London. Participants included participants from Norwegian and British companies interested in the development of offshore wind power off the UK coast. In addition, there were representatives from both Norwegian and British government, speaking about the two countries’ national strategies for offshore wind power. The background for the seminar is that Norwegian operators Statkraft and Statoil has won the bid to build the wind power plant at Sheringham Shoal off the Norfolk coast, and that they through the Forewind-consotium also are part of the Doggerbank bid.

After the business seminar there was another event, this time at South Africa House, Trafalgar Square. The City of Oslo was, together with the High Commission for the Republic of South Africa and the Nobel Peace Centre in Oslo, marking the opening of “Strengths & Convictions,” an exhibition portraying the lives and times of the four South African Nobel Peace Prize laureates though the history. The exhibition has been shown at the Nobel Peace Centre earlier this year, and is part of Oslo’s gift to London, together with the traditional Christmas tree.

Since 1947 the City of Oslo has offered a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square as a token of gratitude to the people of London and Great Britain for supporting Norway during World War II. For Oslo it is now important to use the traditional tree-lighting ceremony as an opportunity to focus on other aspects of Norwegian-British cooperation as well. The city introduced the business seminar this year, hoping it will become an important part of the traditional event in the future.