Norway

Our main initiative in Norway is the national learning program ‘22 July and Democratic Citizenship’ which is connected to the two sites of the terrorist attacks 22 July 2011 – Utøya and the government quarter in Oslo.

Today, we cooperate with the learning center at Utøya and the 22 July Center in Oslo with the aim of strengthening young people’s democratic resilience

EWC is one of seven Peace and Human Rights Centers in Norway that join forces to promote democratic values and attitudes, particularly towards children and young people.

Download the project narrativ report 2022 (in Norwegian)

Projects

National programme i Norway

Trainings for students and teachers

Learning Democracy at Utøya offers trainings and workshops for students and their teachers .

Teacher Trainings

Training courses for teachers and educators, strengthening competences of democratic citizenship.

Learning Resources on 22 July

Teaching and learning resources on the terror attacks 22 July 2011 and related issues.

International programme

The Thorvald Stoltenberg Seminar

A yearly international seminar in memory of Thorvald Stoltenberg.

For youth leaders from across Europe who promote democracy, human rights and intercultural dialogue.

DEMRED – Strengthening democratic resilience through education

International project

Visegrad at Utøya

Youth leaders from political parties and civil society in Visegrad countries (Poland, Hungary, Czeck Republic, Slovakia) and Norway meet at Utøya to learn and exchange experiences on how to promote a democratic culture in their local and national communities.

Related articles

22 July and Democratic Citizenship Report of Results 2021

Since the beginning of 2016, The European Wergeland Centre (EWC) has cooperated with Utøya and
the 22 July Centre on establishing the national learning program “22 July and Democratic
Citizenship”. This is the Report of Results 2021.

Gathering students from different schools promotes learning

Learning and democratic efficacy are strengthened when students cooperate across schools. Meeting students from other schools is revealed to be of great value for many students participating in three-day trainings at Utøya.

How to teach about 22 July when you are directly affected?

For many, the terrorist attacks 22 July 2011 is just a dark day in history. For those who were affected directly, it is so much more. How do you deal with this if you are a teacher?

Democratic citizens of the future

Young people often see themselves as future democratic citizens, not democratic citizens today. That is one of the findings of four master students who have done research related to the EWC project Learning Democracy at Utøya.

Diversity and equality in the context of covid-19

How do we create meaningful and inclusive meeting places when we cannot meet? What are useful tools and methods for discussing controversial issues online? Is it possible to find a common ground when we barely meet each other physically? These were some of the questions that participants at the Thorvald Stoltenberg Seminar 2020 explored together.

EWC launches new learning resources on 22 July 2011

“It is important to strengthen the democratic competences of children and youth, and it is important that we manage to talk and teach about the 22 July terror attacks in a good way to today’s students. I am proud of the work done and believe this contributes to prepare our most important community institution – the school – to do exactly this”, said Guri Melby, Minister of Education of Norway when she officially launched the new learning resources on 22 July last week.

22 July in the classroom

The terrorist attacks in Norway 22. of July 2011 marks the beginning of a new era in Norwegian education. For many children, and perhaps also a few adults, terrorism went from being something abstract and distant, to very real and near.

Youth politicians and activists against hate speech

«We have had the opportunity to exchange experiences and learn from each other how to consolidate democratic values, to cultivate social debate and to defend fundamental human rights. It was strong and very inspirational»

Students finally back at Utøya!

Due to national regulations on Covid-19 infection control, The European Wergeland Centre had to postpone all education activities at Utøya island this spring. As Norwegian society is gradually reopening and restrictions are being lifted, we can finally welcome students and teachers at Utøya again.