Dear fellow Norwegians and friends of Norway - we are soon halfway into the year. Looking back at the first half of 2021, I am pleased to say that it has been a year full of activities for the Consulate General in Shanghai. I have also had the chance to get to know several Norwegians and Norwegian businesses in Shanghai, as well during my first visit to Jiangsu in April. I look very much forward to meeting more Norwegians in the other provinces of Eastern China.
With the Covid-19 pandemic under control in China, the Consulate General was able to organize a 17 May National Day reception for more than 300 guests, organized together with Norwegian Seafood Council, Norwegian Business Association, and Innovation Norway. A traditional National Day for the Norwegian community in Shanghai hosted by by Klubb Norge, with children’s parade, speeches, and ice cream, was also possible. You can read more about these events, and find photos and videos of the highlights, in the newsletter below.
As we enter the summer months, many of us normally go to Norway for holiday to see family and friends. The Covid-19 situation has made travelling complicated. I will encourage all of you to closely follow regulations issued by Chinese and Norwegian authorities.
The Chinese word for crisis, wēijī, is composed by the two characters danger (wēi) and opportunity (jī), Perhaps staying in China this summer can provide some opportunities in the midst of a challenging global situation. Such as a walk in the Zhujiajiao Water Town in the outskirts of Shanghai, checking the water temperature in Hainan or hiking the Huangshan mountain in Anhui.
Whether you will stay in China or go to Norway for the upcoming summer break, I wish everyone a great summer and look forward to continuing and strengthen the cooperation with you all in the months to come.
Finally on a more personal note, it has been a true pleasure to get to know so many active and positive Norwegians and friends of Norway since moving here in January. My family and I find life in Shanghai very interesting and look forward to exploring more of the city and the surrounding provinces.
With kind regards
Lise Nordgaard
4th of June: Friday beer
Klubb Norge invites to the monthly Friday beer and quiz night at Cotton’s, 132 Anting Road at 18.00.
3-6th of June: Norwegian inclusive design at Design Shanghai 2021
The upcoming Design Shanghai fair (3-6 June) will continue to include the Norwegian booth presenting inclusive designs from Norway. Inclusive designs such as Architecture, mobile apps, infrastructure, TV programs and urban branding are some of the inclusive designs showcasing various aspects of Norwegian society. 3 June, a themed seminar is hosted at Design Shanghai Innovation Forum, from 19:00–20:30. At the seminar, Onny Eikaug will share her insights and knowledge of inclusive Norwegian designs.
5-6th of June: Norway China co-production <Little Jury> children’s performance
“Boring! It’s so boring!” “What are they doing!” When nine children take the initiative to create and design, how will a dance show from Norway become different from the others? Let the kids be the jury this time! The adapted version of Norwegian children’s performance <Little Jury> is coming to Shanghai, at the 1862 Arts Centre, 5-6 June. The production is directed by Hege Haagenrud. Now it has been adapted by Art Space for Kids in China, performed by international dancers in China. For more information and ticket box, check here.
8th of June: World Oceans Day 2021
The UN’s World Oceans Day 8 June reminds every one of the major role the oceans have in our everyday life. The Consulate General will mark the day by co-hosting a webinar with the Norwegian Seafood Council, and Innovation Norway. The event’s theme is Life & Livelihoods and includes presentations of Norway’s ocean related policies and a youth panel discussion.
This will be the 3rd consecutive year that the Consulate General in Shanghai hosts an event to celebrate the World Oceans Day. More information about the UN’s World Oceans Day can be found here: https://unworldoceansday.org/
8th of June: Inter-Chamber Summer Mixer
Join NBA in their Inter-Chamber Summer Mixer event, with 17 other Chambers of Commerce from Shanghai. The event is held at Eat N Work at Super Brand Mall in Shanghai.
Date and time: 8 June, 6:30pm - 9:30pm
Price: RMB 185 including 2 drinks and buffet
Address: Address: 9/F, West, No.168 Lujiazui West Rd, Pudong District
More information can be found here.
10th of June: International Forum on Accelerating Carbon Neutrality in the Yangtze River Delta Region
This one-day event will be hosted by World Resources Institute, and supported by Consulate General of Denmark in Shanghai, Consulate General of Finland in Shanghai, Embassy of Iceland in Beijing, Consulate General of Norway in Shanghai and Consulate General of Sweden in Shanghai. The event will take place 9:30 AM (CST), 10 June, at Radisson Collection Hotel, Xing Guo Shanghai.
This international Forum is organized to bring together Nordic countries and provinces and cities within the Yangtze River Delta region to learn from each other’s advanced experience, especially from governments and business sectors, to explore a better development path for a greener and cleaner economy together.
Registration can be done in below link by 3 June:
https://www.wjx.cn/vj/t2F3SEG.aspx
10th of June-10th of July: Shanghai International Traditional Fine Arts Exhibition
At the 11th Shanghai International Traditional Fine Arts Exhibition from 10 June to 9 July, the Norwegian bunad will be presented for the first time. The exhibition is held at Shanghai Art Collection Museum, showcasing traditional fine arts and artworks from various countries, including Japan, Korea, Mexico, Belgium. The bunads will come from the Troms area of Northern Norway.
18th of June: FutureBoards: Women on board in Shanghai
The Consulate General, Norwegian Business Association, and FutureBoards in Norway will on 18 June host the FutureBoard cross-board dialogue on gender quality on corporate boards in Norway and China. Distinguished guests include speakers from Deloitte China, McKinsey China, Governance Solutions Group, Norges Bank Investment Management and Aker BioMarine. The offline event is by invitation only, but the online seminar is open to everyone interested. The event lasts from 18:00-19:00. More details to come at the Consulate General’s LinkedIn account soon.
Seafood from Norway Gourmet Week
From 1 June, the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC) will kick off a Seafood from Norway Summer Gourmet Week in Shanghai in partnership with F&B media Olive Press. During the campaign, food lovers will be able to explore special menus with Norwegian seafood in selected restaurants in Shanghai. On 31 May the campaign had its official launch, paired with a media tasting event. Photos and more information about the campaign can be found here.
Retail activity and tasting of seafood from Norway
Starting from June, Norwegian mackerel and Norwegian Arctic cod will be promoted in six supermarket chains in Shanghai and Beijing. Among the restaurants participating are Gsuper, Ole, City’ Super, Sam’s Club and Hema Fresh. Consumers will have the opportunity to taste and learn more about seafood from Norway and cooking tips.
Global Growth China Green-Tech R&D Commercialization 2021
The third Global Growth China Greentech Program will kick off online 16 June. Nine companies have confirmed their participation this year. The program is related to a collaboration scheme between Innovation Norway and Jiangsu Provincial Department of Science and Technology, aiming to position Norwegian companies towards Chinese partners in adapting or piloting Norwegian environment-friendly technologies and solutions in local markets. The long-term goal is to help Norwegian companies succeed in the Chinese market faster and with less risk.
For more information about the program, please see Global Growth China Greentech Program 2021, or contact Ms. Qin Shi of Innovation Norway China.
Previous highlights:
17 May National Day reception
On 17 May, the Consulate General hosted a National Day reception, organized together with Norwegian Seafood Council, Norwegian Business Association China and Innovation Norway. The reception was held at Okura Garden Hotel Shanghai, with 300 guests attending. Government representatives from Shanghai, and our neighboring provinces Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang participated in the festivities, together with Norwegian and Chinese companies, Norwegian seafood importers, culture contacts, and local universities and research institutions.
The choir of Luwan One Central Primary School from Huangpu District performed the national anthems of Norway and China. The children gave the audience a beautiful performance that was met with overwhelming applause by the 300 guests present. Their Norwegian pronounciation of the lyrics was very impressive! Their performance was a memorable part of the evening, and can be seen at the Consulate’s Instagram page.
Norwegian Impression Photo Exhibition at Bund Centre
On the occasion of the Norwegian National Day, the Consulate General organized a photo exhibition titled Norwegian Impression, at the Consulate’s office building, the Bund Center. The exhibition comprised around 50 photos from Norway, showcasing different aspects of Norwegian society, culture and industries. The visitors enjoyed “Norwegian” cinnamon buns while viewing the nice photos from Norway.
Inspire to Act – Nordic Talks and Trace Our Food Journey Podcast
With support from the Nordic Council of Ministers, the four Nordic Consulates in Shanghai (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland) joined efforts again this year and co-hosted a Nordic Talks podcast program, titled “Act to inspire: Tracing our food's journey” on 19 May. Invited speakers from the Nordic and Chinese food industry shared insights and experiences on traceability and sustainability in food supply chains, and how consumers can contribute towards sustainable food systems and less waste. Among the speakers, Sven Edgren, Head of Digital Assurance Services in DNV Supply Chain & Product Assurance represented Norway and spoke about the application of blockchain technology in food systems. The podcast was recorded at the Consulate General of Denmark in Shanghai, moderated by Dr. Afton Halloran from Nordic Food Policy Lab. and followed by a networking event with Nordic snacks served.
Inspire to Act – Nordic Talks and Trace Our Food Journey Open Day
During the weekend 22-23 May, the two-day event Act to Inspire: Tracing our Food’s Journey was held at Sinan Mansion in Shanghai. With support from the Nordic Council of Ministers, the four Nordic Consulates in Shanghai (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland) co-hosted the event focusing on sustainable food and Nordic lifestyle.
The two-day event was full of activities, including three discussion panels at the Sinan Mansion Literature House. Guest speakers, from various sectors in the Nordics and China shared their ideas and expertise on key sustainability questions online and on site. The future of organic agriculture, food safety and waste reduction were some of the topics. Among the speakers, Chloe Zhao, Sales & Marketing Manager in Orkla, spoke about how food safety and waste reduction can be improved through technology. A vibrant outdoor market, with booths from nearly 20 Nordic brands, presented everything from Nordic beer to plant-based organic food.
Photos from the event can be seen at the Consulate’s Instagram page.
Consul General attending Hycast AS and Wicona opening ceremony in Shanghai
The Consul General attended the opening ceremony 20 May of the newly established offices in Shanghai of Hycast AS and Wicona. Both Hycast AS and WICONA are fully owned subsidiaries of the Norwegian company Norsk Hydro, one of the world’s leading aluminum companies. The Consulate General wish Hycast and Wicona welcome to the Norwegian community in Shanghai!
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