Norwegian Consulate Orkney

19/05/2026

A great day on Sunday. A shame that our sailing friends were unable to get here due to the weather in the North Sea. There's always next year, Jarle Haugum, Terje Ollestad, Galeasen Loyal. However, we were joined by Ordfører Beate Skretting from Grimstad as guest of honour. After the usual remembrance service at St Olaf's Cemetery, there was a large tog - led by Kirkwall City Pipe Band - and a concert in St Magnus Cathedral by Hadhirgaan and other KGS pupils. The event was rounded off by the Orkney Norway Friendship Association dinner.

15/05/2026

Looking forward to Sunday's Syttende Mai celebrations. This year's guest of honour is Beate Skretting, Mayor of Grimstad: the home area of the family of Norse Earls Magnus and Rognvald. Each year, we receive a Christmas tree from Fjære historielag, Grimstad and it is great to welcome Beate to the Constitution Day celebrations. Timings are different this year because it is a Sunday, with the graveside service at St.Olafs at 1345 and the Tog (procession) with the Kirkwall City Pipe Band setting off from the pierhead at 1500 followed by a concert in the Cathedral afterwards. Everyone is welcome to join in. Look forward to seeing you there!

25/04/2026

Great to meet members of Norwegian charity In the same boat who are on a three week visit to Orkney. Since 2017 they have cleared 1800 tons of plastic waste from the Norwegian Coast using environmentally friendly sailing boats to get to remote beaches. They hope to expand their work as far as Geeenland. Remember that this is the last weekend of Bag the Bruck 2026 but that you can Pick Up Three Pieces of litter from the beach any time you go for a walk.

16/04/2026

Today we are flying the Consulate flag to celebrate St Magnus Day. Orkney's Norse patron saint is depicted in this picture by Haakon Gullvaag, which hangs in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

20/03/2026

This Oscar and Bafta winning Norwegian Film is showing in Kirkwall next week.

Come see SENTIMENTAL VALUE (winner of the Best Foreign Language Film awards at the Oscars and BAFTAs, and the Grand Prix at Cannes Film Festival) starting WEDNESDAY!

Nora, a successful stage actress, and her sister Agnes reunite with their estranged father Gustav Borg – a once-renowned film director planning a major comeback with a script based on his family. When Gustav offers Nora the lead role, which she promptly declines, he turns his attention to Rachel Kemp, an eager young Hollywood starlet primed for her big breakthrough. With their fraught dynamics made even more complex, Nora, Agnes and Gustav are each forced to confront their difficult pasts.

More info and tickets here 👉 https://www.pickaquoy.co.uk/events/whats-on/phoenix-fringe-sentimental-value/

09/03/2026

ONFA event - Monday 9 March at 7.30pm in the St Magnus Centre

03/12/2025

A small flavour of Saturday's tree-lighting events in Kirkwall

01/12/2025

01/12/2025

A wonderful Tree-lighting weekend in Orkney with our friends from Vestland who sent us the tree outside St Magnus Cathedral and from Fjære historielag, Grimstad, who gave us the tree inside the Cathedral. Lovely events organised by Orkney Islands Council and Orkney Norway Friendship Association for the lighting of both. Thanks to all involved, especially Alexander Olavson Røynstrand and Lajla Renate Buer Storli from Vestland, Orkney Rocks, Auskerry, pupils from Glaitness School and Kirkwall City Pipe Band. This year was particularly special, having travelled to Grimstad to cut down the tree and with a large Grimstad contingent visiting for the tree-lighting.

27/11/2025

For anyone who missed Synnøve Marie Kvam's talk in Orkney on two Norwegian shipwrecks in Orkney waters (or wants to hear her again) this talk is being livestreamed this evening at 1715

Join Synnøve Marie Kvam as she explores the dramatic events surrounding the loss of the S/S Wanja and M/V Mim in 1939, examining their impact on naval operations, propaganda, and post-war legal precedent.