At a glance: Norway

UNICEF in Norway

© UNICEF/Norway

Kjetil Andrè Aamodts visit to the Dang region in Nepal.

The Norwegian Committee for UNICEF was established in 1954. The Committee is focused on supporting the realisation of children’s rights worldwide and raising funds to support UNICEFs international work for children. UNICEF Norway is involved in a wide range of activities aimed at generating awareness and support. Some of the committee’s main campaigns and nationwide activities include:

• You can be the one’ - a project focused on inspiring adults to take active responsibility for all children around them. This involves inspiring parents, nurseries and primary schools through material provision. The material is used to mobilise adults to listen and help support all children within their environment. ‘One for all, all for one’ is a connected project that is focused on motivating children to help support other children. It has been used as a tool in schools to prevent bullying and to build trust and respect among fellow school pupils. Teachers can download resources from the UNICEF Norway website which can be adapted to their individual school needs. 
  
  
• Since 2009 UNICEF Norway has organised a yearly comedy night. Each year some of Norway’s best artists and comedians take part in spreading both laughter and tears to generate public awareness and support for UNICEFs work. The fundraising event has been a great success in recruiting thousands of monthly donors and supporters nationwide. 
  
  
• UNICEF Norway works closely with many schools in Norway, providing valuable resources to teachers which are used to inspire and inform children on children’s rights. UNICEF-Walk is a campaign aimed at raising money for ‘Schools for Africa’. Each year families, friends and local businesses sponsor thousands of Norwegian school children from schools all over the country to run and swim. The campaign has been a huge success in both raising money for Schools for Africa and in generating awareness among young people in Norway.

© UNICEF/Norway

Ole Gunnar Soskjaer combines his sports duties with support for UNICEF.

Partners

UNICEF Norway has a number of corporate partners who are actively involved I promoting awareness and in supporting UNICEFs work. This includes Norwegian airlines, IKEA, Kiwi, Choice Hotels, TVNorge, TORO, Cubus, Rica Hotels, Telenor Group and NorgesGruppen. UNICEF Norway also works with various non-commercial partners that are actively engaged in raising money and awareness for children.

National Ambassadors

UNICEF Norway’s ambassadors include Kjetil André Aamodt, Sissel Kyrkjebø and Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

• Kjetil André Aamodt is a forth time Olympic champion and was appointed as an ambassador in 2007. Kjetil has been especially focused on helping children in vulnerable situations such as child soldiers and orphans.
  
  
• Sissel Kyrkjebø is one of Norway’s biggest artists and has been an ambassador for UNICEF since 2005. Sissel has been actively involved in protecting children affected by AIDS and HIV by working on UNICEF Norways HIV and AIDS campaign.
  
  
• Ole Gunnar Solskjær is best known in Norway for being a professional football player for Manchester United and is today a trainer for the local football team Molde.  Ole has been a UNICEF ambassador since 2001 and is especially focused on children’s right to education. He has been actively involved in raising funds for Schools for Africa.