As part of the constitutional bicentenary in 2014, the Parliament arranged a drawing competition, inviting 1. – 4. graders to draw the front page for the 200 years old Constitution. We show the winner drawing and other contributions.
Image: Winner Elvin Rama Berg-Appadhoo with President of the Norwegian Parliament Olemic Thommessen. Photo by: Norwegian Parliament
THE BICENTENARY OF THE NORWEGIAN CONSTITUTION (1814–2014)
2014: To mark the Bicentenary of the Norwegian Constitution, the Storting (the Norwegian Parliament) organized a national drawing competition for students in grades 1 through 4. They were asked to design a proposal for the cover of the 200-year-old Constitution. The International Museum of Children’s Art presented the winning entry and several of the other submissions.
Photo: Winner Elvin Rama Berg-Appadhoo with the President of the Storting, Olemic Thommessen. Credit: The Storting – June 19, 2014.
Information: On Tuesday, September 9, 2014, the winning entry by Elvin Rama Berg-Appadhoo was unveiled in the Historical Hall of the Parliament. For the Bicentenary, the Storting invited every 1st to 4th-grade student across the country to decorate the Constitution’s front cover. An impressive 1,360 colorful and creative drawings were submitted, 75 of which were exhibited in the Historical Hall throughout the jubilee year.
The winning drawing was displayed in its own showcase. During the unveiling, the young artist was warmly received by the President of the Storting and the jury. Elvin was accompanied by his entire class, as well as the teacher and principal from Hauglia School. The President of the Storting reminded the students that the Constitution guarantees their right to attend school and their right to speak their minds—even to the President of the Storting himself!
This took place in the historic presence of the original Constitution of May 17, 1814, which was also on display as part of the jubilee exhibition “The Fateful Year 1814 – Four Documents that Shaped Norway.”
The Jury:
The jury consisted of the Vice President of the Storting, Line Henriette Hjemdal; the Director of the International Museum of Children’s Art, Angela Goldin; and the Parliamentary Archivist, Egil Borlaug.
The jury consisted of the Vice President of the Storting, Line Henriette Hjemdal; the Director of the International Museum of Children’s Art, Angela Goldin; and the Parliamentary Archivist, Egil Borlaug.
Vice President Hjemdal stated that the jury was deeply impressed by the immense engagement the competition sparked among children, and noted the great challenge of choosing a winner among so many fantastic entries. Elvin’s original composition and beautiful details made his drawing stand out. Angela Goldin emphasized that children’s drawings are just as significant as adult art, noting that the creative process begins early in life—a fact clearly evidenced by Elvin’s work. Following the ceremony, the children were given a tour of the Parliament Chamber, concluding with a celebratory lunch at the Storting.
EXHIBITION: “YES, WE LOVE! THE 2014 CONSTITUTIONAL JUBILEE”
The exhibition “Ja vi elsker! Grunnlovsjubileet 2014” featured works exploring children’s perspectives on society, politics, and ecology. It demonstrated how vital concepts such as law, elections, democracy, coercion, and freedom are communicated visually.
As part of the educational outreach, the project utilized the children’s book “Mina and the Lion,” which was the Storting’s gift to all primary schools in the country for the Bicentenary. Written by Elin Relander Tømte and illustrated/designed by Inga H. Sætre, the book inspired numerous creative tasks. Students engaged in creative democratic exercises, practiced oral reading, and initiated discussions regarding fundamental societal values.
19.06.2014
