Norwegian-Turkish cooperation

Turkey has great potential for hydropower development, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish cooperation on energy between Norway and Turkey was signed at the seminar on renewable energy. King Harald made note of this when he opened the seminar:

Our cooperation is broad in scope, and designed to promote Turkish and Norwegian actors’ common interests. The hydropower sector is a case in point. This clean and renewable energy source furthers economic development and provides energy security. Not only is hydropower climate-friendly, but it also provides well for the energy needs of future generations.

Norway has wide-ranging experience with hydropower, and the King pointed out the potential for transferal of technical as well as administrative expertise.

Change of location

Following the opening of the business seminar, the King and Queen left Ankara and travelled to Istanbul where the remainder of the State Visit will take place. Soon after their arrival, the King and Queen had the chance to view the Bosporus Strait from the deck of the M/Y Sabah Rüzgari (morning breeze). This well-known strait which separates the European and Asian parts of Istanbul – and Turkey – is the sea route for the large number of ships that sail to and from the Black Sea every day.

Following the boat trip, King Harald and Queen Sonja met with representatives of the Turkish public sphere at a luncheon.

Seafood and Boys of Silver

In the evening the King and Queen were the hosts for President Abdullah Gül and Mrs Hayrünnisa Gül and other invited guests at a concert and buffet held at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski.

The dinner menu featured Norwegian seafood, but before the meal was served the guests enjoyed a brief concert with a performance by the Norwegian choir Boys of Silver and Kudsi Ergüner, a master of Ottoman music. Together they performed Den prektigkledde sommerfugl ("The splendid butterfly"), whose lyrics were written by the famous Norwegian poet Henrik Wergeland and inspired by the Sufi tradition.