Peer Gynt Prize
Encyclopedia
a national Norwegian honor prize presented annually during the Per Gynt Festival. Peer Gynt Prize is named after the main character in Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt
Peer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. It is the most widely performed Norwegian play. According to Klaus Van Den Berg, the "cinematic script blends poetry with social satire and realistic scenes with surreal ones"...
(1867), a five-act play in verse by Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen
Henrik Ibsen was a major 19th-century Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet. He is often referred to as "the father of prose drama" and is one of the founders of Modernism in the theatre...
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The Peer Gynt Prize award ceremony takes place during the Peer Gynt Festival (Peer Gynt-stemnet) at Vinstra
Vinstra
Vinstra is the name of both a village and a river in Gudbrandsdalen. The village lies in Nord-Fron municipality in Oppland County, Norway. The administrative centre of Nord-Fron, the population is 2449. The village has rail connections via the Dovre railroad and has a high school. Highway E6...
in Gudbrandsdalen, one of Norway leading festivals. Peer Gynt Festival is a 12-day cultural festival that takes place in the beginning of August each year. The first Festival was held in 1928, for the centennial of Henrik Ibsen's birth.
The Peer Gynt Prize has been awarded every year since 1971. The recipient of the annual prize is chosen by the Norwegian parliament, and is given to a person or institution that has achieved distinction in society. Every year a prominent person is awarded The Peer Gynt Price. The chosen candidate needs to have distinguished her/himself in a positive manner in society, and also needs to have contributed to improving Norway's international reputation. The foundations of the Peer Gynt Prize are sustainability ethics and benefits for society. Factors in awarding the prize include efforts to protect the environment, support of international peace and overcome poverty and hunger.
Members of the Peer Gynt Festival itself, parliamentary representatives and former winners of the year's Peer Gynt prize may propose candidates for the award. Former award-winners form a distinguished network connected to the Peer Gynt Festival. The award is a bronze statuette of Peer Gynt riding a reindeer buck (Peer Gynt-statuetten), made by artist Carl Bilgrei.
Prize winners
- 1971: Einar GerhardsenEinar Gerhardsenwas a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party of Norway. He was Prime Minister for three periods, 1945–1951, 1955–1963 and 1963–1965. With 17 years in office, he is the longest serving Prime Minister in Norway since the introduction of parliamentarism...
, former Prime Minister - 1972: Per AabelPer AabelPer Pavels Aabel was a respected and honored Norwegian actor, artist, dancer, choreographer and instructor.-Biography:...
, actor - 1973: Liv UllmannLiv UllmannLiv Johanne Ullmann is a Norwegian actress and film director, as well as one of the "muses" of the Swedish director Ingmar Bergman...
, actress - 1974: Erik ByeErik ByeErik Erikssønn Bye was a versatile Norwegian journalist,artist, author, film actor, folk singer and radio and television personality...
, singer and artist - 1975: Erling StordahlErling StordahlErling Stordahl was a Norwegian farmer and singer.He is best known for the around 120 songs he recorded throughout 17 years from 1951 together with Gunnar Engedahl. They met at the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted, and made their first hit as a duo in 1951, produced by...
, singer and advocate for disabled persons - 1976: Øivind Bergh, conductor
- 1977: Birgit and Rolf Sunnaas, founders of Sunnaas Hospital
- 1978: Arve TellefsenArve TellefsenArve Tellefsen is a Norwegian violinist.He was born and raised in Trondheim, Norway. When he was 6 years old, he began playing the violin in 'Trondheims musikkskole'...
, violinist - 1979: Grete WaitzGrete WaitzGrete Waitz was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history...
, marathon runner - 1980: Anne-Cath. Vestly, author
- 1981: Cato Zahl PedersenCato Zahl PedersenCato Zahl Pedersen is a Norwegian skier and multiple Paralympic gold medal winner. He has won a total of fourteen medals at the Paralympic Games, in both Winter and Summer Paralympics...
, disabled sportsperson - 1982: Jens EvensenJens EvensenJens Ingebret Evensen was a Norwegian lawyer, judge, politician , trade minister, international offshore rights expert, member of the International Law Commission and judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, member of The Swedish Order of the Polar Star and Commander Of The Royal...
, diplomat, lawyer and politician - 1983: Thorbjørn EgnerThorbjørn EgnerThorbjørn Egner was a Norwegian playwright, songwriter and illustrator known for his books, plays and musicals for children.-Career:...
, author and artist - 1984: Crown Princess SonjaQueen Sonja of NorwayQueen Sonja of Norway is the wife of King Harald V of Norway.-Prior to marriage:Sonja was born in Oslo on 4 July 1937 as the daughter of clothing merchant Karl August Haraldsen and Dagny Ulrichsen .Queen Sonja grew up in the district of Vinderen in Oslo and completed her lower secondary schooling...
- 1985: BobbysocksBobbysocksFor the 1950s teen rage see Bobby soxerBobbysocks! were a Norwegian pop duo consisting of Norwegian Hanne Krogh and Swedish-Norwegian Elisabeth Andreassen. They won the Eurovision Song Contest 1985 with the song "La det swinge" ....
, winners of the Eurovision Song ContestEurovision Song ContestThe Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition... - 1986: Annie Skau BerntsenAnnie Skau BerntsenAnnie Skau Berntsen , also known as Sister Annie was a Norwegian missionary who served in China and Hong Kong ....
, nurse and missionary - 1987: a-haA-haA-ha were a Norwegian pop band formed in Oslo in 1982. The band was founded by Morten Harket , Magne Furuholmen , and Pål Waaktaar...
, musical group - 1988: Oslo Philharmonic OrchestraOslo Philharmonic OrchestraThe Oslo-Filharmonien is a symphony orchestra based in Oslo, Norway. The orchestra was founded in 1919, and has since 1977 had its home in the Oslo Concert Hall. The orchestra consists of 69 musicians in the string section, 16 in the woodwinds, 15 in brass, 5 in percussionists, 1 harpist, and 1...
- 1989: Norwegian Olympic Committee, Ole Sjetne
- 1990: Thorvald StoltenbergThorvald StoltenbergThorvald Stoltenberg is a former Norwegian politician. His ancestors stem from Northern Germany and emigrated to Norway in the 17th century. He served as Minister of Defense and Minister of Foreign Affairs in two Labour governments.From 1989 to 1990 he was appointed Norwegian Ambassador to the UN...
, politician and United Nations official - 1991: Hans-Wilhelm SteinfeldHans-Wilhelm SteinfeldHans-Wilhelm Steinfeld is a Norwegian journalist, foreign correspondent and non-ficiton writer.He has worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation from 1976, and been a foreign correspondent for NRK in Moscow for three periods. He has written several books...
, journalist - 1992: Bjørn DæhlieBjørn DæhlieBjørn Erlend Dæhlie is a Norwegian businessman and retired cross-country skier. With 8 olympic gold medals, Dæhlie is the most winning winter olympic champion of all time. With nine gold medals in the Nord World Ski Championships he is in addition the most winning World Champion skier...
and Vegard UlvangVegard UlvangVegard Ulvang is a Norwegian former cross-country skier who won three Olympic gold medals. At the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games, he took the ceremonial Olympic Oath on part of all the athletes...
, cross-country skiers - 1993: Kjetil André AamodtKjetil André AamodtKjetil André Aamodt is a Norwegian former alpine ski racer, and is the most decorated in history....
, alpine skier - 1994: Mona JuulMona JuulMona Juul is an official in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former politician for the Labour Party.She hailed from Sparbu, and was educated in political science. Along with her husband Terje Rød-Larsen she played a key role in the Oslo Accords...
and Terje Rød Larsen, diplomats - 1995: Johann Olav KossJohann Olav KossJohann Olav Koss is a former speed skater from Norway, considered to be one of the best in history, and current assistant coach of Norway's speed skating team.-Biography:...
, speed skater and founder of Right To PlayRight to PlayRight To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world... - 1996: Jostein GaarderJostein GaarderJostein Gaarder /ˈju:staɪn ˈgɔːrdər/ is a Norwegian intellectual and author of several novels, short stories and children's books. Gaarder often writes from the perspective of children, exploring their sense of wonder about the world. He often uses metafiction in his works, writing stories within...
, author - 1997: Gro Harlem BrundtlandGro Harlem BrundtlandGro Harlem Brundtland is a Norwegian Social democratic politician, diplomat, and physician, and an international leader in sustainable development and public health. She served three terms as Prime Minister of Norway , and has served as the Director General of the World Health Organization...
, United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
official and former Prime Minister - 1998: Norway women's national handball teamNorway women's national handball teamThe Norway women's national handball team is the national team of Norway. It is governed by the Norwegian Handball Federation and takes part in international handball competitions....
, Marit BreivikMarit BreivikMarit Breivik is a former Norwegian team handball player, and former head coach for the Norwegian women's national handball team... - 1999: Thor HeyerdahlThor HeyerdahlThor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian ethnographer and adventurer with a background in zoology and geography. He became notable for his Kon-Tiki expedition, in which he sailed by raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands...
, ethnographer and adventurer - 2000: Bellona FoundationBellona FoundationThe Bellona Foundation is a multi-disciplinary international environmental NGO based in Oslo, Norway. Founded in 1986 by Frederic Hauge and Rune Haaland as a direct action protest group, it has since blossomed into a recognized technology and solution-oriented environmental champion with offices on...
environmental organization - 2001: Knut VollebækKnut VollebækKnut Vollebæk is a Norwegian diplomat and centrist politician . He is educated from the Norwegian School of Economics and the University of California, Santa Barbara....
, politician and diplomat - 2002: Eva JolyEva JolyEva Joly is a Norwegian-born French magistrate and politician for the French Green Party.-Early life:Born in Grünerløkka, Oslo, she moved to Paris at 20 to work as an au pair...
, lawer against corruption - 2003: Åsne SeierstadÅsne SeierstadÅsne Seierstad is a Norwegian freelance journalist and writer, best known for her accounts of everyday life in war zones - most notably Kabul after 2001, Baghdad in 2003 and the ruined Grozny in 2006.-Personal and professional life:...
, journalist and author - 2004: Arne NæssArne NæssArne Dekke Eide Næss was a Norwegian philosopher, the founder of deep ecology. He was the youngest person to be appointed full professor at the University of Oslo....
, philosopher and mountaineer - 2005: Jan EgelandJan EgelandJan Egeland was the United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator from June 2003 to December 2006. Egeland was appointed by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and succeeded Kenzo Oshima...
, diplomat and United Nations official - 2006: Kjell Inge RøkkeKjell Inge RøkkeKjell Inge Røkke is a Norwegian businessman and among the richest people in Norway, controlling the Norwegian company Aker Solutions...
, entrepreneur - 2007: Leif Ove AndsnesLeif Ove AndsnesLeif Ove Andsnes is a Norwegian pianist and an ardent champion of the works of Edvard Grieg.-Biography:He studied with Jiří Hlinka at the Bergen Music Conservatory and made his debut in Oslo in 1987, in Britain at the Edinburgh Festival with the Oslo Philharmonic in 1989, and in the United States...
, pianist - 2008: Snøhetta AS, international architecture company
- 2009: Ole Gunnar SolskjærOle Gunnar SolskjærOle Gunnar Solskjær is the manager of Norwegian first division side Molde. He is better known as a former footballer who spent most of his career playing for Manchester United. Often dubbed "the baby-faced assassin," he played 366 times for the Red Devils and scored 126 goals during a very...
, footballer and UNICEF ambassador - 2010: Dissimilis Norway
- 2011: Magnus CarlsenMagnus CarlsenSven Magnus Øen Carlsen is a Norwegian chess Grandmaster and chess prodigy who is currently the number-one ranked player in the world. In January 2010 he became the seventh player ranked number one in the world on the official FIDE rating list...
, chess player