Crown Prince Haakon visited Turkey

The visit began in Ankara, with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Atatürk monument.

Atatürk’s mausoleum

Anıtkabir is the mausoleum built to commemorate the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The mausoleum includes the Hall of Honour, the Ceremonial Plaza and a museum documenting Atatürk’s life. Atatürk is buried in a sealed Tomb Room beneath the Hall of Honour. Official visits from abroad are traditionally initiated with a wreath-laying ceremony at the monument.

Prime Minister Erdoğan

After visiting Atatürk’s mausoleum, Crown Prince Haakon met with Prime Minister Erdoğan in his office. The evening concluded with a banquet in honour of the Norwegian delegation at the official residence of the prime minister.

Collaboration on hydropower

The following morning, 26 November, Crown Prince Haakon opened a seminar on hydropower in Ankara. The seminar was aimed at establishing contact between Norwegian and Turkish companies in the hydropower industry, with an eye to promoting Norwegian participation in developing hydropower in Turkey.

Speech on climate-related challenges

On Wednesday afternoon a seminar on climate-related challenges was held at the Middle East Technical University. This seminar brought together Turkish and Norwegian climate and alternative energy specialists. The Crown Prince gave the opening address, in which he spoke of his trip to Svalbard in June with the other heirs to the Scandinavian thrones.

In his remarks Crown Prince Haakon pointed out that while climate change poses a tremendous challenge, it also offers an historic opportunity.
(The entire speech is available via the link on the right)

Istanbul

The Crown Prince’s programme in Istanbul began on Wednesday evening, 26 November, with a dinner featuring Norwegian seafood. Some 250 guests attended the dinner, which was hosted by the Norwegian Embassy and Innovation Norway. Turkey is an important market for Norwegian fish exports, and master chef Gunnar Hvarnes was on hand to prepare seafood delicacies for the guests.

Maritime seminar

On Thursday morning, Crown Prince Haakon opened a seminar designed to foster contact between Norwegian and Turkish maritime companies and organisations. In his speech he pointed out that the industry is facing numerous challenges and that maritime nations must collaborate to find solutions to these:

- In order to create a sustainable maritime industry worldwide, Turkey, Norway and other maritime nations must work together to encourage research, new and innovative solutions and the ability to adapt to new challenges.

Sultanahmet

After the seminar Crown Prince Haakon visited Sultanahmet, the heart of Old Istanbul, which is home to the Ottoman Sultans’ Topkapı Palace, the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque.

Boat trip on the Bosporus

The Crown Prince’s visit concluded that afternoon with a boat trip on the Bosporus. The strait is a strategically important passage between the countries along the coast of the Black Sea and the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and it leads to the open sea. The Bosporus is lined by ancient buildings that bear witness to the history of the Ottoman Empire.