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| Halvorsen and other dignitaries during the Qatalum visit |
The school, which opened on October 13, 1971 completed 40 years this year.
A new era and financial support for the school came in 2007 while constructing Qatalum – the aluminium smelter with the capacity to produce 585,000 metric tons aluminium per year.
At peak, around 450 Norwegians lived in Qatar.
The school marked the milestone with a celebration that included Norwegian students and teachers in Qatar and the presence of the Norwegian Minister of Education, Kristin Halvorsen.
Having been a pupil at the school in the early 70s, she was honouring the special bond that she shared with the institutuion.
During her visit to Qatar, Halvorsen held high-level meetings with the Qatari authorities and at the Supreme Education Council as well as the Qatar Foundation.
The group of Norwegian dignitaries, including Norwegian ambassador to Qatar AseBjerke, political adviser Sylvi Bratten, Norway’s Ministry of Education directors Heidi Dybesland and Bjorg Olstad, Qatalum board of director vice chairman Hilde Aasheim, toured the Qatalum’s premises.
Speaking during the visit, Halvorsen said: “I have visited Qatar University, where I met with Professor Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad and I have also met with HE Saad bin Ibrahim bin Saad al-Mahmoud, Minister of Education. I am impressed by the educational focus I now see in Qatar, 40 years after I was a pupil in Mesaieed at Qatar Norwegian School.
“The tour at Qatalum was also educational for me, and gave a good insight into the production of aluminium. I am glad to see the good co-operation between Qatar University and NTNU of Norway in the field of material science, building on the strong partnership between Qatalum, Qatar Petroleum and Hydro.”
Qatalum chief executive officer Tom Petter Johansen said: “It’s an honour for us to receive the minister for a tour of what is a key knowledge-based industry in Qatar.The Norwegian school was one of the key factors in attracting staff to the project from Norway and will continue to be so for the future.”
He said: “Additionally, it remains a positive representation of the constructive relationship between the two nations, both with knowledge and education at the forefront of their future development.”
Deputy chief executive officer Khalid Laram said: “I would like to congratulate the Qatar Norwegian School on achieving 40 years of undeterred success and it gives Qatalum great pride to be associated with QNS. The school has, for the past 40 years, been an important part in the Norwegian society in Qatar, and in the partnership between Qatar Petroleum and Hydro, as well as between Qatar and Norway.”