Together at home - Join us for the awards ceremony for the 2020 Nordic Council prizes

The Nordic Council prizes will be awarded online during a special awards ceremony on 27 October 21.10 (CET). Although the coronavirus pandemic may have stopped us from hosting our traditional awards ceremony, it has also given us the opportunity to create a new and more personal experience. What's more, you're all invited!

Every year, the Nordic Council awards five prizes in recognition of Nordic literature, music, and film, as well as innovative thinking in the field of the environment. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, this years' awards ceremony will be an online event.

A Warm Welcome

On behalf of the Icelandic delegation to the Nordic Council, we would like to welcome you to the awards ceremony of the 2020 Nordic Council prizes.

At a time when we have to keep our distance, we’ve set the stage for an evening of digital celebration to honour this year’s authors, artists and initiative-takers for their artistic expression and dedication to the environment.

The Nordic Council prizes play a vital role in supporting and raising awareness of some of the region’s outstanding cultural and environmental initiatives.

Consequently, we are especially pleased that everyone in the Nordic Region can watch the crowning of the winners of the Nordic Council’s five prizes from the comfort of their own homes in a slightly different television broadcast.

Join us for a very special Nordic evening with selected features from Iceland!


Best regards,

Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir

President of the Nordic Council

Oddný Harðardóttir

Vice President of the Nordic Council

 

Watch the awards ceremony online

Viewers can catch the awards ceremony as a live stream or on television in all of the Nordic countries.  

The ceremony will be streamed by the the Icelandic public service broadcaster Ríkisútvarpið, RÚV,  and starts at 21.10 (CET). You can follow the live stream  on RÚV Play in all the Nordic countries. The awards ceremony will also be broadcast on public service channels throughout the Nordic Region, although the times may vary. Please check your national  television schedules for details. 

More information will follow shortly.

Programme

Icelandic host Halla Oddný Magnúsdóttir will present the television special, treating viewers to performances by the Iceland Dance Company, the internationally renowned pianist Víkingur Ólafsson and the indie band Of Monsters and Men.

Warm welcome

Welcome by the host Halla Oddný from Iceland.

The 2020 Nordic Council Children and Young People’s Literature Prize

Presenting the prize: President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson from his home in Bessastaðir.

Performance

The renowned pianist Víkingur Ólafsson from his home in Reykjavík.

The 2020 Nordic Council Environment Prize

Presenting the prize:  Climate activists Kira Lennert Olsen and Nuiana Hardenber from outside in Nuuk, Greenland.

The 2020 Nordic Council Music Prize

Presenting the prize: Gyða Valtýsdóttir, multi-instrumentalist and former winner from her balcony in quarantine in down town Reykjavík.

Performance

A special performance by The Icelandic Dance Company out-doors at Elliðaárdalur.

The 2020 Nordic Council Film Prize

Presenting the prize: Benedikt Erlingsson, director and former prizewinner from a horse stall in Kópavogur.

Performance

The indie band Of Monsters and Men “on stage” in their studio in Garðabær.

The 2020 Nordic Council Literature Prize

Presenting the prize: Zinat Pirzadeh, comedian, writer and artist from her home in Stockholm.

Meet the nominees

A total of 51 works, initiatives, and artists are nominated for the Nordic Council prizes. Each of the five winners will receive a Northern Lights statuette and DKK 350,000.

Learn more about the nominees:

Get involved at home

The 2020 Nordic Council's award ceremony is the most glamorous house party of the year.

  1. It’s the perfect occasion for putting on a fancy outfit, and you can wave goodbye to painful feet, as the most walking you’ll have to do in heels will be from the sofa to the kitchen.
  2. Serve your favourite Nordic snacks such as orzotto balls, lump-fish roe and smoked cheese, or roasted pumpkin with North Sea cheese.
  3. Remember to keep you glasses filled for toasts.
  4. Place your bets on who you think will win the various prizes.
  5. While waiting for the trophies to be handed out, make sure you do your research online. -> Read up on this year’s nominees at norden.org. You can also share your photos from your own Nordic party using these tags: #nrpriser @nordisksamarbejde
  6. Invite your friends and family, subject to any coronavirus restrictions in your country. Remember you can always use Zoom or other apps/software if it’s not possible to meet face to face.
  7. Watch the show here:
  8. Have a fantastic Nordic evening!
Inspire others!

At times like this, when we need to stay safe at home, many of us need something exciting to look forward to. We hope this award ceremony will add some excitement and glamour to your Tuesday evening. But how can we be together at home? Share how you're celebrating our awards ceremony using your preferred social media channel and tag it with #nrpriser if possible! Also, don't hesitate to tag our accounts in your award updates so we can share them with our followers:

About the Nordic Council prizes

First awarded in 1962, the literature prize is the oldest of the five prizes. This was followed by the music prize in 1965, the environment prize in 1995, the film prize in 2002, and the children and young people’s literature prize in 2013. The five adjudication committees select the nominees and the winner.