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Vaart Nabolag2018 Refstad Lars Opstad 314 1
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Our Neighbourhood

Bring the whole family, when we turn asylum centers into neighbourhood parties filled with food, activities and music.

Since 2014 Oslo World has arranged Our Neighbourhood in six different asylum centers, around Norway. In 2024 we hosted the festival at Ringsaker and Vang asylum centers, with artists such as Harpreet Bansal, Ingrid Olava, Jon Ranes, Cheb Hocine, Daniel Kvammen and Moddi. During the festival there was also improv theatre, drum circles, mask workshops and various activities for children. The residents of the asylum center served dishes from their home countries. 

By creating music festivals at reception centers we want to initiate dialogue and participation between asylum seekers and people in the neighbourhood. To create something together and to experience a community around music, culture and food can be very important for integration – and we believe that integration starts from day one.

“Meetings between people, artists and audience create interest and understanding for the values in other cultural expressions.”

Alexandra Archetti Stølen, Festival Director

Vaart Nabolag2018 Refstad Lars Opstad 236 1

Background

Since 2009 Oslo World has invited asylum seekers in Norway to our annual music festival. The initiative has resulted in participation and dialogue between asylum seekers, the concert audience and artists from all over the world. To some of the asylum seekers that come to Norway without family and friends, this invitation has meant a lot in a difficult time.

In august 2014 we arranged OurNeighbourhood for the first time, at Torshov Transit Center. Since then we have arranged OurNeighbourhood fifteen times, at six different centers.

Although covid-19 put an end to VårtNabolag and some of the reception centers we worked with in the past are now closed, VårtNabolag was a successful venture in 2024, held for the third time at Ringsaker reception center and for the first time in many years at Vang Reception Center.

If you live near a reception center and want to organize VårtNabolag in your home town, please contact info@osloworld.no.