This photo taken on July 19, 2026 shows the national memorial site to commemorate victims of 2011 terrorist attacks, in Oslo, Norway. (Photo: Xinhua)
OSLO, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Norway opened a permanent national memorial site in central Oslo on Sunday to commemorate the 77 people killed in the terrorist attacks on July 22, 2011, days before the country observes the 15th anniversary of the tragedy.
Crown Prince Haakon attended the ceremony alongside government ministers, survivors, bereaved families and representatives of the National Support Group after 22 July and the Workers' Youth League, commonly known as AUF.
The memorial, titled "Upholding," was created by Norwegian artist Matias Faldbakken. It features a monumental stone mosaic set within a steel frame, with the names and ages of the 77 victims cut into its base beam. The memorial stands in the Government Quarter, close to where the first of the two attacks took place.
Minister of Digitalisation and Public Governance Karianne Tung said the far-right attack had targeted not only individuals, but also AUF, the Labour Party and Norwegian democracy. The permanent memorial would provide a place to remember those who were killed and allow future generations to learn about the consequences of far-right extremism and hatred, she said.
Minister of Education Kari Nessa Nordtun said a new generation was growing up without personal memories of the attacks, making memorial and educational work increasingly important. Physical traces of the attacks and accounts from those who experienced them could help counter disinformation and conspiracy theories, she said.
On July 22, 2011, extremist Anders Behring Breivik carried out the country's deadliest attacks in Oslo and on Utoya Island, killing 77 people in total. That tragedy has left deep scars on Norwegian society. In 2012, Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum allowed under Norwegian law at the time. ■
This photo taken on July 19, 2026 shows the national memorial site to commemorate victims of 2011 terrorist attacks, in Oslo, Norway. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuliang)