Learn all about Nobel Day
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| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class- “Holidays in Sweden” Series at SwedishPod101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Swedish holidays and observances. I’m Eric, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 9, Nobel Day. In Swedish, it’s called nobeldagen. |
| Nobel Day falls every year on December 10, and has been a flag day in Sweden since 1901. |
| In this lesson, you’ll learn more about Nobel Day and Alfred Nobel, or in Swedish Alfred Nobel. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question?: |
| Nobel left 94% of his total assets for the Nobel Prize. Do you know how much it was? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| Alfred Nobel was the man who invented dynamite, or dynamit, and due to this he became very rich. In his will he specified that his fortune should be saved in a special fund, or speciell stiftelse, and that the interest each year should be distributed to the people who contributed the most to the world. The money would be divided into five equal parts and awarded in five different categories. However, he never said anything about the Nobel Prize in economics. This is something that the Riksbank later initiated itself. |
| The Nobel Day Ceremony falls on December 10, because Alfred Nobel died on this day in 1896. Nobel Day is the day when various prestigious Nobel Prizes, or Nobelpris, are handed out in fields like physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and the award for the peace prize also takes place. Nobel Day has been celebrated on December 10 since the first awards were handed out in 1901. It’s an official flag day, and is also one of the most solemn and famous celebrations in Sweden. |
| The recipients of the prizes arrive in Stockholm a few days before Nobel Day with their immediate families. They stay for approximately a week, and it’s called Nobel Week, or Nobelveckan. The recipients also usually give lectures. The award ceremony is held in the Stockholm Concert Hall, or Stockholms koncerthus, where the recipients receive their prizes handed out by the King of Sweden, or Sveriges kung. Afterwards, the Nobel dinner is served in Stockholm's City Hall with the Swedish royal family also attending. The award winners also make speeches during the dinner. |
| The Peace Prize is awarded in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, and is not handed out in Stockholm together with the other prizes. However, it is not clear why Alfred Nobel wanted the peace prize to be awarded in Norway, which was, at the time, in union with Sweden. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question. |
| Alfred Nobel left 94% of his total assets to the Nobel Prize. Do you know how much it was? |
| It was a full 31 million Swedish Krona! Each year the money is equally distributed amongst all the recipients. In 2012, each recipient was given around 8 million Swedish Krona, which is about 862,500 Euro. |
| How did you find this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| Which Nobel Prize would you like to get? |
| Leave us a comment letting us know at SwedishPod101.com. And we'll see you in the next lesson! |
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