With the onset of the summer solstice, June 21, the Norwegian island Sommarøy (translated as “summer island”) wants to exchange their watches for flower garlands and declare itself the world’s first free time zone. CNN writes about it.
On this island the sun does not set from May 18 to July 26, that is 69 days. So the locals use this very long day to the maximum.
“It’s always daylight here, and we act accordingly, — says Kjell Ove Hveding, a resident of The island, in a statement. — In the middle of the night, which residents of the city can call “2 am”, you can see how children play football, people paint their homes or mow lawns, and teenagers go swimming.”
The inhabitants of the island have signed a petition to free zone from time to time, and on June 13, Hveding met with the Norwegian Parliament to hand in the signatures of local residents and to discuss the practical and legal challenges of the initiative.
The locals hope to get rid of the traditional hours of work and introduce flexible hours for school and work. Fishing and tourism are the main industries on this island with a population of just over 300 people. Hveding says local fishermen and women often spend days in the ocean chasing their catch with little regard to the schedule.
