Speech to the Diplomatic Corps

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

For almost seven hundred years, Akershus Castle has been the scene of important events in Norwegian history - in peace and war, in days of glory and of tragedy.

Early Norwegian diplomacy was conducted behind the thick walls surrounding us, when the Castle was a royal residence for several of our kings.

As the Government’s principal place to receive distinguished guests, Akershus Castle is therefore a most appropriate venue for this gathering of ambassadors and Excellencies.

It gives me great pleasure to wish you all a warm and heartfelt welcome! I am happy to see that so many of you have taken time off, to spend this November evening with me and my wife, for the enjoyment of good music and good food.

The diplomatic profession is no longer surrounded by thick walls. Today, openness and transparency is the name of the game, in an era of globalisation and civil society involvement. But ever more advanced communications technology has not replaced the enduring value of the personal contact and the physical presence of human beings.

The life of modern diplomats and their spouses is one of hard work and great responsibilities. It can be difficult living abroad, constantly moving around. As a former foreign minister, I have been made aware of the challenges inherent in diplomatic life.

But, the work you do is necessary and invaluable, both for your own countries and for the host country. Having a professional diplomat on the spot -- to confer with, to resolve conflicts, to relay accurate information – will continue to be of vital importance.

Norway has carved out a place in the world, by looking beyond our own land and waters, and by building extensive economic and diplomatic relations with a steadily growing number of states and international institutions. The number of diplomatic missions in Oslo, and accredited here from other capitals, has increased accordingly.

Successive Norwegian governments have felt it a moral and political obligation to promote peace and development, also beyond the borders of our stable and prosperous part of the world. You do not need to be a Christian to agree with Jesus, saying in the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are the peacemakers”.

Through our mediation efforts in several peace processes, we have met formidable personalities who, with dedication and courage, have changed history and improved the lives of ordinary people. Some of these have been diplomats; some have even got the Nobel Peace Prize here in Oslo.

Protecting the worth and dignity of the individual is another question of fundamental ethics and values for my Government. This autumn, as we celebrate 50 years of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, I would like to stress the close connection between civil and political freedoms, and social and economic rights.

I would like to underline how much my Government appreciates, and relies on, the co-operation with you - the diplomatic community - in promoting our interests in these and other areas of vital importance. Security and prosperity, justice and freedom for our citizens are of common concern to us all in the age of global interdependence.

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Economic and cultural globalisation are integral parts of the same process. I am pleased to announce that we have with us here tonight, not only a pianist and artist, but an institution. In our efforts to promote Norwegian culture and music around the globe, Mr. Kjell Bækkelund has for decades been an untiring advocate. He has received numerous national and international prizes. Several piano works have been written for him. He has been on the board of the International Society of Contemporary Music and other music organisations. Tonight we will have the pleasure of hearing him play for us.

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Kjell Bækkelund.