State Secretary, Ambassador, ladies and gentlemen,

As you know, Norway and Germany have been cooperating in the cultural field for a long time, and have influenced each other strongly. Since the mid-1800s many Norwegian artists have spent their professional years in Germany, especially in Düsseldorf, Dredsen, Munich and Berlin. Often they attracted more attention in Germany than in their own country, and many of them chose to live in Germany for most of their lives. The major exhibition "Romanticism and Realism", which is currently being shown at Nasjonalgalleriet in Oslo, illustrates how German trends have inspired Norwegian artists throughout the years.

When the cultural dialogue between Norway and Nordrhein-Westfalen was initiated through the project "SkandinaVia ‘98", the then Norwegian Minister of Cultural Affairs pointed out that although Norway’s official representation in Germany was moving from Bonn to Berlin, we fully intended to maintain the friendly ties between Norway and the state of Nordrhein-Westfalen, and would always give each other a warm welcome.

It has taken a long time for us to follow up the "SkandinaVia ‘98" initiative. We have not yet had an opportunity to welcome you to Norway. So I am especially pleased to be able to do so today. I would like to thank you for receiving us with such hospitality in Nordrhein-Westfalen in 1998. We had an opportunity to present Norwegian art and culture to a large, varied and interested audience in a number of arrangements in important art centres such as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Bonn, Aachen and Kreis Borken. This German initiative was extremely valuable, and has laid a foundation for lasting and more systematic contact between Norwegian and German artists, art institutions and authorities.

Now we can see the results of the efforts of the cultural authorities of Nordrhein-Westfalen to broaden our dialogue. The cultural programme now being presented to a Norwegian audience is extremely varied. Exhibitions, literature, film and dance; symposiums, seminars and lectures – all of this will deepen our knowledge of each other and enhance our mutual dialogue. We are also very pleased to see that other cultures and the internationalization of cultural life have been integrated into the programme. This shows that dialogue not only plays a key role in mutual understanding, but that it also helps to broaden our perspective by including cultural elements from all over the world.

At an early stage the Ludwig Forum in Aachen realized how important it was to bring together modes of expression from different parts of the world. The cooperation between the Henie Onstad Art Centre and the Ludwig Forum is just one example of how the cooperation between Norway and Nordrhein-Westfalen can continue to grow and develop.

I would like to express my gratitude to the representatives of Nordrhein-Westfalen for their cooperation, which has helped to make this exhibition a reality. It is a great pleasure for me to declare the exhibition "Art in a Changing World" to be open.