Gateway to Norway on the Internet

On 8 October, at 19.00 Norwegian time, Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway opened the new Norwegian Portal on the Internet. The event took place during the seminar on tourism being held in São Paulo in connection with the state visit of The King and Queen to Brazil. This opening marks the launching of a system of 85 official Norwegian websites all over the world.

By June 2004 every one of the over 100 Norwegian foreign service missions will have a new homepage, specially tailored to the country in question. The Norwegian Portal will be published in 16 languages.

The Norwegian Portal will considerably increase the amount of information available about Norway abroad, and as such is part of the Foreign Ministry’s efforts to promote Norway abroad. In addition to news and current affairs, the site will contain a great deal of information about Norwegian society.

"The Norwegian Portal will make Norway accessible to a broader foreign public. A clearer image of modern Norway will have a positive impact on Norwegian policy, business and culture," said Foreign Minister Jan Petersen.

The information on the Norwegian Portal has been compiled by the Foreign Ministry in co-operation with the Norwegian Trade Council, the Norwegian Tourist Board, the Export Council for Fish, other ministries, the publisher Kunnskapsforlaget and a large number of cultural institutions.

Norwegian companies were used for the development of the portal. The Internet agency Apt was responsible for the design, and the functional solutions were developed by the consulting firm Objectware.

The site for Brazil can be visited at: http://www.noruega.org.br.

Contact person in Brazil: Assistant Director General Erik Førner, +4790822302

Contact person at the Foreign Ministry: Adviser Marianne Fosland, +4797080326