Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Petersen

Address to co-partners and others involved in the 2005 Centennary Programme in the United States

Houston, USA,
3 March 2005

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Your Majesties, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

2005 marks one hundred years since the union between Norway and Sweden was peacefully dissolved. When Norway assumed an independent role in the international community in 1905, it was the fulfilment of a desire for full independence that had been gaining strength among the Norwegian people. I can add that the many Norwegians living in the United States at that time played a significant role in the development of a strong Norwegian national identity.

Hence, 2005 is also a commemorative year for Norwegian foreign policy. Both the Norwegian Foreign Service and Norway’s official relations with many of our key co-operation partners were established 100 years ago.

This is why Norway has launched a comprehensive international programme for 2005, designed to heighten our visibility in three important areas: as a modern cultural and knowledge nation; as a good steward of natural resources; and – thirdly – as a partner in international peace and development.

The purpose of this programme is to focus on Norway’s co-operation with other countries, and enhance Norway’s international reputation and visibility. The programme is targeted at specific groups, with children and young people being given special priority.

The USA was one of the very first countries to recognise Norway’s independence and to establish formal diplomatic relations with us. But the links between Norway and the USA go back even to the beginning of the 19 ^th> century, when the Declaration of Independence and the American Constitution inspired our forefathers in their drafting of the Norwegian Constitution of 1814. The fundamental principles and values expressed in these documents are still valid today.

It is important to bear in mind that the vast number of Norwegians who immigrated to the USA a hundred years ago has strengthened – and perhaps even started in the first place – the close economic, political and cultural ties between our countries. Today there are almost five million Americans of Norwegian descent, which is more than the current population of Norway! The close bonds of family between “Norwegians” across the Atlantic sustain the close friendship between the countries.

This is a friendship – a partnership – based on shared values and a clear commitment to freedom, to democracy and human rights.

It is quite interesting, however, to notice the proportion of the Norwegian community in Houston that does not have roots in the immigration to the United States. Many of the people we have met during these past two days have been here for less than a decade. I have been struck by the number of Houstonians that have visited or lived in Norway. There clearly already exist extensive ties on the personal level and networks within the business community.

The 2005 Centenary Programme in the United States is an extensive one, and I would like to mention a few categories and items to illustrate the broad range of activities. It includes;

• Visits by the Norwegian Royal Family
• The Norwegian National Ballet visits Houston
• A tour of the eastern states by the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
• A visit to the Midwest by the Norwegian Opera
• A number of other concerts in several cities, including Houston
• The presentation of Norwegian films at film festivals, for example the Houston Film Festival
• Exhibitions of contemporary Norwegian art and sculpture, including an exhibition on Children’s Rights that was opened only yesterday by Her Majesty. This exhibition called “C for Courage”, is being shown at the Houston Children’s Museum
• Projects, lectures, and seminars at universities and research institutions, for example on Norwegian-US relations between 1905 and 2005, the Nobel Peace Prize, and other topics of bilateral interest. – And it includes as well;
• Business seminars and conferences all over the country, for example the present ‘INTSOK week’ and the upcoming Oil Technology Conference here in Houston.

These are just a few examples of the many events scheduled. I hope that you will have the chance to participate in as many of them as possible. Hopefully they will inspire you to initiate new activities in the years to come, based perhaps on new contacts now being established in 2005.

Many of you are directly involved in developing and orchestrating projects connected with the 2005 celebrations. Your co-operation and enthusiasm are invaluable and greatly appreciated. I am very pleased to have this opportunity to thank you.

I am confident that the many events commemorating the close co-operation between Norway and the United States will teach us more about each other’s culture and society and bring our countries even closer together, in 2005 and beyond.

Thank you.

• For more information on the 2005 Centennary Programme in the US, see: www.norway.org