Speech at European Wergeland Centre Inauguration Ceremony

“Building bridges: Education for Intercultural Understanding, Human Rights and Democratic Citizenship, from Policy to Practice”

The Minister’s speech was based on the following points.
Check against delivery.

Your Royal Highness, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

• It is an honour for me to take part in the inauguration of the European Wergeland Centre. As the other speakers have outlined, the centre will promote education for intercultural understanding, human rights and democratic citizenship – three pillars of modern society.
• The Norwegian Government is honoured to cooperate with the Council on establishing this institution here in Oslo. My hope is that the Centre will be – firstly – a leading institution for knowledge production, training, research and network building. And secondly – a centre for dissemination of information and best practices in these important areas.
• It is also a particular pleasure for me that the centre is named after the Norwegian poet – and “activist” and “human rights defender” in the modern sense – Henrik Wergeland. Last year we celebrated the 200th anniversary of his birth. Wergeland helped to build the Norwegian nation – and was the “father” of our National Day – but more importantly, he fought untiringly throughout his life for religious tolerance, for freedom through knowledge and education, and for equality between nations and social classes. More than anything, he raised the flag of humanity. He was a true child of the European Enlightenment, even literally: he compared humankind to “precious stones” with “an inner light”. 
• In the spirit of Henrik Wergeland and his ideals, and on the occasion of today’s inauguration of the centre, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some thoughts about dialogue in international politics.
• We live in a globalised, interdependent world, and dialogue between nations, peoples, generations and religions is essential. Dialogue can foster social inclusion. Dialogue fosters appreciation of diversity. And dialogue can lead to peaceful resolution of conflicts.
• Thorbjørn Jagland, the President of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament ) – and the next Secretary General of the Council of Europe, I hope! – put it eloquently when he spoke about European values and traditions, Europe’s dark chapters, and referred to the fact that “Europe has been to hell” – in World War II. **This reminds us of an American senator who once said that the UN “is not created to take us to heaven – but to prevent us from going to hell”
• In this context, it is appropriate that the European Wergeland Centre will be located next to the Holocaust Research and Knowledge Centre at Villa Grande, Bygdøy.
• My reflections this morning will focus on other European key values and traditions – examples of Europe at its best. Dealing with differences through dialogue. Intercultural understanding, human rights, democratic citizenship. Between nations, within nations. Dialogue. “To talk or not to talk”.
• We know that dialogue does not come about by itself – not automatically. Education is vital. We must communicate methods of dialogue and the effects dialogue can have.
• Dialogue is a key for managing differences and the complexity of globalisation:
• Clashes between civilisations. Differences between cultures. Bridging gaps between rich and poor. Globally – between states.
• But globalisation is also taking place within our societies – as they become more diverse, more rights-bound, and undergo difficult changes. Do we have the means to manage differences and complexity?
• By the way, I have been reading a book by Dominique Moisi, The Geopolitics of Emotions. How Fear, Humiliation and Hope are Reshaping the World. About human dignity. How to build confidence, how to deal with disputes. Also of relevance for Norwegian society.
• Six reflections – on dialogue (in international relations):
• First – dialogue does not mean giving up fundamental values and principles.
• Dialogue is not acceptance – but respect.
• It is important to maintain and use channels of communication when tension is low. This means investing in these channels, keeping them open, in order to be prepared for when tension gets higher. Inter-religious dialogue. Inter-cultural dialogue.
• Engaging in dialogue signifies confidence in our own values and principles: being open for dialogue increases our ability to persuade.
• The option of walking away is always there. The Durban II conference in Geneva in March–April. Norway stayed – our strength. The final document was successfully concluded.
• Second – dialogue means seizing the middle ground.
• It is easy to seize the extremes.
• Then it would be: either with us or against us. The extremes take over all too often – defining the standards.
• Since 9/11 – reduced space for peaceful engagement. Demonising effect. Demonising the “others”. The opposite of dialogue is monologue. We have to break this logic. 9/11 changed the international debate on how to resolve conflict. In my view, it reduced the space for peaceful engagement, dialogue and the use of political tools in the fight against terrorism, extremism and violence. It produced a confrontational language, a language that emphasised the concepts of “us and them”, “either you are with us or against us”.
• Dialogue challenges the dominance of the extremes. Dialogue and discussion help to build confidence. This is exactly what politics and democracy is all about: engagement, finding and seizing the middle ground, the common ground, counteracting the extremes, the extremists, and refusing let extremist views dominate the field of play.
• Third – and consequently – we have to support and create arenas for dialogue. The community. International cooperation. The EU. Handling issues around the negotiation table and not through war and conflict. We need to revitalise the Council of Europe.
• At national level: in schools, at work etc. Where differences can be met and confronted.
• Such channels and arenas of communication need public funding.
• Education and culture: possible to reach and use, easier than diplomatic channels. Culture: values and traditions. Not dialogue through microphones.
• Fourth – include the excluded.
• Internationally: non-state actors. Nationally: all the groups without access to channels of communication. Faith groups. Engage them. Debate. New ways of dialogue.
• Fifth – the key: freedom of expression.
• Henrik Wergeland asked – in his poetic way– whether the source of the spirit, the flight of thought, can bear to be restrained? Wergeland knew the value of freedom of expression and the press which he called “the most precious diamond in the people’s diadem”. The right to freedom of expression was set out in paragraph 100 of Norway’s Constitution of 1814.
• Freedom of expression. Full stop. No restrictions. But freedom of speech can instigate hatred.
• Freedom of expression has to co-exist with other fundamental rights. Responsibility.
• For us to manage differences. Informed citizens. Education.
• Sixth – dialogue as the language of reconciliation. Truth.
• South Africa. Mandela. Could have chosen war. Now, today, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

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• All this and much more are relevant focus areas for the European Wergeland Centre. Education – and the value of dialogue – in the spirit of Henrik Wergeland. Education and cultural exchange can counteract stereotyped images. It can prevent or reduce prejudice, racism and xenophobia. It can foster mutual awareness and understanding. To put it plainly, education and cultural encounters can – and do – build bridges. Wergeland himself believed in the future and in the power of good. He was an optimist on the world’s behalf. Thank you for your attention, and I wish you every success.