Short greeting at the unveiling of Fridtjof Nansen monument

Ministers, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

• I am very pleased to be in Armenia on my first official visit - and to be able to take part in the celebration of the 150th anniversary of my compatriot Fridtjof Nansen.
• Nansen was by any standards a remarkable and multitalented man. He was a heroic adventurer, polar explorer, scientist, statesman, diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize laureate. A humanist unswervingly committed to the protection of refugees.
• When Nansen was - in 1921 - appointed the first High Commissioner for Refugees by the League of Nations, he immediately undertook the formidable task of helping to repatriate countless thousands of refugees after the First World War.
• Through his remarkable accomplishments, Nansen gained the trust of the world community. The Nansen passports helped hundreds of thousands of Russian and Armenian refugees to cross borders legally, and also helped them to legalise their status and attain economic independence. 
• Nansen set a high standard for action on behalf of refugees and was an example to all who work for humanitarian causes. He worked tirelessly on behalf of refugees and fought continuously for the Armenian cause.
• Nansen had fought for Norwegian independence in 1905 and he wanted the same for Armenia. Based on his experiences in Armenia in 1925, Nansen wrote a book about the fate of the Armenian people. The book was translated into several languages and helped to further knowledge of the situation after the terrible tragedy that had befallen the Armenian people.
• Nansen believed that ordinary people are capable of solving big tasks. He himself proved this through his daring expeditions towards the North Pole and across Greenland when he was a young scientist and explorer.
• He believed that the poor and the persecuted can have meaningful lives – if only the world gives them a chance. And that we all can make a difference. His unfaltering confidence in his own capabilities, and in those of others, made his achievements possible. Nansen saw opportunities in every individual.
• I am impressed by your will to preserve the memory of Fridtjof Nansen. We have – even in Norway - a lot to learn from this. I hope that this monument will contribute not only to honouring Nansen’s achievements, but also to stimulating and inspiring new generations to believe in the value and dignity of every human being and to give their best to humanity. Thank you.