Norwegian public diplomacy
Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle,
12 April 2004
Check against delivery
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure for me to be
here today, and to have the opportunity to meet with so many people
who are crucial to Norwegian-American relations.
I am not playing to the gallery
when I say that I feel very much at home in here Seattle. The 2000
census tells us that the Norwegian-American community in this city
numbers 350,000. The only place in Norway that has more Norwegians
is Oslo.
I have been told that there are as
many as 50 Norwegian-American organisations and institutions in
this area. And tonight’s audience bears witness to a thriving
Norwegian-American business community.
Indeed, the Norwegian-American
community here is widely known as a dynamic business community that
still manages to keep up the old customs and traditions. But above
all it is renowned for its generosity in funding Norwegian-American
initiatives.
Today I have been received by Dr.
Terje Leiren of the Scandinavian Department at the University of
Washington, Ms. Andrea Thorland and Mr. Robert Solem at the Norse
Home and Mr. Wilhelm Quigstad at Leif Erikson Lodge. These are some
examples of institutions that have benefited from this generosity.
Tomorrow we will visit the Pacific Lutheran University.
The Nordic Heritage Museum is
another good example. I would like to congratulate Director
Marianne Forssblad on a great museum. I am impressed with your
achievements - and with the forward-looking plans for a new
museum.
Seattle has also become the
headquarters for the Norwegian-American Foundation under the
leadership of Chairman Hans W. Mauritzen and CEO Kim Nesselquist.
We are grateful for the partnership between the Norwegian Foreign
Ministry, the Norwegian Embassy in DC and the Norwegian-American
Foundation regarding the 2005 Centennial Anniversary, and the role
the Foundation has in the planning of this event.
It is also a fact that the
consulate here in Seattle is one of the oldest Norwegian
consulates. It was established early in l906. In 2006, the Stang
family will have served this consulate for 100 years, which is a
truly impressive record.
So many of you are doing an
enormous amount to promote Norway both in your daily work and in
your spare time. Seldom do I meet "ambassadors" as dedicated and
inspiring as you are. I can assure you that we truly appreciate
your efforts. We are grateful to have such a large and influential
group of supporters here on the west coast of the US. The result is
that we are more visible here than in many other places.
From a foreign policy perspective,
visibility and a clear profile are essential if we are to be
regarded as an interesting and reliable partner and gain acceptance
for our political views. They are also important from an industrial
and domestic policy point of view, for our export and tourist
industries. Promoting Norway’s image abroad is also a way of
promoting Norwegian art and culture and vice versa.
In addition to these more obvious
motives, a good reputation says something about our values, and
reflects the way we want others to perceive us.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Our deep-rooted economic, political
and security bonds with the US have for generations been
strengthened by the ties between Norwegians and Americans who are
either of Norwegian descent or harbour a special interest in
Scandinavia.
Our goal is to further develop our
transatlantic ties with North America to the benefit of future
generations. The close relations between us must not be taken for
granted. They must be nurtured and developed. They must also be
allowed to evolve and adapt to a new era in international
co-operation.
To do this we need to build
relations with many different groups of people, organisations and
networks. The catchword for this kind of networking is "public
diplomacy".
Tonight I will touch on three
aspects of Norwegian public diplomacy: cultural manifestations,
commercial presentation and disseminating information about Norway.
Like all politicians, I am used to being criticised for talking
without doing. But not tonight, as I will end my address by
launching two new websites dedicated to Norway.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Next year we will commemorate the
centennial of the peaceful dissolution of the union between Norway
and Sweden. Norway’s celebration of its first 100 years as an
independent state will provide good opportunities for public
diplomacy.
Just as Norway’s historical and
cultural relationship with the United States is special – so should
the centennial anniversary next year in the US be
special.
The US was one of the very first
countries to recognise Norway as an independent nation in 1905.
Thus, the 2005 centennial programme should be comprehensive,
contemporary and visible, and reflect the many bonds between our
two countries. It should mark our common history, and the close
ties that exist between us today. It should also establish new
networks.
We are well aware that the success
of the centennial programme will depend on close co-operation with
local partners at all stages of the process. The main criteria in
selecting programme ideas and proposals have therefore been local
interest, participation and whether there was an established
network in place. This is what we see here in the United States.
There are a number of established Norwegian-American networks,
personal bonds and contacts, and close co-operation between
organisations and universities. There are student exchange
programmes, scholarships programmes, etc., etc. These networks are
the glue of Norwegian-American relations.
One mark of great art is that the
artist has used his or her local experience to create something
that is understood worldwide. Such art provides an excellent basis
for public diplomacy.
Very few Norwegian artists fit this
description better than Henrik Ibsen. In 2006 we will commemorate
the 100
th> anniversary of his death.
Ibsen’s plays are staged all over
the world. His message to women, to men and to society is as
significant today as it was a 150 years ago. Themes like gender
equality, corruption, the environment, freedom of speech and misuse
of power are all issues that modern society is still struggling
with.
Even though Norwegians and
Americans share the same basic values, we may have arrived at
different answers to some of the questions Ibsen poses. 2006 will
provide a good opportunity to have a dialogue on these
dilemmas.
Our aim in 2006 will be to make
Ibsen even better known abroad by focusing on his work and thereby
on his native country. We will encourage and challenge theatres,
libraries, universities and young people to take up Ibsen and focus
on what he has to say to us today.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Norwegian business has from time to
time complained over what is seen as lack of support and
understanding from the Foreign Service. While this criticism may
have been a bit over the top, I admit there is room for
improvement.
One of the recent measures taken by
the Norwegian Government in this respect is to create a new entity
called Innovation Norway. The entity is a merger between the Trade
Council, the Tourist Board, the Industrial and Regional Development
Fund, and the Government Consultative Office for Inventors.
The idea is that such a set up will
create synergies and establish a clearer link between innovation
and internationalisation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
will be closely associated with the overseas activities of the new
entity. Its representatives abroad are now being integrated into
our Foreign Service missions.
This is an advantage for all
parties. For the representatives of trade, industry and tourism it
means that they can more readily capitalise on the embassies’
networks, and it will probably increase their geographical reach.
And for the Foreign Service it will mean greater insight into how
to advance Norwegian commercial interests abroad.
This has always been one of the
main tasks of diplomats. The new thing is that we will now have
experts on these issues integrated into the day-to-day work of the
missions. At the same time, we will also give higher priority to
developing expertise in export promotion in the Foreign Ministry in
Oslo.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Another important task of our
Foreign Service is disseminating information about Norway. One of
my general policy aims is that the Norwegian Foreign Service should
be as efficient and up to date as possible, particularly in this
field.
If a small country like Norway is
to hold its own in competition with larger and better-known
countries, we must be at the forefront of developments in expertise
and technology. Recent advances in information technology have
given us a number of new ways of achieving this. The enormous
increase in the number of people using the Internet in particular
has led to a new approach to information activities.
In response to this, my ministry
has digitalised almost all of its strategies for promoting Norway
abroad. We are reducing the use of printed publications and are
using the Internet more and more as an information channel. One of
the results is a portal which is called Norway – the official site,
the US version of which I am launching here today.
It is a particular pleasure for me
to be launching the Norwegian-American Foundation’s new website at
the same time. Norway.com is the joint website of the
Norwegian-American Foundation and the Norse Federation.
I now have the honour to declare
Norway – the official site in the USA, and the new version of
Norway.com to be open.
As you can see, both portals have
clean and simple lines, in keeping with the best of Scandinavian
design. And when you start using them you will see that they are
useful information tools as well.
Norway.org is the official
Norwegian website in the United States. It is also the website for
the Norwegian embassy and the consulates general. On this site you
will find an enormous variety of information about Norway in the
fields of politics, the economy, tourism, education and research
and, last but not least, culture.
To give you an idea of what the
website has to offer, I would like to show you two examples in the
field of culture. Here you will find both background material and
information about major projects and recent events.
Let’s click on "music" and the
article about jazz. This text gives the reader a general
introduction to Norwegian jazz music and artists, such as Jan
Garbarek.
The website also offers articles on
recent events and news stories. This article is about Andreas
Viestad, who introduces American viewers to Norwegian cuisine on
his television show "New Scandinavian Cooking".
This was a little taste of the
official Norwegian website. As you can see it has a lot more to
offer, including a general introduction to various aspects of
Norwegian society.
Americans with a special interest
in Norway will find another very interesting website when they
search for information on the Internet. As you see, Norway.com
presents a number of exciting themes. The Norwegian centennial
celebration has a prominent place on the home page, and the website
includes many articles on the 2005 anniversary, which is in keeping
with the Norwegian-American Foundation’s active co-ordinating role
in connection with the centennial.
Norway.com is also a showcase for
Norwegian firms that hope to gain a foothold in the American
market. Here you will find more information on the producers, with
links to their websites. This includes information on where the
products can be purchased in the USA, for example here in
Seattle.
The ties between our two countries
are close, particularly the family ties. Norway.com has a separate
page on genealogy, Norway Roots, which has links to useful
resources for helping people to trace their ancestors in
Norway.
Ladies and gentlemen,
This was just a quick glance at the
two websites. Both have a great deal more to offer than I’ve had
time to show you today. Norway.org and Norway.com are both
excellent tools for promoting Norway in the USA, and I am confident
that they will further strengthen the close ties between our two
countries.
In closing I would like to wish you
every success with Norway.org and Norway.com. And to thank you for
this opportunity to practise public diplomacy.
Thank you.
