Your Excellency, Ambassador Jespersen,

Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

Kjære venner!

It is a great pleasure and an honour to celebrate Denmark’s Constitution Day together with you today. Thank you to the Danish embassy for the invitation, and for hosting such a beautiful, and important event.

The 5th of June marks more than a historical milestone. It represents the enduring strength of democracy, the rule of law, and the fundamental values that bind our societies together. These are values that Denmark and Norway not only share but actively uphold—both at home and in close partnership.

In an uncertain world, having good friends is vital. And few friendships are as enduring, as natural, and as productive as the one between Norway and Denmark. The Nordic countries have a long partnership, and we are working closely together on issues that are essential to our resilience, our competitiveness, and our shared security.

Our collaboration  rests on a strong foundation of common values—trust, openness, knowledge, and a belief in the power of democratic institutions. It is  built through people-to-people connections, through research collaboration, through business partnerships—and through dedicated individuals who make cooperation come alive in practice.

Ambassador Jespersen, you are truly one of those individuals.

With your broad experience and your deep commitment to Nordic cooperation, you have made a lasting contribution to strengthening the ties between Norway and Denmark—particularly in the areas of research, innovation, and business development.

You have played an essential role in bringing our countries closer together in fields such as education, health technology, life sciences, and culture.

You were among the very first ambassadors I met when I took office. You have been present and active in so many of the meetings and initiatives that have moved our cooperation forward—both in Norway and in Denmark. Through your efforts, connections have been built, ideas have taken shape, and partnerships have been strengthened.

And while ministers and ambassadors come and go, the issues we work on—and care deeply about—continue to grow and evolve.

That is perhaps one of the most meaningful aspects of our work: that it is part of something larger than ourselves. Something that endures.

Just in the past years we have seen several concrete examples of how our collaboration continues to grow in strength and ambition. The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the University of Oslo and the Niels Bohr Institute, is a clear testament to our shared commitment to deepening cooperation in research, education, and industry.

These partnerships are not symbolic — they are practical, forward-looking, and built to deliver results. They show that while the Norwegian-Danish relationship has already served us well, the potential ahead is even greater.

Together, we are not only strengthening existing ties, but also laying the foundation for new knowledge, innovations, and  opportunities for both our countries.

Today, quantum technology is a good example of this.

We are now in the midst of a technological transformation with  extraordinary promise. Quantum technologies, along with developments in areas such as artificial intelligence and advanced computing, have the potential to reshape our societies — helping us solve complex challenges in healthcare, energy, security, and beyond.

As the world around us is growing  more uncertain  it is even more important that we invest in knowledge, in strong research environments, and in closer cooperation—between academia and industry, and between countries.

Denmark has taken important initiatives to position the Nordic region as a coordinated quantum region. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of visiting Copenhagen together with a Norwegian delegation, precisely to strengthen collaboration between our research communities and industries.

We are now seeing the emergence of a Nordic quantum ecosystem, where each country contributes with its strengths. Denmark has been a driving force in this work, and Ambassador Jespersen has been a strong advocate for deepening this cooperation.

Together, we have taken concrete steps to follow up on the joint declaration by our Prime Ministers. We believe firmly that by working together, we can build something far stronger than we could alone.

Our ambition is clear: to make the Nordic region a globally significant hub for quantum innovation. And this ambition extends beyond technology.

We see Denmark as a close and important partner not only in research and innovation, but also in strengthening our shared security and technological sovereignty.

Because strong democracies depend on knowledge, on open debate, and on institutions that are both trusted and resilient.

In a time when we see increasing geopolitical tension, technological disruption, and attempts to undermine democratic systems, the role of education and research becomes even more important.

Together, we can ensure that new technologies are developed and used in ways that strengthen—not weaken—our security and our democratic values.

In this sense, our collaboration in research and education is also an investment in our shared future security.

It helps us build the competence we need, the alliances we depend on, and the trust that underpins both our democracies and our partnership.

Looking ahead, our cooperation will continue to deepen. Denmark holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2026, and we greatly appreciate the priorities that have been set — especially the focus on strengthening the Nordic region as a leading research and innovation area.

We are, for example, very much looking forward to the upcoming analysis and conference in November on the Nordic region as a research and innovation hub. This will help raise the level of ambition even further.

And next year, when Norway takes over the Presidency, these themes will remain high on the agenda.

Ladies and gentlemen,

At a time when democratic values are being challenged in many parts of the world, gatherings like this serve as an important reminder. They remind us of the strength of our shared values. Of our ability to cooperate. And of the importance of standing together.

So today, as we celebrate Denmark’s Constitution Day, we also celebrate a partnership—one that is rooted in history, strengthened through cooperation, and full of possibilities for the future.

Ambassador Jespersen — thank you for your outstanding service, your dedication, and your friendship. You leave behind strong ties between our countries, and a cooperation that is richer because of your efforts.

And to all our Danish friends:

Til lykke med Grundlovsdag!

Thank you.