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LOOK TO NORWAY
When I came to Lithuania for the first time, almost 20 years ago, the country's political leadership was in the process of drafting the new law book that would be the legal framework for the modern democracy this country was supposed to become after all the years of Soviet occupation. Our small delegation from Norway suggested that one simply could translate our Norwegian legislation, of a free and functioning democracy, but Lithuania's politicians chose not to follow our advice, and used instead many years to develop their own laws. This country's leaders have, for better or worse, an extensive belief in their excellence and ability to reinvent the wheel even when it would have been so much easier to seek advice and help from good neighbours.
Many Norwegian delegations have appeared over the 20 years that have elapsed since that time. They have come and gone without seeing the relationship between Norway and Lithuania thus has become particularly warm or close. In several instances, I know that the Norwegians have travelled back home, headshaking. One example is the delegation that three years ago came here to give advice on how Lithuania could solve its energy situation after the closure of the Ignalina nuclear power plant. The energy nation Norway was not listened to, and we all know what is now the situation in this country.
But it's not too late to seek cooperation with Norway, in many areas, and I encourage Prime Minister Kubilius and his government to take such a chance seriously this time. Norway is one of the world's richest countries, and also a neighbouring country that in many fields can both understand and help to find solutions to the many challenges still facing Lithuania. The telephone conference between our two foreign ministers (see below) might serve as a new beginning of an improved climate of cooperation, and I sincerely hope that Lithuania now seizes the opportunity to develop a systematic structure for a very close cooperation with Norway.
The time of emergency and aid is over. Now we need pragmatic, bilateral action.
A good and close cooperation must naturally involve benefits to both parties, and I can imagine many areas where that may be possible. Let me mention a few:
ENERGY
Norway is an energy nation of world format; in oil, hydropower, wind power, solar energy and energy efficiency. Lithuania is in the process of developing their own systems, but could move infinitely faster forward by collaborating with Norwegian companies and institutions.
INDUSTRY
I see it as likely that many Norwegian companies could outsource much of their production to Lithuania. What we need is a skilled professional, who knows Lithuania’s opportunities in manufacturing, who can travel around Norway to discuss possible cooperation projects with Lithuanian companies.
SHIPPING / OFFSHORE
A Norwegian friend of mine produces fittings for ships and oil platforms here in Lithuania. His company has also teams of Lithuanian workers who travel around the world to furnish ships or platforms. An area that could have been expanded to a considerable extent and scope.
AGRICULTURE
In the interwar years Denmark and Lithuania competed to be leaders in northern European agriculture. Today, agriculture in countries like Denmark and Norway at a very high level, whereas Lithuania desperately needs new investment and new technology. A collaboration with Norwegian farmers and agricultural organizations could come to mean endlessly much in this process.
FISHERIES
A Norwegian friend of mine is the director of a fish factory in Klaipeda. The owner is the Bornholm company Espersen. The factory was built new in Klaipeda's Free Economic Zone a few years ago. Now an extension of the factory is underway. This is an excellent example of how Lithuanian labour can do a good job for a company that processes fish for European markets.
TOURISM, COURSES AND CONFERENCES
I am convinced that Lithuania would attract many more Norwegian tourists if they had a person or a group of professional sales people that toured throughout Norway with presentations of what Lithuania has to offer. Not least, this applies to the training and conference sector, which is incredibly large in Norway. Lithuania should clearly be able to come up with very attractive and competitive offers.
Another example: The Reval hotels in Lithuania are Norwegian-owned, and a close collaboration with the owner, the Linstow group, should be investigated further.
SCHOOLS
The Lithuanian school system desperately needs improvement, and collaboration, school-to-school, with Norway, would undoubtedly be useful. I got an excellent example of how useful such cooperation can be when a few years ago I visited the headmaster at the Birštonas Secondary School, Alvydas Urbanavičius. This school, having 800 students, is famous throughout Lithuania for its high level of education. When I asked the headmaster about the reason for this his reply was cards and cash, "We were very lucky to be 'adopted' by a Danish school already in the early 1990s, and the Danes taught us how to run a modern school and also gave us important funding so that we could avoid many of the problems that other Lithuanian schools and the very educational system here is still fighting with."
In terms of higher education, Norway is otherwise heavily involved in Lithuania already. The ISM Universities (University of Management and Economics) in Kaunas and Vilnius, for example, are owned by Norwegian BI (Norwegian School of Management).
But there is much that can be further developed in many levels and learning areas.
HEALTH
A very large number of Lithuanian physicians and other health professionals are today working in Norway. Maybe there could be an idea if one instead tried to find forms of cooperation between Norwegian and Lithuanian health care so that this country would not be completely drained for health professionals for the benefit of rich Norway? Norway has a very important task to fulfil in this aspect, and it should be imposed on Norwegian health policy makers to take this issue far more seriously.
CULTURE, SOCIETY
Lithuania has a wonderful culture that should be experienced by a large number of Norwegians. An extensive cooperation between the cultural sectors of our two countries would mean microns for both parties. As an architect, there is much on my heart to find help to preserve the great Lithuanian wooden houses and other old architecture, and I hope the right institutions in Norway would be ready to help…
During my visit to Lithuania in January 1991, while the Soviet troops surrounded the Parliament and the TV tower in Vilnius, our Norwegian delegation brought with us a letter from Oslo's mayor confirming that Oslo was ready to be Vilnius' first sister city in the west. Later, many Lithuanian and Norwegian cities, municipalities and counties have established friendship agreements. But in most cases only with words, little action.
Now is the time for action.
I hope PM Kubilius and his government this time will understand that Norway is a land of opportunity. Also as Lithuania's closest friend and ally. A comprehensive and professionally planned cooperation plan on many levels should now be prepared.
We have no time to lose.
Aage Myhre
Editor
Roosevelt’s ‘Look to Norway’ speech
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia
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King Haakon VII of Norway
(1872 – 1957)
Reigned from 1905 to 1957
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US President Franklin D. Roosevelt
(1882 – 1945)
In office from 1933 to 1945
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The "Look to Norway" speech by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was given during the handover ceremony of the Royal Norwegian Navy ship HNoMS King Haakon VII at the Washington Navy Yard on 16 September 1942.
In the speech the President said:
"If there is anyone who still wonders why this war is being fought, let him look to Norway. If there is anyone who has any delusions that this war could have been averted, let him look to Norway; and if there is anyone who doubts the democratic will to win, again I say, let him look to Norway."
The speech served as an important source of inspiration to Norwegians fighting the German occupation of Norway and the rest of Europe as well as for the resistance fighters of other small countries during World War II
The speech also made an impact on Norwegian-Americans and the rest of the American public's opinion on the struggle in Europe. The impression of the Norwegian's situation had been severely damaged by an article by the American reporter, Leland Stowe, who happened to be in Oslo on the day the Germans marched into the city. He witnessed shocked Norwegian civilians standing around watching the Germans march down the parade street Karl Johan’s gate. He interpreted the shock as indifference and acceptance on the part of the Norwegian population and wrote a stinging article in Time and several newspapers which severely damaged the American public's opinion of the Norwegian resistance and therefore their motivation to help Norway and Europe. The speech corrected that impression.
The speech is still referenced and quoted today.
In a speech on 13 April 1940, the President had already praised the Norwegian resistance. Roosevelt's interest in Norway was in part due to the good relations established by the Norwegian Crown Prince and his wife, Princess Martha, and the Norwegian ambassador to the U.S., Wilhelm Thorleif von Munthe af Morgenstierne.
In 2005 the ceremony, including the speech, was re-enacted to mark the centenary of diplomatic relations between Norway and the United States.
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Last week: Lithuanian and Norwegian
foreign ministers discussed cooperation
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Jonas Gahr Støre, Norway
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Audronius Ažubalis, Lithuania
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Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis and Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre, who could not come to Lithuania due to the cancelled flights in Europe, discussed issues of bilateral relations, cooperation in the Baltic Sea region, economy and international security during a teleconference that was held on 19 April.
During the conversation, Minister A.Ažubalis stressed the advantage of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norwegian Financial Mechanism that functioned successfully in Lithuania for the period 2004-2009. The Minister expressed trust that a similar agreement would be signed for the period 2009-2014.
“Norwegian Grants 2004-2009 were very popular in Lithuania. The number of applications was twice as big as the amount available for Lithuania. These projects are important to us not only economically, as they also strengthen the relations between Lithuania and Norway,” the head of Lithuania’s diplomacy said.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister thanked J.G.Støre for the support of Norway to the European Humanities University based in Vilnius, and asked for continuous Norway’s support to this University.
Ministers A.Ažubalis and J.G.Støre discussed bilateral trade and decided that the Lithuanian-Norwegian economic relations could be intensified even more in the future. The Ministers agreed that it would be efficient to organize information campaigns and to use high-level bilateral visits for holding business missions.
In 2009, the Norwegian and Lithuanian trade turnover amounted to 1.233 billion Litas. The trade balance was positive and reached 803 million Litas. Lithuanian exports to Norway in 2009 amounted to 1.018 billion Litas, and imports reached 215.69 million Litas.
The Ministers also discussed the Nordic-Baltic cooperation. Minister A.Ažubalis suggested considering to launch a group of wise men, which would be comprised of representatives from eight countries (NB8). This group would set further Nordic-Baltic cooperation guidelines on common identity, foreign policy, energy, environmentally friendly technologies, etc.
“The Nordic-Baltic cooperation needs to find fresh inspiration and ideas to become more effective,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.
The Ministers discussed Lithuania’s Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS), prospects for the organization’s activities in the future, Lithuania’s preparations to chair the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2011. The Ministers discussed ways to make the OSCE activities more effective and the OSCE-anchored dialogue on the future of European security (the Corfu Process).
Minister A.Ažubalis conveyed an invitation to the Norwegian Prime Minister to attend the Summit of the Baltic Sea States due on 1-2 June in Vilnius.
Lithuania holds the Presidency of the Council of the Baltic Sea States since July 2009. In June 2010, Norway will take over the Presidency from Lithuania.
The Ministers discussed preparations for the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on 22-23 April in Tallinn, and NATO’s new Strategic Concept. The ministers agreed that NATO had to remain an effective transatlantic defence organization.
During the conversation, the Ministers agreed to decide in the short run on the date of J.G.Støre’s visit to Lithuania.
Global financial meltdown? Not in Norway
One European nation has escaped the worldwide financial meltdown and recession. It’s Norway, which saved its money - rather than spent - through the boom years. As a result of frugal financial management, Norwegian housing prices and consumption are on the upswing and interest rates are affordable. Norway’s fiscal responsibility of its income from enormous oil and gas reserves has allowed the Scandinavian nation to build one of the globe’s largest investment funds.
After large deposits of gas and oil were discovered in the mid-1970s, Norway didn’t go on a spending spree, and channelled its revenues into a state investment fund. The government - with very few exceptions - can spend only four percent of those revenues annually. “By the end of this year, I guess we are approaching $400 billion U.S.,” according to Amund Utne, a director general of Norway’s Finance Ministry. Do the math, and that adds up to $400 billion in a nation whose population is 4.5 million.
Beyond its oil and gas revenues, strict banking regulations - tightened after a banking crisis in the early 1990s - shielded Norway from the credit crisis. Norwegian banks made loans wisely and stayed away from exotic investments and financial products over the past decade. “They (the United States) got all the bright guys to make all kinds of fantastic products. Very creative. And it turned out it was maybe not the best solution in the end,” Utne said, with typical Norwegian understatement. “I think Norwegian banks are not as creative. In this situation, it may be good to be somewhat boring.”
Norway also was immune from the housing bubble. According to Bjorn Erik Orskaug of DnB NOR, Norway’s largest bank, “Housing prices are back up. Consumption is up. Banks are lending normally to the household sector and interest rates are staying low.”
17 May is Norway’s Constitution Day
17 May celebration at Karl Johan’s street in Oslo.
The Royal Palace in the background.
The Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holiday each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to simply as syttende mai (meaning May Seventeenth), Nasjonaldagen (The National Day) or Grunnlovsdagen (The Constitution Day), although the latter is less frequent.
The Constitution of Norway was signed at Eidsvoll (a small town 60 km north of Oslo) on May 17 in the year 1814. The constitution declared Norway to be an independent nation.
The celebration of this day began spontaneously among students and others from early on. However, Norway was at that time under Swedish rule (1814 - 1905) and for some years the King of Sweden was reluctant to allow the celebrations. For a couple of years in the 1820s, king Carl Johan actually forbade it, as he thought the celebrations a kind of protest and disregard —even revolt— against Swedish sovereignty. The king's attitude changed slightly after the Battle of the Square in 1829, an incident which resulted in such a commotion that the King had to allow it. It was, however, not until 1833, that anyone ventured to hold a public address on behalf of the day.
After 1864, the day became more established, and the first children's promenade was launched in Christiania (today’s Oslo), in a parade consisting only of boys. It was only in 1899 that girls were allowed to join in the parade for the first time.
By historical coincidence, the Second World War ended in Norway just nine days before that year's Constitution Day, on May 8, 1945, when the occupying German forces surrendered. Even if The Liberation Day is an official flag day in Norway, the day is not an official holiday and is not broadly celebrated. Instead a new and broader meaning has been added to the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17.
The day focused originally on the Norwegian constitution, but after 1905, the focus has been directed also towards the royal family.
A noteworthy aspect of the Norwegian Constitution Day is its very non-military nature. All over Norway, children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. Each elementary school district arranges its own parade with marching bands between schools. The parade takes the children through the community, often making stops at homes of senior citizens, war memorials, etc. The longest parade is in Oslo, where some 100,000 people travel to the city centre to participate in the main festivities.
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