Consumers in the major European countries and the United States can expect to have less money to spend this year. Norway bucks the trend; the average Norwegian's wallet will grow.

Norwegian Company Could Have First Product Available to Affect Global Warming; According to America's Leading Agricultural Publication

Sales of environmentally friendly cars are increasing rapidly in Oslo . The producers of the Think electric car have 700 buyers on their waiting list.

Jonas Gahr Støre, Norway's high-energy foreign minister, somehow has found time to help produce books that he hopes will spark more public debate over the country's foreign policy.

Four years ago Hilary Clinton and John McCain went to the Svalbard, halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, to discuss climate change and global warming. Now a delegation of leading Americans, are making the same journey.

New positions as full-time Innovation and Business Development Officer and as Higher Education and Research Officer will be created at the Honorary Norwegian Consulate General in Minneapolis as from August this year, when the career Consulate General is converted into an Honorary Consulate General.

As North Dakotans are winding down their Independence Day celebrations this year, efforts are underway to bring a group of people with ties to the state to Norway for next year's Fourth of July observances.

The Riddu Riddu Festival taking place in Manndalen in Troms County this week, is one of the world's few meeting places for aboriginal culture.

Patrick Thoresen, one of the best-known Norwegian ice hockey players, hopes to play in Europe after leaving the NHL. He was unable to agree on a new contract with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Hotels in many Norwegian cities are running full, and some business travelers have had to resort to unusual alternatives to ensure a roof over their heads.

NAW Editor-In-Chief, Jake Moe got the chance to chat with Gary Gandrud, Minnesota's new Honorary Consul. Gandrud was gracious and optimistic about his new position.

On April 14, Norwegian Ambassador to the United States, Wegger Chr. Strømmen, embarks on a five-day tour of Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota - to deepen relations with the Norwegian-American heartland.

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs addresses an important international issue

Sigrid Ekran of Norway is one of only a few women who have embarked on the world's longest and most difficult sled dog race, Alaska's Iditarod. She finished 24th in this year's race.

The United Nations Security Council Wholeheartedly Welcomes Norwegian Kai Eide as the New Representative of the Secretary General to Afghanistan

Norway's foreign minister, Jonas Gahr Støre will be in Minneapolis March 26 to explain the consulate changes that will be taking place this summer

Unique explorer team, Norwegian Liv Arnesen and American Ann Bancroft, receive the Courage Award from Wings WorldQuest in New York

Welcome to the second issue of Norway.com Magazine - The Gateway to Modern Norway!

Former US Vice President Walter F. Mondale has, at the request of Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, agreed to be Norway's Honorary Consul General in Minneapolis.

Transparency and trust are driving forces behind the management of Norway's revenues from the energy sector. The Government Pension Fund has been a forerunner for other Sovereign wealth fund (SWF).

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre made the following statement at the Annapolis Conference on November 27, 2007.

The Nobel Peace Prize 2007 is shared between Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.

On October 24, 2007 there will be three panels with international participants at Science Week 2007 - Climate Action. The panels are open to the public.

Literature and the people who love is have been granted a brand new meeting place. In late September Norway's first and Europe's largest House of Literature was launched in Oslo.

Torskeklubben (The Cod-Club) is a Norwegian American organization in Minnesota that provides scholarships with a value of $30,000 to Norwegian students pursuing graduate studies in the U.S.

Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, a Norwegian orchestra with an American conductor, goes on its first ever tour of the U.S. in November 2007. The tour celebrates composer Edvard Grieg.

Ronald Dworkin, a New York University professor, is awarded the Holberg International Memorial Prize for 2007. The legal philosopher will receive the prize for his influential legal theory built on moral principles.

Former Norwegian Ambassador to the U.S., Knut Vollebaek, will receive a 2007 Wittenberg Awards at a ceremony to be held at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington D.C., August 29th, 2007, at 7 p.m.

Norway's leading international soccer player of all time, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, steps down from the sport after 11 years in England's Premier League.

The Norwegian economy has never been in better shape and, still, Norwegian companies lack 88,000 workers to take full advantage of all the possibilities that exist in their markets in Norway and abroad.

Norway and Sweden will contribute a joint engineer force to the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in Sudan. The joint Norwegian-Swedish effort is being planned for a period of up to 12 months, and the aim is that the force should be in place by the end of 2007.

The former Norwegian Minister of Development, Hilde Frafjord Johnson, is appointed Deputy Director of UNICEF's Head Quarter in New York.

Gro Amdam, an assistant professor in Arizona State University's School of Life Sciences who heads social insect studies in laboratories at both ASU and the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, is one of 20 researchers now bearing the distinction “Outstanding Young Investigator” from the Research Council of Norway.

Norway's glacier museum launched its new climate change center by putting former Vice President Walter M. Mondale in a water pool and unplugging it.

Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II of Denmark has conferred the Royal Order of Knight of the Dannebrog upon Marianne Forssblad, former Executive Director of the Nordic Heritage Museum, Seattle, WA in recognition of her most valuable services to Denmark.

Negative thinking is usually not the way to success. The Norwegian film maker Bård Breien proved otherwise when he won the Crystal Globe for Best Director for his debut film at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

The High Commissioner is responsible for investigating the problems of national minorities in OSCE participating states, and assists in conflict prevention through project work and quiet diplomacy.

What on earth is the world famous Norwegian pianist, Leif Ove Andsnes, doing with a heavy duty grand piano with a weight of 1,000 lbs - at the edge of a cliff?

An international experimental archaeology team will sail with a prehistoric 45ft long Reed Boat across the North-Atlantic in July 2007. Norwegian extreme skier, and explorer, Tormod Granheim has signed on as an expedition member.

The Norwegian Embassy will on June 5 and 6 host events to celebrate World Environment Day 2007.

The premier issue of the Norway.com Magazine was presented to Knut Vollebæk, the Ambassador of Norway to the United States, at a Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Seattle on May 25, 2007.  The luncheon crowd gave the Norway.com magazine high marks for its stunning beauty, graphical design and in-depth content.

On June 5, 2007 Norway, the United States and the world alike will join in celebrating the 14th annual World Environment Day.  Tromsø is the sponsored city for this year's activities which will focus mainly on global warming.

Eirik Stubø, artistic director of the Norwegian National Theatre in Oslo, has won a prestigious OBIE award in New York City, for directing Ibsen's "A Wild Duck" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music last fall.

The Norwegian climbing team Unarmed turned back from his climb to the summit of Mt. Everest due to traffic jams at the Second Step, but plan to try again as soon as they recover from the cold and recent struggle.

Thomas Stang served as Norwegian honorary consul in Seattle for 40 years, continuing a family tradition going back more than a century.

Polar explorers Børge Ousland and Mike Horn defied all odds on their unsupported trek to the North Pole in the darkness of Arctic winter.

Inger Thune, a Norwegian authority on cancer research, will connect Norwegian and North American scientists at a cancer symposium in North Carolina in May. The 60 participants represent laboratory, clinical, and biotech innovators, and aim to facilitate practical applications of research, taking it “from bench to bed”.

The 19th annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair May 19-22, 2007 will transform New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center into the global haven for design devotees. Designers Sari Syväluoma and Johan Ørbeck Aase from Finland / Norway are first time exhibitors at ICFF-2007 in New York.

As people are starting to plan their summer vacations and buy their festival passes the big Norwegian summer festivals have found it prudent to unveil their rosters.

Norway is hosting an informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers April 26-27, 2007.

The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters has awarded the Abel Prize for 2007 to the Indian American mathematician Srinivasa S.R. Varadhan. The prize will be presented to Mr Varadhan by HM King Harald in Oslo on May 22nd.

Ambassadors Vollebæk and Whitney have wrapped up a four-day tour of colleges and universities throughout the mid-west.  Traveling with the ambassadors were Grethe Sofie Bratlie, Deputy Director General for the Norwegian Ministry of Education; Bill Frame, Norwegian American Foundation; Rolf Willy Hansen and Geir Tønnessen, Royal Norwegian Consulate General, Minneapolis;  and Christian Hansson, Public Affairs Officer at the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Damaged gear, frostbite, extreme cold combine to compromise explorers' safety.

Landmarks Illinois, a statewide historic preservation advocacy group, has announced that the Viking Ship Replica in Good Templar Park is one of the state's most endangered historic places.

Fifty thousand researchers from over 60 countries were ready for action when the International Polar Year (IPY) opened on March 1, 2007. Norwegians are represented in half the IPY projects, making Norway one of the largest contributors to this global research initiative.

Two-time Iditarod winner Robert Sørlie reached Nome as number 12 in the 2007 Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska. Norwegian rookie Sigrid Ekran placed 21, the highest placement of any rookie and any woman.

A copy of the Crown Princess Märtha statue, given as a Centennial gift in 2005 by the Norwegian American Foundation, was presented to King Harald V on his 70th birthday.  It is a gift to the monarch from the Norwegian Parliament.

An international conference on good governance and social and environmental responsibility will be held in Oslo on March 28-30. Invited speakers include Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus and Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP. The Oslo conference aims to take the ongoing debate on business and sustainability even further.

When it comes to flood walls, perhaps it's best to leave it to the Norwegians.

The summer programs at four Norwegian universities and colleges all have a vision of creating a memorable experience by introducing you to Norwegian culture and society while stimulating you academically.

Every year thousands of children, women and men are victims of human trafficking. The Norwegian Government has launched an action plan that includes a number of new measures to combat human trafficking.

Trumpeter Mathias Eick won the International Jazz Award for New Talent at the annual conference of the International Association of Jazz Educators in New York in mid-January. It is the second time a Norwegian jazz musician strikes gold at the conference - last year, the same award went to Norwegian saxophonist Kjetil Møster.

The world's most successful alpine skier ever has announced that he is retiring.

The Norwegian Government will purchase CO2 emission quotas to offset the pollution caused by international air travel by government employees. The hope is that others will follow Norway's example and that this will reduce total greenhouse gas emissions.

Young Anders Jacobsen landed back in Oslo on Monday, after landing some spectacular ski jumps that won him the world's most prestigious title in his sport over the weekend.

An increasing number of Norwegian fathers choose to take paternity leave to be with their children during their first year. Parents now have the right to choose how the parental leave period is divided between them.

Six contemporary Norwegian artists exhibit their paintings and prints inspired by Henrik Ibsen's plays at the Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Silver Spring, MD. Opening reception January 17. Exhibit runs through February 23.

2007 is the 100th year commemoration of Edvard Grieg's death.  Join www.norway.com as well as many other organizations worldwide in revitalizing the Grieg heritage.  

Norwegians are the most enthusiastic users of mobile phone short text messages (SMS) in the world, and their passion keeps increasing.

The new book from the Norwegian Footprints Project, made possible in part by www.norway.com, further depicts people of Norwegian background in North Dakota.

The Board of Directors of Hydro and Statoil have agreed to recommend to their shareholders a merger of Hydro's oil and gas activities with Statoil, creating the worlds largest offshore operator with a strengthened platform for future growth.

Congressman Martin Olav Sabo was appointed Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit on December 5, 2006, for his outstanding work for Norwegian-American relations over many years.

High tuition costs are being blamed for a sharp drop in the number of Norwegian students who opt to study abroad. It's especially expensive to attend university in the US.

A Norwegian/Danish music seminar - featuring such industry heavyweights as record executive Seymour Stein and Rolling Stone editor David Fricke - offered learning and networking opportunities both for Nordic music professionals and their American counterparts.

Norway's national culinary team has taken gold in the prestigious Culinary World Cup for the first time. The team of eleven chefs won both the warm and cold food disciplines at the event held in Luxembourg on 22 and 23 November.

The Nobel days, held to honour the winners of this year's Nobel Peace Prize, are taking place in Oslo from 9 to 11 December. The highlights include the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, which will feature well-known artists from both Norway and abroad, an exhibition at the Nobel Peace Center, and the Peace Prize Award Ceremony.

This year's Ambassador's Award was given to Marianne Forssblad, executive director of the Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle, during the US-Norway Forum in Wisconsin on November 1-2.

Finding Thea, sponsored in part by the Norwegian American Foundation, is the story of Thea Foss, a 19th century Norwegian immigrant to the Pacific Northwest who became the inspiration for the fictional heroine Tugboat Annie and creator of the Pacific's largest tugboat empire.

Norway.com - through its Shop Norway @ Norway.com site - now offers thousands of Norwegian items to North American shoppers.

Ten years after the establishment of the Arctic Council, it is now Norway's turn to take up the baton. Climate change and sustainable use of the natural resources in the High North will be priority issues for the Norwegian chairmanship.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 to Muhammad Yunus and Grameen Bank.

The centennial for Roald Amundsen's groundbreaking transit of the Northwest Passage was celebrated in a 3-day ceremony in Nome, Teller and Brevig Mission, Alaska, on August 30 - September 1.

In a move to make the Gulf of Mexico an area of strategic importance, Norwegian state oil company Monday acquired stakes for USD 700 million in 2 deep-water wells and one exploration project.

Art exhibit to be presented in Minot ND, Houston TX, San Diego CA, Seattle WA, Washington DC, and Lanesboro MN.

Ambassador Mona Juul has been elected to chair the First Committee during this autumn's UN General Assembly session. This is the committee that deals with issues related to international security and disarmament.

Thor Hushovd claimed one of the most coveted prizes for sprinters when he crossed the line first on the Champs-Elysees in the final stage of the Tour de France on Sunday.

Peer Gynt in Central Park October 2006

The world's largest reconstruction of a Viking ship maneuvered into the Oslo Fjord over the weekend, defying expectations that it was too big.

A meteorite weighing around two kilos landed right in the yard outside Bjørn Herigstad's home in coastal Jæren, western Norway, over the weekend. It's the second meteorite-landing in Norway in a month, and experts are calling the incident sensational.

The Norwegian Tangaroa expedition, sailing in the spirit of the famed Kon-Tiki raft and with Thor Heyerdahl's grandson on board, made landfall over the weekend and won a hero's welcome in French Polynesia.

The Norwegian Footprints Project is on the road again to continue the documentation of Norwegian-Americans and their everyday life.

Norwegian cyclist Thor Hushovd made a stunning comeback after an ugly fall, winning back the coveted yellow jersey awarded to the race leader of the prestigious Tour de France. He vowed to hang on to it on Tuesday.

Their love for singing brings them together year after year and a 155-year-old Norwegian tradition is still kept alive even in the United States.

A tribute to Thor Heyerdahl and the Kon-Tiki Expedition

Thursday marks 100 years to the day since King Haakon VII was crowned as Norway's first king after the country re-established its own monarchy. Today's royals are re-enacting King Haakon's and Queen Maud's coronation tour of 1906, in a compact version.

Remarks by Ambassador Benson K. Whitney
Nobel Institute
Oslo, Norway
May 22, 2006
(as prepared f