His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon
Speech in Boe Memorial Chapel
Oct. 20, 2005

President, dear friends, thank you for those kind words.

It is great to finally be here at St. Olaf. The reputation the school has for its music and choirs precedes you, and already I've heard great examples of that representation. So thank you for the cultural additions.

It is indeed a great pleasure to be here at the beautiful campus of St. Olaf College. I can easily understand that you enjoy your time here and that you are proud to be an "ole". Having studied in this country myself I know how much hard work it is, and at the same time what a great time it can be.

The Norwegian Royal Family has a close relationship with St. Olaf. I am the fourth member of my family to visit the college, since both my parents and my grandfather have been here. It is indeed a pleasure for me to follow in their footsteps to this prestigious institution of higher learning.

Ever since St. Olaf was founded by Norwegian immigrants, it has played a vital role in keeping the ties with Norway alive and vibrant. Your extensive cooperation with Norwegian higher education institutions has benefited both sides. The college is also a home to several important Norwegian-American institutions. In this way you continue to play an important role in preserving knowledge of Norwegian-American heritage as well as promoting awareness of its influence in today's American society.

Now, I was talking to some of the Norwegian students here before I came here to the chapel, and in many ways I think coming to Minnesota is like coming home for Norwegians and especially here to St. Olaf.

Now let me just dwell for a few moments on two issues that I am concerned with, namely peace and development.

I am glad to learn that the annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum, which you organize together with the other four "Norwegian" colleges in the Midwest, has become such a success. This Forum has an important and continuous message to young people: that peace and development go hand in hand. This tenet is rooted in the values shared by the United States and Norway.

Peace concerns us all, and it must be made real in the daily existence of every individual. Peace must be sought, because every member of the human family deserves to live a life of dignity and security. We all have a responsibility to bring about these ideas. As John F. Kennedy said, "There is no single, simple key to peace. It must be dynamic, not static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation".

Fighting poverty is undoubtedly one of the greatest global challenges today, if not the greatest. The profound gap between the rich and the poor is making the world insecure. In addition to that, of course it is an ethical question. We cannot sit patiently while we see people living in despair and poverty. President Lula da Silva of Brazil says: "The path to lasting peace must encompass a new political and economic international order, one that extends to all countries real opportunities for economic and social development".

Investments in human resources are crucial to poverty reduction and social development. It is my sincere conviction that the power of knowledge moves the world forward. Being students here at St. Olaf College you have the privilege to obtain knowledge, a knowledge that you can use to change the world for the better.

I wish you all the best in your studies and all the best for your future. Thank you.