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Norwegian conference celebrates ties between Norway, St. Olaf and the U.S.

By Clare Kennedy '07
September 24, 2005

As part of Norway's yearlong centennial celebration, St. Olaf College and the Norwegian American Historical Association (NAHA) will offer a one-day conference, "Norway and the United States, 1905-2005: A Friendship and Its Future." The symposium examines the evolving relationship between Norway and the United States. Renowned Norwegian and American speakers will discuss developments in contemporary society and community, business and industry, and science and technology.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the symposium will begin in earnest following a 9 a.m. welcome in Buntrock Commons Viking Theater from St. Olaf President Christopher Thomforde, Vice President of College Relations Jan McDaniel and John R. Tunheim with the Norwegian-American Historical Association. Keynote speaker and Director of the Nobel Institute in Norway, Geir Lundestad, will open the conference with his speech, "Allies of a kind: So Similar, So Different" at 9:30 a.m.

Seminars are offered throughout the day. Session I, moderated by Howard Thorsheim, St. Olaf professor of psychology, focuses on the themes of society and community and begins at 10:45 a.m. with two lectures: "100 Years Later: Are the Swedes and the Norwegians Really Different?" by Per Egil Hegge, the official biographer of His Majesty King Harald and journalist at the leading Norwegian daily paper, Aftenposten; and "Norwegians as Norm Entrepreneurs in World Politics," by Christine Ingebritsen, a professor of Scandinavian Studies and associate dean of undergraduate education at the University of Washington-Seattle. Session I concludes with a noon lunch and recital in the Valhalla Room.

Beginning at 1:30 p.m., Session II explores themes of business and industry from two respected authorities: Terje Osmundsen, the founder and chief editor of Mandag Morgen, a weekly business analysis magazine and James L. Johnston, a policy advisor and director at the Heartland Institute who recently retired as senior economist at Amoco Corp. The session moderator is Bruce Dalgaard, executive director of the St. Olaf Center for Experiential Learning.

Session III begins at 3:30 p.m. with themes of science and technology. Moderated by St. Olaf Professor of Biology David Van Wylen, this session will include "Science and Engineering in the 21st Century," presented by Dr. Rita Colwell, a prolific author of books and scientific papers and producer of an award-winning film, Invisible Seas. Ragnhild Sohlberg, a Norwegian professor, researcher and former vice president of Norsk Hydro, an offshore producer of oil and gas will close the second half of the session with his lecture, "Science, Technology and Society: A Norwegian Perspective."

Conference participants are invited to a gallery exhibit and reception at 5 p.m. in the Dittmann Center, Flaten Art Gallery. The exhibit, Fjord Born: Cross-Cultural Trends Around Hardangerfjord, displays the work of 19 artists, all born along fjords in Norway, most notably, Hardangerfjord. The artists have worked in a variety of media, including ceramics, painting, textiles, sculpture, photography and sculpture, all of which are on exhibit.

Following dinner, at 7:45 p.m., Per Egil Hegge will speak on "A Friendship and Its Future," followed by Norway's Ambassador to the United States Knut Vollebaek.

The public is welcome to register by calling toll free, 800-726-6523, or by visiting Norway 2005. Registrees will pay $50 for the gala event at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and $100 for the conference itself.

Contact Carole Engblom at 507-646-3271 or leigh@stolaf.edu.