(Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA) TIME DATED MATERIAL — DO NOT DELAY This week on Norway.com This week in the paper Promising stroke The Best of of golf star Glede drar glede med seg. Norway Suzann Pettersen -Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson 2010 Special Issue Read more at blog.norway.com Norwegian American Weekly Vol. 121, No. 25 June 25, 2010 7301 Fifth Avenue NE Suite A, Seattle, WA 98115 Tel (800) 305-0217 • www.norway.com $1.50 per copy Online News Dateline Oslo Bergen’s new light rail opens Norway provides NOK 7.6 million for emergency relief New light rail following tropical storm Agatha “Norway wants to help the vic- transportation tims of the storm in Guatemala. system features We are therefore providing a to- tal of NOK 7.6 million (USD 1.2 streamlined million) for emergency relief,” State Secretary Ingrid Fiskaa ticketing and said. The storm has brought tor- rential rains, flooding and land- modern art slides. Over 100,000 people have been driven from their homes. “This was the highest rainfall NORWEGIAN AM ERICAN WEEKLY for several decades, and it has Staff Compilation caused extensive damage. We are maintaining close contact with The Bergen Light Rail line the Guatemalan authorities with opened Tuesday, June 22 after sev- regard to the country’s needs for eral years of exhaustive work. One emergency relief and reconstruc- of the new features as part of the tion following the devastation,” system will be the automated pro- Ms. Fiskaa commented. cess of buying and selling tickets. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Information Director Ingrid Dreyer is eager to see how audiences will Photo: Paul Sigve Amundsen/Bergens Tidene High population growth The new bybanen light rail in Bergen opened June 22 after several years of planning and construction. CONTINUES PAGE 6 The population of Norway is pro- jected to rise considerably in the period 2010 to 2060, which is in- Best of Norwegian design Liv Ullmann Honorary Award dicative of continued high immi- Director and gration. However, immigration Innovative design from internationally surplus is expected to decline recognized Norwegian designers producer Margreth in the next few years. Slightly Olin recognized higher fertility and life expectan- cy is expected than in the previ- for contribution to ous projections. The projections Norwegian film show that the population size is going to increase during the next 50 years, from 4.9 million in NORWEGIAN FIL M INSTITUTE 2010 to about 7 million in 2060. The degree of uncertainty is high, The 2010 Liv Ullmann Honor- especially concerning the future ary Award has been presented to di- Photo: NFI.no immigration flows. The number rector and producer Margreth Olin. of people aged 67 and over will The 2010 Liv Ullmann Honorary Award The honorary award is a bursary of was presented to director and producer increase quickly, from 625,000 CONTINUES PAGE 19 Margreth Olin. in 2010 to around 1.5 million in 2060 —or more than twice the current level. Norwegian talent on ice (Statistics Norway) Photo: Bjørn Eirik Østbakken/Innovation Norway The Norwegian Opera and Ballet House in Oslo, which was designed by the Norway’s best ice hockey players What’s inside? renowned Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta. debut in NHL News 3-4 MELINDA BARGREEN stave churches, the colorful intri- JAKE MOE Business 5 Everett, Wash. cacies of rosemaling (Norwegian Editor-in-Chief Op-Ed 6-7 flower painting), and the familiar Norwegian design has been folkloric patterns of the Norwegian A group of hockey players Sports 8 internationally famous ever since sweater or lusekofte. from Norway are being picked up the eighth century, when the carved Best of Norway 9-17 While traditional design will by the National Hockey League in prows of the beautiful and fear- always be a large part of Norwe- the United States. These rising stars Faith & Religion 15 some Viking ships first appeared gian culture, creativity certainly have paid their dues by playing in over the horizon to inhabitants of isn’t limited to the greatness of European leagues, the WHL, and Calendar of Events 18 foreign shores at the dawn of the the past. Some of the most excit- for Norway. This year, Americans Viking Age. Today, nearly ev- ing 21st-century achievements will have the opportunity to cheer $1 = NOK 6.3799 eryone recognizes the distinctive in knitwear, for example, build on these Norwegians in the United Photo: Eishockey.info updated 6/21/10 curve of those ships— along with States. Mathis Olimb (24) signed to the Chi- the unique vertical lines of the CONTINUES PAGE 16 CONTINUES PAGE 8 cago Blackhawks. IN THE CARIBBEAN relaxation is a destination. Our great fares make this the ideal time to head to the Caribbean and leave your cares behind. 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Human Rights Council June 16, MINISTRY O F TRADE AND INDUSTRY Number of Norwegian Norway criticized the human rights situation in Iran on behalf of more than 50 countries. He Guoqiang, one of nine members of students in the U.S. The joint statement was timed to coincide the standing committee of the Chinese Com- with the one-year anniversary of the contro- munist Party’s Politburo, is visiting Norway increased during the versial presidential election in Iran. “This to discuss Norwegian-Chinese economic re- 2009-2010 school year sends a clear and unequivocal message to the lations. He Guoqiang arrived in Norway with Iranian authorities that the human rights situ- a delegation of over one hundred people, of ation in the country is unacceptable and must whom about half are from the Chinese busi- ROYAL NORWEGIAN Emb ASSY be improved. It also sends a clear and pow- ness community. erful message to the people of Iran that the In connection with the visit, the Min- international community is watching the situ- istry of Trade and Industry and Innovation ation and responding to the many abuses of The number of Norwegian students in Norway together with the Ministry of Com- human rights,” Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr the U.S. increased during the 2009-2010 merce in China arranged a business seminar Photo: Marius E. Hauge/Norway.org Støre commented. school year. In 2009-2010, 2,078 Norwegian on the Norwegian-Chinese economic rela- (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) students chose to study abroad in the United tions. students from last year. States this year, which is a large increase “Work on a trade agreement between In Canada, there were 183 Norwegian Norwegian short film nominated for from the previous year. Norway and China was high on the agenda students this year: 157 bachelor students, 19 prestigious award There are now 1,004 Norwegian degree- when I met with He Guoqiang in Oslo. We master students and seven PhD students. The The Norwegian short film “Naboen” (writ- seeking students in the United States: 718 had good conversations,” Minister of Trade total number is almost unchanged from last ten and directed by Jo Strømgren) has been bachelor students, 243 master students and and Industry Trond Giske said. year. These numbers refer to students receiv- nominated for the prestigious TV award Rose 43 PhD students. The largest increase has In connection with the seminar, there ing funding from the Norwegian State Edu- d’Or 2010. “This is a fantastic recognition for happened at the bachelor and master level. was a signing ceremony where a number of cational Loan Fund (Lånekassen) by May a short film that does not fall into mainstream There has also been growth in the num- Norwegian-Chinese agreements were signed. 2010, and thus may increase. entertainment, and especially that we are ber of Norwegian study abroad students to Norway and China signed an agreement that “This is a positive trend for the United nominated together with the application from the United States, with 1,074 students spend- the heavy cultural channels such as Arte, regulates the bilateral cooperation between States, but the numbers are still far from ing one or two semesters abroad in the Unit- BBC and Channel 4,” says producer Jeanette the two countries, the Foreign Ministry also 1999 when the total was more than 2,200 ed States this school year, an increase of 114 Sundby of Nordisk Film & TV.