September 2010 From the Secretary-General Of Special Interest: Hello again! From the Secretary-General 1 Welcome to the 2010 RCAR Annual Conference in The RCAR Network -- Oslo! Dates for your Diary -- I am pleased to report that twenty-two of our twenty- four member organizations are attending this year, Inside this issue: with 47 confirmed delegates, which includes 2 guests, plus 16 confirmed partners, for a total of 63 participants. These strong numbers reflect the ongoing strength of RCAR, and the value our members place in actively participating in Oslo, Capital of Norway 2 this important annual event. FNO/NARC 12 RCAR Technical Program 15 Our host for this year is FNO/NARC, whose Conference Planning and Organization Team has been working extremely hard over the past few months to successfully organize our Conference. In addition to the Technical Program, the Social and Partner Programs have been especially designed to enrich our experience in Oslo. The conference hotel has also been specifically chosen for its proximity to the business and cultural centre of the city. Whether it be historical, cultural, or shopping experiences you are interested in, you will find them within walking distance or a short taxi ride away. The Technical Program is shown on Pages 15 to 18 of the Newsletter. As in past years, the program reflects our interest in vehicle design, material damage, personal injury, and vehicle safety. In addition, our Working Groups will report on their progress over the past year. In closing, I have no doubt that we will once again have a successful annual conference, and I look forward to seeing all of you there. The Conference will not only provide us with an opportunity to see fellow delegates that we may not have seen for some time, but also to meet many new delegates joining us for the very first time. For those of you falling into that category, may I be the first to welcome you to RCAR! If you need to contact me for any reason, please be sure to use one of the following e-mail addresses: [email protected], or wilf [email protected]. Enjoy Oslo, and the Conference! Wilf Bedard f Page 2 OSLO – CAPITAL OF NORWAY Oslo is considered by many visitors to be the capital with the most fantastic location of all capital cities. Beautifully nestled among forest-clad hills with the stunning Oslo fjord at its feet, it has a scenic beauty that is hard to surpass. It is the largest city in Norway, and has been the country's capital since 1814. The Government and Parliament are both located here, and at the end of Oslo's main street, Karl Johan Gate, you will find the Royal Palace. The Green City of Oslo Oslo is beautifully situated at the head of the Oslo Fjord surrounded by forested ridges, and this very location gives the city qualities you may not expect from a capital. Do you know of any other capital city where you can go skiing and kayaking, make excursions to an island or go ice-skating – all within city limits? Oslo has just over half a million inhabitants, a very low number compared to other European capitals. But, for its relatively small population, it is one of the largest in terms of geographical size. In fact, Oslo covers an area of 450 square kilometers - most of it forest and cultivable land. In the city centre you will find plenty of green parkland and an atmosphere of small town mixed with a modern, hectic city. Whether you visit during the summer or wintertime – should you wish to partake in some of the many outdoor activities offered in the city – there is much to choose from. A ten-minute boat ride from the centre takes you to lovely beaches on the Oslo Fjord islands. In the winter, Oslo has hundreds of kilometers of cross-country ski trails within the city boundaries, in addition to eight down-hill ski centers. In 2007, Reader's Digest ranked Oslo as number two on a list of the world's greenest, most livable cities! The city offers an abundance of attractions, shopping possibilities and a flourishing cultural life, and a choice of restaurants which is almost unparalleled in Scandinavia. Page 3 HISTORY Oslo, Kristiania or Christiania? One can easily be confused by the capital's different names through the years. The town was originally called Oslo. In the Middle Ages it was located on the east side of the Bjørvika Inlet. After a dramatic fire in 1624, King Christian IV decided that the town should be rebuilt in the area below the Akershus Fortress, and he changed its name to Christiania. From 1877 the name was spelled Kristiania, and in 1925 it was changed back to its original name of Oslo. Medieval Oslo Oslo's history begins in the Middle Ages; the first town- like settlement probably appeared around the year 1000 AD. The medieval town was located below the Ekeberg hills, on the east side of the Bjørvika inlet. Around the year 1300 AD, Oslo had about 3000 inhabitants. The town was the residence of King Haakon V (1299-1319), who commenced the building of what is today known as the Akershus Fortress. In the part of town called Gamlebyen (the Old Town) you will find remains of medieval Oslo in the form of ruins, building parts, and cultural layers. Here, you will also find Oslo Ladegård's Medieval Office, a Middle Ages information office which also conducts guided tours of the medieval town. Close by lies the memorial park, with ruins of the St. Hallvard Cathedral (from the 12th century) and the St. Olav Convent. The Renaissance Town From 1536 on, Norway was in a union with Denmark. After a dramatic fire in 1624, the Danish King Christian IV decided that the town should be rebuilt below Akersus, so the fortress could function as a defence for the town. The town was named Christiania, after the King himself. This part of Oslo's centre between the Akershus Fortress and Oslo Cathedral, Øvre Vollgate and Skippergata is today known as Kvadraturen ("the quadrature") because of the rectangular street pattern of Christian IV‟s renaissance town. Several well-preserved buildings from the 17th century can be seen here. In Kvadraturen, you can see the building that housed Oslo's first town hall, and the city's oldest restaurant, Café Engebret. Page 4 A Capital is Built As a consequence of the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark in 1814 had to cede the territory of Norway to the Swedish king, Karl Johan. That year, Norway got its own constitution, on 17 May, and Christiania got its official status as the capital of Norway. King Karl Johan initiated the building of the Royal Palace in 1825. The palace was completed in 1848 under King Oscar I. In 1866 the Parliament building in Karl Johans gate was finished. The industrial era started along the river Akerselva around 1850. In the years between 1850 and 1900, the population of Kristiania increased from about 30,000 to 230,000, mainly due to an influx of workers from rural areas. Historical Oslo Like most older cities, Oslo has gone through big character changes as a result of fires and redevelopment. Most of the original town has been lost, but in some neighborhoods you can still get a feel for the past. The more than 700-year-old Akershus Fortress is an important cultural monument. Here, the memories of World War II also come out strongly. Many Norwegian patriots were executed here, with Akershus being surrendered to the Norwegian resistance movement in the last hours of the war. After the war, Vidkun Quisling was held in prison here. It is only natural that Norway's Resistance Museum is located at Akershus. In Frogner Park, you find the Oslo City Museum. If you want to increase your knowledge about the history of Norway's capital, this is the place to go. The museum presents models, objects and photos that together paint a comprehensive image of city development, commercial and cultural activities, street life etc. through Oslo's long history. The river Akerselva was the cradle of industrialism in Norway. A walk along the river is a pleasant experience, and offers interesting meetings with living cultural memories. Cascades and old wooden houses provide a contrast to enormous industrial buildings. Page 5 Art Oslo's great artist is Edvard Munch. His paintings can be seen at the Munch Museum and the National Gallery. In the city centre, you find quality museums with both classic and contemporary art, many of them with free entrance. Oslo also offers a number of small galleries both in and outside the city centre. But you don't need to go to a museum to see art in Oslo. Vigeland Park presents an amazing 212 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. This public park is also one of Oslo's most visited attractions. A less-known gem is the large wall decoration on the government building, executed by the Norwegian artist Carl Nesjar from drawings by Pablo Picasso. Architecture The capital, though small, has its share of grand monumental buildings. The medieval fortress of Akershus has a spectacular location with views of the Oslo Fjord, and the main street, Karl Johans Gate, is lined with historically important buildings like the University, the National Theatre, the Parliament and the Royal Palace. The buildings around Birkelunden park in Grünerløkka, dating from the 1870s and 1880s, is the first complete city block to be protected in Norway. Oslo can also give you a real small-town feeling, only a few minutes from the city centre.