Viking Magazine - October 2011 - 38

F6
GdnVa EgZeVgVi^dch
6HDC
heir Majesties King Harald V
and Queen Sonja of Norway
will head stateside this month,
spending several days in the Midwest.
Gary Gandrud, Norwegian honorary
consul general in Minneapolis, will be
a key figure during the visit. Viking
spoke to Gandrud about this important
occasion and what it means to
Norwegian-Americans in Minnesota
and Iowa.
T
K =dl Y^Y ndj [ZZa l]Zc ndj [djcY dji
VWdji i]Z k^h^i d[ @^c\ =VgVaY K VcY FjZZc
Hdc_V id i]Z B^YlZhi4
; We found out about the visit in
September 2010. When I heard the
news, I felt that we were being honored.
It's an honor for all of us that
[Their Majesties] think that much of
us that they want to come to the Midwest
for eight days.
K L]Vi ^h i]Z ]dcdgVgn XdchjaViZ \ZcZgVa
^c B^ccZVeda^h Yd^c\ id egZeVgZ [dg i]Z
jeXdb^c\ k^h^i4
; A lot. This is an official visit, so it's
fully covered by the secret service and
the palace security, and it's supported
by the foreign ministry. There's a committee
from the embassy, the consulate
general in New York and the honorary
consulate general in Minneapolis
that have been working on a proposed
program, budgets and details. The Minneapolis
consulate has been involved
every inch of the way. Everyone is
cooperating and working hard to make
this visit a success.
K L]Vi l^aa @^c\ =VgVaY K VcY FjZZc Hdc_V
Yd ^c B^ccZhdiV VcY >dlV4
; They will be based out of the Twin
Cities. They will fly to Decorah, Iowa,
and visit Luther College and Vesterheim
Norwegian-American Museum.
Back in Minnesota, they will visit
Augsburg College, St. Olaf College
and the Mayo Clinic. That Sunday
afternoon, Minnesota Governor Mark
Dayton will invite representatives from
the Norwegian colleges that the king
and queen couldn't visit-Augustana
College, Concordia College and the
University of Minnesota-to the
governor's residence for a reception.
At that reception, King Harald V will
meet with members of the National
Guard to recognize 39 years of troop
exchange with the Minnesota National
Guard and the Norwegian Home
Guard. In addition, Minnesotans who
have been decorated by the king will be
in attendance. The king and queen will
also participate in the official opening
of the Cold Recall exhibit at the Minneapolis-St.
Paul International Airport.
The exhibition is co-sponsored by Sons
of Norway and the Honorary Royal
Norwegian Consulate General here in
Minneapolis, among others.
K IZaa jh VWdji i]Z k^h^i id 9jaji]! B^cc#
; Their Majesties will travel to Duluth
for a very special ceremony at Enger
Park. A Norwegian immigrant gave
Enger Park and Enger Tower to the
City of Duluth. When Crown Prince
Olav V toured the United States in
38 K>@>C< D8ID7:G '%&&
1939, he stopped in Duluth and
dedicated the tower. Duluth has used
the occasion of this visit to upgrade
the park and [restore] the tower. His
Majesty will rededicate the new tower,
then attend a private reception for Sons
of Norway Nortun lodge members at
Norway Hall.
K =dl YdZh i]^h gdnVa k^h^i Y^[[Zg [gdb
egZk^djh k^h^ih4
; It's an official visit, and it's supported
by the foreign ministry. It's a lengthy
visit, and it demonstrates Their Majesties'
affection toward the Midwest and
the large number of Norwegian-Americans
who reside here. The last visit
was in 1995, and we're very happy the
king can come back. We are delighted
that he can see the Lake Superior part
of Minnesota, which I don't think he's
seen before.
K L]n ^h i]^h gdnVa k^h^i ^bedgiVci id i]Z
B^YlZhi CdglZ\^Vc " 6bZg^XVc Xdbbjc^in4
; It demonstrates the special ongoing
relationship we have with our heritage
that is as strong as ever. We still
celebrate both our heritage and today's
modern Norway. This visit connects us
with the past and the present.
hdchd[cdglVn#Xdb
Viking Magazine - October 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - October 2011
