Keith Ellison, a Minnesota representative (D) in the House, visited Norway in early January. Ellison wanted to learn from Norway’s peace efforts, as well as about the roots of his constituents.
5/6/2008 :: In an interview with the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, Ellison spoke warmly of Norway’s efforts to promote peace and reconciliation. Ellison emphasized that peace processes create hope: “When there is no process, hopelessness will surface, followed by despair and then by murderous thoughts. Processes keep the hope going.” Ellison is supporting legislation seeking to establish a cabinet-level Peace Department in the U.S. In another interview with Star Tribune, Ellison stated, ”This trip … helps me to see that it is an important part of legislation that I’ll push with renewed energy and vigor … I intend to continue to organize community around peaceful resolutions of conflict.” He also pointed out that Norway has established what he called a “culture of peace.” If the U.S. would acquire the same kind of peace-making skills Norway has, Ellison continued, conflicts such as the war in Iraq could be avoided.
In Norway Keith Ellison (right), a Minnesota representative (D) in the House, meets with former Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik (left) who is now President of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights. Photo by Erling Rimestad
Ellison said he is very much aware of the Norwegian-American heritage in Minnesota, and how much it means to his constituents. According to Ellison, this heritage puts emphasis on social responsibility and on “the public interest.” The most important matters on Ellison’s political agenda are the promotion of peacekeeping work, improving conditions for America’s poor, extending health insurance to those who cannot afford it, maintaining equality of law and the prevention of human rights violations. The trip to Norway thus seemed fitting.
In Norway, Ellison met former Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, who is now president of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights. The congressman also met with representatives from the International Peace Research Institute and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), headed up by Jan Egeland, a former undersecreatary-general for Humanitarian Affairs at the United Nations. Egeland has been described by Time Magazine as one of the individuals who shape our world. Ellison was impressed by Norway’s peace efforts, and by its willingness to communicate with parties with which it disagrees. In that respect, he was also impressed by the open dialogue between the Norwegian government and Norwegian Muslim communities.
Norway is strongly committed to environmental protection and fighting climate change, something that did not escape Ellison on his trip. He met with the Dean of the Norwegian University of Life and Sciences, which works with the University of Minnesota on climate change issues. “This oil-rich nation has not sacrificed its commitment to renewable energy,” Ellison told Star Tribune.
Ellison is not the first U.S. government official to visit Norway. Each year, the Norwegian government hosts a group of representatives from the U.S. Congress and their staffers, through the Norwegian-American Parliamentary Exchange Program (NAPEP). On the American side, these programs cater in the most part to members of the Norway Caucus, of which Ellison is a member.
Ellison is the first member of Congress to declare himself a Muslim, and he created quite a bit of commotion when he insisted on being sworn into office with his hand on his Quran. Ellison represents the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), and calls himself a true Democrat. “Its your values and your political platform that decides whether you get people’s support,” Ellison told Aftenposten, explaining why his constituency of Norwegian, Swedish and German ancestry had chosen him to represent them in Congress.
Caroline Schonheyder