Toespraak van Zijne Majesteit de Koning ter gelegenheid van het Staatsbanket aangeboden door Zijne Majesteit Koning Harald V van Noorwegen

Your Majesties,

Your Royal Highnesses,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are indeed most grateful for your kind invitation and happy to be with you, here in this magnificent great hall.

Queen Mathilde and I are delighted to make this State Visit to strengthen the bonds of friendship with a country that we consider very close.

In different ways, this is truly a family visit.

From the outset, I like to express my immense admiration, Your Majesty, for you as a person and as a monarch. You are a true father for your people. Through your example, Norway radiates across the world.

Even living far away, I feel closely attached to your family and wish you to know that we are with you in good, and in challenging times.

Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen,

Today, at the start of my Visit, I was reminded of a darker past our countries share, when I laid a wreath at the National Monument for Victims of War.

Both Belgium and Norway suffered terribly during the Second World War.

It has strengthened our common resolve that only a solid defensive partnership can ensure our security. We have both been instrumental in the success of NATO. Our military cooperation is strong and will further intensify.

As the war in the south-east of our continent has been raging for over 4 years, our solidarity with Ukraine and its brave people must remain steadfast in words and in deeds. The European civilization model we both believe in is at stake.

In the Middle-East as in other parts of the world, violence is raging, with direct impact on our countries and on world stability. Navigating in this world is a challenge for countries like Belgium and Norway, along with our close partners.

In such a world, I firmly believe that, foremost, Europe must remain in control of its own destiny. Over the course of our history, we have fought for our ideals and are proud of our achievements. Today we are responsible to cherish and protect them as our most valuable common good.

Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen,

As sovereign and independent Nations, we are bound by a deep sense of belonging to the international community.

We admire your country, Your Majesties, for the excellence of your peace diplomacy across the world, with many leading figures who remain shining examples of humanity, in the past and today. I personally consider Fridtjof Nansen as one of the greatest figures in world history.

Building bridges is your vocation in the world. These bridges offer the only alternative to selfish national interests and destructive competition.

Norway symbolizes this through the work of the Nobel Peace Committee, honoring brave women and men in the world. But you also show it through substantial material solidarity. Norwegian commitment, for instance to use its resources to save the Amazon Forest or the world’s oceans, stands as an example for all countries.

Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen,

When we think of Norway, courage and robustness come to mind. As do the explorations that discovered the ends of the world. That urge, as Ibsen wrote in Peer Gynt, to travel, but also to come back to a beloved home.

Roald Amundsen still inspires our young generations. The Antarctic expedition of Adrien de Gerlache at the end of the 19th century, has become legendary in Belgian history. Amundsen played an essential role in the success of the Belgica. This is a real example of partnership between Norwegians and Belgians.

This is the place to mention more recent heroes who fill the world with awe. A few weeks ago, Norway found itself at the center of world attention. Forty-one Olympic medals speak for themselves. Johannes Klaebo (johannes klaaboo) has become a household name in Belgium and a true inspiration for all sportsmen and women.

In recent times, Norway has developed its natural riches into economic power. From fish and trade, Norway has become a super power in energy and connectivity. Optimizing exploration of oil and gas, Norway has equally embraced sustainable energy generation. It is in the forefront of off-shore wind energy. It invests in carbon capture and storage. These are the areas where economic cooperation between Norway and Belgium becomes tangible. We have much to offer each other. We can use our complementarity in so many ways to strengthen our common goals.

Your Majesties, ladies and gentlemen,

This Visit therefore has a telling theme: the closeness of our relations and the friendship based on a constructive vision of the future and the part we play in it.

It is in this spirit that I invite you to raise your glasses to the health of Their Majesties the King and the Queen of Norway.