Oslo and Utøya Attacks & the Royal Family


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When reading the speech delivered by the King at the national memorial ceremony held on August 21, 2011, a little over a month after the attacks, it is plain to see why the grieving nation was so moved by his words.

Read the full speech in Norwegian here: https://www.kongehuset.no/tale.html?tid=93376&sek=26947&scope=27247
Read the official English translation here: https://www.royalcourt.no/tale.html?tid=93378&sek=28409&scope=27248



Dear all of you,

There is so little that has not already been said.

The last four weeks have been hard for us all.

But that is also why it is good to be together. My thoughts have been with those of you who were directly affected by the terrorist actions, and those who have lost someone you loved.

As a father, grandfather and husband, I have some feeling of what you are going through, but I can only imagine the depth of your pain.

As the King of this nation, I feel for each and every one of you.

It can take a long time to regain equilibrium after a traumatic experience of this magnitude. It is important to remember that grief takes many forms and there must be room for all of them. Feelings of guilt and anxiety, rage and emptiness.

We will continue to mourn together. But in the midst of our sorrow, I also have a great need to say thank you.

Thank you to all of you who were there in the government buildings and on Utøya, and who have decided that you will not allow these events to break your spirit.

Thank you to all of the helpers – from the police, fire and rescue services, health care institutions, churches and other religious communities, armed forces, civil defence, volunteer organisations – and all of you who just did whatever you could because you needed to. All of you have shown us what loving-kindness and courage mean in practice, when it really counts. Many have helped to save the lives of others – some at risk to their own. And many are still working hard to help the bereaved and offer support to those who need it.

Thank you as well to the Prime Minister, the Government and the government ministries. The Prime Minister has led us steadfastly, and with admirable fortitude, as our national anchor in a time of crisis. At the same time, he and his administration have managed to keep the wheels turning under conditions of extreme duress. Local authorities have responded with compassion and the political parties have demonstrated solidarity – with each other, with the people, and with those directly affected. It is evident to me that everyone has done absolutely everything they could to help.

These past weeks we have seen the funerals of 77 people. We have all had a chance to learn a little bit about each of those who died – through stories in the media and the eulogies given in their memory. We have lost 77 individuals who wanted to use their lives in the best way possible for the society of which they were a part. We will honour their memory by continuing to work to achieve the values that they held so dear.

I would like to repeat today what I said the day after these tragic events took place:

I firmly believe that freedom is stronger than fear.
I firmly believe in an open Norwegian democracy and society.
And I firmly believe that we will uphold our ability to live freely and securely in our own country.

This tragedy has reminded us of the fundamental ties that bind us together in our multicultural, multi-faceted society. Let us keep this understanding foremost in our thoughts – and let us take care of each other. Let us as individuals be clear about what we stand for and take every opportunity we can to influence our society in a positive direction.

Much will still be demanded of us in the weeks and months to come. Those of you who have suffered a loss may find that things grow harder as the outpouring of national grief gradually subsides. As the strong sense of community that we have felt during this time recedes more into the background. That is when we, as fellow human beings, must make an effort to seek out those who are grieving or struggling with their lives. We must stay beside them as the spotlight of world attention fades.

When day-to-day life once again resumes.

As a nation we must take this experience with us in our hearts and in our minds, and we must not lose sight of our renewed awareness of what is really important to us.
 
Memorial events for 22 July - The Royal House of Norway

[...] Prime Minister Erna Solberg also emphasised the importance of the fight against hatred. Harassment and threats are totally unacceptable and must not go unchallenged, she said in her speech: “The most important safeguards we must build are those within each of us, that enhance our support for empathy and tolerance.”

[...] Four wreaths were placed at the memorial to those killed in the attacks 10 years ago. The Prime Minister, Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Astrid Hoem and Lisbeth Røyneland straightened the ribbons on each of their wreaths. After a minute of silence, Magnus Aannestad Oseth performed Til ungdommen (“To the Youth”) on trumpet.

[...] Their Majesties The King and Queen were in attendance at the memorial service held in Oslo Cathedral, where so many people had left flowers in the days directly following the terrorist attacks in 2011.

The service was led by Praeses Olav Fykse Tveit, and the sermon was given by the Bishop of Oslo, Kari Veiteberg. Jens Stoltenberg, who was Prime Minister of Norway on 22 July 2011, spoke as well:

“The terrorist attacks were not blind, although they struck innocent people,” said Mr Stoltenberg. “The attacks were targeted at the Workers’ Youth League and the Labour Party. People were killed because of their convictions. The purpose was to use violence to change our country. That is why it was also an attack on all of Norway.”

“Freedom of expression means that hate speech can also be voiced. The answer is not to restrict our freedom of expression, but to use it. We must speak out against hatred and extremism,” Mr Stoltenberg emphasised.


Return to Utøya - The Royal House of Norway

Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince, Crown Princess and Princess Ingrid Alexandra attended this memorial event at the scene of the massacre. They were handed flowers on arrival at Utøya and walked across the island with representatives of those who survived the attack and of family members of those who were killed. Also in the procession were officials of the Labour Party and the Workers’ Youth League. At Lysningen, a memorial clearing on the wooded island, participants placed their flowers respectfully on the ground.

It was a quiet and dignified observance at a beautiful site where the names of the dead have been incised in a circular installation. The location was selected with care *– a spot on the island where no one was killed.

[...]

Workers’ Youth League leader Astrid Hoem and Labour Party leader Jonas Gahr Støre were the final speakers at the ceremony. Both emphasised the need to speak out – and speak the truth – about the terrorist attacks that struck Norway on 22 July 2011, and to focus greater attention the political motivation behind the attacks. The underlying hatred has not subsided. The truth, Mr Gahr Støre said, is that far-right extremist attitudes and speech have gained a stronger foothold in Norway and the world. Just this week a monument to Benjamin Hermansen, a Norwegian victim of fatal racist violence, was desecrated. “We will never forget. We will never be silent,” Mr Gahr Støre promised.

[...]

Memorial services were held at churches all over Norway today. The young people on Utøya the day of the attack came from all parts of the country and were remembered individually today in churches in their home communities.


National memorial event at the Oslo Spektrum Arena - The Royal House of Norway

His Majesty King Harald spoke at the memorial event at the Oslo Spektrum Arena on Thursday evening. [...]

The importance of learning from the attacks and working to combat hate speech, racism and extremism have been highlighted throughout this memorial day. [...]

A core part of democracy is being allowed to be different and to disagree without resorting to threats and violence. The members of the Council for Religious and Life Stance Communities in Norway come from many different religions and religious communities and represent a wide range of beliefs. Ingrid Rosendorf Joys, who heads the council, spoke with Rima Iraki about tolerance and acceptance in a community of disagreement.

Former Labour Party leader and three-term Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland made a guest appearance this evening.

“Hatred can beget violence. Intolerance can kill. We must stand up against this every day, as AUF has made so abundantly clear,” said Ms Brundtland. “We must not spread a veil of silence over what happened on 22 July and all the hate speech being communicated on social media.”

Master of Ceremonies Rima Iraki delivered the final words at the event: Seventy-seven people lost their lives on 22 July. We must not lose any more.”


The memorial events focused much greater attention on the political motivation of the attacks, as the second article noted, in comparison to the memorial events in 2011, when the emphasis was on national unity and the attack targeting the democracy and values of the entire country. The shift in emphasis was motivated by the views expressed by many survivors from the Labour Party about their feelings and experiences over the last ten years.

https://www.thelocal.no/20210722/no...hate-10-years-after-july-22nd-terror-attacks/
https://www.thelocal.no/20210722/te...ll-on-norway-to-address-right-wing-extremism/

A timeline of the events of that day:
https://norwaytoday.info/news/norway-remembers-the-massacre-of-july-22/
 
The sensitive and compassionate speeches given by the King and the Crown Prince on the tenth anniversary:


Speech by His Majesty The King on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the Government Office Complex and on Utøya island - given in Oslo Spektrum Arena 22 July 2021.

Survivors and family members
Prime Minister,
Ladies and gentlemen,

[...]

Ten years have passed since darkness fell on Norway. But many people are bringing back the light.

I marvel at the stuff many of those who survived that day are made of. So many of them are committed to working together with young people across our entire country to make Norway a good place to live for everyone.

They show us that light wins over darkness. People who lost so much – both in the Government Office Complex and on Utøya – have managed slowly but surely to find meaning and joy in life once again, in spite of it all. They demonstrate the unknown reserves of strength inside each and every one of us. And the memories of all those whom we have lost continue to shine brightly.

[...]

On 22 July 2011, two politically motivated terrorist attacks were directed at the government, the Labour Party and the Workers’ Youth League (AUF). But these attacks hit much deeper and wider. They affected all of us because they attacked what we have built up together over generations:

A government by the people where each of us is safe to work for what we believe in – and not risk being killed for our beliefs. Our country is built on the premise that all people are of equal value. It is built on freedom of expression. It is built on our ability to acknowledge differences of opinion and seek solutions through compromise.

The foundation of our country did not change after 22 July 2011. Norway remains firmly planted in the same bedrock.

But the lessons we must learn from that day, and which have cost us dearly, must be:
We must stand up for equality and human rights.
We must respect our differences.
We must fight for what we believe in – using peaceful means.

It is my hope that we can help each other incorporate the learning from 22 July into everything we do, everything that we are, every single day.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that we as a society have not done nearly enough to understand, to help, to carry the burden together – and to counter the forces of darkness.
That makes me very sad.

Still, I have a lot of faith in the Norwegian people, for we have proven time and again, in so many difficult situations, how much we can achieve when we stand united in protecting our fundamental values. Which is why I repeat today what I said 10 years ago:

I firmly believe that freedom is stronger than fear.
I firmly believe in an open Norwegian democracy and society.
I firmly believe that we will uphold our ability to live freely and securely in our own country.

And today – 10 years on, I would like to add the following:

I know that time does not heal all wounds.
I mourn all the lives that were lost, and I grieve alongside all those who were injured.
At the same time we should truly be thankful for the many people who are working to build an inclusive society for us all.

Even as we mark the 10th anniversary of one of the darkest days in our history, all the people bringing back the light fill us with hope.

https://www.royalcourt.no/tale.html?tid=188008&sek=28409&scope=27248



Speech given by His Royal Highness The Crown Prince during the commemorative event on Utøya island 10 years after the terrorist attacks on 22 July 2011.

Those of us who weren’t here will never be able to fully comprehend what those 72 minutes felt like. None of us can truly understand how frightened those who were here must have felt. All we can do is to listen and try to grasp the pain that still resides in everyone who lived through the attack.

After the terrorist had detonated the bomb in the Government Office Complex, he came here – to children and young people at a summer camp on the Tyrifjorden lake. He wanted to strike out at the Workers’ Youth League (AUF), at the Labour Party, at the Government.

He wanted to destroy some of our basic common values: Norwegian democracy. Our freedom of expression. Our free, trust-based society where everyone is entitled to be included and to feel safe.

[...]

Ten years have passed and we have all heard the stories. About Lovers’ Lane. The café building. The pump house. Accounts of indescribable fear – but also of kindness and heroism. Of love for fellow human beings.

[...]

It has been 10 years filled with hope and commitment – but also many difficult days. Once the rose processions, the court case and the investigations were finished, all that remained was silence. Many have felt isolated and disheartened. Many of you have felt alone in your grief. Have felt you were fighting against the far-right extremist forces all on your own.

It is not hard to understand why that feels unreasonable. It is not how things are supposed to be. We all have a personal and collective responsibility to work to combat these forces – every single day. This is a lesson our country has learned in the most painful of ways.

[...]

We must have the courage to talk about what happened, even though it is upsetting. I am afraid that we as a society have not been good enough at listening and making room for all the feelings, all the trauma that 22 July led to. As we mark this 10th anniversary, I hope it can help us to find the right words, the right language, to help us move forward. And I hope that it will also open up more space for the stories, even though they are hard to hear. Space for all of you who have been wounded and scarred.

And as we honour the 77 lives that were lost here on Utøya and in the Government Office Complex, we know that they will never be forgotten – because they live on in our memories.

https://www.royalcourt.no/tale.html?tid=188012&sek=28409&scope=27248
 
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