Official visit to the US: The arrival of Restauration

Commissioner Camara,
Distinguished guests,
Friends,

It’s an honour to stand here with you today in this incredible city, to mark a journey that began two hundred years ago. The millions of stories that make up two centuries of Norwegian immigration to the United States tell of hope and disappointment, of success and challenges.

But above all, they bear witness to the generations of Norwegians who were inspired to seek a new life of freedom and possibilities.

In 1825, a small ship called the Restauration left Stavanger, carrying 52 brave Norwegians. They were seeking religious freedom and new opportunities. When they arrived here in New York Harbor, they didn’t just step onto American soil — they laid the first stones of a new bridge between our two nations. While they were at sea a baby was born, a tangible illustration of the quest for a new life.

I come from a family of sailors. This summer, my family and I had the privilege of being in Stavanger on July 4th to see the Restauration off once again – this time, a modern replica retracing the original route. Following the Restauration's voyage over the past three months — from Norway to England, Madeira, the British Virgin Islands, and finally up the East Coast to Manhattan – has been a moving and meaningful way to connect with the past.

That first arrival in 1825 sparked a wave of migration. Over the next hundred years, around 800 000 Norwegians made their way to America.

While many settled in the Midwest, quite a few also found their first home right here in New York — especially in Brooklyn. At one point, Brooklyn was the third-largest Norwegian-speaking city in the world, after Oslo and Bergen. That’s pretty remarkable. Today, more than 4.5 million Americans trace their roots back to Norway. I know that many Norwegians are proud to have family here — and I hope the feeling is mutual.

Norwegian immigrants played a part in shaping this extraordinary city.

They built churches like the Norwegian Seamen’s Church, which still stands as a symbol of community and welcoming smiles.

They opened bakeries, worked in shipyards and built the tunnels that keep this city moving. Norwegian women served as nurses, caregivers and factory workers. They brought with them values we still hold dear: hard work, humility and a strong sense of fellowship.

These values were a good fit for New York, a city that thrived on the hard work of industrious immigrants.

Settling into the bustle of New York City wasn’t easy, but for those who could cope, there were opportunities to prosper and shape the greatest metropolis on earth.

In the 1930s, for example, former Norwegian sailors could apply their skills with rope and tackle to hoisting steel beams up the Empire State Building. No vertigo there.

The US has also played an important part in my own family’s history, and holds a special place in our hearts. Your country gave my grandmother, my father and his sisters shelter during the Second World War.

On behalf of the people of Norway, I want to say thank you — to the City of New York, to its leaders, and to its people — for welcoming generations of Norwegian immigrants with open arms. You gave them a home. And in doing so, you helped shape the stories of both the US and Norway.

This bicentennial isn’t just about looking back. It’s about our relationship today, and in the future. Let’s keep building on that legacy of opportunity and open exchange. Let’s keep celebrating our past. And let’s continue to strengthen the bonds that join us.

Thank you.