Norway: PM attends mosque memorial ceremony, praises Norwegian 'we'

Norway: PM attends mosque memorial ceremony, praises Norwegian 'we'



Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg spoke at the Central Jamaat Mosque (Central Jamaat-E Ahl-E Sunnat) of Oslo this past Friday, after Friday prayers. The memorial ceremony for the two Muslim victims of the attack started with a moment of silence. The PM came to the mosque together with Oslo bishop Ole Christian Kvarme.

Stoltenberg's entire speech is available on the Norwegian Gov't site:

I mourn Bano and Ismail.
They have given the new expanded concept of the Norwegian “we” a face.
We will be one community.
Across religion, ethnicity, gender and rank.

Bano is Norwegian. Ismail is Norwegian. I am Norwegian.
We are Norway. And I am proud of this.

I am also very proud that the Norwegian people have passed the test.
The very heart of our democracy has been attacked.
But this has only strengthened our democracy.
Brought us closer together.

The immediate shock and devastation brought us together.
Later, we came together in protest.
We filled the streets with roses and torches and put a protective arm around democracy.
I am inviting the whole nation to come together as the Norwegian “we”.
The newspapers today are showing pictures of an imam and a bishop embracing each other.
This should be a source of inspiration.

We are all Norway.
Our fundamental values are democracy, humanity and openness.
With this as a platform, we will respect differences, human dignity and equality.
And each other.
And we will face the debates. We will welcome them. Even the difficult ones.

(source)