– Every year since 2011, 22 July has been an important part of both my job and my life. The day meant a lot to me. I feel a responsibility to provide support to those who experience loss, and to contribute to a social debate that makes us a stronger “we”, said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to NTB.
The Utøya marking started on Saturday afternoon at Utøyakaia on the land side. Representatives from the Labor Party and the support group after 22 July laid roses at the 77 bronze pillars that mark the memorial site.
Despite the serious atmosphere, many seem to be happy to see each other. And after an otherwise rainy day, the sun eventually came out.
Marking in Bakken
On Utøya, the Prime Minister stepped off the boat first, followed by Jens Stoltenberg, Anniken Huitfeldt, Jan Christian Vestre and Kjersti Stenseng.
It is incredible that 12 years have passed since 2011, says Minister of Business and Industry Vestre, who himself survived the Utøya terror attack.
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– In one way it feels like a long time ago, in another it feels like it was yesterday, he said.
In Bakken på Utøya, the program consisted of speeches, singing by Christel Alsos, poetry reading by Merete Stamneshagen from the National Support Group and a minute’s silence.
Those who spoke were the Prime Minister, leader Astrid Hoem in AUF, and Malene Husby and Merete Stamneshagen from the support group.
Backdrop with war in Europe
Støre emphasized in his speech that the international backdrop of war in Europe is central to this year’s commemoration. He highlighted the link between dark attitudes and actions.
– In few places is it more appropriate than right here, on Utøya, today, to show that the brutal and destructive war started somewhere, long before the war itself, he said.
There are many differences between the conflict in Ukraine and 22 July, the Prime Minister told NTB afterwards. But what is similar is that the war in Ukraine started before it actually broke out in February last year, and the terror on 22 July 2011 began before the actual attack, he said.
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In the speech, Støre said that the road to war is paved by attitudes that despise human dignity gradually gaining ground.
– Norway should not, and cannot, be an “us” against “them” society on the premises of intolerance. We know that words create attitudes, words can ignite actions, words scare, threaten and can lead to, or excuse, the use of violence, said the Prime Minister in the speech.
The marking changes
AUF’s leader Astrid Hoem said that she believes the conversation about 22 July has become more truthful in recent years.
– We speak more truthfully about what it was an attack on. It was a targeted attack on the AUF and the Labor Party, she said.
– The grief is still there, but the commemoration changes because we don’t get to know who those who were killed should have been. It changes from year to year, said the AUF leader.
AUF deputy leader Gaute Skjervø said that more and more survivors and survivors are coming to the island for the first time since the terror.
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– It is not certain that the world is going in the right direction, but Norwegian democracy has in many ways become stronger since 22 July. Although there is a lot of negativity going on in the world, I am positive. Nothing gives me as much hope as being here on Utøya, he said.
More and more hope
The last part of the program took place on the quay, where the names of those who died during the terrorist attack were read out – first of the 69 who died on Utøya and then the eight who died in the government quarter. A minute’s silence followed the reading.
Then there was a wreath-laying by the prime minister, the support group, the AUF and the Labor Party. The celebration ended with “Til ungdommen” by trumpeter Magnus Aannestad Oseth.
According to Industry Minister Vestre, every 22 July celebration is unique.
– But I agree with what the prime minister said, that there is more and more hope and a future when you take the boat over here and see young people who are passionate about making the world a better place, he said before the boat returned to Utøyakaia.
2023-07-22 18:04:36
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