Letter from Ambassador Strommen to the citizens of ND and MN
Ambassador Wegger Chr. Strommen. Photo: Royal Norwegian Embassy, Washington D.C. / Patrick Bertschmann.
Ambassador of Norway to the U.S. Wegger Chr. Strommen has sent letters to some of the people affected by the flood in North Dakota and Minnesota, including Governors John Hoeven (ND) and Tim Pawlenty (MN). Ambassador Strommen also expresses his concern for the citizens of North Dakota and Minnesota in this open letter on Norway.org:
Dear citizens of North Dakota and Minnesota,
Over the past week I have followed the courageous efforts of fighting the flood in Fargo, Cass County and the Red River Valley region. Considering my personal ties to your region, I am touched to see that this emergency has only increased your resolve to protect each other. It is my sincere hope that every individual – including the more than 2000 National Guard soldiers and airmen working side-by-side with civilian volunteers, remain safe.
I have always believed that a common denominator for Norwegians and Americans is our willingness to pull together to help our neighbors. It is therefore heart-warming to know that while a crisis like this will certainly have a long-term impact on your communities, the morale of North Dakotans and Minnesotans will not be weakened by adversity.
I would like to express my deepest sympathies for the crisis you are currently facing, and admiration for how you are handling this situation. You give great hope to people around the country, and around the world, who are challenged by their natural surroundings.
Sincerely,
Wegger Chr. Strommen
Students at the University of North Dakota working together to secure buildings from the flood. Sandbag walls have worked to protect the Fargo-Moorhead area so far this year, but the governors of Minnesota and North Dakota want a more permanent flood fix. Governors Tim Pawlenty and John Hoeven announced Friday (April 3) that they will work with city, county and congressional officials to try to speed up work on flood protection projects. Their first move will be to organize a trip to Washington, D.C. They plan to ask the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate the timetable for a study, already underway, on flood mitigation. Currently, the study is set to be complete in December 2010. Photo: UND.
