GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — Gov. Tim Walz is traveling to Norway Tuesday to celebrate Minnesota's military and economic relationship with the northern European country.
During the four-day trip, Walz will participate in the official State Partnership Program signing ceremony, celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Norwegian Reciprocal Troop Exchange (NOREX) and meet with His Majesty King Harald V.
The SPP will strengthen the partnership between Minnesota's and Norway's militaries, and "symbolizes a shared commitment to alliance and defense," according to the governor's office. In addition to expanding Minnesota's relationship with the Norwegian military, the Minnesota Guard has already shared a partnership with Croatia for 27 years.
“Amid global uncertainty, maintaining close relationships with our allies is more important than ever,” Walz said in a statement. “I am proud of Minnesota’s long standing military exchange program with Norway and am committed to building on this unique and exceptional relationship during this visit and for years to come."
Walz's trip to Norway comes just four months after Her Majesty Queen Sonja traveled to Minnesota. During her visit, Queen Sonja visited the Mindekirken congregation in Minneapolis, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Norway House expansion and met with Walz and members of Minnesota's armed forces to celebrate the decades-long military exchange, NOREX.
NOREX first began in 1974 between about 40 Minnesota National Guard members and Norwegian Home Guard Youth. Since 1985, about 100 Minnesota soldiers each year travel to Norway, and the same number of Norwegian soldiers come to Camp Ripley in Little Falls.
Walz's office has not provided additional details about the governor's visit with King Harald, who visited Minnesota with Queen Sonja in 2011 and 1995.
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