In Minneapolis, the capital of Minnesota, we will have a meeting in the Royal Norwegian Consulate Office where strengthening of tourism between Telemark and the greater Minneapolis area is on the agenda. But we will also discuss business to business collaboration, including import and export. Minnesota's population of 5,2 million include nearly 890.000 people with roots from Norway ! Attendees in the meeting are Gary Gandrud (Honorary Consul of Norway), Bonnie Carlson (President & CEO of Bloomington Convention and Visitors Bureau), Karl Rasmussen (President of Rasmussen Imports), Anders Davidson (Director Innovation and Business Development at the Royal Norwegian Consulate), and Eivind J. Heiberg (Interim CEO - Sons of Norway).

Besides broadening our knowledge about emigrants from Telemark to North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin, we want to find out more about the history behind the Henrik Ibsen statues in St. Paul and Whapeton.

We know that the statue in Whapeton was purchased by the Wahpeton Commerce Club, but was refused a place on the grounds of the Richland County courthouse because members of the Board of Commissioners believed that the Club had paid too much for it. The rejection by a vote of three to two was accomplished by an Irish commissioner joining with two Germans. He explained: 'We have a courthouse full of Norwegians; we don't need another one standing outside.' The end of the story was that the State School of Science in Wahpeton agreed to have the memorial on its campus. The day of the dedication was May 17, 1912.

In Bismarck we will meet Executive Director Terry Harzinski from the CVB to discuss the sports marketing/promotion and event coordinating, Paul Govig (President of the Bismarck Public School Board) from Commerce to discuss Business & Energy, and Fred Walker from Legendary North Dakota to discuss Tourism.

Official leader of the Skien delegation in 2009 is Jørn Inge Næss. Jørn Inge is Member of The City Council in Skien, member of the Executive committee and member of the Technical committee. Jørn Inge Næss represents the Progressive Party. He is a very experienced politician and has also been a member of several boards, among these chairman of the Municipal Electrical Company and the Skien Real Estate company

The other political member of the delegation is Erling Dahl from Telemark County Council. He represents the municipalities in Telemark, and he is leader of the Infrastructure Committee for Telemark. Like Jørn Inge Næss Erling also represents the Progressive Party.

Other members of the Skien/Telemark delegation from Telemark County Council are Thrond Kjellevold and Vibeke Jakobsen.

Thrond Kjellevold has many tasks as adviser and project manager for Telemark County Council's international activities which also include memberships in various international committees.

Vibeke Jakobsen is Deputy General Secretary for the North Sea Commission (NSC), European Union Programmes, project development, and internationalisation contact for high schools in Telemark.

Anne Cathrine Ramberg Honston, our booth manager from Telemarkreiser. Anne has been to Norsk Høstfest 13 times before, and we are pleased that she can join us in 2009.

Tarjei Gjelstad, Exetutive Director of Norsk Skieventyr in Morgedal in Telemark, was a member of the Norsk Høstfest delegation from Telemark in 2008, and he is coming back this year. Tarjei plans to demonstrate ski-making at our booth, and he will share his knowledge about telemark-skiing, a skiing style that originates from Morgedal in Telemark. Do not miss to come and see Tarjei.

Rolf Haugen, City Attorney in Skien, and the co-ordinator of all details, visits and arrangements for the delegation. He has been to Minot a number of times, as far as we know this will be his 15th visit to Norsk Høstfest. In 2007 Rolf was awarded the recognition as an Honorary Ambassador for North Dakota, and he also received the Certificate of Appointment as Honorary Citizen of Minot.

Ivar Stulen, businessman from Skien. Ivar too has been to Minot a number of times, and he is a much wanted volunteer at the Skien/Telemark booth at the Høstfest. Ivar Stulen was a host for the official Minot delegation to Skien in 2007, and he co-ordinated farm visits when the TV-reporter Orion Samuelson's delegation of U.S. farmers came to Telemark in June this year.

Hermod H. Monsen, Telemark Heritage & Genealogy project manager, makes his 6th visit to Norsk Høstfest this year. His main task is to man the booth, but also to make contacts with people with roots in Telemark. Hopefully some Telemark descendants would like to come and visit our county....

We have invited Telelaget of America to help us manning the booth and present themselves at the Høstfest, and we have been informed that Selmer Moen from Minot State University and Gloria Porter from the Fargo area will come to our booth and help us. They are most welcome !

We look forward to see you in Reykjavik Hall at Norsk Høstfest 2009 !