Did you know that...

Constitutional news

Belgium was among the first states to recognize the newly acquired independence of Norway not long after its proclamation in 1905 and to establish diplomatic relations with her. Since then the two countries have always maintained friendly and harmonious relations.


Royal visits

The Belgian monarchs came on a State visit to Norway in April 1997 and the Norwegian King and Queen visited Belgium in May 2003.


Belgium a multilingual country

There are two main language communities in Belgium: the Dutch-speaking Flemish in the north and the French-speaking Walloons in the south. Brussels is officially bilingual although most of its inhabitants are French-speaking. In the far eastern part of the country there is a small German-speaking community. The Dutch- French- and German-speakers form three autonomous Communities each with their own linguistic and cultural policies.


The Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Antwerp

The Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Antwerp is the world’s oldest running seamen’s church and that there’s a Norwegian Seamen’s Church in Brussels as well.

Travelling around the world is an exciting and - at times - exotic experience. Whether it is business tourism studies or expatriation: the corners of the world are increasingly accessable to more and more people. And still: The need to "touch base" and ascertain your social cultural and spiritual sence of belonging becomes more obvious once "home" is a distance away.

The Norwegian seamen’s churches church centers and mobile pastoral services answer these needs through an international network of social meeting places where seafarers students business people tourists families and other travelling Norwegians can come "home" for a while. Founded in 1864 The Norwegian Seamen’s Mission - Sjømannsmisjonen - was established to secure the moral and religious education of Scandinavian seafarers but also to give them a "breathing room" where a fellow countryman was available to lend an ear and give some attention.

Today the churches and their staff together with travelling pastors around the globe represent a "resource center" for all Norwegians travelling internationally.

The Norwegian churches abroad represent the putty in the network which is needed by seafarers expatriats tourists visitors families and students alike. Here we encounter the well known rituals and words for life’s different days - both the light and dark and gray" These words by WHO director Gro Harlem Brundtland may explain why "Sjømannsmisjonen" annually serves around 650.000 Norwegians through 32 churches and 16 mobile services in 30 countries around the world. Several churches are operated on a Scandinavian basis. 11.000 ships are visited in world ports and 20.000 Norwegian students are visited on campuses world wide.

Tourist churches are found primarily in Spain whereas the pastoral services in the North sea numbers seven chaplains offering individual and corporate counselling. Religious services and "congregational activities" such as choirs study circles and women’s groups are main events at the Norwegian churches abroad. As an "everyday experience" the deaconal work include shopping for or with seafarers telephone and fax accessability shower and meals for truck drivers swimming pool in equatorial areas but most important: devoted workers equipped with two ears and one mouth - "to listen twice as much as they talk".

Norwegian Church Abroad its main office in Bergen Norway is a charitable organisation supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway and the Norwegian Government . Sjømannskirken is also a member of ICMA and the Council of Nordic Seamen's Missions.

Established in 1864 Sjømannskirken is organized through 1200 local support groups in Norway raising funds for the operational work abroad. Annual offerings in churches in Norway and contributions from ship owners oil and export industries are also main contributors. The actual churches or services abroad have been established in more than 150 cities since the beginning but never more than 40 simultaniously.

A local "Board of Directors" gives legal and financial advice whereas the "Annual meeting of Representatives" comprises the governing body of the mission. A "Main Board" is elected by the triannual General Assembly. The total budget for 2001 is NOK 107 mill. with 177 employees in Norway and abroad. The individual churches abroad normally finance their local activities through bazaars cantines with Norwegian articles or individual and corporate gifts and contributions.

The church offers divine services amusementnights movie-nights afternoons for childeren women’s club opportunitie to by lunch on Sundays.


Norwegian Representations in Brussel

  • Vest- Norges Brusselkontor
    Rue Archimede 17, B-1000 Bruxelles
    Tlf Belgia: 0032 2 2850000
    Fax Belgia: 0032 2 2850002
    Mobil Gunnar Selvik i Belgia 0032 4 73670145
    Mobil Gunnar Selvik i Norge: 0047 481 09 647
    E- post: gunnar.selvik@west-norway.no
    www.west-norway.no/

  • Nordland European Office
    Representant i Brussel: Anne Berg
    Avenue Palmerston 26, B-1000 Brussel, Belgium
    Tlf. +32 (0) 2 282 1824/20 fax +32 (0) 2 282 1821
    Mobil +47 911 54 077
    E- post: anne.berg@nfk.no
    www.nfk.no/

  • Stavanger- regionens Brusselkontor
    Daglig leder: Pål Jacob Jacobsen
    Kontoret: +32 (0)2 231 18 84
    Mobil: +32 (0)47 634 94 93
    E- post: one.market@pop.kpn.be
    www.one-market.org/

  • Mid- Norway European Office - Trøndelags Europakontor
    Avenue Palmerston 3
    B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
    Telefon: +32 22 35 02 35
    Mobil: +32 47 39 19 621
    Telefax: +32 22 35 01 19
    www.mid-norway.no

  • Oslo- regionens Brusselkontor
    Leder: Vera Selnes
    Rue Luxembourg 3
    B – 1000 Brussel, Belgium
    Tlf: + 32 2 501 08 31
    Fax: + 32 2 501 08 42
    E- post: post@osloregion.org
    www.osloregion.org/ (under utarbeidelse)


    Others:

  • Den norske EU- delegasjonen (UD)
    17. Rue Archimède 17,
    1000 – Brussels, Belgium
    Tel: + 32 2 234 11 11
    Fax: + 32 2 234 11 50
    E-post: eu.brussels@mfa.no
    www.eu-norway.org

  • EFTA- sekretariatet i Brussel
    74 rue de Trèves
    B-1040 Brussels, Belgium
    Tel.: +32 2 286 1 701
    Fax: +32 2 286 1 750
    E- post: mail.bxl@efta.int
    http://secretariat.efta.int/Web/Contacts/Brussels

  • NHO- kontoret i Brussel
    168 Rue du Cortenbergh
    Bte. 7, 1000-Brussels, Belgium
    Tel: +32 2 285 0 560

  • LO- kontoret i Brussel
    Leder: Knut Arne Sanden
    Bd. du Roi Albert II, 5/23
    B-1210 BRUSSEL
    Tlf: +32 2 201.18.10
    Fax: +32 2 201.18.12
    E- post: lo.bru@lono.be

  • Norges Ambassade i Belgia
    Rue Archimede 17
    B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
    Tlf: +32 2 646 0780
    Faks: +32 2 646 2882
    E-post: emb.brussels@mfa.no

  • Innovasjon Norges kontor i Brussel
    Jan Haug Sørum leder kontor fra Paris
    Rue Archimède 17, 2nd floor
    B-1000 Brussels, Belgium
    Tel +32 2 646 7070
    Fax +32 2 646 0744
    E- post: brussels.trade@invanor.no
    www.invanor.no/templates/Page.aspx?id=45611