Dear Minot:
My recent trip to Norway was very special for me, as I had the honor of representing the City of Minot and our residents during a visit to our sister city and other locations.
The entire trip was an eye-opener for me, and was truly been a blessing to learn more about this beautiful part of the world. We were fortunate to be there during Syttende mai, which is Norway’s version of our Fourth of July. As with our independence day holiday, their day is filled with traditions and celebrations and it certainly reminded me of home.
While I enjoyed the week on a personal level, I was also been impressed with the level of community spirit and commitment to their constituents when we held meetings with local elected leaders. Their focus is much the same as ours in Minot – working together with local partners to improve the quality of life for their residents, collaborating with government agencies to promote their business districts, and preparing their communities for the challenges of the future.
I’ve come to learn firsthand why Minot and Skien became sister cities years ago, and why that important relationship continues to blossom. Both cities represent the ideals of what it means to be part of a community, and both Minot and Skien show great pride in taking care of their residents.
We’re thankful that the leaders of Skien invited us to visit this year. Representatives from Minot Area Chamber EDC, Minot State University, and the Norsk Hostfest also made the trip, and it was truly an amazing experience for all of us.
It’s important that we continue to foster the already great relationship between our two communities. We’re already looking forward to the Skien contingent visiting Minot during the upcoming Norsk Hostfest. By inviting us to visit, Skien leaders have shown they are committed to keeping the sister city relationship alive and thriving. So are we. We’ll see you this fall at Hostfest.
You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.