Report by Mr. Thomas Eriksen, local councilor of Ringsaker
The Ringsaker kommune (local council), Norway has been actively engaged in the country’s demilitarization, and also in recruiting Norwegian municipalities to join the Mayors for Peace network.
Ringsaker was visited by representatives of Bike for Peace and Mayors for Peace in September 2020. Mr. Tore Naerland (Bike for Peace) and Mr. Thore Vestby (former Mayor of Frogn) visited two towns in Ringsaker: Brumunddal and Moelv, by bicycle, to make an appeal and discuss with local politicians on prohibiting nuclear weapons. This bike trip’s main purpose was to have Norwegian municipalities endorse a Joint Appeal addressed to the Norwegian Prime Minister and the Norwegian government urging them to prohibit nuclear weapons in the country, and also to encourage Norwegian municipalities to join Mayors for Peace. On the first day of their bike trip, Ringsaker had the honour to welcome Ambassador Yerkin Akhinzhanov of Kazakhstan in Norway and other embassy officials who joined.
During their journey, Mr. Naerland and Mr. Vestby visited other cities in Norway―Lillehammer, Gjøvik, Hamar, Stange, Løten, Elverum, Flisa, Årnes and Grue og Kongsvinger―encouraging local authorities to join in the appeal and make action with them.
