We'll update this page with the most important elections, decisions and events at the Congress.
Union of Education Norway is the largest union for teachers with more than 145 000 members at all levels of the educational system in Norway. Its political mandate is to work to safeguard the rights of our members and to influence developments in educational policy both at home and internationally.
The Congress is the highest decisional body of the union. Every three years, delegates from all over the country gather to take stock of the state of affairs of the organisation and plot the political course ahead. In addition, the congress will elect a new political leadership. The congress takes place in Lillehammer in the first week of November this year.
In addition to the nearly 200 delegates, the congress will be honoured by the presence of guests both from national authorities and organisations, and from some fellow teachers' unions internationally. The new minister of education, Kristin Halvorsen, will attend the Congress. The international guests represent teachers' unions from as far away as Australia and Zambia, in addition to Nordic and European countries.
The guest list
The new Executive Board
The Congress has elected the members of the new Executive Board. It will consist of Mimi Bjerkestrand, Haldis Holst, Ragnhild Lied, Elin Bellika, Elisabet Dahle, Evy Ann Eriksen, Magne Rydland, Gunnar Opstad, Hege Valås, Kolbjørg Ødegaard, Steffen Handal, Tove Marie Børresen, Solveig Eldegard, Reidun Blankholm, Anta Rose Bakke and Frank Bergli.
The Prime Minister visits the Congress
The Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, visited the Congress on Wednesday. The Minister of Education, Kristin Halvorsen, visited the Congress on Tuesday. Both were warmly welcomed by the delegates.
The Congress elects Mimi Bjerkestrand
Mimi Bjerkestrand is the new president of the Union of Education Norway. She was elected by the Congress today. The Congress also elected Haldis Holst as first vice president and Ragnhild Lied as second vice president.
The change of leadership in Utdanningsforbundet will take place January 1st 2010.
President Helga Hjetland's opening speech
- We educate Norway. That short and still so vast is the slogan for this congress. And this is also the essence of the first paragraph in our document on the teaching profession: "We are a profession – of ECE teachers, teachers and leaders – throughout the entire educational system. The society is showing us great trust in giving us the mission to teach, develop and educate the future generations."
This great mission and what it requires will be the core of this congress. And it is needed. Education has been on the top of all election campaign the last decade. We know, better then anyone else that what happens between the elections is what actually matters. And that has not been enough, said Hjetland in her opening speach to the Congress.
You can read all of president Helga Hjetland's opening speech here.
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