UiT honors the memory of King Harald
Memorial message from Rector Dag Rune Olsen at UiT The Arctic University of Norway on the passing of King Harald on August 28, 2026.
His Majesty King Harald has passed on. UiT The Arctic University of Norway remembers a strong defender of open dialogue, where we listen to each other with a genuine desire to understand those who live and think differently than we do. “Because something magical can happen when we actually listen to each other,” King Harald said so wisely. He clarified that open dialogue is an investment that can have a cost for each of us. Norway can therefore remember a king who vigilantly maintained democracy and kept an open space for expression.
King Harald spent his life and his work promoting community in a diverse society. In Sápmi, the King will be remembered for his words at the opening of the Sami Parliament in 1997, where he acknowledged and apologized for the state's injustice against the Sami populations through a harsh Norwegianization policy, and he stated that "the Norwegian state is founded on the territory of two peoples - Norwegians and Sami". Many of UiT's employees experienced a boost in the revitalizing task of a weakened and lost language, culture and community after hearing the King's words that the Norwegian state has a responsibility to facilitate strong, viable Sami communities.
We could also hear how important diversity was to the King in his New Year's speech to the Norwegian people in 2023. There he emphasized that the Norwegian injustice against the Sami, Kven and Forest Finns has become a cultural loss to us all. In this way, the King laid the foundation for reconciliation work that will also increase knowledge in the majority population about minorities and indigenous peoples.
During his 35 years on the throne, King Harald visited UiT a number of times. The King's first visit was at UiT's 25th anniversary in 1993, and the last time was at the 50th anniversary celebration in 2018. The King's commitment to young people's faith in the future, and that the King saw his own role in building this, were often visible in meetings at UiT. That the King enjoyed the maritime environment became clear when he accompanied other countries' heads of state on board the research vessel FF Helmer Hanssen.
When King Harald and Queen Sonja welcomed the Swedish royal couple in 2013, both countries saw the value of the good academic cooperation between the northern universities. When the geopolitical situation means that more people see the opportunities for more and broader cooperation across the borders in the north of the Nordic region, we can thank King Harald for his many contributions to strengthening Nordic relations throughout his regency.
In his last New Year's speech, the King emphasized that 2026 is the Year of Total Defense. That a population that stands together and where everyone contributes as best they can is our best civil protection in peace and crisis. On their many trips throughout the country, the royal couple saw how important it is to have robust local communities throughout our stretched geography. At the same time, the King spoke warmly about sticking to international cooperation – because we have no good alternatives.
From UiT, we now welcome Norway's new king, King Haakon, and Queen Mette-Marit, to their deeds and new tasks. The new King has already shown interest and commitment to the Arctic environment. As Crown Prince, he used his role to spread knowledge and raise responsibility for climate change in the high north, including as a participant in UiT's dissemination expedition over the Greenland ice sheet in 2022.
The best way each person, and we as a society, can honor his father, King Harald, will be to listen to each other to understand. We take to heart the King's words to treat each other with the best of intentions: "It may be tiring, but it is worth the effort in the long run."
We cherish King Harald’s memory in peace.
