Dinner in São Paulo

Mr. Governor,
Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,

The Queen and I are honoured to be here in the Bandeirantes Palace tonight, and we are most grateful for the kind reception we have received here in São Paulo.

Let me underline that no visit to Brazil would have been complete without visiting São Paulo. For Norwegians, the city and state of São Paulo have for decades symbolized the dynamism and creativity of Brazil and the Brazilian people. Nowhere else in Latin-America has there been such rapid and extensive industrial development as here. Today there is hardly any product of modern society that is not produced in this city. The presence of all major Brazilian and international corporations, bear witness to this. Thus, this city has been and continues to be a motor in the modernization of Brazil.

The evolution of São Paulo to become not only the economic and financial centre of Brazil, but also of the whole of South America, has attracted many Norwegians. Not many years ago the Scandinavian society here in São Paulo celebrated its centennial anniversary proving the long-standing relations between this city and the nordic countries.

Mr. Governor,
The main focus for Norwegian contacts with São Paulo has been economic and commercial. Here we find the principal customers of Norwegian exporters and importers. Suffice it to mention bacalhau and coffee – the very symbols of our traditional commercial connections. Today, however, we are pleased to see cooperation branching out into new fields, such as technology and information services, while still maintaining the mutually beneficial commercial ties in the traditional fields.

The program we have had here in São Paulo during this day has certainly proved that there is an endless range of possibilities for enhancing our cooperation in the economic field. The development of new and advanced technologies is an area that is of particular interest to a variety of Norwegian companies. The meetings arranged this morning in FIESP presented businessmen from both sides with an excellent opportunity for laying the foundation for more intensive contacts.

Our ties to São Paulo are, however, not limited to the economic field. São Paulo’s ranking position in the world of art and culture is well known, and is also reflected in our bilateral relations. Almost without exception we have participated in the São Paulo biennal since 1953. Modern Norwegian artists have thus had the opportunity to expose themselves to an international public and to establish relations with modern artists from a number of countries, including, of course, Brazil.

Mr. Governor,
Even a short visit like the one the Queen and I have had today, makes it clear that São Paulo is in every way an all-embracing city – not only economically, but culturally and ethnically as well. This makes São Paulo a true melting pot. We will continue following the development of our relations with São Paulo with the greatest interest.

The Queen and I would like to thank you Mr. Governor for offering this dinner, and for giving us the opportunity to meet with so many distinguished representatives of the paulistana community. I would like to propose a toast for the Governor and for Mrs. Alckmin and for the continued progress for the people of São Paulo.