article in Arbeidets Rett, Monday May 20. 1996
| Translated by Dag Sirnes: Letter writer competition in the spirit of Johan Falkberget Røros: For the third year in a row, Norway Post's letter writing competition has been arranged. 120 eighth-graders from across the country have written 540 letters on the topics of love and friendship. On May 20, the stage is set for the presentation of the Falkberget prize of NOK 10,000 to the winning class. The jury consisted of Silje Nergaard, artist, Ingunn D. Kristensen, Posten's central management, and Kjell T. Olsen from Røros primary school. ''Many people have put a lot of creativity into the physical design. We have received bottle mail, applied letters and letters written on shoe soles, but we have judged them based on the content of the word'', Olsen stated at a press conference on 10 May. This year's winners This year's winners were class 8A at Marker ungdomsskole in Østfold county, and the individual winner was Ine Marie Otterbech from Vålerenga ungdomsskole, Oslo. The winners get a free tour and stay in Røros, with a tour of Ratvolden (museum and the farm of the famous Røros writer Johan Falkberget - b.1879-d.1967) and to the (Olav) copper mine, as well as Nergaard's CD ''Brevet'' and Posten's letter folder. In the light This year's competition was a collaboration between Norway Post, Hotel Røros, Falkberget-Ringen (a friends association that works to strengthen the interest in the poet and social man Johan Falkberget), Røros municipality and the project "Falkberget in the light". "At the same time as the presentation of the Falkberget Prize, a three-day seminar will be arranged with a focus on the letter as a genre for Norwegian teachers," said Hilde Rugelsjøen from "Falkberget in the Light". Speakers are Cathrine Senje and Jon Hildrum, two of the country's leaders in the field. Finally, the organizers will pay tribute to local enthusiasts who have made the project feasible. |
article in Indre Smaalenenes Avis, Friday May 24. 1996
Translated by Dag Sirnes:
To Falkberget's hometown to collect the letter prize
(Only market parts of the article are translated)
''On the day no letter is written, life will lose much of its light and its warmth''
This quote by (the author) Johan Falkberget unfortunately hits a sore point in most of us. We do not write to each other that often anymore. Therefore, the (governmental) Norway Post should be praised for igniting in 1994 the idea of Tor Inge Mølmann in Røros to start a letter writing competition for middle school students. The great role model for increased letter writing should be Johan Falkberget, who in total handwritten more than 30,000 personal letters.
Norway Post prepared teaching materials on letter writing and supported the competition financially. This year's letter writing competition, the third in a row, has recently ended with an award ceremony in Røros. Norway Post paid for travel to and from Røros for the prize winners, class 8A from Marker ungdomsskole, and an individual winner, Ine Marie Otterbech from Oslo. Hotel Røros gave NOK 10,000 to the winning class. A local committee provided a free stay in Røros.
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Solemn award ceremony in the church
The award ceremony took place in the magnificent Røros church, where Røros chamber choir, organ and winds formed a solemn setting for the event.
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Gift sprinkles from Norway Post
Even if Norway Post did not account for the main prize this year, then a little extra came from their hand to each one before departure: Fountain pen (Maybe it will be tough to write with a fountain pen again? It's good for the manuscript.), letterheads with Falkberget quote, postcard , stamp package and CD by Silje Nergaard (who was a member of the jury).
What is left after the Røros visit?
On the last day of the Røros stay, class 8A had a trip down to the Olav's Mine, which has been arranged to give visitors an impression of the mining life. When asked what had made the most impression, the opinions were unanimous:
''The Mine''
But also the award ceremony in the church many thought was nice.
"What are you going to use the 10,000 kroner bank check for?"
''We have to talk about that in class, but next year we are going on a class trip. Maybe we can go a little further than we originally thought?''
