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The Royal Norwegian Society for Development ( no, Det Kongelige Selskap for Norges Vel, also known as ''Norges Vel'' 'Norwegian Development', originally called ''Selskabet for Norges Vel'' 'Norwegian Society for Development') is a general development organization established in 1809 that works to promote viable communities through various forms of business development. The society operates projects in Norway, the Balkans, Latin America, and southern and eastern Africa. The organization, which is ethically based and independent, offers membership to individuals, businesses, and other organizations.


Activity

The society promotes sustainable development in agriculture, marine activities, and renewable energy. Its goal is to promote viable communities, both nationally and internationally. The methods are the same as when it was established in 1809: collaboration, sharing knowledge, and business development. Its focus areas are: *Project development and project management *Business development *Commercial organization *Collaborative solutions *Food and experience concepts *Climate, the environment, and renewable energy *Research and commercial development *Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial services The society confers the Medal for Long and Faithful Service (''Medaljen for lang og tro tjeneste'') and the Norwegian Development Entrepreneurship Award (''Norges Vels Gründerpris''). The organization also distributes funds from the Norwegian Development Fund. The organization, which has nearly 30 employees, is headquartered in Hellerud in the municipality of
Skedsmo Skedsmo was a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality was the town of Lillestrøm. About one third of the municipal population lived in Lillestrøm. ...
outside of Oslo. It also has branch offices in
Bergen Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
and in
Levanger Levanger is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the district of Innherred. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Levanger. Some of the notable villages in the municipality include Alstadhaug, Ekne, ...
, as well as its own office abroad in
Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
.


History

The Norwegian Society for Development was created on December 29, 1809, following initiatives by Bishop
Frederik Julius Bech Frederik Julius Bech (August 4, 1758 – December 20, 1822) was a Danish-Norwegian theologian and politician. He took part in the Meeting of Notables in Eidsvoll on February 16, 1814, and he served as the bishop of the Diocese of Oslo from 1805 to ...
,
Jacob Rosted Jacob Rosted (23 October 1750 – 8 October 1833) was a Norwegian people, Norwegian educator, editor, and librarian. Jacob Rosted born in Høland in Akershus, Norway. He was from a clerical family; his father was a vicar and his uncle was a ...
, the assessor Peter Collett,
Ludvig Stoud Platou Ludvig Stoud Platou (28 March 1778 – 30 November 1833) was a Danish-Norwegian educator, historical and geographical writer, politician and State Secretary. Personal life He was born in Slagelse, Denmark as a son of curate Friderich Christian P ...
, Martin Richard Flor, and Count
Herman Wedel Jarlsberg Count Johan Caspar Herman Wedel Jarlsberg (21 September 1779 – 27 August 1840) was a Norwegian statesman and nobleman. He played an active role in the constitutional assembly at Eidsvoll in 1814 and was the first native Norwegian to hold th ...
. The society had branch offices in all of the country's largest towns. Count Wedel Jarlsberg soon saw the political potential of the society, and he made it a union for Norwegian interests in the entire state of
Denmark–Norway Denmark–Norway (Danish and Norwegian: ) was an early modern multi-national and multi-lingual real unionFeldbæk 1998:11 consisting of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway (including the then Norwegian overseas possessions: the Faroe I ...
. In 1810, the society took the initiative to raise funds in support of a Norwegian university in Christiania. This was a national collection effort, and the petition was addressed to King
Frederik VI Frederick VI (Danish and no, Frederik; 28 January 17683 December 1839) was King of Denmark from 13 March 1808 to 3 December 1839 and King of Norway from 13 March 1808 to 7 February 1814, making him the last king of Denmark–Norway. From 1784 ...
personally. The king eventually agreed, and the
University of Oslo The University of Oslo ( no, Universitetet i Oslo; la, Universitas Osloensis) is a public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the highest ranked and oldest university in Norway. It is consistently ranked among the top universit ...
was founded in 1811. Later,
Henrik Wergeland Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland (17 June 1808 – 12 July 1845) was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the develop ...
used the society as a means to promote public education. The society is responsible for a number of institutions that form part of Norwegian government and industry today. In 1810, it established Norway's first publishing house for printing and distributing its own material. The society operated as a patent office until that activity was taken over by the state in 1885. By the time that Norway obtained its own
constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...
in 1814, the society had achieved many of its goals. The company was therefore reorganized a few years later with greater emphasis on agriculture as a means of social development. Like today, the means for this were collaboration, sharing knowledge, and business development. Several agricultural schools were established, and in 1848 the precursor of the
Norwegian University of Life Sciences The Norwegian University of Life Sciences ( no, Norges miljø- og biovitenskapelige universitet, NMBU) is a public university located in Ås, Norway. It is located at Ås in Viken, near Oslo, and at Adamstuen in Oslo and has around 5,200 stude ...
(NMBU) was established. It engaged cattle breeders from Switzerland to teach animal husbandry and dairy farming (hence the expression ''sveiser'' 'livestock farmer' < ''sveitser'' 'Swiss person'). The society also supplied Norway's first travelling agronomist in 1852. In 1856, Norway's first dairy cooperative, the Rausjødalen Dairy, was established; it is the predecessor of today's company Tine.


References


External links


Royal Norwegian Society for Development
homepage *The society'
Medal for Long and Faithful Service
{{Authority control Business organisations based in Norway Organizations established in 1809 1809 in Norway