Telenor in Nobel Peace Center partnership

Director Geir Lundestad and Jon Fredrik Baksaas, CEO of Telenor signed the agreement at The Norwegian Nobel Institute on Thursday. "The global focus and effort for peace and communication, which is the basic idea of the partnership agreement with The Nobel Peace Center is entirely in keeping with Telenor's aim of contributing to a positive social development," said Telenor CEO Jon Fredrik Baksaas. "Moreover, the agreement is a considerable source of inspiration for our employees as well as an important contribution to our effort of strengthening Telenor's profile both in Norway and abroad."

"Telenor's involvement in The Nobel Peace Center is an important contribution to the effort of creating peace in the world," said Geir Lundestad, Director of The Norwegian Nobel Institute. "The fact that Telenor, as an important, international telecoms operator, supports such a vision through its involvement for a positive social development, makes it an ideal partner for The Nobel Peace Center," said Lundestad.

Telenor's support of The Nobel Peace Center will be used to establish and develop the Center into an active, international meeting place for industries, tourism and public authorities. Based on technology, and with communication as the basic idea, various events, conferences, educational programmes and exhibitions will contribute to increase the activity and focus on the efforts to achieve peace.

The inauguration of The Nobel Peace Center will take place in June 2005 as part of the centenary for the peaceful dissolution of the Union between Norway and Sweden in 1905. This will coincide with Telenor's 150-year anniversary as telecoms operator in Norway.

Communication - in the widest sense

In June 2005 The Nobel Peace Center opens its premises in the old railway station of Vestbanen, centrally located in Oslo's downtown area. The vision of the Center is to contribute to peace through reflection, discussion and active involvement. The Nobel Peace Center will present the laureates and their work, Alfred Nobel and the Nobel System, and will also supply information to the public, hold discussions and make an effort to raise the awareness of such issues as war, peace and the solving of conflicts. The Nobel Peace Prize focuses on the struggle between opposites, and behind every laureate there is a dramatic history. In order to raise the general awareness of war, peace and the solving of conflicts - also in Norway - it may be necessary to use strong means to tell the stories and highlight the topics. The mission of the Center is to secure focus on both small and large conflicts. The laureates' achievements have been and are tied in with communication - in the broadest sense - both orally, in writing and physically. Communication thus expresses the basic idea of the Center.

With this agreement, Telenor will enter into the sponsorship group "Founding Partner" in company with a few other exclusive partners such as Norsk Hydro and KPMG International.

Read more about the Nobel Peace Center at www.nobelpeacecenter.org

Press contacts:

Director Geir Lundestad, The Nobel Peace Center, tel + 47 22 12 93 00