MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon visited Minnesota on Tuesday as part of a tour marking the 200th anniversary of organized emigration from his homeland to the United States, highlighting the deep connections between the two countries.
The Upper Midwest has some of the largest concentrations of Scandinavian Americans in the U.S., and Minnesota has well over 800,000 residents who claim Norwegian ancestry, according to state demographers. That’s more than any other state. Nearly 5 million North Americans have Norwegian roots.
Haakon highlights the Norway-Minnesota connection
The crown prince began the day in Minneapolis at Norway House, which brings contemporary Norway to the U.S. through arts, commerce and culture. He was greeted by a large crowd, including women, girls and boys wearing colorful traditional bunad costumes, and others clad in more modern Norwegian sweaters.
“For generations, the United States and Norway have stood side by side,” he said at a business summit. “Building on this partnership, we can continue to develop solutions that are sustainable, innovative and future-oriented.”…