FolkogforsVar people and defence for peace freedom & democracy
The organisation 72 Member Organisations General Assembly The Board Consists of nine members, composed of two representatives from LO (The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions), two from NHO (Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise) and five from other member organizations. There are five deputies to the board. The Executive Committee consists of the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman and the Secretary General. Control Committee Election Committee Chartered Accountant Ad Hoc Committees Administration The main objective for People and Defence is to work for peace, freedom and democracy. This is to be achieved by generating insights in the area of military and societal security in Norway, by the provision of objective information on security and defence policy decided by the Norwegian Parliament - Stortinget. Our organisation also seeks to promote discussion and interest for security and defence matters in and among the member organisations.
People and Defence is an educational institution and co-operative body for democratic organisations in Norway, and provide different arenas for an open discussion with a plurality of opinions. We have a total of 72 member organisations, which are invited to attend conferences and study tours in Norway and abroad on a regular basis. The member organisations believe that the ideals of freedom and democracy should be the basis for the national defence. Larger nation-wide organisations are eligible for membership in People and Defence. Arbeiderbevegelsens Rus- og Sosialpolitiske Forbund: Workers Drug - and Social Policy Association AOF Norge: Workers Education Association Norway Befalets Fellesorganisasjon: Military Officers Association Den Norske Tannlegeforening: The Norwegian Dental Association (NDA) Det Frivillige Skyttervesen: National Rifle Association of Norway En Verden: World Federalist Movement - Norway Europeisk Ungdom: European Youth of Norway Fagforbundet: Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees (NUMGE) Forsvarets Høgskoleforening: Academy Officers Alumn Association of the National Defence College Forsvarets Pensjonistforbund: Association of Military Pensioners Forsvarsstabens Etatsfor. NTL 70: Norwegian Civil Service Union/ Section 70 Defence Staff Fremskrittspartiets Ungdom: Progress Party s Youth Grenselosers og kurerers Forening: Border Pilot s and Couriers Association Høyres Kvinnenettverk: Conservative Women s Association Høyres Studenterforbund (HSF): Norwegian Conservative Students Union Kadettsamfunnet Krigsskolen: The Cadet Society, Oslo Kadettsamfunnet Luftkrigsskolen: The Cadet Society, Trondheim Krigsskolens Venner: Friends of the Norwegian Military Academy Krigsskoleutdannede Offiserers Landsforbund: Union of Academy Trained Officers Kristelig Folkepartis Kvinner: Christian Democratic Party s Women s Network Kristelig Folkepartis Ungdom: Norwegian Young Christian Democrats Kvinners Frivillige Beredskap: The Norwegian Women s Voluntary Defence Association Landsorganisasjonen i Norge: The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions Lederne: Norwegian organization for management, engineering and expertise development Luftmilitært Samfund: Air Force Society Norway Marinens Reserveoffiserers Forbund: The Royal Norwegian Navy Reserve Officers Association Militærpolitiforeningen: Military Police Officers Association Norway Militært Kristent Fellesskap (MFK): Association of Military Christian Fellowship Norway Nettverk for Kvinnelig Befal: Organization for Female Officers Norges Bondelag: Norwegian Farmers Union Norges Bygdekvinnelag: The Norwegian Society of Rural Women Norges Forsvarsforening: The Norwegian Defence Association Norges Gardistforbund: The Norwegian Guardsmen s Association Norges Idrettsforbund og Olympiske og Paralympiske Komité: The Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF) Norges Ingeniør- og Teknologiorg. (NITO): The Norwegian Society of Engineers and Technologists Norges Kvinne og Familieforbund: Norwegian Women and Family Association Norges Lotteforbund: Norwegian Women s Defence League Norges Luftsportforbund: Norwegian Air Sports Federation Norges Militære Kameratforeningers Forening: The Norwegian Federation of Military Associations Norges Offisersforbund: Norwegian Officers Union Norges Orlogsforbund: Norwegian Naval Association Norges Rederiforbund: Norwegian Shipowners Association Norges Sivilforsvarsforbund: Norwegian Civil Defence Association Norges Skogeierforbund: Norwegian Forest Owners Federation Norges Veteranforbund for Internasjonale Operasjoner: Norwegian Veterans Association for International Operations (NVIO) Norsk Post- og kommunikasjonsforbund: Norwegian Union of Postal and Communication Workers Norsk Sjømannsforbund: Norwegian Seamen Union Norsk Sjøoffisersforbund: Norwegian Maritime Officers Association Norsk Tjenesteml./Avd.101 Forsvaret: Norwegian Civil Service Union/ Section 101 Defence Norsk Tjenesteml./ For. 112 SBTL: Norwegian Civil Service Union/ Section 112 Civil protection and Emergency Planning Norske Kvinners Sanitetsforening: The Norwegian Women`s Public Health Association Norske Reserveoffiserers Forbund: Norwegian Reserve Officers Federation Norwegian Nike Veteran Society: Norwegian Nike Veteran Society Næringslivets Hovedorganisasjon: Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise Næringslivets Sikkerhetsorganisasjon: Norwegian Industrial Safety and Security Organisation (NSO) Personellforbundet: Personellforbundet Politiets Fellesforbund: Norwegian Police Federation Politiets Pensjonistforbund: Association of Police Pensioners Senior Høyres Landsforbund: The Senior branch of the Conservative Party (of Norway) Senterkvinnene: The Centre Party Women s Association Senterungdommen: The Centre Party Youth Sjøkadettforeningen av 1898: The Naval Cadet Society of 1898 Sjømannsforeningenes Landsforbund: National Federation of Seamen s Association Sjømilitært forum: Naval Military Forum STAFO- samfunnssikkerhet: STAFO The Royal Air Forces Association: The Royal Air Forces Association Tysklandsbrigadenes Veteranforbund: The Independent Norwegian Brigade Group in Germany Veteran Association Unge Høyres Landsforbund: Young Conservatives of Norway Unge Venstre: Young Liberals of Norway Vernepliktige sjøoffiserers forening: Reserve Naval Officers Association Veteranforeningen for Polititroppene i Sverige/Norge 1943-45: Police Troops Sweden/ Norway 1943-45 Veteran Association YATA Norge: Youth Atlantic Treaty Association Norway for peace freedom & democracy Folk og Forsvar 3
Courses and Conferences People and Defence annually arrange about 95 courses, and co-arrange more than a hundred other arrangements. We aim to support an ongoing discussion, debate and education on matters concerning peace, freedom and democracy. Our organisation promote the concept of total defence, which is based on close relations between the military and civil defence. Our activities are generally highly appreciated by the participants, and about 4000 people annually attend our lectures, seminars, exhibitions etc. The participants of our special youth conferences are invited to take part in a competition, where the first prize is a study tour to Brussels. Each year, two boys and two girls get to visit the NATO Headquarters and SHAPE, among other things. Seminars Youth is a very important target group for the information work of People and Defence. We offer seminars within the areas of peace, disarmament, defence and security policies, mainly aimed towards high school and junior college students. Some of our themes are: - The Norwegian defence and security policy - The military service and resources within Norway s armed forces. - The total defence concept - Globalization - International organizations; NATO, EU, OSCE and UN People and Defence has also developed a board-game intended to illustrate how conflicts arise and how they may be resolved. This exercise aims to create an understanding of the mechanisms of international relations, the role of international organisations etc. Over the course of 3-4 hours, participants assume the role of government officials in various fictional countries. Each country is economically, politically and culturally different, and they all face their own sets of policy challenges. With less-than-perfect information and a shortness of time, the participants are expected to take decisions that in turn will affect the flow of events during the exercise. The game can be adapted to both high school students and members of our member organisations. People and Defence supplies trained instructors to run the game. After the scenario is done, the training instructor evaluates the exercise together with the participants, drawing parallels to actual international crises and events. 4 Folk og Forsvar for peace freedom & democracy
Study Tours People and Defence arrange several study tours each year. The tours give individuals from the member organisations, politicians, journalists and employees from different government agencies the opportunity to visit other countries and learn about their security and defence policies first-hand. People and Defence arrange annual tours to Vienna, Spitsbergen, Brussels and the Balkans. In recent years, our organisation has also arranged study tours to the Middle East, USA, China, Russia and Poland. These tours typically include visits to government ministries and agencies, think tanks and the local Norwegian embassies. Economic support for schools People and Defence can contribute with economic support for schools planning their own study tours. Conditions apply, among other things do People and Defence reserve the right to hold a lecture on Norwegian security and defence policies as an introduction to the tour, the tour must have a purpose within the area of security policies, and a written report from the tour must be handed in afterwards. for peace freedom & democracy Folk og Forsvar 5
Nordic and International Cooperation People and Defence cooperate closely with our Nordic counterparts. Nordic conferences are arranged annually. We also have contact with similar organisations in other European countries, e.g. Great Britain, Germany and Austria. Distribution of material People and Defence publishes a variety of articles and brochures. The themes range from current defence and security issues to foreign affairs. Our magazine Folk og Forsvars Kontaktblad is published five times a year in 10 000 copies. Opinion polls For many years, People and Defence has held two annual opinion polls regarding the public s changing attitudes towards the national defence and NATO. The foundation of questions are always the same, which provides valuable statistical material on the issues, recognized and used by researchers, lectures, students and the media. 6 Folk og Forsvar for peace freedom & democracy
History After the Second World War the defence Commission of 1946 proposed that national non-political organisations should form an umbrella-organisation in order to carry out general information work concerning defence and security matters. In 1950 the Storting unanimously approved the proposal. People and Defence - Folk og Forsvar - was formed February 26, 1951.
folk og forsvar Adress: Arbeidersamfunnets plass 1C, 0181 Oslo, Norway Telephone: +47 22 98 83 60 Telefax: +47 22 98 83 61 e-mail: folkogforsvar@online.no Web: www.folkogforsvar.no