On Sunday, the HVL rector and several others from Høgskulen på Vestlandet together with a number of others participated in the commemoration that it was 25 years since the then 17-year-old Arve Beheim Karlsen was found drowned in Sogndalselvi.
Beheim Karlsen, who was adopted from India, was chased by a gang of boys through the center of Sogndal who shouted “kill that negro” after him.
Hunting ends in death
Running and hunting even with the adopted boy going into the river and being found drowned the next day:
– We need this memorial in the vicinity of where the crime took place. The wrong cannot be righted. But we can turn the bitterest and most painful lessons into good deeds. We want to remind each other of the crime that happened and do our part to prevent it from happening again, not in Sogndal, not in Western Norway, not anywhere, said the rector of the University of Western Norway, Gunnar Yttri, in his appeal at the memorial for Arve Beheim Karlsen who was unveiled on the banks of the Sogndalselvi on Sunday.
Not aware of specific events
— A gang ran after Arve Beheim Karlsen and shouted “Kill that negro”. Have there been incidents related to racism at the University of Western Norway?
– I am not aware of specific incidents or that racism has been reported. But I cannot rule out that someone may have had experiences where racism prevails, says headmaster Yttri to Khrono on Sunday evening.
— Are racism and anti-racism topics that are discussed and talked about at the university?
– Yes, but I think that racism is usually not mentioned directly as a separate issue, but rather becomes part of the work to include and avoid all discrimination, says Yttri.
Sculpture and poetry
The memorial consists of a sculpture made by artist Tobbe Malm and a poem written by author Brynjulf Jung Tjønn.
Minister for Culture and Equality Lubna Jaffery was present in Sogndal to take part in the commemoration at Granden by the Sogndalselvi.
The memorial consists of a sculpture made by artist Tobbe Malm and a poem written by author Brynjulf Jung Tjønn.
Author Brynjulf Jung Tjønn attended the commemoration and read poems from the critically acclaimed book “Kvit, norsk mann” and the poem he has written for the memorial:
no one should run
alone in the dark
no one shall flee
out into a river, a fjord
we will get up
up from the bottom of the river
up from the turbidity of the fjord
up to three
up to the mountain
up to the snow peaks
up to the light
next time someone runs
alone in the dark
find a hand
and run with them
Author Brynjulf Jung Tjønn also plans to write a book about Arve Beheim Karlsen and the events 25 years ago.
Change log: The case will end at 23.47 on 28 April with the poem that Brynjulf Jung Tjønn has written especially for the memorial.
Tags: HVL rector part commemoration Sogndal
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