The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit (officer) is conferred to Milan Richter as a reward for strengthening contacts between Norway and Slovakia, especially in the field of culture. As the first Charge d´Affaires of Slovakia in Norway, Mr. Richter built strong and lasting relations between our nations. Milan Richter has translated into Slovak novels of Sigrid Undset, poems and short stories by B. Bjørnson as well as modern lyrics.
The insignia and diploma of the order was presented to M. Richter at a ceremony by the Ambassador of Norway to Slovakia, H.E. Brit Løvseth (Photo: Norwegian Embassy)
The Royal Norwegian Order of Merit was instituted by the late King Olav V in 1985. The highest class (Grand Cross) of this order is conferred to statesmen. The conferring of the order to Mr. Richter was suggested by the Norwegian writer and literary critic Knut Ødegaard. Norway is reflected in several of Mr. Richters’ books, and he has translated novels by Sigrid Undset, poems and short stories by Bjørnson as well as modern lyrics, works he has also published. As a president of the Smrek Festival Milan Richter further promoted Norwegian writers through lectures, round-table debates and translations.
Ambassador of Norway to Slovakia, H.E. Brit Løvseth emphasized that Mr. Richter was not conferred this order because of his mission as a diplomat. “You remained a good friend of Norway also after your diplomatic assignment, and continued to promote the cultural relationship between the two nations as writer of lyrics and drama, translator from Norwegian to Slovak, publisher, president of the Smrek-festival and as a keen lobbyist for Norwegian-Slovak relations”, Ms. Løvseth said.
“As an officer of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit we trust that you continue your work for the bilateral relations between Norway and Slovakia in many years to come”, she concluded.