Governance
of the Maison de Norvège

Tell us about your background and your arrival at the Cité internationale.

I went to Aix-en-Provence to learn French when I was 20 and I stayed for 3 years. First for my university studies, then for work as I obtained an administrative role at a language institute, with accommodation on site, for adults wanting to learn French. I continued my French, economics and political science studies at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. However, I missed France and I returned. This time I went to Paris where I held several different positions within the French-Swedish community, notably as the Head of tourism at the Swedish Institute, the Swedish Cultural Centre. Walking up the steps and going through the Cité internationale’s gate for the first time is quite an experience! Having the imposing Maison internationale building before you is very impressive and gives you the scale of the founding values of peace and solidarity. 

What do you think makes the Cité internationale a unique campus in the world?

It’s not only the 150 different nationalities that are simultaneously present but also the fact that all of the disciplines are also present. In general, a campus is managed by a university where the students have the same curriculum. At the Cité internationale, all of the disciplines are represented as there are no on-site universities. A Swede who studies natural sciences can be around a Brazilian with a masters in the saxophone as well as a Frenchman who researches linguistics etc. It’s the Cité internationale’s greatest strength and the students and researchers are very well aware of the opportunity that this presents them with. A large area is also given to artists and musicians as well as top-level athletes who add another dimension to the Cité internationale’s residents. 

How does living in your home give residents a different perspective on the world and provide a springboard for their future?

La Maison de Norvège has 100 rooms and two studios for researchers. Each floor has a large kitchen with a terrace that encourages contact between residents. The house also has a library and a large lounge where most of our cultural events take place. The founding values of the Cité remain as relevant as ever. The system of intermingling between the houses offers a very enriching and unforgettable stay for the residents, who build bridges between peoples through intercultural contacts.

If you had to sum up the Cité internationale in one word, what would it be and why?

Rainbow.
“A rainbow isn’t a physical thing. It’s an optical effect whose position depends on the observer and the sun”. This sums up what the former residents said when they came back to the Cité internationale. Between dreams, memories and reality, everything is a palette of colours, nationalities and disciplines all in one place.