Norwegian Kven Organization

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The Norwegian Kven Organization, known as Ruijan kvääniliitto in Kven and Norske kveners forbund in Norwegian, was founded in 1987 and has about 1,000 members. It has local branches in Skibotn, Børselv, Nord-Varanger, Tana, Lakselv, Alta, northern Troms, Tromsø, and Østlandet. The group works to push for a government report on the history and rights of the Kven people, to improve media coverage of Kven issues, and to create a State Secretary for Kven affairs. It also aims to offer Kven reading and writing classes from beginner to advanced, start a Kven kindergarten, and include the Kven language in all levels of Norwegian education. Other goals include establishing a Kven culture fund, putting Kven signs on roads and elsewhere, adding Kven names on official maps, and creating museums and centers for Kven language and culture. The organization owns part of the shares of the Kven newspaper Ruijan Kaiku.