Norwegian peace activist Tore Naerland spoke to an assembled audience of eager students at the Oldham Sixth Form College.

The visit on Tuesday, November 22, was organised by Assistant Principal Lewis Entwistle.

Tore, who has been blind since age 15, established Bike for Peace in Norway in 1977.

The first campaign was held in Northern Ireland, where he was joined by Catholics and Protestants cycling together for peace. 

Tore has since been cycling the world for 45 years, speaking of the need for peace in over 120 countries.

He estimates that he has travelled around the world eight times.

Tore has received a special medal from the King of Norway and the peace award named after his hero Gandhi in recognition of his work for peace and has recently been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Tore was accompanied by Richard Outram, secretary of the UK and Ireland chapter of Mayors for Peace, an international organisation established by the Mayor of Hiroshima in 1982 to campaign for nuclear disarmament.

Richard came to the college last year with a ginkgo tree grown from a seed sourced from a tree which survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

ALSO READ: Peace tree with seed from Hiroshima planted at Saddleworth School.

The seed was a gift of the mayor of Hiroshima, and the tree was offered to the college as it is a signatory of the Pledge to Peace.

The Oldham Times: Left to right: Richard Outram, Declan Hampson, Josh Bruton, Libby Reynolds, Adam Rennie, Billy Henshaw and Tore Naerland at the end of the event with the Mayors for Peace flagLeft to right: Richard Outram, Declan Hampson, Josh Bruton, Libby Reynolds, Adam Rennie, Billy Henshaw and Tore Naerland at the end of the event with the Mayors for Peace flag (Image: OSFC)

During his travels, Tore has met a variety of people, including Popes, Nobel Peace Prize winners, and presidents.

However, he says his real passion is talking to young people about the need for peace.

More than 40 students from Oldham Sixth Form College’s political science and law course listened to Tore’s tales of travel and his passion for the pursuit of world peace.

The students did not disappoint when they were offered the opportunity to question Tore, with topics ranging from nuclear power, to weapons and arm proliferation.

Pupil Billy asked how he could promote peace like Tore.

After answering the questions, Tore and Richard visited the college library where Tore donated a copy of his new book and Richard donated a copy of a biography of Prem Rawat who initiated the Pledge to Peace.

Tore intends to return to the college next year and relishes the chance to speak to even more students.