On August 30th 2003, Johann Olav Koss (Former Olympic champion at Lillehammer in 1994 for speed ice-skating category), Mark Wong and Kjetil Moe, former handicapped athlet, and called the "marathon man of Lillesand" had set up an exercise run in Kristiansand zoo. Mark Wang, a young chinese fellow,  rescued from an aircrash, had met Kjetil Moe in Norway and they became friends. They first wish has been to encourage handicapped people so they created the "Run for life" Association. Unfortanetely Kjetil Moe died in 1999 after his participation to the NY marathon.

In Kristiansand, a small ceremony has been set up before the run with several artists and Princessa Mette Marit. Thomas Stanghelle, Xiao Yan and Morten Harket have performed a song from their repertoire in front of Princess Mette Marit and some handicapped people.  Morten performed Summer moved On, an a-ha song. Princess Mette Marit also participated to the run  while Morten was distributing medals to the participants at the end of the run. 

              Morten singing SMO                                        Mark Wang, Thomas S.and Mh                                      Medals

In 2004, Thomas Stanghelle, Norwegian composer and singer whose father works for Sunaas hospital has decided to write a mini-opera called "Some Sunny Night" to tell the story of Kjetil Moe and Mark Wang. The mini-opera (about 40 minutes) has been shown off for the first time at Sunaas Rehabilitation hospital on September 13th 2004.  Many foreign ambassadors have been invited as well as Princess Mette Marit, Stephen Ackles and Morten Harket.  Morten performed one of his favourite song, "Bridge over troubled water" (written by Paul Simon) which symbolized encouragement.
Watch the highlights of the event here (The video is available on Thomas Stanghelle official website, www.thom.no). The performance is also available on Thomas Stanghelle website.

Read our  Exclusive interviev of Thomas Stanghelle for MortenHarket-fr.com

To buy the DVD click here.
Official website of "Some Sunny Night" : http://www.somesunnynight.com

In 2006, Sunnaas hospital will set up a new Association to raise fonds for new medication and new equipment. Some personnalities will participate to that foundation in the future including Morten Harket.

http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=111721
English translation (thanks to Ingerid for the translation)

Since 2004, Morten has joined "Menneskeverd" Association in Oslo dedicated to handicapped young people. The "Menneskeverd" Institution create this award to given to persons, institutions, organizations that have provided a positive contribution to the protection human life value and created hope and courage among people in the fragile phases of the begining or the end of life. Morten attended the ceremony both in 2004 and 2005.