During the Winter Olympic Games held in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway, Øgaard felt the need to do something for the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina and initated the Lights for Peace idea, where 40 000 lights lit up the arena as a symbolic action for the citizens of the country.
- When I heard about what was going on, I felt a need as a human being to do something and support the people of Bosnia, said Øgaard.
The Norwegian Ambassador, Jan Braathu, and the representative of the Association of Friends of Sarajevo, Mensur Colakovic, participated in the handover of the picture of the Winter Olympic Games Arena in Lillehammer on the 9th February 2009 to the Mayor of Sarajevo.
- I was always brought up to believe that every person is equal. Nobody is superior to anybody else, said Øgaard.