Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.06.1999, Blaðsíða 1

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HeimsKringia
The lcelandic Weekly
Lögberg Stofnaö 14. januar 1888 Heimskringla Stofnaö 9. september 1886
Inside this week:
Letters 2
lcelandic News 3
Rescue from Grampa Woo 3
The lcelanders of Kinmount 5
Calendar of Events 6
Children’s Corner 7
Memoirs of Guömundur Jónsson
from Húsey 7
Poetry 8
“The oldest ethnic periodical still publishing in Canada”
113. Árgangur Canadian Publications Agreement no. 1402161 Föstudagur 11. júni 1999 Númer 21
113th year Publications Mail registration no. 08000 Friday 11 June 1999 Number 21
Strengthening relationships with the
University of Iceland
Thorbjörn Broddason (left) and Raymond Currie meet in Reykjavik
Ken Howard '
IF YOU haven’t yet met Dr.
Raymond Currie, Dean of Arts at
the University of Manitoba, make a
point to meet him if the opportunity
arises. His personal warmth, organiza-
tional skills and commitment to enhanc-
ing the existing relationship with the
University of Iceland were very much
evident in my recent interview with him
in his University of Manitoba office.
Recently returned from a visit to
Iceland, his enthusiasm for strengthen-
ing the relationship between the two
centres of learning was contagious.
He, Dr. Ken Thorlakson, and
Carolynne Presser, Director of
Libraries, visited Iceland Saturday
March 27 to Wednesday March 31, with
a view to strengthening academic con-
tact between the University of
Manitoba and Icelandic institutions,
especially the University of Iceland.
Worth noting, Dean Currie is the
highest ranking official of the
University of Manitoba to visit the
University of Iceland—this was the first
time the dean of a faculty has made this
trip.
Dean Currie was grateful for the
excellent preliminary arrangements
made by Ambassador Svavar Gestsson
and his wife Guðrún Ágústsdóttir,
whom he described as gracious and
helpful hosts. They had an itinerary in
place that allowed the
Canadians to meet all the
key persons that were
appropriate as well as
opportunities to appreciate
the cultural and culinary
centres of Reykjavík. The
Ambassador and his wife
provided the visitors an
excellent opportunity to
listen to what Icelanders
were saying and doing.
A highlight of the trip
was a visit to the residence
for the President of
Iceland, His Excellency,
Mr. Ólafur Ragnar
Grímsson. The President
was very articulate about
the role of people of
Icelandic descent around
the worfd noting that
Canada often facilitates
the ability of people to retain and cele-
brate their cultural roots. His views
were consistent with the Dean’s with
respect to his vision of how Icelanders
around the world can contribute both to
their Icelandic heritage and to our own
life in Canada.
Dr. Páll Skúlason, Rector of the
University of lceland held a lunch for
the U of M visitors at the Univeristy, to
which he invited the Dean of Arts, the
Director of Intemational Relations in
charge of fostering student exchanges,
and a member of each of the English,
History, and Sociology departments. In
a two-hour discussion about increasing
relationships with the University of
Piease see Strengthening on page 2
Lecture about a poet
Katrín Jónsdóttir returned to Iceland last
fall to attend university. She had spent two
years in Canada, during which she provid-
ed invaluable assitance to the Icelandic
Canadian Club of Toronto by teaching
Icelandic classes and seiying on the Youth
Committee and executive of the club.
Katrín Jónsdóttir
Rekjavik, Iceland
SINCE I RETURNED TO ICELAND I have
become acquainted with the Iceland
Canada Friendship Society, which in
Icelandic is called “Vináttufélag íslands
og Kanada.” One evening recently I
attended one of their meetings.
The Friendship Society of Iceland
and Canada was founded in September
1995 and has flourished ever since. The
university has been generous with
accommodation, and several intellectu-
als have given lectures, for example
Hjörður Pálsson, writer; Þór Jakobsson,
meterologist; Þorsteinn Jónsson,
genealogist, and Vilhjálmur
Hjalmarsson, writer and fonner
Minister of Culture.
Last January the 28th there were
two lectures. The first about Icelandic
women poets, the second about the
Viking discoveries and settlements in
North America. However, instead of
giving an overall reference of the lec-
turers’ contriutions that evening, I
would like to give you an account of
Please see Lecture on page 6
ICELANDIC NEWS
Foreign Minister Halldór Ásgrímsson
(left) with Bishop Karl Sigurbjtímsson
at the openittg of the show iit Leifsstöð.
Show celebrates
Christianization
IHAVE always seen the adoption of
Christianity as an art of conciliation.
II was splendid concession which is not
only unique in Icelandic history. but
also in world history,” Halldór
Ásgrímsson said in his interview with
Morgunblaðið about the opening of a
show on behalf of tlie Christianization
Celebration at Leifsstöð (lceland’s
Intemational Airport).
Tlie show features articles from the
National Museum, arranged in an inter-
esting and informative way for people
to view as they either enter or leave the
country. The show was initiated by the
Bishop of Iceland, Karl Sigurbjörns-
son.
The manager of the
Christianization Committee, Júlíus
Hafstein, said that the display at
Leifsstöð had been requested by the
Bishop of Iceland.
Karl Sigurbjörnsson, Bishop of
Iceland, addressed the visitors and said
that Christianity was the lifeline of
Icelanders. He thanked those who were
responsible for the show’s arrangement
and wished thern well as well as those
who pass through Leifsstöð.
Halldór Ásgrímsson said that “for
a thousand years the Church has been
the steadying force in Icelandic socie-
ty.” He emphasized that Christian val-
ues were the foundation of a democrat-
ic society. He talked about his under-
standing of the adoption of Christianity
as a masterpiece of coneiliation.
“I ol'ten mention this example
abroad when solutions are sought,”
Halldór said, “it has a bearing on the
complicated disputes which now rage
in Kosovo. Wherever 1 tell this story
lcelandic News continues on page 3