Lögberg-Heimskringla - 14.04.2000, Page 1

Lögberg-Heimskringla - 14.04.2000, Page 1
Iceland in Canada 2000 A special issue of Lögberg-Heimskringla by Harpa Isfeld and Jón Einars. Gústafsson Pictures: Jón Einars. Gústafsson UNVEILING ICELAND TO CANADA The Ottawa Opening Heather Alda Ireland, consul for Iceland in British Columbia and David Gislason, chairman of Millennium 125. Svavar Gestsson managed the events in Ottawa, here with Sigurdur Helgason and Atli Asmundsson. A prestigious ceremony in the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa on April 6th marked the opening of the Icelandic millennium celebrations in Canada. Iceland's Prime Minister David Oddsson presented Prime Minister Chretien with a statue by Icelandic artist Asmundur Sveinsson, a gift from the Icelandic nation to Canadians. Oddsson, who was on an official visit to Canada, used the opportunity to announce for the first time formally that Iceland would open an embassy in Canada in May 2001. More than 700 visitors gathered in The Great Hall of the Canadian Museum of Civilization, among them 350 Ottawa school children dressed in T-shirts representing the "Iceland naturally" slogan and medal- lions designed specifically to commemorate the opening. Prirne Ministers Chretien and Oddsson. TWO GREAT ROLE MODELS Senator Janis Johnson barely had time to sit down at her desk during the celebrations. Ambassador Hannibalsson, Mari Louise Morin Ambassador for Canada in Norway and Iceland, Svavar Gestsson and Gudrun Agustsdottir. 350 Ottawa school children showed up for Snorri’s 1000 year birthday. Master chef Hilmar B.Jonsson and his collegue, David Macgillwray, the chef of Chateau Laurier. The school children wore a medallions depicting two great role models. On one side was an engraving representing the statue of Gudridur Thorbjarnardottir, the courageous Icelandic woman who traveled to the East Coast of Canada soon after 1000; on the other side was the emblem of Bjami Tryggvason, the Iceland born Canadian astronaut. The highlight of the event for the children was the personal appearance in full gear by Mr. Tryggvason, whose decent by escalator through smoke effects and the cameras spotlights likely proved to be the smoothest of his career. SINGING IN ICELANDIC The children took active part in the pro- gram, singing the happy birthday song in Icelandic for Snorri Thorfinsson, the son bom to Gudridur and the first European child born in the New World. The children had been prepared by their teach- ers and by Kathy Arnason and Gudmn Agustsdottir, who coached the children on their Icelandic. Icelandic soprano soloist, Diddu, joined the children in the birth- day song. Friends of Iceland in Ottawa lead by Gerry Einarsson were instrumental in planing the cele- brations.

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