Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.12.1992, Qupperneq 12

12 • Lögbarg-Heimskrlngla • Föstudagur 11. desember 1992
fSLAND
I-.IAM
30« . ISIANI'
The first Icelandic stamps were
issued in 1873. They were similar
to Danish stamps of those years
as Iceland was then ruled by Denmark.
In 1875 a change in currency took place
in Iceland, “krónur” and “aurar” replac-
ing “ríkisdalur” and “skildingur.” New
stamps were therefore issued in 1876,
but the vignette remained the same.
These were used for about a quarter of a
century.
In 1902 there appeared the first
stamps with the picture of the reigning
monarch, King Christian IX of
Denmark. During the next 20 years only
stamps with portraits of sovereigns were
issued with the exception though when
in 1911 a commemorative set of six
stamps was issued with a portrait of Jón
Sigurðsson, a scholar and statesman
and a National hero.
Landscape stamps appeared for the
first time in 1925, three with motives
from Reykjavík and two showing a
landing in the surf at a small village,
Vík, in southem Iceland.
In 1931-1932 six regulars were
issued with a picture of Gullfoss, “the
Golden waterfall” and in 1935 two
more landscape stamps were issued,
showing the waterfall Dynjandi and the
world famous volcano Hekla. Hekla has
erupted about twenty times since the
settlement of Iceland in 874.
In 1938 another wonder of nature,
equally famous, the Great Geysir,
appeared on a series of seven stamps.
Subjects from the countiy’s nature have
since then been used on stamps regular-
ly, both glaciers, waterfalls, mountains
or other scenic views.
Geologically speaking, Iceland is still
under formation. Volcanic activities are
frequent. In 1947 Mt. Hekla had a big
eruption which was depicted on seven
stamps. And in 1963 an eruption took
place in the ocean off the south coast
giving birth to an island later named
Surtsey. This event gave an occasion for
a series of three stamps, describing the
island’s “birth” from the start of the
eruption until it had grown up and con-
solidated itself as a regular part of the
Republic.
Flowers are a popular stamp subject.
The first flower stamps in Iceland
appeared in 1958. Since then flower
stamps have been issued ten times in
more than 20 values and have proved to
be popular among the public as well as
collectors.
Reforestation is the dream of many
Icelanders quoting old Icelandic sagas
about the settlement of the country in
tcnth century and where it says that the
whole island was covered with wood
from coast to mountain. Two stamp
issues have appeared on that occasion.
Icelandic fauna is maybe with the
exception of birds and fish not very rich.
In 1958 stamps showing a salmon and
an eider were issued and two years after
came a stamp with the Icelandic falcon.
Thesp wei;e followed by the Icelandic
■ ■ ■ ’ ’ ' • '
sea eagle in 1965 and the Great
Northern Diver in 1967. In 1980 there
appeared a stamp with the Arctic Fox
and the Icelandic dog and during the
years that followed stamps with animals,
fish, sea shells and not the least birds
have been issued on regular intervals.
The history, language and literature of
the Icelandic people is a heritage that all
Icelanders are proud of and which
means a lot to them. It is therefore quite
natural that this is reflected through the
stamp issuing policy. Stamps with the
old Icelandic manuscripts have been
issued twice in 1953 and in 1970 show-
ing details from the most famous and
decorative ones. And in 1974 when the
Icelanders celebrated the llOOth
Anniversary of the settlement of Iceland,
a stamp series of 11 stamps was issued,
all bearing artworks each of which repre-
sented the century concerned.
Postal History of Iceland has twice, in
1951 and 1976 been the subject of stamp
issues with the centenary of the Icelandic
stamp in 1973 and the centenaiy of the
aurur stamp in 1976.
International issues such as the
Europe-CEPT issues which started in
1960 and the Nordic stamp issues which
began in 1956 are together with other
occasional United Nations issues a regu-
lar part of the Icelandic stamp program.
The above mentioned issues are only
quoted as an example but of course the
Icelandic stamp issuing program has also
includcd charity stamps and blocks with
surchaige and stamps to commemorate
events considered as outstanding by the
public such as the World Chess
Championships in Reykjavík in 1972,
Olympic stamps, sports stamps, etc.
On the average however the Icelandic
Postal Administration issues 14 to 18
stamps a year. The general policy is con-
servative and every effort is done to have
the stamps designed and printed in its
best way.
The 1992 Chrlstmas stamps
Issued by the Post and telecommunica-
tions Administration are designed hav-
ing regard for winter solstice as experi-
enced by the artist at his studio window
in a tall building at Reykjavík.
Bragi Ásgeirsson, painter, graphics
artist, tutor, writer and critic for many
years, was bom at Reykjavík in 1931. He
commenced studying art at The Icelandic
School of Arts and Crafts in 1947,
remaining there for two and a half years.
Thereupon he attended study at the
Copenhagen Academy of Art during
1950-52 and the Oslo Academy until
1953. He stayed in Rome and Florence
to study during 1953-54 and thereupon
studied graphics at the Copenhagen
Academy during 1955-56. He attended
study in painting and graphics at the
Munich Academy of Art on a grant from
the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch-
dients DAAD during 1958-60.
He held his first private exhibition in
a’Reykjavík Galleiy in April of 1955 and
has since held numerous exhibitions in
Iceland and one in Copenhagen in
1956. He has also participated in
many art exhibitions in Iceland and
abroad.
Many museums and official
establishments have acquired
works by Bragi Ásgeirsson, includ- ’
ing the Árt Galleries of Iceland, the
City of Reykjavík, Selfoss, Bor- I
games, Húsavík and the University ’
of Iceland and so have galleries and ;
private parties in many parts of the ;
world. Bragi Ásgeirsson is an hon
ourary member
of the Icelandic
Graphics Assoc-
iation.
The Icelandic
Postal Admini-
»'y»»w"» '»"w vw'n
jOi.in mi
ÍSI.AM) . 3500
IIM.IN IW>
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k..
stration has a Philatelic
Service, Postphil, P.O.
box 8445, 128
REYKJAVÍK with a
standing order system
for new issues.
Following is a recent speech by
lcelandic President
to an Environmental Conference
What is it that distinguishes
man from other animals?
His gift of words and also
the scalc of his actions which can now
transform nature instead of merely
complementing it. The reason we are
here is really that man has taken him-
self out of nature, has attempted to
manipulate it and make it his slave
instead of his partner.
Our hope, of course, rests with
man’s gift for words and action. We
are beginning to state the problem and
organize ourselves to act. It is worth
remembering, however, that the ques-
tions we have not answered here still
remain on the world’s agenda and will
not disappear until they have been
resolved.
On the other hand, if we fail to tum
our words into concerted and fruitful
global action, we risk losing the confi-
dence of the world in our integrity and
ability to tackle the problem. It is our
duty not just to plan, but to inspire
faith and to set an example .
Pollution is a global problem,
everybody’s problem. John Donne said
that “no man is an island,” and envi-
ronmentally speaking, no island is an
island either. As you all know, the
Icelanders live almost entirely by har-
vesting the sea. Internationally we
have been spokesmen for measures to
protect the marine environment on a
global scale. We, therefore, welcome
the signs that more concerted action
will be taken to deal with the most
serious threats to the seas, which
include persistent organic substances
and radioactive waste.
We also welcome the commitment
made here to the conservation and
sustainable use of marine living
resources, and the recognition that
coastal states should benefit from sus-
tainable harvesting of them.
In the Nordic countries we had an
Environmental Year last year. One of
the most remarkable activities then
was to set up so-called “green fami-
lies” in many Nordic cities, who tried
to find out just how environment
friendly a life they could lead, and
formed a human chain linked by the
awareness of a positive lifestyle. These
green families — adults and children
alike — compared their results after-
wards and. have become members of a
close and growing circle of friends.
Mass action and constructive cam-
paigns have already produced small
but encouraging results. In Iceland,
which is home to 0.005% of the
world’s population, 4 million trees are
being planted each year, equivalent to
16 for every man, woman and child.
Imagine this being done the world
over — 80 billion new trees a year. It
would not take our asphyxiated planet
long to start breathing healthily again
if world action could be taken on such
a scale. We are changing the eroded
soil of a sub-arctic desert into a green
land once again.
“Nobody made a greater mistake
that he who did nothing because he
could only do little”, said Edmund
Burke so strikingly. But we must
beware of self-congratulation, since
we are not acting to win praise, but
rather to avoid the condemnation of
our children and grandchildren who
will inherit the earth from us.
The World Summit for Children
held at the United Nations
Headquarters in New York in 1990,
adopted a “Declaration for the
Survival, Protection and Development
of Children.” The children of the
world have now sent us messages,
symbolically carried by the Viking
Ship Gaia, reminding us to keep the
promise. I would like to recall one of
them from a young girl. She said, “Of
course I am interested in the future. It
is the rest of my life.”
A thousand years ago, our ances-
tors in the Nordic countries believed
the world would be destroyed by the
forces of evil. In Iceland, we remem-
ber the closing words of one of our
own greatest literary treasures, the
medieval cosmological poem
“Voluspá” or “The Sibyl’s Prophecy”:
I see rising
a second time
out of the waters
the Earth, green once more;
an eagle flies
over rushing waterfalls,
hunting for fish
from the craggy heights.
Never before has this inspired
vision from the past been such an
inspiration-for the future.