Lögberg-Heimskringla - 05.12.2003, Page 1

Lögberg-Heimskringla - 05.12.2003, Page 1
riiE ICELANDÍC WEEKLY Lögberg stofnad 14. janiar 1888 Heimskringla stofnad 9. september 1886 Sameinud 20. agust 1959 Friday, 5 December 2003 • Number 42 / Númer 42 • Föstudagur, 5 desember, 2003 PAP Registration no. 08000 Agreement no. 1402161 117th year /117. Árgangur ISSN 0047-4967 Canada Welcomes His Excellency Guðmundur Eiríksson, Iceland’s New Ambassador to Canada In This Issue • A Philanthropist at Heart, Don Johnson P. 4 0 Jól hjá Jóni og Ulú á Islandi og í Kanada P. 7 • The White Strand P. 8 m Martha Brooks in Iceland P. 10 Hurðaskellir Þessi mynd lýsir heldur betur vel honum Hurðaskelli. Listamaðurinn er Henný Hrund Jóhannsdóttir, tólf ára frá Breiðabólstað, Ivirkjubæ- jarklaustri, og hún lét vísuna hans Jóhannesar úr Kötlum fyl- gja með. Sjöundi var Hurðaskellir, sá var nokkuð klúr, ' ef fó/kið vildi í rökkrinu fá sér vœnan dúr. Hann var ekki sér/ega hnugginnyfir því, þó harkalega marraði hjörunum í. Door Slammer This picture shows Door Slammer rather well. The artist is Henný Hrund Jóhannsdóttir, twelve years old from Breiðabólstaður, Kirkjubæ- jarklaustur, and she sent the verses by Jóhannes from Kötlum along with it. The seventh was Door Slammer, be ivas rather crude, he often tnade the doors creak being very rude. ]Vhen in the twilight people mnted to have a little sleep, but he u>as not particularly sad nor did he iveep. Infomiation from Morgunblaðid, A. H. Ik Davison w Ottawa/ f^ li Pembroke, k' -Ir It was a pleasure and an hon- our to be able to spend time in conversation with Iceland’s new Ambassador to Canada, His Excellency Guðmundur Eiríksson. Throughout the con- versation, the role of Intemational Law and Human Rights rose to the surface. Ambassador Eiríksson is a gen- tleman at home in this world and his passion for social and intemational justice through his work in Iceland and other world nations shines. All Canadians will benefít from his presence in Canada and Icelandic- Canadians can anticipate expanded insight and growth as he reaches out to our communi- ties. Childhood, Education, and Professional History In 1947, Guðmundur Eiríksson’s father, the Reverend Eiríkur Sverrir Brynjólfsson of Útskálar, Iceland was approached by the Reverend Valdimar Eylands of the Winnipeg Lutheran Church to take part in an exchange between the Icelandic and Manitoba churches. The Reverend, his wife Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir of Gerði in Garður, Iceland, son Erik, and the Reverend’s sister Katrín, travelled to Winnipeg for the Reverend to fulfíll the pulpit exchange. His first stay in Canada was going to be brief: Guðmundur Eiríksson was born in Winnipeg on October 26, 1947 and retumed to Iceland with his family in 1948. Ambassador Eiríksson fondly recalls a photo album presented to his mother by the Winnipeg Lutheran Church Women’s Auxiliary marking the occasion of his birth. Guðmundur’s Aunt, Katrín Brynjólfs(dóttir), chose to stay in Winnipeg while the family departed for Iceland and home. In 1952 Guðmundur’s father was again approached by a Canadian Lutheran Church, this time in Vancouver, asking if he would consider retuming to Canada to take over the pulpit. Reverend Brynjólfsson of Útskálar accepted the invitation and moved his family to Vancouver, BC to minister to the congregation at the' Vancouver Icelandic Lutheran Church. Sadly for the family and all who knew him, Reverend Eiríkur Sverrir Brynjólfsson of Útskálar died in 1962. The family again retumed to Iceland. Young Guðmundur Eiríksson had spent his forma- tive kindergarten to grade ten years studying in Vancouver. Ambassador Eiríksson earned his Degree of Civil Engineering from Rutgers College in the United States (1970), his Law Degree from King’s College, University of London, England (1973), and his Masters of Law from Columbia University (1974). The details of his career can be found online at: www.iceland.org/ca. In 1977, after spending three years with the United Nations in New York working in conjunction with the Law of the Sea, he retumed to Iceland to serve as Legal Advisor for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For the next twenty years Guðmundur served in this Ministry while expanding his ,contributions globally as visit- ing professor, scholar, and lec- turer to a nurnber of intemation- ally recognized institutions. It was in 1996 that Guðmundur and his wife and partner Þórey Vigdís Ólafsdót- tir, psychologist and social worker, chose to move to Costa Rica with their family. The move, motivated by a number of factors, saw the Eiríkssons thrilled that their children would have an opportunity to grow within and experience a culture beyond their usual boundaries. Travelling from his home in Costa Rica, from 1996 to 2002 Guðmundur sat as Judge for the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany. During this time he also wrote a book titled The International Tríbunal for Law of the Sea, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000. Guðmundur’s passion for the Law of the Sea is clearly evident, but his contributions and dedication toward the pur- suits of Intemational Law and Human Rights conducted at the United Nations-affiliated University for Peace, Costa Rica (UPEACE) are a source of inspiration. From 2001 to 2003 the Ambassador sat as Dean for Cooperative Programs, Secretary of the Council, and Director of the Department of Intemational Law and Human Rights at UPEACE. Ambassador Eiríksson hurnbly, yet honestly explained that Icelanders work long days as they strive to help their nation prosper. In order to sus- tain the standards the nation has set, individuals must assume many social and community responsibilities. When one con- siders that Iceland fosters two operas, three symphonies, and four universities, it is easily rec- ognized that a great deal is accomplished by her conscien- tiously ardent citizens. While in Reykjavík, Guðmundur, in addition to his Ministry respon- sibilities, served as Chairman of the Opera, performed in the Opera Chorus, and sat on the boards of a Sports Club and the Tennis Federation. The Eiríkssons have four children: Guðrún Dögg Guðmundsdóttir, Human Rights Program Offícer, University for Peace, Costa Rica; Ólafur Bjöm Guðmundsson, university stu- dent and restaurant manager in Helsinki, Finland; Elín Vigdís Please see Canada Welcontes His Excellency on Page3 Ambassador Guðmundur Eiríksson with her Excellency Adrienne Clarkson, Governor General of Canada Creating Community • Sköpum Samfélag

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