Reykjavík Grapevine - 18.05.2018, Qupperneq 20

20 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 08 — 2018
of time so they can integrate in the
local society—that is, establish an
amicable relationship with other
families, and have more chances
also to improve the use of the
Icelandic language, which I
believe is also very impor-
tant for settling
down in Iceland. I
believe that the
Left-Green Party
is, more than the
other political parties, caring about
these aspects.
Ewelina
Osmialowska, Left-
Greens, 12th seat.
1. I believe that my experience as an
immigrant in Iceland gives me an
insight into what Reykjavík can do
better to support its non-Icelandic
inhabitants. I am a well educated
Polish woman, teacher, and mother of
two, with knowledge and experience in
bilingualism. I would like to represent
families as well as teachers. One of the
things I would like to accomplish is to
make it easier for foreign residents to
learn Icelandic as a second language.
The city can do much more to help by
creating a learning platform with all
available materials gathered together.
Right now those materials and infor-
mation about current events and
courses are spread around the inter-
net.
2. The municipality handles so much
of the vital day-to-day services that
we rely on, including the education of
our children. Municipal elections are
also a local test for democracy, and it's
important for immigrants to partici-
pate democratically. We must make
our voices heard! Today immigrants
comprise about 1/7th of all people
living in Reykja-
vík, and it’s our
right and duty to
decide about our
neighbourhood,
district or town,
no matter where
we’re from.
3. The greatest
challenge that
not only immi-
grants in Reyk-
javík but also
Icelanders have
to face is a lack of
affordable hous-
ing. Renting or buying an apartment at
sky-high prices is an issue that needs
to be fixed. The sooner the better. I
believe that one of the most effective
ways to tackle this issue is for the city
to work with unions, housing co-ops
and other non-profits to build housing
for people, not for capital.
Guy Conan
Stewart,
Left-Greens,
27th seat.
1. The Left-Green Movement’s leading
candidates are people of noble char-
acter and great ability—I’ll back up
people who combine decency with an
understanding of the environmental
needs of our age. On a personal level,
I’m most interested in expanding the
appeal of the Left-Greens to those who
might not have considered it before.
2. Immigrant or not, citizenship is
an ennobling thing, and its privileges
have corresponding duties. A citizen
ought to bear what burden they can,
and leave behind a better city than they
found.
3. Just connecting. I’m very fortu-
nate to have married into a warm and
accepting family. Not everyone has
someone: someone you can ask about
a question on a form, or just someone
to give you a pat on the back when you
need it.
Toshiki Toma, Left-
Greens, 31st seat.
1. My candidacy, as well as the other
immigrants on the lists, shows that we
immigrants in Reykjavík are partici-
pating in “the society of Reykjavík”.
2. Because city politics (as well as
that of the state) is the place to discuss
how we should use our rights as resi-
dents of the municipalities, and also
it’s the place to gain unobtained rights
that we should obtain.
3. In my opinion, it is highly impor-
tant for us immigrants in Reykjavík
and Iceland that we find out the balance
between two things; we need to accept
how Icelanders are living/have been
living until now on one hand, and on
the other hand, we need to dedicate
ourselves to bringing something new
to their life. Both important, and to
find a good balance is also the task of
the city politics.
Elsa Nore, Pirate
Party, 10th seat.
1. A fundamental goal of the Pirate
Party is to make information accessible
to the population and give people possi-
bilities to take part in decision making.
2. Everyone living in Iceland is part
of our community and should have a say
in how the society works. Voting is one
of many ways to influence what kind
of city we live in and share between us.
3. Access to society and information
about rights and services in English
or their native language, how and
where to seek assistance when needed
and the possibility to have a transla-
tor when dealing with bureaucracy
Alexander Witold
Bogdanski,
Independence
Party, 10th seat.
1. Many issues but priorities: I would
fight for increasing the number of
apartments (we aim to build at least
2,000 each year), more space for chil-
dren at kindergartens (1,629 children
are on the waiting lists now) more
teachers at kindergartens and schools,
more educational assistance for chil-
dren of foreign origin, and a better
communication system in the city.
2. It is important that most (if not
all) immigrants with voting rights
take part in municipal elections and
therefore have influence for important
issues for their residence.
More Icelanders should vote as well. I
would be happy to see a higher partici-
pation ratio, not total 62% like 4 years
ago in Reykjavík—such should be a
democracy—different cultures, voices
and people—together we make a
choice and change!
3. The most difficult part of settling
in Reykjavík is the insufficient number
of apartments (322 built in the last 4
years) which is also reflected in higher
prices of buying or renting. Reykjavík
needs a change.
Pawel Bartoszek,
Reform Party,
2nd seat.
1. I want to make sure that the ideals of
liberalism are represented in the Reyk-
javík City Council.I want a city that is
egalitarian, international, service-
oriented and well-run.
2. They should run to provide their
vision of how things should be. They
should vote to choose the vision they
think will work best.
3. It varies based on one's back-
ground. For some, just getting their
kennitala can be a huge hassle, others
face legal hurdles when starting a busi-
ness. We want all applications to be
available in English and we would like
the city to provide checklists and guid-
ance for all new inhabitants.
Nazanin Askari,
Women’s
Movement,
3rd seat.
1. Having had social studies education
and a strong political background, and
more importantly being a citizen in
Icelandic society, I believe I am more
than ready to play my part in Reykjavík
City Council today.
2. We are living in a diverse society
and foreigners have a lot of concerns,
including equal rights, everywhere
inside society; not only on paper. An
individual can make changes and I'd
love to be that individual. We need to
do this together; together we indeed
have a louder voice to be heard.
3. In my opinion, lack of respect
which can come from a lack of knowl-
edge or experience by natives makes it
a lot more difficult than it should be
for the immigrants to start their lives
in Reykjavík. We need to improve our
society towards an ideal one by making
diversity the means of power and a
reason for pride.
Nichole Leigh
Mosty, Women’s
Movement,
24th seat.
1. I am simply in a supporting role in
my bottom seat for the Women‘s Move-
ment. I support their stand on eradi-
cating violence and in pushing the
envelope regarding genuine equality.
I have a lot of respect for their stance
and was honoured to be asked to take a
lower seat. Having been dealt the hand
of rejection from my own party and the
public in recent elections, I had decided
not to take part in any elections. I
decided to advocate for human rights
issues, especially regarding women of
foreign origin, from the sidelines and
serve the public through my current
job in Breiðholt. You could say that I
hope in some way through working
with them and adding my name to
their cause, we advocate together for
a society which takes genuine steps to
eradicate violence, support victims of
discrimination and violence, and find
a way to support genuine equality.
2. It is important for us to be
there because we are 13% of society
and in some districts as high as 30%.
Our voices matter, and we should be
afforded the same opportunity as every
other eligible voter and taxpaying citi-
zen. With that said, more importantly,
that we are truly valued, respected and
listened to. In many ways, I feel as if I
were a token immigrant because when
the party was over I was simply no
longer relevant.
3. Language courses, ability and
access to upward mobility in the job
market, and society blanketed with
underlying fear/ignorance which
become visible through discrimina-
tion are probably the biggest issues I
feel we have to overcome. Schools have
to adapt teaching methods and test-
ing measures to better fit the growing
amount of children who are multilin-
gual. I do not believe that Icelanders
want things to be like they are. I don‘t
think Icelanders like the idea that 13%
of the population sometimes feel like
they are not afforded the same oppor-
tunities or rights. I do not believe in
any way that people are happy to know
that in the recent review of wages here
in Reykjavík, Icelanders receive more
than double their coworkers of foreign
origin.
Anna Maria
Wojtynska,
Socialist Party,
3rd seat.
1. What are you most hoping to
accomplish, should you get into
Reykjavík City Council? (If you are
at the 24th seat or below, what are
you hoping your candidacy will do
for your party?)
2. Why do you believe it's
important for immigrants to take
part in municipal elections?
3. What is, in your opinion,
the greatest challenge that
immigrants in Reykjavík face
when it comes to settling in
the city and trying to make
a life for themselves?
Elsa Nore
Phiangphit
Thiphakdi
Pawel Bartoszek
Ewelina Osmialowska