The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1973, Side 66

64
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SUMMER 1973
groups. The purpose of the seminar
was to discuss and assess the present
efforts and future plans for preserv-
ing the ethnic cultures of the Scand-
inavian groups in America.
Leaders in the various spheres of
Scandinavian culture, mainly profes-
sors and some ethnic press editors,
from all over the United States, were
in attendance, as well as the two Ice-
landic representatives from Canada
metioned above. K. Valdimar Bjorn-
son, State Treasurer of Minnesota,
was also a participant.
The seminar was sponsored by the
University of Minnesota Centre for
Northwest European Languages and
Area Studies, and the Scandinavian
Airlies, SAS. Officials from SAS were
present as well as professors from Fin-
land, Norway, Sweden and Denmark,
foreign service officers from the Scan-
dinavian countries, and officers of the
American-Scandinavian Foundation.
The total attendance was sixty-eight.
The seminar was a breakthrough in
several ways, as this is the first oc-
casion at which representatives from
all the Scandinavian national groups
in America were pooling their experi-
ences in an attempt to solve their com-
mon problems as ethnic cultures. It
is also the first instance of a major
commercial, and a major academic
institution in the Scandinavian Com-
munity pooling their resources to con-
sider common concerns. Hopefully
there will be some further news of
beneficial results of this seminar.
★
THE WESTMAN ISLAND
DISASTER FUND
The Canadian government has con-
tributed $100,000 to the Disaster Fund.
$37,500 of this amount has been ear-
mark for the Misawa Homes project,
the rest has been presented to His
Excellency Harold Kroger, Iceland’s
Ambassador to Canada.
❖ ❖ ^
Ten prefabricated homes built by
Misawa Homes of Canada at Girnli at
the cost of $112,500 are to be airlifted
to Iceland. The Canadian Govern-
ment is contributing $37,500 taken
from its $100,000 contribution towards
this project, the Manitoba govern-
ment is contributing $37,500, and Mis-
awa Homes $37,500.
A news item from Minneapolis-St.
Paul states that Icelanders in The
Twin Cities—all the 119 there—are
contributing to the Disaster Fund. As
of April 27, $8,000 has been raised in
The Twin Cities and the vicinity.
* * *
The Icelandic American Club in
California has forwarded $1,000 to the
Red Cross in Reykjavik, for the
Westman Islands disaster fund.
* * *
The school children in Toronto
have raised $100 for the disaster fund.
* * *
The Icelandic Club of Greater
Seattle had contributed $6,450 as of
mid-April.
* * *
As of mid-March, the Amerioam-
Scandinavian Foundation had collect-
ed $28,000 for the relief fund. In-
cluded is the sum of $500 from the
Monterey Chapter.
❖ ❖ *
The Westman Island Disaster Re-
lief Fund, sponsored by the National
League, totals to some $44,000.
❖ ❖ *
The First Lutheran Church, Win-
nipeg totalled May 10, some $2,700.
★