The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2003, Síða 10

8
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 58 #1
The Icelandic North-American
Relationship
More than Money can Buy
by Hordur Sigurgestsson, Chairman of Icelandair
delivered in Minneapolis, INL Convention, 2002
Ladies and Gentlemen:
I am honoured to be speaking to this
distinguished gathering here today as we
celebrate the long and wide ranging rela-
tionship between Iceland and North
America. I am particularly pleased that we
have with us here today people that play an
important role in maintaining and
strengthening that relationship for the ben-
efit of both countries.
Iceland is, of course, a European coun-
try by origin and by culture. But in the
European context Iceland is very much the
smallest and the youngest member of the
family.
In the context of America, Iceland has
a different image of itself. First of all,
Iceland proudly celebrates its role in the
European discovery of America and sec-
ondly there are quite strong emotional ties
between the two countries because of the
Icelandic community in North America.
You could claim that if Iceland is linked to
Europe by culture it is linked to America
by emotion.
The very nature of Iceland, its location
and the small size of the population leaves
few options for the three hundred thou-
sand souls that have made the North
Atlantic rock their home. They have to
seek prosperity and better life through
international trade and international rela-
tions.
The Icelandic nation state, established
in 1918, made economic history during the
20th Century. It came from rags to riches
in record time. Important parts of that
makeover were Icelandic-American trade
relations. We should probably place equal
significance on half a century of political
relationship and shared defense interests
that have created a strong bond between
the two countries. Cultural relations have
also played an important role. Last but by
no means least, I would underline the
importance of educational co-operation.
Today, that is one of the most important
components of the relationship between
Iceland and North America.
Isolated right up to the beginning of
the 20th Century, Iceland remained one of
the poorest farming communities of
Europe. Until 1930, more people lived on
farms in rural areas than in towns and vil-
lages. But Icelanders had already laid the
foundation for prosperity. Mechanized
fishing started at the beginning of the 20th
century and that brought international
trade, at first with European countries. By
the mid 20th century trade with the big
neighbour in the west became an important
plank in the building of the Icelandic econ-