The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.2004, Page 19

Vol. 59 #2
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
61
Toast to Iceland
Delivered at the 2004 Islendingadagurinn, Gimli
by Oskar T. Sigvaldason
Virdulega fjallkona Thelma Wilson,
ha:stvirtur fylkisstjori Jon Harvard,
hasstvirtur fjarmalaradherra Geir Haarde,
hasstvirtur menntamalaradherra Petur
Bjornson, hasstvirtur sendiherra
Gudmundur Eirfksson, forseti
Islendingadagsins Sandra Sigurdson, hei-
dursgestir, godir hatidargestir.
Madam Fjallkona Thelma Wilson,
Honorable John Harvard, Honorable Geir
Haarde, Honorable Peter Bjornson, Your
Excellency Gudmundur Eiriksson, Festival
President Sandra Sigurdson, Distinguished
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I feel very privileged to be invited to
present a Toast to Iceland. I especially want
to express my sincere appreciation to the
Festival Committee for this very distinct
honor. I also extend special thanks for the
gracious hospitality extended to my wife,
Giancarla, and me for this most memorable
weekend in Gimli.
The year 2004 is a significant year for
Iceland and for all Icelanders. We remem-
ber that in 1874, 130 years ago, King
Christian the Ninth of Denmark visited
Iceland on the occasion of its Millennium
and granted Iceland an amended
Constitution. The Millennium, of course,
was the occasion to celebrate the arrival of
Ingolfur Arnarson, the first settler to
Iceland, in 874. Subsequent to King
Christian's historic visit, there were exten-
sive discussions, resulting eventually in the
award of Home Rule in 1904, exactly 100
years ago. This year is also the 60th
Anniversary of full independence for
Iceland as a sovereign nation. So, it is cer-
tainly appropriate to pause and reflect on
these historic reminders that have brought
us to where we are today.
There are many different subjects,
which can serve as reminders of the contri-
bution and character of Icelanders, both
inside and outside Iceland. In past speech-
es, there has been discussion about cultural
contributions in the arts, including poetry,
prose, storytelling, music and painting.
There are also references to successes in
politics, in governance, in athletics, in reli-
gion and in other walks of life.
In the few moments that I have today,
I want to focus my comments on Iceland's
impressive economic, industrial and com-
mercial development.
Ur morgu er ad velja J>egar minnast
skal a einhver Jaeirra morgu afreka sem
varpa ljosi a Islendingsedlid bazdi heima
fyrir a Islandi og i odrum londum. I
rasduholdum fra lidinni tld hefur margt
verid sagt um menningarframlag Islendinga
a svidi lista og J>a vitnad til bokmennta i
bundnu mali og obundnu, sagnalistar, ton-
listar og malaralistar. Margur hefur lika
latid ord falla a Jaessum vettvangi um gltesi-
legan arangur Islendinga \ ljarottum, stjorn-
malum og stjornsyslu, og ekki hefur J>a
heldur verid litid fram hja hetjulegri gllmu
jaeirra vid truarbrogd og ymiss konar annan
vanda sem ad hondum ber a lifsins leid.
A J>eim fau mfnutum sem eg nu hef til
umrada langar mig til ad beina ordum
mfnum adallega ad jaeirri mjog svo
ahugaverdu Jaroun sem ordid hefur a Islan-
di i idnadi, verslun og vidskiptum.
For many centuries, Iceland remained
an impoverished outpost island in the
North Atlantic. There was little develop-
ment because the governing system was
essentially feudal. This was aggravated by a
harsh climate, a challenging environment
and limited communication and commerce
with the outside world. The 1870s was an