Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.03.2019, Síða 3

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. mars 2019 • 3
Are you coming to the
100th anniversary
convention of the
Icelandic National League
of North America? Have you
been wondering about that old
Icelandic artifact that you own,
but aren’t sure what it is or the
history behind it?
Family artifacts hold
valuable stories about our
family history. In keeping
with the theme of the 100th
anniversary convention –
Honour, Celebrate, Build – we
invite you to share a piece of
your family history through an
artifact. This could be a picture,
letter, book, piece of clothing,
jewelry, or other small item
that holds sentimental or
historic value.
There will be the
opportunity to display your
artifact and share your story
with others. Museum experts
will be on hand to talk with
you about your artifact.
If you are bringing an artifact
to the convention, it should
be small and portable; and it
will be your responsibility
to ensure its safety. Please
submit to susanhj@mymts.
net your name, address,
phone number, and email,
along with a description and
photo of the item you will be
bringing. Please note that this
will be open to convention
participants only.
NOT YOUR
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
Karen Botting
Winnipeg, MB
First Lutheran Church
580 Victor Street
Winnipeg R3G 1R2
204-772-7444
www.mts.net/~flcwin
Worship with us
Sundays 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Michael Kurtz
A porcelain figurine wearing
a skautbúningur
A skúfhólkur or tassel cylinder
The United Nations Human
Rights Council opened
its fortieth regular session
in Geneva during the last week
of February. Guðlaugur Þór
Þórðarson, Foreign Minister
of Iceland, was among around
100 high-level dignitaries
who presented statements at
the session. In his speech, the
foreign minister urged states
that have joined the council to
lead by example and reminded
them that they should expect
their own human rights record to
be subject to particular scrutiny
during their time as members.
“The question we must ask
ourselves is whether we are
not, by electing and re-electing
countries to this council that
have less than stellar human
rights records, to put it mildly
– playing into the hands of
those who argue and accuse this
council of not being a force for
good but rather a protector of
human-rights abusers,” said the
foreign minister.
The minister also expressed
concerns about rising
intolerance against minorities,
also in mainland Europe. “We
also see a worrying trend in anti-
Semitism and Islamophobia
where individuals are targeted
for hate and discrimination
simply for their faith. We cannot
return to our past of us versus
them, of indiscriminate hate and
fear.”
Later, Guðlaugur partici-
pated in a fundraising event in
response to the humanitarian
crisis in Yemen. The United
Nations and the governments
of Sweden and Switzerland
convened the event in Geneva.
At this gathering, the foreign
minister pledged 250,000
dollars (U.S.) to the United
Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), in addition to 300,000
dollars already pledged to the
UNFPA this year. This funding
is allocated to the alleviation of
the suffering of the people in
Yemen – women and children in
particular.
“It is a well-known fact
that in times of crisis, women
and girls become increasingly
vulnerable to gender-based
violence and exploitation as
families and communities
become dispersed and chaotic
conditions contribute to a sense
of lawlessness. It is, therefore,
critical to provide funding for
humanitarian actors such as the
UNFPA that play a leading role
in protecting women and girls
from gender-based violence and
in maintaining their dignity and
respect,” said Guðlaugur. This
announcement brings Iceland’s
humanitarian contribution to
Yemen to a total of 1.3 million
dollars in the space of a few
months.
The Human Rights Council
also held its biennial panel
discussion on the question of
the death penalty, with a focus
on human rights violations in
the context of the death penalty,
in particular with respect to the
rights to non-discrimination
and equality. Iceland’s foreign
minister addressed the panel on
behalf of all the Nordic-Baltic
States: Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Latvia, Lithuania,
Norway, Sweden, and Iceland.
From the Icelandic Ministry
for Foreign Affairs
PHOTO: MINISTRY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson delivering speech at the UNHRC session
Iceland demonstrates its commitment
to human rights and humanitarianism
Greetings from
Gordon J. Reykdal
Honorary Consul of the
Republic of Iceland
Suite #10250 – 176 Street
Edmonton, Alberta
T5S 1L2
Cell: 780.497.1480
E-mail: gjreykdal@gmail.com
203.803.8899 | kent@gudlite.com | www.gudlite.com
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