Honored Guests

Keynote speaker:  Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former President of Iceland and the current UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador of Languages of the World. Madame Vigdís, who served as Iceland’s President between 1980 and 1996, was the first woman president democratically elected in the world.

Attending: Geir Haarde, Iceland's Ambassador to the United States and Sturla Sigurjónsson, Iceland’s  Ambassador to Canada, and Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Consul General of Iceland in Winnipeg.

Thursday, May 14
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm				Hotel Check-in and Registration		Foyer
7:00 pm				Opening Reception		Riverside
Friday, May 15
All events will be held in the Foyer and Ballroom on the second floor of the hotel, accessable by the stairway or elevators in the Main Lobby.
7:00 am – Noon				Registration Open		Foyer
7:00 am – 8:30 am				CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST BUFFET		Foyer
8:30 am – 10:00 am				Opening Ceremony Procession of Dignitaries - Gail Einarson-McCleery, Honorary Consul of Iceland in Toronto National Anthems - Led by Heather Alda Ireland, Consul General, BC & Yukon Opening Comments - Claire Eckley, President of INL of NA Welcome from Minnesota Icelandic Community - Dianne O’Konski, Minnesota Icelandic Communities Welcome from the City of Bloomington -Mayor Gene Winstead Greetings from INL Iceland- Halldór Árnason, President INL Iceland Greetings from Iceland’s Ambassador to Canada - Ambassador Sturla Sigurjónsson        Greetings from Iceland’s Ambassador to the US - Ambassador Geir Haarde Closing Comments - Claire Eckley, President of the INL of NA		Ballroom
10:00 am – 10:30 am				BREAK
10:30 am – 12:00 pm				Sessions
		Research/  Education		Promoting Innovation Through Minnesota-Icelandic Partnerships – Connie Delaney		Ballroom IV
		Heritage		Topics		Ballroom III
				Lögberg-Heimskringla - Stefan Jonasson Movies-Movies-Movies – Gail Einarson-McCleery Youth Panel: The Next Generation – Gail Einarson-McCleery facilitating - Erin Johnson, Joe Bowen, Ashley Thorvaldson and Sacha Gudmundsson Capturing Biographies of Our Early Icelandic Settlers – Dianne O’Konski Icelandic Connection – Signy McInnis
		Workshop		Picturing Iceland – Nancy Johnson & Gail Murton		Ballroom II
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm				LUNCH - Icelandic Sweater (Clothing) Fashion Show – Rosemary Guttormsson		Foyer
Friday, May 15 (continued)
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm			Sessions
	Research/ Education		Energy and the Environment: Finding a Balance with Nature - Peter Hudleston (Earth Science), Len Ferrington (Entomology), Paul Imbertson (Electrical and Computer Engineering)		Ballroom IV
	Heritage		Topics		Ballroom III
			Icelandic Camp for Kids – Brad Hirst International Visits (Sharing Talents with Clubs Here and Across the Ocean) – Alicyn Goodman and Joni Shaw Words Worth Keeping: The Fragile Heritage Project – Ryan Eric Johnson The Snorri Connection – Halldór Árneson, Ásta Sól Kristjánsdóttir, Gail Einarson-McCleery
	Workshop		Everything You Wanted to Know About Lopapeysa and More! – Rosemary Guttormson		Ballroom II
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm			BREAK		Foyer
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm			Sessions
	Research/ Education		Culture Detective Iceland - Thórunn Bjarnadóttir (Program Director of Intercultural Education) Design Thinking in Iceland - Tryggvi Thayer (University of Iceland) and Virajita Singh (University of Minnesota)		Ballroom IV
	Heritage		Topics
			Introducing the Icelandic Association of Utah - Richard Williams The Icelandic Churches in Vesturheimur...A Virtual Trip – Gudmundur Vidarsson Charitable Gifts that Support Organizations You Love - How Planned Gifts Work – Susan Hommes		Ballroom III
	Workshop		Genealogy – Sunna Furstenau, Cathy Josephson, Michelle Braakman, Doreen Kristjanson Marston, Ferne Gudnason, David Johnon		Ballroom II
5:00 pm			DINNER on your own
7:30 pm			INL of NA Awards Ceremony		Ballroom III
Saturday, May 16
7:00 am – 8:30 am				CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST BUFFET		Foyer
8:30 am – 9:15 am				“Þau fóru . . .Ties That Bind East Iceland and Minnesota – Cathy Josephson		Ballroom III
9:15 am – 9:30 am				Val Björnson: Minnesota Journalist and Politician – Dr. Örn Arnar		Ballroom III
9:30 am – 10:00 am				Icelandic Landscapes  - Jody (Bjornson) Martinez		Ballroom III
10:00 am – 10:30 am				BREAK		Foyer
10:30 am – 11:00 am				Ten Plays - Tíu leikrit by Guttormur J. Guttormsson, the Poet of New Iceland - Heather Alda Ireland, Dr. Birna Bjarnadóttir, Elin Thordarson, Christopher Crocker		Ballroom III
11:00 am – 12:00 pm				Iceland: Stepping Stone for the Medieval Norse Fur Trade in North America – Robert Johnson and Janie Westin		Ballroom III
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm				LUNCH – Viking Park Update from Gimli, MB – Kathi Thorarinson Neal		Foyer
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm				Annual General Meeting of the INL of NA		Ballroom IV
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm				Cooking Icelandic Style – Kristján Thors		Ballroom III
5:30 pm – 6:30 pm				Social Hour
6:30 pm				Samkoma and the Icelandic National League Of North America Banquet hosted by the Icelandic Hekla Club Keynote Speaker – Madame Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Former President of Iceland and current UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador of Languages of the World.		General Ballroom
Sunday, May 17
7:00 am – 8:30 am				CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST BUFFET		Foyer
8:30 am  – 9:15 am				Icelanders and Washington Island – Richard Purinton		Ballroom III
9:15 am – 9:30 am				A Look at the Life of Guttormur Guttormsson – Stefan Guttormsson		Ballroom III
9:30 am – 10:00 am				BREAK		Foyer
10:00 am – 11:00 am				Utah’s Western Icelanders: A History and Living Legacy – Richard Williams		Ballroom III
11:00 am – 11:15 am				Highlighting Judge Gudmundur Grimson – Steingrimur Steinolfson		Ballroom III
11:15 am – 11:45 am				Hand-off to Vancouver & Convention Close		Ballroom III

 

 

 

Opening Ceremony

May 15, 2015   8:30 - 10:00 AM

Opening Ceremony Procession of Dignitaries
      Gail Einarson-McCleery, Honorary Consul of Iceland in Toronto

National Anthems
      Led by Heather Alda Ireland, Consul General of BC & Yukon

Opening Remarks
      Claire Eckley, President of the INL of NA

Welcome from Minnesota Icelandic Community
      Dianne O'Konski, Minnesota Icelandic Communities

Greetings from the City of Bloomington
      Mayor Gene Winstead

Greetings from INL Iceland
      Halldór Árnason, President of INL Iceland

Greetings from Iceland´s Ambassador to Canada
      Ambassador Sturla Sigurjónsson

Greetings from Iceland´s Ambassador to the US
     Ambassador Geir Haarde

Closing Remarks
     Claire Eckley, President of the INL of NA  

Sessions

 Promoting Innovation Through Minnesota-Icelandic Parternships--Connie Delaney

 Lögberg-Heimskringla--Stefan Jonasson

 Movies-Movies-Movies--Gail Einarson McCleary

Youth Panel:  The Next Generation--Gail Einarson-McCleery facilitating--Erin Johnson, Joe Bowen, Ashley Thorvaldson, and Sacha Gudmundsson

Capturing Biographies of Our Early Icelandic Settlers--Dianne O'Konski

Icelandic Connections--Signy McInnis

Picturing Iceland--Nancy Johnson & Gail Murton

Icelandic Sweater Fashion Show--Rosemary Guttormsson

Energy and the Environment: Finding a Balance with Nature--Peter Hudleston, Len Ferrington, Paul Imbertson

Icelandic Camp for Kids--Brad Hirst

International Visits--Alicyn Goodman and Joni Shaw

Words Worth Keeping--The Fragile Heritage Project--Ryan Eric Johnson

The Snorri Connection--Halldór Árnason, Ásta Sól Kristjánsdóttir, Gail Einarson-McCleery

Everything you wanted to know about Lopapeysa and More--Rosemary Guttormson

Click here for the Lopapeysa Powerpoint

Culture Detective Iceland--Thórunn Bjarnadóttir

Design Thinking in Iceland--Tryggvi Thayer, Virajita Singh

Introducing the Icelandic Association of Utah--Richard Williams

The Icelandic Churches of Vesturheimur...A Virtual Trip--Gudmundur Vidarsson

Click here for the PowerPoint Presentation

Charitable Gifts that Support Organizations You Love--Susan Hommes

Genealogy--Sunna Furstenau, Cathy Josephson, Michelle Braakman, Doreen Krisjanson Marston, Ferne Gudnason, David Johnson

 

         --  Master of Ceremonies:   Sunna Furstenau  &  Brad Hirst

          --  Opening Comments:   Claire Eckley, President of Icelandic National League of North America

          --  Greetings:  Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Consul General of Iceland

          --  Honorary Lifetime Membership Award Presentations

           -  Chris Byron (Icelandic American Association) - Lyle Hillman presenting

           -  Thora Arnason Dech (Icelandic American Association, Icelandic Hekla Club) - Steingrimur Steinolfson     presenting

           -  Dawn Hjalmarsson (Icelandic Canadian Frón) - Judy Bradley presenting

           -  Sir Magnus (Mike) Olafson   (Icelandic Communities Association) - Sunna Furstenau presenting

           -  Steingrimur (Stony) Steinolfson   (Icelandic American Association) - Keith Stinson presenting

Laurence S.G. Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award:
Gunnvör Danielsdóttir Ásmundsson

           -  Presented by:  Patsy Zdrill and Kathleen Dahlin (daughters of Laurence Johnson)

         --  Closing:   Claire Eckley, President of Icelandic National League of North America

RECEPTION  TO  FOLLOW  AWARDS

 

Sponsored by Donald K. Johnson

Sessions

Þau fóru...Ties that Bind East Iceland and Minnesota--Cathy Josephson

Val Björnson: Minnesota Journalist and Politician--Dr. Örn Arnar

Icelandic Landscapes--Jody (Bjornson) Martinez

Ten Plays - Tiu leikrit by Guttormur J. Guttormsson, the Poet of New Iceland--Heather Alda Ireland, Dr. Birna Bjarnadóttir, Elin Thordarson, Christopher Crocker

Iceland: Stepping Stone for the Medieval Norse Fur Trade in North America--Robert Johnson and Jane Westin

Click for pdf of this presentation      Book can be ordered here or from Amazon.

Viking Park Update from Gimli, MB--Kathi Thorarinson Neal

Update on Vesturfarar--Egill Helgason

Cooking Icelandic Style--Kristján Thors

Annual General Meeting of the INL of NA

Samkona and the Icelandic National League of North America Banquet

Keynote Spieaker--Madame Vigdís Finnbogadóttir.
Former President of Iceland and current UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador of Languages of the World.

Click for website: Vigdís International Language Center   Stofnun Vigdísar Finnbogadóttur í erlendum tungumálum

Click to download a copy of Madame Vigdís´Speech

Click for Powerpoint on the Vigdís International Language Center presented by Auður Hauksdóttir

Sessions

Icelanders and Washington Island--Richard Purinton

A Look at the Life of Guttormur Guttormson--Stefan Guttormsson

Utah's Western Icelanders:  A History and Living Legacy--Richard Williams

Highlighting Judge Gudmundur Grimson--Steingrimur Steinolfson

Hand-off to Vancouver and Convention Close

Twin City Tour

Icelandic  National  League  of  North  America        

 

   9 6 th   A n n u a l     C o n v e n t i o n

Icelandic Connections: 
The Sagas Continue

 

Master of Ceremonies:   Sunna Furstenau  &  Brad Hirst Opening Comments:   Claire Eckley, President of Icelandic National League of North America

Greetings:  Ambassador Hjálmar W. Hannesson, Consul General of Iceland

Honorary Lifetime Membership Award Presentations

Chris Byron (Icelandic American Association)Lyle Hillman presenting

Dawn Hjalmarsson (Icelandic Canadian Frón) - Judy Bradley presenting

Thora Arnason Dech (icelandic Hekla Club)

Sir Magnus (Mike) Olafson  - Sunna Furstenau presenting

Steingrimur (Stony) Steinolfson (Icelandic American Association)- Keith Stinson presenting

Laurence S.G. Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award:

Gunnvör Danielsdóttir Ásmundsson

Presented by:  Patsy Zdrill and Kathleen Dahlin (daughters of Laurence Johnson)

Closing: Claire Eckley, President of Icelandic National League of North America

RECEPTION TO FOLLOW AWARDS

Sponsored by Donald K. Johnson

 

Icelandic National League of North America

Honorary Lifetime Membership Awards

PROUD, HARD WORKING ICELANDERS AND WESTERN ICELANDERS

Chris Byron grew up in Edinburgh, North Dakota.  His Icelandic family was very important to him. They shared their Icelandic background and Chris developed a tremendous pride in his heritage. When Chris eventually moved from North Dakota to Minnesota, he found Minnesota’s Icelandic Community.  He joined the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota where he served on the Board of Directors and participated in all of the events, working  hard on any task that he undertook. Most important to Chris were the events that included Icelanders visiting from Iceland, when he often found a connection. Chris continues to learn about his heritage.  He and his wife are  SNORRI Plus graduates.   Chris participates in the Icelandic National League of North America Conventions, joined the INL of NA board, and became the Regional Representative to the INL of NA for the Midwest. Every year Chris returns to Mountain, North Dakota and Pembina County for August the Deuce.   He has worked with Lyle Hillman and been instrumental in the organization of the INL of NA and its participation in the event.

Nominated/Presented by: Steingrimur Steinolfson

Thora Arnason Dech is a member of the Icelandic Hekla Club and Honorary Member of the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota. Born on Westman Island, Thora moved first to to Reykjavik then to  Winnipeg and, finally, to Minnesota. She  has always been involved with Icelanders. Many of Minnesota’s Icelandic Costumes have received her sewing skills.  Thora is an Icelandic cook, Editor of an Icelandic cookbook, and active volunteer in Minnesota’s  Icelandic activities.

Dawn Hjalmarsson of Winnipeg, Manitoba, is a tireless volunteer in all The Icelandic Canadian Frón activities including serving on the Board of Directors as secretary and media liason to the Scandinavian newsletter,   and volunteer with Folklorama, Winnipeg's annual multicultural celebration. She is also an Icelandic cook. The cultural events that maintain and support the promotion of Icelandic culture and heritage in Winnipeg are possible because of dedicated volunteers like Dawn.        

Sir Magnus (Mike) Olafson began life in Gardar Township, North Dakota. He was  considered the North Dakota historian of Icelandic Pioneers. His knowledge of our Icelandic ancestors and the immigrants to our region was phenomenal. He fostered many relationships with our friends in Canada and in Iceland. Magnus received many honors, including the Knight’s Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon and the Honorary Lifetime Membership Award from the Icelandic National League in Iceland.  He died April 24, 2015 in Wedgewood Manor, Cavalier, ND, at age 94.

 

Steingrimur Steinolfson “Stony” is a Mountain, North Dakota Icelander and today also, a Minnesota Icelander.  Stony is a proud, enthusiastic, worker for all things Icelandic.   A co-founder of the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota,  he brought celebrations for Thorrablot, Leifur Eiriksson, Meet and Greets, and Icelandic Soccer Picnics to Minnesota while working at North Dakota Icelandic events including August the Deuce.  He assures the Icelandic presence at community Scandinavian occasions.

 

 Laurence Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 

Gunnvör Danielsdóttir Ásmundsson Gunnvör is an excellent candidate for the Laurence Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award. In Winnipeg and Gimli, she is more often than not the “go to” person whenever one needs help or support in Icelandic cultural and heritage matters. She is both generous with her time and spirit. Her time in Canada exemplifies this.

Gunnvör moved to Canada from Iceland in 1970. During her first ten years in Winnipeg, she learned the English language by enrolling in hairdressing school. Later, during the evenings and on Saturdays she took classes at Red River College in Early Childhood Education.

For three years, she worked as a Pink Lady Courier learning about all areas of the City of Winnipeg whilst driving everywhere.   

Soon after moving to Winnipeg, Gunnvor joined the Icelandic Canadian Frón with Hrund Skúlason, Skúli Jóhannsson and took on the secretary position for several years. During th ose days, the meetings were held in Icelandic and conducted in members’ homes. Moving back and forth between Gimli and Winnipeg, Gunnvör has been a club member in both places.  From the 1990’s to her recent retirement in 2013, she participated actively in the IC Frón. For 7 or 8 years she took on the role of Treasurer.   

She was instrumental in starting the Kvennahlaup, Women’s Walk, in 2004, which is held annually in Assiniboine Park in Winnipeg and happens in conjunction with one held in Iceland.  Proceeds from this event have often been donated to CancerCare. 

In 1976, Gunnvör started working with The Icelandic Language Camp in the kitchen “working my way up” to become the language teacher and then the Camp Director until 1994. This culminated in her organizing, fundraising and leading a two week cultural trip to Iceland for 24 children, who had attended the camp with her. 

In 1981 Gunnvör moved to Gimli. Here she held evening courses in Icelandic, once a week. These evening Icelandic classes continued in Winnipeg at the Scandinavian Centre when she moved back in 1990. For a few years she also drove to Portage la Prairie Monday evenings and to Lundar Saturday mornings with a colleague to teach Icelandic.  The Icelandic classes which are a mainstay of the Frón were often organized and taught by Gunnvör. 

When the first INL Convention was held outside of Winnipeg – in Vancouver- Gunnvör took on the task of Convention Coordinator, travelling throughout the country, a position she held until the Selkirk Convention.  During the 2014 Convention, Gunnvör was a luncheon speaker, sharing her immigration experience, as well as a video that was produced by the Canadian Museum of Immigration, Pier 21, in which she played a key role as one of the 9 participants. She also organized several of the clubs to provide Icelandic baking for the coffee breaks – those coffee breaks were a huge success. 

She has volunteered for the Lögberg-Heimskringla, soliciting advertising for special issues such as Christmas and Festival for 2 years. 

The first þorrablót held in Winnipeg around 1976 was initiated and organized by Gunnvör and Birgir Brynjólfsson, Honourary Consul for Iceland. Most years, since then, she has been involved in the organization of this annual event, cooking, baking, selling tickets, etc. 

For more 12 years, until her recent retirement, Gunnvör had the role of secretary and assistant to three Consul Generals of Iceland.  

Following her retirement she moved back to Gimli, where she continues to be actively involved in the community, volunteering as the New Iceland Heritage Museum and at the Healing Garden of the Gimli Hospital. It is not only this rich background in support for the Icelandic Community that Gunnvör has contributed, but she is always willing to help others in need. 

Gunnvör is the proud mother of three children and amma to three grandchildren with whom she is sharing her Icelandic heritage.