The Norden Association in Iceland
The Norden Association in Iceland (Icelandic: Norræna félagið, Swedish: Föreningen Norden Island) is an established association operating independently of party politics. The Norden Association was first established in Denmark and Sweden in 1919, and in 1922 in Iceland.
The mission of the Norden Association is to promote Nordic cooperation, increase mobility in the Nordic region, and facilitate understanding of the Nordic cultures, languages, and societies. We do this by creating links between individuals, families, educational institutions, municipalities, and companies in the Nordic countries. The constant guiding light of the Nordic Association in Iceland is to strengthen cooperation and friendships between Icelanders and other Nordic people.
The Norden Association in Iceland consists of 16 subdivisions around the country. The roles of the subdivisions are diverse, but they mostly consist of town twinning, youth exchange, event planning, and Nordic cooperation with the relevant municipality. The work of the subdivisions is important to the association as our members are located all over the country.
The office of the Norden Association in Iceland provides both members and the general public in Iceland with high-quality services regarding the Nordic region and Nordic cooperation. The staff and elected representatives carry out a variety of tasks, all of which have the goal of promoting Nordic cooperation in as many areas as possible.
The Norden Association in Iceland works closely with the Norden Association in the other Nordic countries. The Confederation of the Norden Associations (Danish: Foreningerne Nordens Forbund), the umbrella organisation for the national Norden Associations, is located in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Some of the projects operated by the Norden Association in Iceland are:
The Snorri Programs – diverse collaborations with Western Icelanders.
Norden i skolen – educational material for schools in the Nordic countries.
Language courses – e.g. Icelandic for Nordic residents, Swedish for Icelanders.
Local subdivisions – diverse activities for members around the country.
Fundur fólksins – the annual democracy festival in Reykjavík for the public, politicians, and NGOs.
Nordjobb – seasonal work and adventures in the Nordic region.
Info Norden – the information service of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Nordic Literature Week – the largest cultural event in the Nordic region.
Nordic Civ – the cooperation network of the Nordic Council of Ministers.
Folk high school stipend – stipend to Icelandic youths, funded by Nordplus.