New Years´s Address 2007

Good evening, my fellow countrymen.

Tonight the year 2007 will end and never return, as is so well celebrated in the well-known psalm by Rev. Valdimar Briem. Most of us will find the opportunity to sing this psalm tonight, either in our home or in church. This has been an eventful year, both in politics and in the economy. On the whole, the year has been one of prosperity and we should use the opportunity to appreciate it at this juncture.

At the beginning of a new year we always tend to start a new phase in our lives. We are inclined to think in years, and our lifespan is a phase in time that each and every one of us looks back upon in a different way. On the other hand, it is notable how man has succeeded in connecting the life and times of different generations to create a continuous history through word of mouth and through tales passed on from old to young.

I was reminded of this by reading the memoirs of former district magistrate Ásgeir Pétursson published last year. Ásgeir tells of the winter of 1934-35 when he was at Oddi on Rangárvellir. The mother of the reverend residing there, Mrs. Jakobína Jóhannsdóttir, was born in 1849 and still quite alert even if she was well into the middle-eighties. She told stories of the famine in 1783-85 as had been told to her by her grandmother who was alive at that time. It is hard to believe, now in the beginning of the 21st century, that there are still people like Ásgeir among us that can recall stories of events 220 years ago that have only been passed through one generation.

We Icelanders are in fact not only endowed with ample material goods. Our history is a great treasure which we can endlessly use to invigorate our spirits. Our historical heritage is still close to our hearts where we must preserve it, because a nation without history is a poor nation indeed.

 Another treasure is our land and its nature, a treasure also much on our mind these days and all for the good. Earlier generations used to speak of how harsh nature was – and that is still the case. Our generation tends to concentrate its attention on its beauty. But beauty is not the only thing that Icelandic nature endows us with. It is also the foundation for our way of life, a source of wealth and progress. As in all instances, it is of prime importance that we treat our nature with care. The key word of our time is sustainable resource use, and this applies both to marine resources as well as to others. This means that we should never extract more than is sustainable, and, as often said before, never touch the principal. We Icelanders are fortunate in this regard. We have been fortunate in being able to build on this golden rule through the use of hydropower and geothermal resources. Only a few decades ago, the black smoke of burning coal was a common sight and geothermal heating systems were nonexistent. Many other countries look to Iceland as a model for the benevolent use of natural resources. Those who have travelled through large developing countries in Asia and Africa have seen what the word “pollution” actually means – and how very far many such nations have to go to even approach us in the practice of natural preservation and pollution control. We must bear this comprehensive picture in mind when we discuss these issues.

A recent report of scientists under the auspices of the United Nations has confirmed that the increase in global temperature since the middle of the past century is mostly due to human activity. At the recent climate conference of the UN in Bali, a consensus was reached on commencing negotiations on the drafting of a new agreement to succeed the Kyoto Protocol in 2012. All nations of the world must contribute to this effort. So will we.

 It is an ambition for us Icelanders to rate highly in international comparisons and be at the forefront in most areas. The recently published Human Development Report of the United Nations ranks 177 countries with an index measuring the standard of living in each country. The index consists of three main factors, the average age, education and gross domestic product per capita. These three factors are of course in turn composed of many other sub-elements. Iceland occupies first place on this list. This is a very good recognition of the policy we have pursued in recent decades. Such a goal is not reached over a short period. Its achievement is a combination and the product of a long-term determined effort.

 The conclusions of the so-called Pisa Report, that compares elementary school pupils between countries, are not as favourable to us. We should view these conclusions as a challenge to do better. The Minister of Education has already presented proposals to the Althingi on a new education policy, all the way from nursery school to university. The entire Icelandic education system must be strengthened at the same time as we place emphasis on science, research and technology.

 Our economy is sound. We have every reason to believe that this will continue. We have created a solid foundation for the economy, as for example through the enormously strong system of pension funds that serves as an example to other countries. Our fiscal finances are run with a surplus of scores of billions year after year, to name but two examples. We have strengthened the foundations of our economy in recent years and our standard of life will not be threatened if we continue to pursue our course with prudence and care.

Wage negotiations in the general labour market are ahead, along with important decisions in our economic affairs. The experience of recent years gives hope that we can indeed continue our successful policy. Both union leaders and employers are responsible people that have learned through experience that modest wage agreements based on a sound and stable economy lead to the best increase in real incomes. This is proven by all measurements available to us. We can continue this period of recent progress with a responsible policy. The Government is prepared to participate in this process as necessary.

 

My fellow countrymen.

Next year, one hundred years will have passed since the birth of former Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson. He was one of the country’s leading statesmen during the last century and passed away suddenly at the peak of his political career. Bjarni was a scholar, a man of action and a statesman, - a leader of our nation. There is every reason that we should commemorate Bjarni Benediktsson, his life and achievements at this point in time. His steadfastness in perilous times represents an important lesson for younger generations, including his belief that the government of the country must be based on consensus and a fair compromise.

 Last autumn, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the Holy See. This was a very memorable journey. We were not only privileged to meet His Holiness, the Pope, the current representative of Peter the Apostle and the religious leader of a billion people, but we also visited the Vatican and its stately edifices where one gets in touch with history in every step. The Catholic Church is an institution nearly 2000 years old and has gone through many a crisis. It has bestowed a great blessing on the world, being a strong institution with deep roots. Many of our countrymen are Catholics and they have a strong congregation that has been of benefit to many. We salute a new Catholic bishop who was consecrated earlier this month. We wish him well in his new post.

If there is any man amongst us who deserves to be called the religious leader of the nation, it is Bishop Sigurbjörn Einarsson, who is well into his nineties and still radiates an astonishing vigour. Awarding him the Jónas Hallgrímsson Prize on Icelandic Language Day was a wise decision. Sigurbjörn’s oratory and writings have long been well known. He presents his religious sincerity with the true lucidity of our tongue. In his acceptance speech, he presented his strongest weapon against the confusion and disquiet of our day and age, namely that we should honour the basic moral values of common Icelandic folk as they were during his youth in his home district, Meðalland. And the ageing bishop added: “My religion forbids me to be pessimistic and makes me resist it in every way”. We should all remember these words, especially those who these days seek to belittle the influence of Christianity in our society. The Christian faith has always been close to the heart of our nation, as is well evident at this time of year. It will continue that way.

 We are also fortunate that our mother tongue is still solidly entrenched amongst us. It gets nourished from many sources, some of the most important being the contributions of poets and writers. They contribute to its continuing development and maturity, deepen and develop its meaning. It is a source of joy to see how many young people seek to express their thoughts and feelings in poetry and prose. Some write in a traditional manner, others blaze new trails and still others succeed in joining the old and the new. During the Christmas season, the poets emerge with their latest works.

 The recent book of Þórarinn Eldjárn, The Mountains Must Suffice, is both notable and entertaining, as may be expected of him. He merges old traditions with the new and plays with the double meanings of the language. One of his poems is dedicated to our friends at Sólheimar in Grímsnes, a self-help residence for people with disabilities. It describes a place where the sun shines and rainbows emerge, bringing out the spectrum of colour, and where wishes are born and develop. This brief poem serves as a reminder to all of us to create opportunities for the abilities of all – because all people matter in our small society.

 

Fellow Icelanders.

All nations possess common symbols of their heritage. The flag is one and the national anthem another. Our anthem proves difficult to sing for some which may be an obstacle for its more frequent use. For this reason, the Prime Minister’s Office initiated an effort in cooperation with experts to arrange a new and less difficult version of the national anthem alongside the traditional one. I hope that this effort meets with success, and that the beautiful anthem of Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson will be heard at more occasions than before.

The anthem’s text by Reverend Matthías, an ode to God and our nation, is seldom sung in its entirety, but it always strikes a cord in our hearts as it reflects on Iceland’s thousand years, its blossoming national life and the drying of our tears, as we mature in the ways of the Lord.

With this reminder, I wish a happy new year to one and all. Let our tears dry in the shining sun of the morning of a new year.