Embassy of Iceland - Copenhagen, Denmark

Significant progress has been made towards solving the differences on the interpretation of legal obligations with respect to deposit guarantees in the European Economic Area. The issue stemmed from difficulties following the collapse of former privately-owned Icelandic banks, in particular the Landsbanki in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands and the issue of the so-called Icesave accounts. Talks between Iceland and several EU member states, initiated by the French EU Presidency, led to a common understanding that will form the basis for further negotiations.

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The Board of Governors of the Central Bank of Iceland has decided to lower the policy interest rate by 3.5% to 12%. Further information will be published shortly.

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Over the past two weeks, economic developments took a sharp turn for the worse in Iceland. The country’s three main commercial banks, Glitnir, Landsbanki and Kaupthing, collapsed owing to the financial storm now raging in international markets and the government has resorted to exceptional measures to stabilize the situation.

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Based on New Legislation, the Icelandic Financial Supervisory Authority (IFSA) Proceeds to take Control of Glitnir to ensure Continued Commercial Bank Operations in Iceland.

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The exchange rate of the króna has depreciated sharply in recent weeks and is now lower than is compatible with a balanced economy. The exchange rate of the króna has depreciated sharply in recent weeks and is now lower than is compatible with a balanced economy.

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The Embassy of Iceland and Magasin du Nord invite to the opening of the exhibition Abstract Buddha Abstract by Tolli, Friday, October 10th.

The exhibit is located in Magasin's Kong Hans Salen, on the ground floor of Magasin by Kongens Nytorv.

The exhibit is accessible during Magasin's opening hours until October 25th.

The Icelandic ale “Skjálfti” will be sold in Denmark from september on.

On the occation of the Danish premiere the Icelandic Embassy in Copenhagen holds a reception on September 11th.

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Helgi Þorgils Friðjónsson exhibits his paintings at Nordatlantens Brygge in Copenhagen, from September 6th '08 until January 4th '09. Ambassador H.E. Mr. Svavar Gestsson opens the exhibit on September 5th at 4 pm.

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The four largest commercial banks all pass the regular stress test of the Icelandic Financial Supervisory Authority (FME).

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Ólafur Elíasson's artwork, New York City Waterfalls, will be opened in New York today. The artwork consists of four gigantic waterfalls, placed in New York harbor.

The Icelandic Women’s Choir in Copenhagen held a concert at the new ambassador’s residence in Frederiksberg, on June 7th.

Mrs. Guðrún Ágústsdóttir, wife of ambassador Mr. Svavar Gestsson, welcomed the group which is the first choir to hold a concert in the new hall, that originally served as a swimming pool hall. The acoustics were good and the concert a success in every way.

Refreshments were served outdoors after the concert, in the blooming garden. The choir and guests praised the possibility to mingle in such beautiful surroundings.

On the photo, amongst others, the choir’s chairman, Guðrún Snorradóttir can bee seen giving Mrs. Guðrún Ágústsdóttir a gift on behalf of The Icelandic Women’s Choir.

As announced, Iceland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, made an official visit to Denmark recently; she arrived on the evening of March 10th and she left on the evening of March 12th.

During this period she had numerous meetings: a meeting with HM The Queen of Denmark, the Chairman of the Folketing, the Chairman of the Folketing’s Foreign Affairs Comittee and the comittee members, with Mrs. Helle Thorning Schmidt, chiarman of the Socialdemocratic party, a meeting with Denmark’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Per Stig Møller, and a meeting with ambassadors in Denmark accredited to Iceland.

Yet to mention is the meeting that awoke the biggest interest, which was the meeting on Icelandic economy (see photo). Almost 200 people attended the meeting.

Before the minister left the country she opened the new Ambassador’s Residence in Frederiksberg. "We have received an important working instrument", said Ambassador Svavar Gestsson at the occation when the minister formally opened the house.

The photo is from the economy meeting.  The photo shows, from the left, editor Mr. Bent A. Koch who lead the meeting, Mr. Sigurjón Sighvatsson Filmproducer, Chariman of Kaupthing Bank, Mr. Sigurður Einarsson, Prof. Dr. Richard Portes, London Business School, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir.
Photo curtesy of Mr. Hasse Ferrold.

January 26th – April 20th 2008 at Nordatlantens Brygge.
Steingrímur Eyfjörð (born in Reykjavik 1954) has been since back in the eighties an active and often critical participant on the Icelandic art scene.