viðar hreinsson on the boundary svartárkot, culture...
TRANSCRIPT
Viðar Hreinsson
On the Boundary
Svartárkot, culture – naturewww.svartarkot.is
The idea is to establish an international centre for
research and education on Icelandic culture and nature
in Svartárkot, Bárðardalur Valley, North Iceland.
The rough Icelandic nature at hand and the cultural
history of Iceland as it appears in the valley, will be history of Iceland as it appears in the valley, will be
intertwined.
The relations between humans and nature will be a
specific field of resarch.
The centre will connect a remote homestead with the
international academic community and will create a
dialogue between the local and the global.
Magnificent nature, Ódáðahraun and Suðurá, Dyngjufjöll and Askja, Vatnajökull, Herðubreið........ Aldeyjarfoss, the most beautiful waterfall in Iceland, is near Svartárkot
Rich sources of cultural history, such as manuscripts, letters,
autobiographies, diaries, plays, the poet Stephan G. Stephansson.
Bárðardalur is important for the history of immigration to America
Brenniás in Fljótsheiði heath, where there were many –heath-
homesteads in the 19th century, my great granfather was conceived
there – family history, what else!!!
Iceland today �It is necessary to eliminate the imaginary split between the capital and the province, the country has to be regarded as a whole �If the entire country shall remain inhabited, views must change and opportunities be created all over the country, even in the most remote places�The creative classes are supposed to maintain the �The creative classes are supposed to maintain the knowledge-society. They must be nourished by nature and culture – and in tourism, they seek experiences�By means of innovation in education and culture, it is possible to attract creative people to live all over Iceland
Study abroad Has increased greatly in the last few years
�I was appointed as Executive Director of the Reykjavik Academy in the fall
of 2005 and the board backed me up to work on the implementation of this
project, as it is important to develop self-sustainable projects out of the
knowledge of scholars in humanities and social sciences
�A small grant was awarded by Impra Innovation Centre by the end of 2005
and it was used to make a business plan and hold a two day brainstorm
meeting in Svartárkot in June 2006, with a group of good people who have
since been very supportive.
�In 2007, we received 5 m from the parliament in order to develop the idea
further and invite c. 30 international academics to a kind of a demo-course.
�In 2008: We receive 10 m. to continue the development of the idea, hold
courses and market them.
�In the demo-course, a variety of lectures were delivered on Icelandic culture and nature, combined with excursions, such as a dreove to the lavafield and whale watching. �The participants were overwhelmed, and some of them have donated funds and books for the project. �Three Courses were promoted for last summer. One of them was held, in cooperation with the University of Edinburg, but there was not enougn enrollment for the others, as we started too late. This year, we are much to sooner to promote the next year’s courses.
There are also possibilities of winter-courses in Svartárkoti, for instance in astronomy, as the place is ideal for an observatory due to it isolations and little light-pollution.
Sunrise in Svartárkot
This year, we have been gathering expeience and
knowledge as well as making international connections.
Many of our connections are interested on cooperation,
and joint courses in cooperation with overseas
universities is also an interesting possibility.
We have already started promoting next year’s courses We have already started promoting next year’s courses
and this fall we intend to make plans about raising funds
for buildings in Svartárkot.
The project is just starting...............
Hrafnabjörg falls in Skjálfandafljót River
THANK YOU