Nordic Day 23 March – various events throughout the week related to Nordic culture

The Nordic Day is held annually on 23 March to celebrate Nordic co-operation and showcase its importance. This year the day is celebrated at the Nordic House through  various events throughout the week. The light will be shed on Nordic culture and lifestyle through a debate, concert, food, children and youth literature, photo competition and more. The program is held in co-operation with the Nordic Association in Iceland, Nordic embassies and various delegations.

On the Nordic Day itself there will be discussions on the importance of culture in the Nordics in Covid-times with various artists, inhabitants and politicians. The café MATR will offer Nordic delecasies and students in 6th grade will get a lively session about pop-culture and languages in the other Nordic countries. On Saturday is a workshop for children based on new Finnish children’s book, and on Saturday night will be a concert both on-site in the Nordic House and via live-stream with the Danish musician Tue West and the Icelandic GDRN. A competition is going on where you can add and vote for photos that depict Nordic life, via use of the hashtags #nordicdayiceland and #dagurnordurlanda.

Main events

Photo competition “Nordic Life”
Until Saturday 27 March 15:00
A competition where you can add and vote for photos that depict Nordic life via use of the hashtags #nordicdayiceland and #dagurnordurlanda.

Discussions on the value of culture in the Nordic Region in periods of crisis. Nordic cultural co-operation in the past, present and future.
Þriðjudaginn 23. mars kl. 17.00-18.15 í streymi

What role has culture played in Nordic co-operation since the Nordic Council of Ministers was established fifty years ago?
What impact has COVID-19 had on cultural life in the Nordic Region?
What role will culture play in the Nordic co-operation in the future?
Politicians, people from the region and representatives of cultural life will discuss these issues in greater detail.
Among participants:
– Gísli Örn Garðarsson, actor and director
– Aldís Mjöll Geirsdóttir, President of the Nordic Youth Council
– Tue West, musician
– Steinunn Þóra Árnadóttir, Member of the Presidium of the Nordic Council and board member of the Nordic Culture Fund
– Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, Minister for Nordic-Co-operation in Iceland
– Ann-Sofie Stude, The Finnish Ambassador to Iceland
More info and link to live-stream

Crash-course for 6th graders in Nordic pop-culture and languages
Tuesday 23 March 10:00-12:00
Students in 6th grade of Hólabrekkuskóli, the friendship school of the Nordic House, will get a crash course in Nordic pop-culture and languages. The course is arranged by the interns in the Nordic House, the Nordic embassies, representations and the EU delegation. The visit ends with a quiz about the Nordic countries. The goal of the friendship school project is to give students an opportunity of cultural literacy across borders.

The nominees to the Nordic Council Children and Young People´s Literature Prize
Thursday 25 March 10:30-11:30
The nominations are introduced in the Nordic House with a group of school children present along with members of the jury and Icelandic nominees.

Workshop for children – create your own ocean creature
Saturday 27 March 13:00-15:00
The workshop is based on the new book from the Finnish author Linda Bondestam, which tells about the adventure of the lonely ocean creature. Registration necessary by email to: hrafnhildur@nordichouse.is.

More information about the children exhibit The Egg in the Nordic House, based on the work by the same author.

Concert with Tue West and GDRN
Saturday 27 March 20:00
A Nordic Music Night with The Danish singer and songwriter Tue West and Icelandic GDRN. A hybrid event as it will also be live-streamed. The concert is held in co-operation with the Danish Embassy and the EU Delegatioin. Tickets are available via tix.is, 1500 ISK or 1000 ISK for students.
More info.

Storytelling for children
Saturday and Sunday 27 and 28 March
Reading from the monster books of Áslaug Jónsdóttir.
Saturday at 12:00 in English, Sunday at 11:00 in Icelandic, 12:30 in Swedish, 14:00 in Finnish and 15:30 in Danish.

Nordic delecasies in café MATR
Tuesday to Friday 12:00-16:00
The café MATR offers Nordic delecasies in addition to its regular menu.