Photo: Páll Stefánsson
A Special Relationship
Halla Nolsøe Poulsen
Iceland and the Faroe Islands share strong cultural and business interests
T
he Faroe Islands and Iceland have enjoyed a close relationship for decades. “It goes way back”, said Halla Nolsøe Poulsen, the Faroes’ ambassador to Iceland. “Many Faroese went to Iceland to work in the fishing industry and would stay for months at a time. Many would go on to find Icelandic spouses and stay in Iceland and this, in part, led to a strong network between the two countries.” There are countless instances of the bond between the Faroes and Iceland. “Every time there has been a crisis in Iceland, the Faroes stepped in and turned out to be a
24
friend in need”, said Halla. “When the crisis hit in 2008, the Faroese gave Iceland its first loan. That was a very strong sign of the brotherhood of nations.” Another example is when there was a landslide in Súðuvík many years ago, destroying some houses. “The Faroes gathered money to help rebuild the kindergarten in town”, she said. “There have always been close ties between us and the desire to help when possible.” The relationship goes both ways. “We feel that Icelanders are very good in giving us a stage in larger world matters”, said Halla. “When we talk about Nordic Co-operation, the Faroes want to have
www.icelandictimes.com
full membership and Iceland has always supported that ambition. Other nations would say that there needs to be a conversation with Denmark, and would not take a stand, but we have always had Iceland’s support.” The annual Arctic Circle conference is another example. “The former President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, has been very inclusive and has always pointed out that the Faroes should have a place in the Arctic Circle, to be included in policymaking and discussing Arctic issues.”
