Þjóðfundur 2009
Encyclopedia
The National Assembly of 2009 (Icelandic
: Þjóðfundur 2009) was an assembly of Iceland
ic citizens at the Laugardalshöll
in Reykjavík
on November 14, 2009 in the wake of the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, organized by a group of grassroots
organizations including the Ministry of Ideas (Icelandic: Hugmyndaráðuneytið), collectively called "the Anthill" (Icelandic: Mauraþúfan). 1500 people were invited to participate in the assembly; of these, 1200 were chosen at random from the national registry, while 300 were representatives of companies, institutions and other groups.
Divided into 162 working groups of 9 each including trained moderators, participants discussed the values underpinning Icelandic society, the direction Iceland should be taking in the future, and other issues. In the end, it was determined that the most value was integrity
/ honesty
, followed by equal rights
, respect
and justice
, then love
, responsibility
, freedom, sustainability
and democracy
, with family
, equality
and trust also being considered important. Other topics discussed included education
, family
, welfare
, economy
, environment
, sustainability
, opportunities
, and public administration
.
Participants represented a cross section of Icelandic society, ranging in age from 18 to 88 and spanning all six constituencies of Iceland
, with 73, 77, 89, 365 and 621 people attending from the Northwest
, Northeast
, South
, Southwest
and Reykjavík
(combined), respectively; 47% of the attendants were women, while 53% were men. Participants not from the Reykjavík area were flown in for free; the event's total cost of 27 million ISK
was covered by individuals, companies and other institutions, with the Icelandic government contributing 7 million ISK.
The event was followed by both Icelandic and international media, with journalists from The Economist
and other media attending.
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
at a convention of the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin)
Icelandic language
Icelandic is a North Germanic language, the main language of Iceland. Its closest relative is Faroese.Icelandic is an Indo-European language belonging to the North Germanic or Nordic branch of the Germanic languages. Historically, it was the westernmost of the Indo-European languages prior to the...
: Þjóðfundur 2009) was an assembly of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic citizens at the Laugardalshöll
Laugardalshöll
Laugardalshöll is an indoor sporting arena located in Reykjavík, Iceland. The capacity of the arena is 5,500 people.It hosts various sporting events, such as team handball....
in Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
on November 14, 2009 in the wake of the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, organized by a group of grassroots
Grassroots
A grassroots movement is one driven by the politics of a community. The term implies that the creation of the movement and the group supporting it are natural and spontaneous, highlighting the differences between this and a movement that is orchestrated by traditional power structures...
organizations including the Ministry of Ideas (Icelandic: Hugmyndaráðuneytið), collectively called "the Anthill" (Icelandic: Mauraþúfan). 1500 people were invited to participate in the assembly; of these, 1200 were chosen at random from the national registry, while 300 were representatives of companies, institutions and other groups.
Divided into 162 working groups of 9 each including trained moderators, participants discussed the values underpinning Icelandic society, the direction Iceland should be taking in the future, and other issues. In the end, it was determined that the most value was integrity
Integrity
Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one's actions...
/ honesty
Honesty
Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and denotes positive, virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness along with the absence of lying, cheating, or theft....
, followed by equal rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
, respect
Respect
Respect denotes both a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity , and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected...
and justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
, then love
Love
Love is an emotion of strong affection and personal attachment. In philosophical context, love is a virtue representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affection. Love is central to many religions, as in the Christian phrase, "God is love" or Agape in the Canonical gospels...
, responsibility
Responsibility
Responsibility may refer to:* Collective responsibility** Cabinet collective responsibility, a constitutional Convention in Governments using the Westminster System* Corporate responsibility** Corporate social responsibility...
, freedom, sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
and democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
, with family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
, equality
Social equality
Social equality is a social state of affairs in which all people within a specific society or isolated group have the same status in a certain respect. At the very least, social equality includes equal rights under the law, such as security, voting rights, freedom of speech and assembly, and the...
and trust also being considered important. Other topics discussed included education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
, welfare
Welfare
Welfare refers to a broad discourse which may hold certain implications regarding the provision of a minimal level of wellbeing and social support for all citizens without the stigma of charity. This is termed "social solidarity"...
, economy
Economy
An economy consists of the economic system of a country or other area; the labor, capital and land resources; and the manufacturing, trade, distribution, and consumption of goods and services of that area...
, environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
, sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
, opportunities
Opportunity
Opportunity may refer to:*Opportunity International - An International microfinance network that lends to the working poor*Opportunity NYC is the experimental Conditional Cash Transfer program being launched in New York City...
, and public administration
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
.
Participants represented a cross section of Icelandic society, ranging in age from 18 to 88 and spanning all six constituencies of Iceland
Constituencies of Iceland
Iceland is divided into 6 constituencies for the purpose of selecting representatives to the Alþingi .-History:The current division was established by a 1999 constitution amendment and was an attempt to balance the weight of different districts of the country whereby voters in the rural districts...
, with 73, 77, 89, 365 and 621 people attending from the Northwest
Norðvesturkjördæmi
NorðvesturkjördæmiNorthwestCountry:Main town: AkranesArea:? km²Population:30,493 Electors:21,924 Established:1999Representatives to Alþingi:9Composition:27 municipalities 11 counties 3 regionsWebsite:?...
, Northeast
Norðausturkjördæmi
NorðausturkjördæmiNortheastCountry:Main town: AkureyriArea:? km²Population:39,621 Electors:28,362 Established:1999Representatives to Alþingi:10Composition:21 municipalities 5 counties 2 regionsWebsite:?...
, South
Suðurkjördæmi
SuðurkjördæmiSouthCountry:Main town: KeflavíkArea:? km²Population:47,810 Electors:32,505 Established:1999Representatives to Alþingi:10Composition:20 municipalities 5 counties 3 regionsWebsite:?...
, Southwest
Suðvesturkjördæmi
SuðvesturkjördæmiSouthwestCountry:Main town: KópavogurArea:? km²Population:82,045 Electors:58,203 Established:1999Representatives to Alþingi:12Composition:7 municipalities 1 county 1 regionWebsite:?...
and Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
(combined), respectively; 47% of the attendants were women, while 53% were men. Participants not from the Reykjavík area were flown in for free; the event's total cost of 27 million ISK
Icelandic króna
The króna is the currency of Iceland. The króna is technically subdivided into 100 aurar , but in practice this subdivision is no longer used....
was covered by individuals, companies and other institutions, with the Icelandic government contributing 7 million ISK.
The event was followed by both Icelandic and international media, with journalists from The Economist
The Economist
The Economist is an English-language weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd. and edited in offices in the City of Westminster, London, England. Continuous publication began under founder James Wilson in September 1843...
and other media attending.
Further reading
Excerpt from an address given by prime ministerPrime Minister of Iceland
The Prime Minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the President and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support....
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir , , is the Prime Minister of Iceland. Many years a politician, she was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning re-election on eight...
at a convention of the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin)
-
- Video of the full address; the above excerpt starts at 7:13 minutes into Jóhanna's speech
External links
Official website-
- English site
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- Official feed on TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
- Official video channel on YoutubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
Ministry of Ideas official website