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Tag: Akureyri

  • Norwegian professor position in Akureyri

    Norwegian professor position in Akureyri

    Össur Skarphéðinsson, Mr. Jonas Gahr Störe and Mr. Stefán B. Sigurðsson, rector of the University of Akureyri

    Ministers of foreign affairs from Norway, Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre, and of Iceland Mr. Össur Skarphéðinsson, signed a memorandum yesterday about increased cooperation in Arctic issues between the two states.

    The ministers stressed the importance of cooperation between the two states, which have a rich history already. 

    The memorandum was signed yesterday afternoon in Hof cultural house in Akureyri. The University of Akureyri hosted the event along with the ministry of foreign affairs in Iceland.

    The memorandum includes a new professor position at the University of Akureyri, entitled the Nansen  position, named after famous explorer Fridtjof Nansen.

    Norway will finance the position which is yet to be advertised.

    The memorandum also includes more student exchange between UNAK and the University of Svalbard.

    Mr. Støre stressed that Norway hoped for a closer cooperation with Iceland, and this was a good step towards that.

    “We are both Arctic states by the Atlantic Ocean and are responsible for a correct development in the Arctic. The history of the countries is closely tied together and this encourages us to step together into the future together,” Mr. Støre said.

  • Open meeting in Akureyri

    Open meeting in Akureyri

    Jonas Gahr Støre and Mr. Össur Skarphéðinsson

    Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Norway and Iceland will meet together in Akureyri this week.

    Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre and Mr. Össur Skarphéðinsson will attend an open meeting in Akureyri on Thursday 29th of September.

    Thee meeting is at Hof cultural house and starts at 15.

    It is in the honour of the science cooperation in Arctic issues which the ministers will sign.

    After the meeting an exhibit on Arctic explorer Friðþjóf Nansen will be opened.

  • The seventh The International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences a success

    The seventh The International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences a success

    ICASS speaker Sven

    The seventh The International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS) that was held in the town of Akureyri, Iceland the days of 22nd – 26th of june is thought to be a great success.

    The theme of the conference, Circumpolar Perspectives in Global Dialogue, referred to the inter-linkage of worldwide environmental changes to the development of Arctic societies. The theme also referred to the fact that the Arctic is not just an empty wilderness with endless access to resources but an area inhabited with people that have to endure and adjust to environmental changes in their society.
    The conference hosted 10 sessions with 380 lectures about emerging social and cultural issues regarding the Arctic.

    During the Conference, an election was made about the location of the eight ICASS and the secretariat. It was decided that the ICASS VIII will be held in 2014 in Prince George, Canada. The IASSA secretariat will be located at University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in Prince George. Professor Gail Fondahl, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, Canada, has been elected new IASSA president for the term 2011-2014 and will take over as IASSA president September 1, 2011.

    Gail Fondahl

    Gail Fondahl submitted a bid for the IASSA secretariat – to be hosted by University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Prince George, Canada – and won the bid at the election for IASSA secretariat held at the IASSA General Assembly at ICASS VII in Akureyri. Three candidates were bidding for the IASSA secretariat; UNBC, Yukon College, and University of Nordland at Bodø.

    After the announcement of the location of the new secretariat, an election for IASSA council was held. Eight councilors were elected, and Gail Fondahl was announced new president by the newly elected IASSA council.

    There are nine councilors on the newly elected IASSA council: eight councilors were elected by the General Assembly; and IASSA President Joan Nymand Larsen (2008-2011) continues on the IASSA council as past president (ex-officio).

    IASSA Council 2011-2014:

    Gail Fondahl, president elect
    University of Northern British Columbia, Canada

    Joan Nymand Larsen, outgoing president (ex-officio)
    Stefansson Arctic Institute, Akureyri, Iceland

    Alona Yefimenko
    Indigenous Peoples Secretariat, IPS, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Andrey Petrov
    University of Northern Iowa, USA

    Birger Poppel (re-elected)
    University of Greenland, Nuuk, Greenland

    Chris Southcott
    Lakehead University & Yukon College, Canada

    Florian Stammler (re-elected)
    Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland

    Peter Schweitzer (re-elected)
    University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA

    Tatiana Vlasova
    Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation

  • CAFF XIII Biennial

    Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna

    The Thirteenth meeting of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna Working Group (CAFF XIII), is to be held in Akureyri, Iceland on February 1 – 3rd 2011. Every two years, the Arctic Council Working Group on Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna schedules a large meeting in advance of the AC Ministerial meeting.

    CAFF is a Working Group of the Arctic Council and a forum of Arctic professionals, indigenous peoples representatives, and observer countries and organisations. The aim of CAFF is to discussing circumpolar Arctic conservation issues. The major task is to advise the Arctic governments (Canada, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States) on conservation matters.

    The CAFF Program is guided by the CAFF Strategic Plan for the Conservation of Arctic Biological Diversity and biennial CAFF Work Plans. CAFF has four Guiding Principles:

    • The involvement of indigenous and local people and use of traditional ecological knowledge;
    • The use of broad, ecosystem-based approach to conservation and management;
    • Cooperation with other conservation initiatives to minimise duplication and increase effectiveness;
    • Communication of CAFF program activities.

    The CAFF 2006-2008 Work Plan emphasizes cooperation and collaboration with other Arctic Council Working Groups, and organizations outside of the Arctic Council, and makes efforts to actively contribute to the global conservation agenda. This Work Plan responds to the findings and recommendations of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, the Arctic Marine Strategic Plan and CAFFs Arctic Flora: Status and Trends.

  • Arctic Open

    Arctic Open

    Arctic OpenIn the game of golf clear eyesight and good visualization is needed in order to find your way to the “finishing line” in golf, the hole. Therefore a game of midnight golf seems an unlikely prospect to many enthusiasts and few golfers have experienced this delight. However in the Arctic, where the Arctic sun keeps the night as day it is possibility to play the game of golf all day and all night long. However, at the high latitudes, there are few golf courses due to the fact that the harsh climate does not offer any or little support that sustains large green areas that are needed for the game of golf. But still you can find golf courses that survive at the high latitudes in the harsh Arctic and sub Arctic area.

    In Akureyri in Northern Iceland, at the latitude of 65°41´N and the longitude of 18°06´W is a 18 hole golf course that prides itself of being the Northernmost 18 hole golf course in the world, making it possible to play the game all night long during the summertime, when the midnight sun lightens up the golf course, naturally.

    Playing golf during the night at Arctic OpenThe Akureyri Golf Club in northern Iceland was founded in 1935 and is the home to the Arctic Open Golf Tournament, which is played under the midnight sun at Midsummer Day. The Arctic Open Tournament was first held in 1986 and Players do not have to worry about darkness cramping their style because the sun barely dips below the horizon.

    The Arctic Open is an international event which attracts golfers from various parts of the world. Highest number of international players so far is 120 participants and is said to “probably the most renowned tournaments held in Iceland”

    So if you cannot fulfill your golfing desires during the day, visiting the 18 hole golf course in Akureyri and participating in the Arctic Open midnight sun tournament might do the trick for you. Along the way you can take part in the Volcano Open (unfortunately only played during the day), held in the southern most part part in Iceland, at the Westman Islands, which is an Volcanic Island that erupted last in 1973.

    For further information about the Arctic Open Golf Tournament and Volcano Open.

    Arctic Open evening

    All pictures are from the Official Arctic Open