Photo: Karen Botting, Winnipeg MB

I am thankful I get to celebrate Thanksgiving twice each year – once in Winnipeg in October and a second time in Washington, DC, with our daughter Carla near the end of November. A few years ago, when I visited and walked along the great Potomac River near her co-op, I discovered that the Embassy of Iceland to the United States is in Georgetown, just around the corner from where she lives. It is housed in the larger Swedish embassy building along the river.

It was there that I had the pleasure of meeting the new ambassador of Iceland to the United States, Svanhildur Hólm Valsdóttir, and counselor Ragnhildur E. Arnórsdóttir. The Washington embassy represents Iceland not only in the United States, but also in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Its mission is to promote political, economic, and cultural relations between Iceland and these countries. Ambassador Svanhildur arrived in Washington only a few months ago, but she has already made herself known in the Icelandic community of District of Columbia and surrounding areas, actively participating in events such as the Christmas Bazaar.

My goal was to make Ambassador Svanhildur aware of Lögberg-Heimskringla, published since 1886, and its significance in keeping Icelanders connected in North America for more than 138 years. She was already aware of LH, as it sits in diplomatic offices in Iceland as well as in the receiving area of her own embassy office in DC.  However, as we sipped a good cup of coffee, she expressed interest in the history of LH and shared that people in Iceland love to read about their cousins and their lives in North America. It is particularly valuable as one researches their ancestry through past issues of LH in timarit.is

I was thankful to have had the opportunity to meet both Ambassador Svanhildur and Counsellor Ragnhildur while in DC.