From Ambassador (A country becomes "independent")
2024/6/20
June 17 is Iceland's Independence Day. Every year on this day, an official event is held in the square in front of the parliament (Austurvöllur) where the statue of Jón Sigurðsson stands. My wife and I were invited to participate in the ceremony held here.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of independence. Various events were held throughout the country to mark the occasion. In Þingvellir National Park, in particular, a large number of people gathered. Þingvellir is said to be the site of the world's first democratic parliament. What took place in Þingvellir told and retold in many sagas, stories and poems dating back to the settlement times are still a source of “pride” for the Icelandic people and were glorified in the course of the independence movement of the 19th century. The idea of Iceland as an independent republic, not subordinate to any other country or monarchy, can be said to have originated on the fields of Þingvellir.
I think there are many other meanings to the "independence" of a nation, but here in Iceland, I think it was more about restoring a sense of national “pride” that had been lost under the rule of the Danish king.
(Note: It was on June 17, 1944 that Iceland abolished the "monarchy" with the King of Denmark as monarch and declared its independence as a nation. This date is also the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, who is respected as the father of independence. The Independence Ceremony at that time was held in Þingvellir.)
This year marks the 80th anniversary of independence. Various events were held throughout the country to mark the occasion. In Þingvellir National Park, in particular, a large number of people gathered. Þingvellir is said to be the site of the world's first democratic parliament. What took place in Þingvellir told and retold in many sagas, stories and poems dating back to the settlement times are still a source of “pride” for the Icelandic people and were glorified in the course of the independence movement of the 19th century. The idea of Iceland as an independent republic, not subordinate to any other country or monarchy, can be said to have originated on the fields of Þingvellir.
I think there are many other meanings to the "independence" of a nation, but here in Iceland, I think it was more about restoring a sense of national “pride” that had been lost under the rule of the Danish king.
(Note: It was on June 17, 1944 that Iceland abolished the "monarchy" with the King of Denmark as monarch and declared its independence as a nation. This date is also the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, who is respected as the father of independence. The Independence Ceremony at that time was held in Þingvellir.)