Land of ice and reason

Yesterday was the day of the country that usually does not excite the attention of international journalists. But they like to recall the diplomats representing the headtings states. They enviously say: “Now, if I worked at the Embassy of Iceland ...” That is, a minimum of the press, not binding negotiations, no emergency calls to the Foreign Ministry with the presentation of the notes of protest.

The National Day of Iceland is a public holiday of the oldest democracy in Europe: its parliament - Alting was first gathered back in 930. This is the national holiday of the country, for which the scrupulous human rights activists of Amnesty International have not found a place in their last report, because there is simply no violation of human rights on the Northern Island. This is the national holiday of the country, the inhabitants of which are easily read by ancient sagas in the original, because the native language is taken care of as a treasure, and with the same ease they read books in English, because many school textbooks are purchased in the English -language world, since it is not always profitable to publish your own. A country with a population of 300 thousand people is the most reading in the world. And it was such when this label, based on some wrong statistics, appropriated the Soviet Union.

This Scandinavian country is like to recall diplomats representing the headlines. They enviously say: “Now, if I worked at the Iceland embassy ...” That is, at least the press, not binding negotiations, no emergency calls to the Foreign Ministry with the presentation of the notes of protest

Iceland is an uncomfortable example for linguists who believe that English borrowings will kill their native language, and for politicians who talk about how small states cannot live outside the sphere of influence of large and strong.

In the 1970s, Iceland, without fear of the negative reaction of Great Britain, expanded its commercial waters, because the fishing industry is the main support of the country's economy. The confrontation plot went down in history as a war war (playing words: Cold War - “Cold War”, COD WAR - “Crack War”). In 1991, Iceland became the first country to recognize the independence of the Baltic countries. In 2005, when the United States required the issuance of a brilliant chess player Bobby Fisher, Reykjavik decided to provide him with citizenship. After all, the legendary match between him and Boris Spasski in 1972 glorified Iceland. As the meeting of Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan glorified her in 1986. How Bjork glorifies her work. As her novel “101 Reykjavik”, written by Hallgrimur Helgason and filmed by Balthasar Kormakur, glorified her.

In 1985, the country declared itself a nuclear zone, and in 2008 it categorically refuses to participate in the division of the Arctic, although it is geographically located in it close to it.

Iceland is a brilliant example of a country where all people de jure and de facto are equal in rights regardless of the ethnic group, religious confession (or the absence of such), sexual orientation. Where journalism is absolutely free. Where the stars of show business do not need bodyguards, because populist excitement passed the refuge of the ancient Vikings. Where residents are not always required by surnames, and they simply attach “sleep” (boys) or “dottir” (girls) to the name of one of their parents.

The northern island is a pipe dream of champions of liberalism and, I hope, the future of mankind.

06/17/2008 The material was published in the newspaper No. 111 of 06/18/2008.