At a Crossroads: Iceland in the International System

We invite you to discuss and analyse the current trends in international affairs and Iceland's position in the international system. 

The annual conference of the Institute of International Affairs at the University of Iceland, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Nordic House in collaboration with the Institute for Public Administration and Politics at the University of Iceland and the Icelandic Political Science Association will take place on Wednesday, April 24th from 10:00 - 17:00 at the Nordic House. 

The Minister for Foreign Affairs will open the conference, followed by a keynote from the President of Iceland. Throughout the day, our panels will explore Iceland's foreign policy and defence strategies in a changed security environment, address the threats of political polarization, discuss opportunities and challenges in EEA Cooperation within a shifting global landscape, and examine the impact of generative AI on democracy. The conference will conclude with a panel discussion featuring MPs from all the political parties in the Icelandic parliament, focusing on Iceland's foreign policy. 

Panels conducted in Icelandic will be translated to English

All are welcome - Register here!

Further information

Programme

10:00 – 10:10 Welcoming words

Sabina Westerholm, Director, Nordic House

10:10 – 10:20 Opening remarks

Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs

10:20 – 10:40 Keynote address

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, President of Iceland

10:40 – 12:00 Iceland's Foreign Policy and Defense in a Shifting Global Landscape (Icelandic)

Opening remarks Erlingur Erlingsson, Foreign policy, defence and government relations specialist and Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir, Professor of International Relations, University of Iceland

Panel discussion Diljá Mist Einarsdóttir, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee and MP for the Independence Party, Erlingur Erlingsson, Foreign policy, defence and government relations specialist, Jónas Allansson, Director General, Directorate for Defence Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, Ragnar Hjálmarsson, Researcher and political consultant, Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir, Professor of International Relations, University of Iceland

Moderator: Pia Hansson, Director of the Institute of International Affairs

12:00 -12:30 Light Lunch

12:30 – 13:30 Bridging Divides: Mitigating Growing Polarization (Icelandic)

Opening remarks Dylan Andres Herrera Chacon, Doctoral Graduate Student at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland

Panel discussion Bergþóra Snæbjörnsdóttir, Author and human rights activist, Bryndís Haraldsdóttir, Chair of the Icelandic delegation for the Nordic Council and MP for the Independence Party, Dylan Andres Herrera Chacon, Doctoral Graduate Student at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland, Eiríkur Bergmann, Professor of Political Science at Bifröst University, Guðrún Hálfdánardóttir, Journalist and radio programmer at RÚV

Moderator: Jón Gunnar Ólafsson, Post doctoral researcher in Media studies at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland

13:30 – 14:30 Euro-Strategic Crossroads: Challenges and Opportunities for EEA Cooperation in a Shifting Global Paradigm (English)

Opening remarks Pernille Rieker, Research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)

Panel discussion Ágúst Hjörtur Ingþórsson, Director General, The Icelandic Centre for Research - Rannís, Bergþóra Halldórsdóttir, Chief of Staff at Borealis Data Center, Breki Karlsson, Chairman, The Consumers Association of Iceland, Samuel Ulfgard, Deputy Head of Delegation of the European Union to Iceland,

Moderator Ambassador Auðunn Atlason, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland

14:30 – 14:50 Coffee Break

14:50 – 15:50 Navigating the Impact of Generative AI on Democracy (English)

Opening remarks Niels Nagelhus Schia, Research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI)

Panel discussion Brynjólfur Borgar Jónsson, Founder & CEO of DataLab, Halldóra Mogensen, Chair of the Future Committee of the Icelandic Parliament and MP for the Pirate Party, Niels Nagelhus Schia, Research professor at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), Páll Rafnar Þorsteinsson, Project Manager, Centre for Ethics at the University of Iceland, Theódór Ragnar Gíslason, Founder of Defend Iceland

Moderator Elfa Ýr Gylfadóttir, Director, Icelandic Media Commission

15:50 - 16.00 Coffee Break

16:00 – 17:00 Where to and Why? Iceland’s role in the International System (Icelandic)

Panel discussion Arndís Anna Kristínardóttir Gunnarsdóttir, MP for the Pirate Party, Birgir Þórarinsson, MP for the Independence Party, Bjarni Jónsson, MP for the Left-Green Movement, Jakob Frímann Magnússon, MP for the People´s Party, Jóhann Friðrik Friðriksson, MP for the Progressive Party, Kristrún Frostadóttir, MP and Chairperson of the Social Democratic Alliance, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, MP and Chairperson of the Center Party, Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, MP and Chairperson of the Liberal Reform Party

Moderator Sigmundur Ernir Rúnarsson, Journalist and Author

17:00 – 17:10 Closing Remarks

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland

17:10 – 18:30 Reception and Comic Relief with Snjólaug Lúðvíksdóttir (English)