Katti Frederiksen, receiving the International Vigdís Prize

The Greenlandic linguist, poet and activist Katti Frederiksen, Greenland's current Minister of Education, Culture and Church, was awarded the 2021 international prize for culture, named after Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former President of Iceland. The prize is awarded annually on 15 April, Vigdís' birthday.

The Icelandic government, the University of Iceland and the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages established the prize to honour the occasion of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir's 90th birthday last year and the 40th anniversary of her historic election as President of Iceland. In making the award, we acknowledge and celebrate Vigdís’ exemplary contribution to the world of language and culture. As is well known, these issues have always been of key significance to the former President. Appointed Goodwill Ambassador for Languages by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Vigdís focused attention on strengthening small language communities, not least to safeguard the human cultural heritage which linguistic diversity preserves.

The Vigdís Prize is to be presented annually to an individual who has pursued new and original cultural, and especially linguistic, paths in his or her work. The Faroese linguist, teacher and publisher Jonhard Mikkelsen was the first person to receive the prize last year and today Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir, the Minister of Education, Science and Culture, together with Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, announced that the former's counterpart in Greenland, Katti Frederiksen, had won this year's prize for her significant contribution to the language of Greenland.
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir

Katti's achievement in drawing attention to Greenlandic language issues, both domestically and internationally, is remarkable. Through her poetry, scholarly writings, children's literature and participation in public debate, she has been tireless in spotlighting the importance of the Greenlandic language for Greenlandic society and how important it is to promote the growth and development of the language for use in all areas of human life and society. Katti Frederiksen has also emphasised the importance of learning other languages.  

She has made her presence felt in so many areas. Katti Frederiksen completed her Master’s degree in Greenlandic, literature and media studies from the University of Greenland in Nuuk, Ilisimatusarfik, in 2011, pursuing part of her study programme at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks. She has been a member of the Greenland Language Council and worked for many years at Oqaasileriffik, the Language Secretariat of Greenland, first as head of section (2008–2015) and later as executive secretary (2015–2020). In 2020 she became Minister of Education, Culture and Church in Greenland.

Together with her colleagues at the Language Secreteriat, she has made a major contribution to projects aimed at strengthening and developing the Greenlandic language, to equip it to meet the key challenges of using and participating in digital solutions. 

Finally, Katti Frederiksen has underlined how crucial it is for children and adolescents to become adept at speaking and writing in Greenlandic - to strengthen their self-image, their awareness of their own culture and belief in their future. Native language ability is, when it comes down to it, at the core of all their studies. 

Þorbjörn Jónsson, Iceland's Consul to Greenland, presented Katti with the prize, which totals ISK 6 million.

"I have various irons in the fire right now related to languages and literature and the Vigdís Prize will make an enormous difference to the future of these projects. It has spurred me on and given me the resolve to persevere in pursuit of the goals I have set myself," said Katti Frederiksen in her acceptance speech when she was presented with the prize (link to PDF). 

The prize committee comprised Guðmundur Hálfdanarson, chair, nominated by the Rector of the University of Iceland; Auður Hauksdóttir, nominated by the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages; and Sveinn Einarsson, nominated by the Minister of Education, Science and Culture. Magnús Diðrik Baldursson also worked with the committee.

Þakkarorð Katti Frederiksen við móttöku Vigdísarverðlaunanna 2021

Fyrst og fremst vil ég þakka Jóni Atla Benediktssyni, rektor Háskóla Íslands, og Lilju D. Alfreðsdóttur mennta- og menningarmálaráðherra, ásamt ykkur hjá Aðalræðisskrifstofu Íslands hér í Nuuk, sem hefur verið falið að afhenda Vigdísarverðlaunin fyrir hönd þeirra sem að verðlaununum standa.

Ég hef aldrei ímyndað mér að ég ætti eftir að fá verðlaun sem þessi og því varð ég bæði mjög undrandi og hrærð,þegar mér var tilkynnt um þau.

Tungumál, menningarlegur fjölbreytileiki, bókmenntir og þróun þeirra standa hjarta mínu nærri. Ég hóf nám á þessu sviði árið 2004 við Ilisimatusarfik, Háskóla Grænlands, en ég er ekki í vafa um að uppvöxtur minn hefur skipt miklu máli fyrir þau gildi sem ég hef gert að mínum og það sem ég stend fyrir núna.

Allt frá árinu 2006 hef ég einsett mér að leggja mitt af mörkum til þróunar grænlenskrar tungu því mér er mjög í mun og ég trúi því að þau gildi sem ég hef gert að mínum megi nýtast til góðra verka. Þess vegna stofnaði ég mitt eigið bókaforlag.

Vinna mín og áhugi á tungumálum og menningu hefur greinilega vakið athygli og það er mér því mikill heiður að veita þessum virtu verðlaunum viðtöku. Þúsund þakkir.

Ég er með ýmislegt á prjónunum sem snertir tungumál og bókmenntir og þess vegna skipta Vigdísarverðlaunin gríðarlega miklu máli fyrir þau verkefni sem eru fram undan. Þau hvetja mig til dáða og gefa mér þrótt til að halda ótrauð áfram í átt að því marki sem ég hef sett mér.

Síðast en ekki síst; kæra Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, mig langar fyrir hönd grænlensku þjóðarinnar að óska þér til hamingju með afmælið þitt í dag. Þá sendi ég þakkir til allra þeirra sem ég hef unnið náið með á Íslandi, í Færeyjum og víðar á Norðurlöndum, sem og í Alaska, Kanada og í öðrum löndum, og sendi mínum góða og gamla norræna kollega, Auði Hauksdóttur, sérstakar kveðjur.

Þá vil ég að sjálfsögðu einnig þakka ykkur fyrir að koma hér saman og fagna deginum með mér. Ég óska ykkur alls hins besta í framtíðinni.

Qujanaq. – Takk fyrir

Qujassut

Islandip universitetiani rektori Jon Atli Benediktsson aamma Islandimi ilinniartitaanermut, ilisimatusarnermut kulturimullu ministeri Lilja D. Alfredsdottir, taakkualu sinnerlugit maani Vigdisip nersornaasiuttagaanik tunniussisusi Islandip konsuuleqarfianeersut tamassi qamanngavik uummammit qutsavigaassi.

Takorloorsimanngilakkaluarpara taamatut nersorniarneqarnissara, soorunami paasitinneqarama tulluuppunga qamuunalu assut attortisimallunga.

Oqaatsit, kultureqarneq atuakkiaateqarnerlu, taakkualu ineriartortinnissaannik soqutigisaqarpunga uummateqarfigalugillu. Taakkununnga ilisimatusarnera maani Nuummi Ilisimatusarfimmi 2004-mi aallartippoq, kisianni pingaartitsinera qularnanngitsumik peroriartorninni ilaquttanniit taakkua sorlalerneqarsimapput.

Pingaartitatut naleqartitatut piinnarnagit aamma inerititaqarfiusinnaassusii upperalugit timitalersuinissara 2006-imi siunniuppara, saqqummersitsisarfimmik pilersitsivunga.

Kalaallit oqaasiinik ineriartortitseqataarusunninnit suliakka massakkut maluginiarneqarsimapput. Qujanarujussuarlu nersornaammut ataqqinartumut tunniussassinnut.

Suli pilersaaruterpassuaqarama Vigdisip nersornaataanik taamak ataqqinartigisumik tunineqarnikkut ikummarissarneqaannartutullusooq misigiffigaara. Nukissaninnarpoq, aamma kajumissuseq suli anneruliinnarpoq.

Naggataatigut; Ataqqisara, oqaatsinissaaq pingaartitsilluartoq Vigdis Finnbogadottir, inuuinni maangaanniit aamma pilluaqqussutiga nunatsinniittut sinnerlugit apuukkumavara. Taamatuttaaq eqqaanngitsoorusunngilakka Islandimi, Savalimmiuni, Nunani Avannarlerni, Alaskami Canadami nunanilu allani suleqatigisarsimasakka qujassutissaqarfigigakkit, minnerunngitsumik aamma suleqatigisarlugulu ikinngutigilersimasara Audur Hauksdottir ilanngullugu.

Maani najuuttusi qujanarujussuaq ulloq manna immikkuullarissoq puigunaatsunngortussaq pillugu maaneeqatigisinnaagassinga, siunissami tamassi ajunngitsumik kissaateqarfigaassi.

Qujanaq.
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