At a Crossroads: Iceland in the International System
The Nordic House
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!
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)
Join us for a discussion on Iceland and international cooperation at our annual conference on April 24th from 10:00 - 17:00 at the Nordic House.