Speech delivered in Reykjavik on the Faroese Flag Day of April 25th 2016
by Rigmor Dam, Minister of Education, Research and Culture
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today is the 25th of April, our national Faroese Flag Day where we celebrate our beloved and almost 100 years old national flag called Merkið, which means “the banner” or “the mark”.
For the Faroese the annual celebration is a proud and happy event that has a central importance for the identity of the Faroese people. That is why it is a special honor and pleasure for me to share it with so many distinguished guests, Members of Parliament, representatives of the diplomatic community, officials and close friends of the Faroes.
Merkið is from 1919, but back then the Danish Government that ruled over the Faroe Islands, would not accept that the Faroe Islands got their own flag.
But things changed as the second World War erupted. Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany and shortly after Norway followed. In order to ensure that this expansion could not continue Britain acted – and occupied the Faroes. As a large number of Faroese boats shipped fish to Britain, a Faroese Flag became a necessity, so that that the Faroese ships would be perceived as allies rather than enemies.
On the 25th of April 1940, the British Government along with her wartime allies recognised our flag as the official flag of the Faroes.
Ever since, this day has been celebrated by the Faroese as the official Faroese Flag Day.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The author, William Heinesen, famously described our capital Tórshavn as “the navel of the world”. Yet many people – including many Faroese people – have the bad habit of referring to the Faroe Islands as an “isolated” country. I challenge this way of thinking.
We may be some distance geographically from our nearest neighbours, but we are strongly connected with the world around us, culturally as well as commercially. Our entire economy is based on international trade. Almost all of our goods are imported and almost all of our production is exported.
This means of course that strong and dynamic international relations are fundamental to our future development. That is why we place such importance on nurturing these relations and developing new ones.
The Faroe Islands are an island nation, there’s no denying this simple fact. But we do not fit the usual stereotype of the insular and homogenous islanders. Our society and culture has been enriched and diversified by people from all over the world who have chosen to make their lives here. I can mention that in addition to people from all the Nordic countries, 90 different countries are represented today among the residents of the Faroes.
The Faroes offers a lifestyle of running in untouched nature, swimming in the ocean with amazing diving sites, world class restaurants and a close-knit community. Music in its many forms is an intrinsic part of our culture; no party is complete without a sing along, brass bands perform on occasions like today as well as choirs, there is the traditional Faroese dancing where the rhythm is created by the footfall on a wooden floor accompanied by great storytelling of love and war. We also have strong singer song writer traditions.
Ladies and gentlemen,
After the general election to the Faroese Parliament on September 1st last year, a new Government was formed. It is a coalition between the three parties Javnaðarflokkurin (the Social Democrats), Tjóðveldi (the Republicans) and Framsókn (the Liberal Independent Party)
The new Government is committed to make the Faroes a more active player in the global community.
It is about finding new markets for both exports and imports.
And in this regard we choose to obtain free trade relations with as many countries as possible. The Faroes have already signed Free Trade Agreements with the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
As our main export commodity is fish and related products, veterinary agreements with different countries are very important. We are now trying to make such agreements with China and Brazil.
And we are looking forward to becoming a member of the World Trade Organization.
The Faroes are strategically located at the doorstep between Europe and the Arctic. Demand for ship- and port services and other economic activities are growing in this part of the world.
Based on these facts, the Faroes Islands are determined to tap into this well of opportunities, and we will be looking for interested partners to join both in our efforts to develop already established businesses and in our search for new opportunities.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Once again thank you for being here today.
I would like to thank Mr. Petur Petersen, Head of our Representation, and his staff, for hosting this evening’s event. A wonderful spring evening, stylish setting, in good company; these are all the ingredients for a great evening.
- Please join me now in a toast to friendship, and close and fruitful relations between our respective countries in times to come.
Thank you!
Mynd: Rigmor Dam, landsstýriskvinna, saman við Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Petur Petersen, sendimanni og Haldóru Ranghamar, sendifrú