Celebrating the 1st of December at UW
December 1st, Icelandic Sovereignty Day, is the former national holiday of Iceland.
On December 1st, 1918, the Act of Union between Iceland and Denmark took effect, in which Denmark formally recognized Iceland as a fully sovereign state. The day did not immediately become a national holiday, but over time it did, and remained so until the establishment of the republic.
University students began celebrating Sovereignty Day in the early years of the 1920s and continued the tradition after the founding of the republic. It is very fitting that students chose this day for festivities, as the students at Regensen in Copenhagen had been the main carriers of new ideas of that era: constitutional government, free trade, and voting rights. Throughout the 19th century, people fought for these goals and, at the same time, for home rule and independence—and university students were at the forefront of these struggles.
Now the University Centre of the Westfjords and Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, professor in the name of Jón Sigurðsson and President of Iceland 2016–2024, join hands to breathe life into this fine tradition, and we warmly welcome you all to take part in it with us!
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson is a professor of history and therefore the ideal person to remind us of the meaning of this day and interpret it in the present. In honour of the day we will move our weekly lunch lecture to Monday, where Guðni Th. Jóhannesson will consider (together with the audience) whether we actually matter—whether Iceland has influence on the international stage. In Icelandic.
After lunch, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson will then explain to students what one really needs to know about the history of Iceland in order to become an Icelander. This lecture is in English and open to all.
Although we wish to commemorate this day and the 19th-century struggle that turned it into a day of joy for Icelanders, we must not forget to do what students have always done: use every opportunity to enjoy ourselves—and celebrate.
At 15:00 there will be a gathering at the University Centre, with a short address, a quiz in the spirit of the day, and light refreshments. Since it also happens to be Constitution Day in Bavaria, you can expect a few international questions mixed in—so everybody has a chance to win!
Programme
12:10–13:00 – Monday lunch lecture
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson: Do we matter? Iceland’s influence on the international stage. A lunch lecture, but on a Monday. In Icelandic.
13:30–15:00 – Student gathering for December 1st
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson: What do you need to know about Iceland’s history to become an Icelander
Open to the public. In English.
15:00 – CELEBRATION at UW
Bar quiz. Light refreshments. Final event of the University Centre’s anniversary year.
All events are open to all town residents. We welcome you to come and enjoy the day with us at the University Centre!