„I take full responsibility“

The discussion about the lack of a place for the LGBTQI community to meet and strengthen their community continues and one of the things that has been brought up is the fact that the space Samtökin ’78, The National Queer Organization, bought a year ago has not been opened yet. We asked the chairman of S78, Hilmar Hildarson Magnússon, why it has taken so long to get it ready.

„There have been all kinds of obstacles,“ Hilmar says. „This is an old house and it needed much more renovation than we thought. For example all the plumbing had to be redone, the drawings we got of the house were not the right ones and it has taken a lot more time than we anticipated to meet all the required regulation for a place like this.

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Hilmar Magnússon says that there have been a lot of obstacles, which have prevented Samtökin ’78 from opening it’s new space. Photo: DV/Sigtryggur

It has been frustrating for everyone and I know many people have trouble understanding what is taking so long, but now we are finally seeing the end of that battle and will hopefully be ready to open the house in connection with Pride Week in August.“

Asked if there have been talks about putting up a bar or a café in the new house Hilmar says that of course there will be a coffee place where members can meet but there are no plans to run any kind of bar.

„This will be a cultural and social center for the LGBTQI community, but we have no means to be running a café or bar in the business sense of the word. We hope it will be a place people will visit and hang out with their friends, but it will not be the gay club that people are calling for. That is not within our means financially.“

Members of the organization are approximately 1.100 which does not seem to be a big percentage of LGBTQI people in Iceland. Is the association still necessary for the community or are the young people not too keen on joining?

„I don‘t think there is any doubt that Samtökin 78 is still necessary,“ says Hilmar. „We are the only ones in Iceland who are specialised in matters concerning queer people and we provide information and support both for queer people and the people close to them all year round. The battle against prejudice is also ongoing as became clearly obvious this spring, when news of Samtökin helping with queer education in schools spawned hate speech and anger in the media. The association is also working to defend the rights of queer people regarding the laws and other establishments of society, which is hugely important and we cannot expect someone else to fight that battle for us.“

„…we have no means to be running a café or bar in the business sense of the word…it will not be the gay club that people are calling for. That is not within our means financially.“

Regarding the question if young people are not joining the association Hilmar says that the young people’s movement within Samtökin ’78 is very strong and that he is proud of all the good people who are working hard to assist the young queer people.

„But of course we can do better for the young people,“ he says. „And that is on the agenda as became obvious in our contract with the city of Reykjavík a while ago where the emphasis was on strengthening the young people’s movement within Samtökin.“

One of the things that Samtökin ’78 has been criticised for is the decision to stop having two paid employees, a director and an educational program manager and hire instead one person as a director. Why was that decision taken and can one person really do the double job?

„It was not an easy decision,“ Hilmar says. „Changes are never easy or undisputed and I understand that people are sceptical about this. We made this decision after having thought long and hard about it and the whole board agreed it was the right thing to do. Both of these employees were in a 50% position and after having been chairman for a year I came to the conclusion that it simply was not working. Having said that I‘d like to thank Ugla Stefanía and Árni Grétar for their splendid work for the association and I hope they will continue to work with us.

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Even though it’s been a year since Samtökin ’78 bought the ground floor of Suðurgata 3, in Reykjavík, the space hasn’t opened yet. Photos of Suðurgata 3/Samtökin ’78.

The reason I wanted this to be a fulltime position is that it is necessary to have a person who is in this job fulltime and the board can rely on being there all the time. You can not expect people in half time jobs to carry that responsibility. So I thought it best to shuffle the cards and start with a clean slate and I, of course take full responsibility for that decision. We have had a lot of applications for the new fulltime position of a director and I‘m very optimistic about the future.“

Hilmar is also confident that one person can handle the job, even though it is very diverse and covers a lot of ground. „Of course we would much rather like to have two fulltime positions for the association but our financial reality does not allow that. Obviously that is our future goal; to  strengthen the financial ground and be able to have two fulltime employees and make our work even more professional and thorough.“

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
    - award-winning chocolate maker

      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

          Contact Us


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