16. júní 2023
Ten companies participated in Icelandic Presidential visit to Canada
Icelandic companies participating in the visit to Canada included Icelandair, Icelandic Trademark Holding, Kerecis, Eimskip, Prescribe, Kadeco, Landsvirkjun, Marel, Íslandsbanki, and Planet Youth.
On May 29 - June 1, the President of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson and First Lady Eliza Reid went on an official visit to Canada—a long over-due visit since the last presidential visit in 2000. The delegation included ten Icelandic companies representing Icelandic culture and business and representatives from Business Iceland.
The whirlwind trip included stops in Ottawa, Halifax, and St. John's, with a departure on a direct Icelandair flight from Toronto.
There were two events in Ottawa where the topics of discussion were preserving the Icelandic language and youth mental health. The first event discussed the importance and strategies for maintaining languages with few speakers, with insights from Jóhanna Vigdís Guðmundsdóttir of Almannaróm, the Icelandic Centre for Language Technology. A seminar was then held on the importance of youth welfare. There, Planet Youth presented a project they have been working on around the world, including in Canada, which works toward preventing drug use by young people.
In Ottawa, the President of Iceland also met with Canada's Country Director, Mary Simon, and the country's Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau.
On the business side, the focus was primarily on marine technology, green energy, and health technology.
Icelandic companies participating in the visit to Canada included Icelandair, Icelandic Trademark Holding, Kerecis, Eimskip, Prescribe, Kadeco, Landsvirkjun, Marel, Íslandsbanki, and Planet Youth.
Various events took place in Halifax. These included a business lunch with the prominent business leaders in Halifax, a meeting at COVE (Center for Ocean, Ventures, and Entrepreneurship) on ocean-related technologies where Marel gave a talk, an event and discussion on youth health and addiction problems, and finally, a discussion with the President of Iceland on immigration issues.
Next, the delegation headed north to St. John's, Newfoundland, to the Marine Institute, Canada's most comprehensive center for education, training, applied research, and industrial support for ocean industries, technology, and innovation. Parties from Newfoundland and Labrador gathered to discuss the many challenges and opportunities. Finally, the President of Iceland spoke about Iceland's Cod War to a packed house.
The following day, the group visited the Newfoundland Labrador Health and Community Services. Business Iceland and the Embassy of Iceland in Canada have worked on a joint project with an Icelandic health technology company. The health technology companies Prescribe, and Kerecis presented their activities and solutions there.
At an Annual Energy NL conference and exhibition meeting, Landsvirkjun discussed opportunities for working with renewable energy. Eimskip Shipping also had an exhibition stand on site and presented its services.
View a few photos from the event here below.
