Conference: Islands as Diverse Spaces
On Thursday and Friday, October 3rd and 4th, the conference “Islands as Diverse Spaces” was held at the University Centre of the Westfjords. The aim of the conference was to highlight the importance of islands and remote communities, which are constantly evolving and crucial to study. One of the key characteristics of islands and remote communities is resilience, biological diversity, and cultural richness. Islands and remote communities also play an important role in terms of international ecological and cultural heritage. With this role in mind, the conference aimed to explore island communities through three broad themes: culture, language, and education.
The conference featured 4 sessions with a total of 16 presentations. The presenters came from diverse backgrounds and gave varied talks, leading to interdisciplinary discussions after each session. The islands discussed included Goli Otok in Croatia, Monte Isola in Lake Iseo in Italy, Iceland, Malta, Pacific Islands, Bali, San Pietro in Italy, Vigur in Ísafjarðardjúp, St. John’s Island in Newfoundland, and Foula in the Shetland Islands. An overview of the presenters and the titles of their talks can be found in the conference program.
On Thursday, the group had lunch at Tjöruhúsið, and after the second session, they went on a sightseeing tour to Bolafjall and later toasted with sparkling wine in Holtsfjara in Önundarfjörður in the evening. On Friday, UW’s weekly Lunch Lecture took on a different format as it became part of the conference, and master’s students at the University Centre held a poster exhibition during lunch where guests were welcome to walk around and view their projects in the school hallways.
The conference presenters ended Friday with a joint gala dinner at the Edinborg restaurant. On Saturday, the presenters headed home, and those interested had the option of going on an exciting trip through the southern Westfjords on their way to Reykjavík. Stops were made at the Dynjandi waterfall, Erpsstaðir farm, mountain Grábrók, Glanni waterfall, and finally the Krauma natural hot spring by Deildartunguhver.
