Ambassador Kristján Andri Stefánsson Reminds Icelandic Community of Past & Future on National Day

Iceland is celebrating its National Day today, Friday 17 June 2022, an annual holiday in Iceland commemorating the foundation of the Republic of Iceland on 17 June 1944.

Traditionally, in Iceland, public parades take place in cities and towns. Often the parade is preceded by riders on Icelandic horses followed by a brass band and a flag-bearing troop from the Icelandic scouts.

On this occasion, Kristján Andri Stefánsson, Iceland's Ambassador to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and San Marino, and the Head of Mission of Iceland to the European Union (EU), shared a special message to the Icelandic community and friends of Iceland in Luxembourg: "It is a great pleasure to have this opportunity to greet you on the 78[th] anniversary of our Republic´s inception".

Looking back, he said: "The last couple of years have been a strange experience for many, in particular for those of us living as expatriates abroad, often away from their families and loved ones. Even if the worst is hopefully behind us, the pandemic has in many ways left a unique mark on us".

Ambassador Stefánsson added: "But through this adversity; facing down hardships far from home, we have gained something we did not have before. As our poet Jóhann Sigurjónsson put it: 'Distance makes the mountains blue and people important'. We have learned the true value of many things we took for granted – and that the distance it created has reminded us of what is most important."

Jóhann Sigurjónsson, a major figure of Icelandic culture and the leader of the nineteenth century Icelandic independence movement, was born 17 June 1811, coinciding with the National Day.

Ambassador Stefánsson concluded: "Our national day reminds us of our past and present, the values we share, where we come from and what ties us together – even across great distances. May you all enjoy a happy 17 June surrounded by your friends and family".

A total of 426 Icelandic nationals were living in Luxembourg as of 31 March 2022, according to Luxembourg's national persons register. Albeit a small community, Iceland and Luxembourg share historic moments in the present flagship cargo carrier Cargolux.

Luxembourg-based Cargolux was founded on the 4 March 1970 in a cooperative effort between three parties: the then Icelandic airline Loftleiðir, the Swedish shipping company Salén and Luxair, the flag carrier airline of Luxembourg.

With one leased aircraft, a Canadair CL-44 D42, and a handful of enthusiastic employees, the head office was set up in building on Avenue de la Liberté in Luxembourg City and the first Cargolux flight took off on 11 May 1970; a ferry flight from Stockholm to New York to pick up iceberg lettuce and strawberries.

By the end of 1972, Cargolux operated a total of five CL-44 aircrafts, and many of the pilots and crews were Icelandic as the company originated from Loftleiðir. At present, Cargolux Group operates 30 purpose-built Boeing 747-400 and 747-8 airfreighters.

Over time, many Icelanders were employed by the airline and this resulted in a large and tight-knit Icelandic community in Luxembourg.

Moa Sigurdardottir, Head of Corporate Communications at Cargolux, who is also an Icelandic national, confirmed that "[As of] today, a total of 41 Icelanders still work for Cargolux, 27 out of which are flight crew."