“Everyone Has a Voice”

“My memories from college are maybe less about what I learned and more about the people I met. I’m still in touch with many former classmates, and I learned so much from participating in campus life.” Stúdentablaðið/Hólmfríður María Bjarnardóttir

Translation: Julie Summers

Three Student Paper journalists pulled up outside Bessastaðir, home to the President of Iceland, on March 10, just before the gathering ban was announced and the university campus was closed. The occasion? An interview with Eliza Reid, First Lady of Iceland. Eliza has used her platform as First Lady to advocate for increased gender equality and recently gave a TEDx Talk titled “Pulling Back the Curtain: Life as a First Lady.” She’s also co-founder of the Iceland Writers Retreat and works for Promote Iceland both domestically and abroad. These endeavors were just a few of the many topics we discussed over a cup of coffee on a bright and sunny Tuesday. Of course, handshakes were strictly forbidden.

Writers retreat on campus

Besides her responsibilities as First Lady, Eliza has a wide variety of other projects on her plate. The Iceland Writers Retreat was supposed to be held for the seventh time at the end of April, this time on the University of Iceland (UI) campus, but it was postponed due to the current situation. “The Iceland Writers Retreat has been a really interesting and rewarding project,” says Eliza. “It’s intended for people who enjoy writing, but it’s not necessarily a very academic event. Foreign writers come here to Iceland, our small island with its rich literary history, to lead small workshops, and people come from all over the world to participate.” The conference gives foreign guests the opportunity to learn about Icelandic literature and culture. Among the Icelandic writers who were set to participate this year are Kristín Eiríksdóttir, Kristín Helga Gunnarsdóttir, Ármann Jakobsson, and Huldar Breiðfjörð. Attendees go on a literary walk in downtown Reykjavík and drive the Golden Circle, stopping at sites of literary importance along the way. Eliza says the tour guides are always authors themselves. “In the beginning, Guðni played tour guide for free, but then he got a little bit busier.”

 Creative writing students at UI have served as volunteers for the Iceland Writers Retreat. “We match each author with a student, who acts as their point of contact while they’re here,” says Eliza. “If the author needs a ride from their hotel, for instance, or wants to know where to buy the best Icelandic sweaters, they can always get in touch with their volunteer.” Eliza says the retreat is interesting and rewarding for everyone involved. “It’s a special feeling to see people have such a good experience and create great memories every year. I founded my company in 2008 – a week before the economic collapse, actually – and it’s still going strong.”

College years a special time

Eliza earned a bachelor’s in international relations from the University of Toronto and a master’s in history from Oxford. She says her education has served her well in her role as First Lady, as well as in other jobs. “At the time, the University of Toronto was one of only two Canadian universities that offered a BA in International Relations. It was a combination of history, political science, and economics and was popular among students who wanted to work in international relations, for instance at [what is now called] Global Affairs Canada or as diplomats. You could certainly say that this background has proven useful as First Lady. I’m always meeting new people, and I enjoy talking about Iceland’s relationship to other countries. There is so much that connects us with other countries.” Since last October, Eliza has also undertaken projects for Promote Iceland. “I attend events on behalf of Promote Iceland, both here at home and abroad,” says Eliza. “I speak on sustainability, tourism, equality, innovation, and other topics related to introducing Iceland as a destination and a place for investment.”

While acknowledging that working hard in school matters, Eliza also says that the college years aren’t just about what happens in the classroom. “The experience we have as students also matters.” Eliza was active in campus life during her studies. She served as Head of College and a Co-President of the dramatic society, was on the yearbook committee, and sang in a choir, among other activities. “My memories from college are maybe less about what I learned and more about the people I met. I’m still in touch with many former classmates, and I learned so much from participating in campus life. I’m always encouraging people to take advantage of all the opportunities you have during college, because it’s really a special time.” What you choose to study doesn’t necessarily make all the difference, says Eliza. “If people aren’t totally sure what they want to study, I always suggest signing up for something they find interesting and enjoyable. College is all about teaching us how to organize our ideas and bring them to fruition. It isn’t always about what program will secure you the highest salary or the best job in the future. You never know what the future will bring.”

“I’m trying to change this outdated image, especially the image of the female partner.” Stúdentablaðið/Hólmfríður María Bjarnardóttir

Not her husband’s accessory

In a number of interviews and lectures, Eliza has stated that the role of First Lady is not well defined in Iceland, but people still have certain expectations of her. Asked whether she believes the spouses of world leaders face old-fashioned expectations, Eliza says it’s something she’s spent a lot of time considering. “I’m trying to change this outdated image, especially the image of the female partner. First ladies have often been seen as a sort of accessory to what their husbands are doing.” In early March, Guðni and Eliza went on a state visit to Poland. In addition to the traditional public events, Eliza organized other meetings and addressed several organizations on the trip. “While Guðni was fulfilling his presidential duties, I delivered a speech to a group of female entrepreneurs and an organization of female business leaders, among others. I also spoke with publishers and authors and met with representatives of the city of Gdańsk’s Council of Immigrants and Council of Equal Treatment.” Eliza says she made a point of sharing photos and news from the visit. “I want to send the message that I have my own voice and I can use it.”

“I want to underscore the fact that I’m in a position of great privilege and I’m very honored to be First Lady,” adds Eliza. “I want to do my best, but of course there’s no handbook on how to be the spouse of a world leader. When Guðni took office, I wanted to know what I could and couldn’t do. I’m the sort of person who wants to follow the rules, and I didn’t want to be a discredit to the country. But since I got into it and have learned the ropes a little more, I’ve seen it as a real benefit to have the opportunity to shape the role how I like.” Eliza emphasizes that doesn’t mean that the spouse of the next president of Iceland, if the next president even has a spouse, has to treat the role the same way she does. “I’m under no obligation to do anything. If I just want to stay home and do nothing, that’s okay too.”

Immigrant access to Icelandic courses

Last November, Eliza shared some thoughts in honor of the Day of the Icelandic Language. The article garnered a lot of attention and was widely circulated online. Eliza posted two versions of the Icelandic text; the first version had been proofread, and the second was her original writing. In the article, Eliza wrote that her goal was to “encourage people who don’t have Icelandic as their first language to do their best and not give up.” Asked about the language, Eliza says it’s important for people who move to Iceland to learn Icelandic. “I’m lucky to have a mother-in-law who only spoke Icelandic with me and encouraged me to keep learning. When I came to Iceland with Guðni, I knew I’d be here long-term or would at least have a very strong connection to the country. I think it’s more difficult to find time to learn the language if you only plan to stay for a year or two.” 

Eliza began learning Icelandic at the University of Iceland’s continuing education program. “It was actually really lucky that I started learning right away, maybe ten days after I moved to Iceland. It’s very easy to live in Iceland and speak English without ever learning any Icelandic.” Eliza says a lot of people put off learning the language. “But then you never end up learning it, because you realize that you don’t need to. I encourage people to start as soon as possible and be really proactive about speaking.” Eliza wants to see Icelanders be patient with language learners: “We need to be patient with people who might speak a bit slowly or have a strong accent, rather than critiquing them or finishing their sentences.” When asked how Icelanders can make it easier for immigrants to learn Icelandic, she says there are several options. “We as a society can make it a bit easier. Everyone learns differently, of course; some people want to read textbooks and do practice exercises, and others just want to chat and learn more informally. Surely it’s possible to create more opportunities for people to learn Icelandic in a simple and inexpensive way.”

 Eliza says immigrants often have difficulty finding the time and money to study Icelandic. “Some people come here and work in low-paying jobs, maybe have to take the bus to and from work and even have young children. How are those people supposed to save money for a language course?” Eliza points out that many unions reimburse members for Icelandic courses, but do not pay up front. She also says many people struggle to find the time to attend a course, and many have to rely on public transportation, which isn’t always very feasible, depending on the day and time. “It can be really difficult to find the time, and I think it’s something we need to look at. It would benefit all of us.”

“I think it’s even more important that I make myself heard, even though my Icelandic isn’t perfect and I have an accent.” Stúdentablaðið/Hólmfríður María Bjarnardóttir

Everyone can have an impact

Although Iceland is at the forefront of the fight for gender equality, we’re still a long way away from full equality. It’s a topic Eliza has discussed in her lectures, and she uses her visibility to draw attention to women’s issues. “Yes, I often speak about equality and gender equality when I’m abroad. One of the things I always say is that we’re proud of being the best in the world, of course, but that doesn’t mean that everything is perfect in Iceland. We know we still have a long way to go. But I’m very optimistic, and hopefully we will achieve full equality somewhere, sometime in the world, and why not in Iceland?”

Eliza says she wants to make her voice heard in support of increased equality. “First and foremost, I’m trying to use my voice. I’m aware of the irony that I gained this platform because of something my husband achieved. Sometimes that made me question whether I have the right to use that platform to express myself about the issue so much. But then I think, ‘It’s not about how we got where we are, it’s about what we do when we get there.’ I try to just use my voice and not let it bother me. Everyone has a voice. Each of us can be a role model.” As a woman of foreign origin, Eliza says that’s of particular importance to her. “I think it’s even more important that I make myself heard, even though my Icelandic isn’t perfect and I have an accent. It’s still important. I always try to encourage people to keep going, because everyone has something important to say. We’re all role models, whether we want to be positive or negative role models or have small groups or large. Everyone can have an impact. If there’s a topic we feel is really important, then we need to talk about it.”

Refugee issues

In the fall of 2017, Eliza traveled with UN Women to Jordan, where she visited the Zaatari refugee camp. “When we first went to the refugee camp, we got an overview of what happens there,” says Eliza. “Eighty thousand people live in a small area. It’s basically a city.” Eliza says one of her most vivid memories from the trip was an answer she got from a UNHCR employee. “I asked how it would be for the other families, the ones that didn’t get to leave the camp, to see the family that lives in the container next door leaving for Sweden, for instance. Wasn’t it hard to know that this family got to leave, while the others had to stay at the camp? This person said to me, ‘You know, there are so few leaving that they’re like a drop in the bucket. No one even notices.’” Eliza says the answer has stuck with her. “Then here we are in Europe talking about how there’s a flood of people. This is a humanitarian issue, and we’re all citizens of the world. We can’t save everyone, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t save some.”

In closing, Eliza urges students to enjoy their time in university and make their voices heard.