Páll Pétursson
Conference in Strasbourg
11th of March 2000
Mr. President.
It gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to address this distinguished audience. I welcome the fact that this Conference is taking place here in Strasbourg in order to prepare the European contribution to the World Conference to be held in South Africa. It was quite evident that preperation was foreseen to be done and co-ordinated by the Council of Europe bearing in mind its experience and experties in this field which is demonstrated in various ways as we note in the Political Declaration. It goes without saying that I fully subscribe to the Draft Political Declaration which we are about to adopt. The Council of Europe has made an important contribution in this field in particular since ECRI started its work in 1994. The working groups of this conference have brought us interesting discussion and new perspectives. The Conference is entitled "All different, all equal: from principle to practice", and I have chosen to dwell on its theme and share with you a bit of our practice in Iceland.
Mr. President, Iceland has had relatively small immigration until now. We consider ourselves lucky in that no cases, whether civil or criminal, have been brought before the courts in recent years concerning racial discrimination.
The number of Foreign Natives living in Iceland has increased by 50% from 1995 1999 and are now about 4% of the total population. This part of the population is of different ethnic origins.
We realize the importance of giving foreigners in Iceland an opportunity to both preserve their own cultural identity and to encourage them to learn Icelandic and understand our culture.
A few yars ago changes were made to the Icelandic Constitution. One aspect of this was the inclusion of the equality principle, providing that everyone shall be equal before the law and enjoy human rights irrespective of sex, religion, opinion, ethnic origin, race, colour, property, or birth or other status.
Freedom of association is protected by the Constitution.
Icelands accession to the European Convention on the Participation of foreigners in public life at local level is being carefully considered. This convention underpins the intergration of resident foreigners, including stateless residents, in local communities. Reykjavík has operated an Information and Cultural Centre for Foreigners since 1994 which has proven its value.
We are also preparing a Centre for Immigrants outside the capital in co-operation with the relevant local authorities and the Icelandic Red Cross. The role of the Centre will be to facilitate the interrelations of native Icelanders and foreign nationals.
Various measures have been taken in the fields of education and social affairs to improve the status of foreigners in Iceland and secure their rights. The Ministry of Social Affairs has organised courses for foreigners in co-operation with the Red Cross. In this respect it should be mentioned that the needs of foreigners are specially taken into account in acts of law and in the general curriculums of all stages of education, with the guiding principle that equality is to reign among students in all aspects. Booklets have been compiled in various languages by the Ministry of Social Affairs in order to provide to foreigners information on their rights and duties in Iceland.
With the assistance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees a group of refugees is invited every year to settle in Iceland. Each of these groups settles in a town in the countryside where they are taken care of during the first year of their stay in Iceland.
The contract signed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the municipality receiving refugees, states that the municipality offer the refugees the same social services and health care as its other residents. The municipality is to provide housing and costs incurred, basic allowance, assistance with finding employment, information on elementary schools, pre-school and child care as needed, counseling, and any other services available to other residents of the municipality. The Ministry of Social Affairs pays the municipality's expenses brought on by the project. Each project runs for one year.
I have mentioned the above Icelandic model of receiving refugees since the UNHCR has demonstrated keen interest in it.
I would finally like to thank the Organizers of this Conference for their excellent work.
Thank you Mr. President.
It gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to address this distinguished audience. I welcome the fact that this Conference is taking place here in Strasbourg in order to prepare the European contribution to the World Conference to be held in South Africa. It was quite evident that preperation was foreseen to be done and co-ordinated by the Council of Europe bearing in mind its experience and experties in this field which is demonstrated in various ways as we note in the Political Declaration. It goes without saying that I fully subscribe to the Draft Political Declaration which we are about to adopt. The Council of Europe has made an important contribution in this field in particular since ECRI started its work in 1994. The working groups of this conference have brought us interesting discussion and new perspectives. The Conference is entitled "All different, all equal: from principle to practice", and I have chosen to dwell on its theme and share with you a bit of our practice in Iceland.
Mr. President, Iceland has had relatively small immigration until now. We consider ourselves lucky in that no cases, whether civil or criminal, have been brought before the courts in recent years concerning racial discrimination.
The number of Foreign Natives living in Iceland has increased by 50% from 1995 1999 and are now about 4% of the total population. This part of the population is of different ethnic origins.
We realize the importance of giving foreigners in Iceland an opportunity to both preserve their own cultural identity and to encourage them to learn Icelandic and understand our culture.
A few yars ago changes were made to the Icelandic Constitution. One aspect of this was the inclusion of the equality principle, providing that everyone shall be equal before the law and enjoy human rights irrespective of sex, religion, opinion, ethnic origin, race, colour, property, or birth or other status.
Freedom of association is protected by the Constitution.
Icelands accession to the European Convention on the Participation of foreigners in public life at local level is being carefully considered. This convention underpins the intergration of resident foreigners, including stateless residents, in local communities. Reykjavík has operated an Information and Cultural Centre for Foreigners since 1994 which has proven its value.
We are also preparing a Centre for Immigrants outside the capital in co-operation with the relevant local authorities and the Icelandic Red Cross. The role of the Centre will be to facilitate the interrelations of native Icelanders and foreign nationals.
Various measures have been taken in the fields of education and social affairs to improve the status of foreigners in Iceland and secure their rights. The Ministry of Social Affairs has organised courses for foreigners in co-operation with the Red Cross. In this respect it should be mentioned that the needs of foreigners are specially taken into account in acts of law and in the general curriculums of all stages of education, with the guiding principle that equality is to reign among students in all aspects. Booklets have been compiled in various languages by the Ministry of Social Affairs in order to provide to foreigners information on their rights and duties in Iceland.
With the assistance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees a group of refugees is invited every year to settle in Iceland. Each of these groups settles in a town in the countryside where they are taken care of during the first year of their stay in Iceland.
The contract signed by the Ministry of Social Affairs and the municipality receiving refugees, states that the municipality offer the refugees the same social services and health care as its other residents. The municipality is to provide housing and costs incurred, basic allowance, assistance with finding employment, information on elementary schools, pre-school and child care as needed, counseling, and any other services available to other residents of the municipality. The Ministry of Social Affairs pays the municipality's expenses brought on by the project. Each project runs for one year.
I have mentioned the above Icelandic model of receiving refugees since the UNHCR has demonstrated keen interest in it.
I would finally like to thank the Organizers of this Conference for their excellent work.
Thank you Mr. President.
