04-05-2008
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Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr. Høgni Hoydal's speech at the Atlantic Soundscapes event in Bruxelles 03. May
On May 3rd "Atlantic Soundscapes: music and art from the Faroe Islands" took place at Beursschouwburg in central Bruxelles. The event, organised by the Mission of the Faroes to the EU, showcased a variety of contemporary music, art and design from the Faroe Islands.
  
Ladies and Gentlemen
On behalf of the Faroese Government and the Mission of the Faroes to the European Union here in Brussels it is a pleasure to welcome you all to this reception and to Atlantic Soundscapes.
It has been said that the Faroes are far out and really should not be there. But there we are and sit like a mother ship in the centre of the North Atlantic in the eye of the storm.
A country that bears the full brunt of the forces of nature, be they extreme weather conditions, living marine resources or global changes in climate. Under these circumstances a nation has emerged that also bears the full brunt of the forces of culture.
The Faroese author, William Heinesen (the father of the painter Zacharias Heinesen whose work you can experience here today) has said it like this in his novel The Lost Musicians:
“Far out in an ocean that gleams and glitters like quicksilver may be found a small leaden-coloured land. In proportion to the immense ocean the size of the mountainous land is like a grain of sand to a ballroom floor. But viewed through a magnifying glass this grain of sand s an entire world, with mountains and valleys, inlets and fjords, and houses with tiny human beings.”
In Heinesens novel music, rhythm and art are the key elements that bind the story and its figures together, reflecting universal human experience.
And throughout Faroese history we most certainly can say that music, rhythm and art saved our language, our culture and identity and created the ground for us to modernize and reach out to the world.
Our language was not a written language until the late 19th century and there was no written history. But the language and the history were handed down by oral tradition through singing and reciting sagas, folk tales, rimes and ballads in the social context of the heavy-rhythmed chain- or ringdance.
These epic and musical dramas did not only reflect Faroese or Nordic history but also the history of Europe with ballads of the Volsungs, the Crusaders, Charlemagne, the Niebelungen-Lied and many others.
Today we still sing the old ballads and dance the traditional chain-dance in a highly modern society.
But Faroese music, rhythm and art have developed and modernized into a wide spectrum of expressions. Still deeply rooted in and inspired by Faroese nature and culture but reaching out to the world, working in a global context and reflecting the experience of modern man.
Faroese musicians, artists, writers and Faroese designers seem to have found their muses in a way that constantly leads to new creations and new expressions.
Size is certainly not an obstacle for the Faroese, and the many talented people forging new paths in their different fields are proof of this.
Our vibrant cultural community organises events, festivals, exhibitions and publishes books and music, which connects us with people, countries and cultures across all boundaries.
I am convinced that compared to the size of the population the Faroes hold a world record in number and quality of artists, artistic work and expression in the various fields of arts.
The innovation and diversity of people in Faroese business, research and culture today never fails to surprise others. To be honest, it often surprises us ourselves.
Because all this grows from beneath and is pushed forward by people, entrepreneurs and artists that work with their hearts and souls as the main driving force but are highly professional and focused.
The Faroese political system is still to create fundamental changes in its cultural policy in order to embrace the potentials and improve the working conditions for Faroese artists and their possibilities to work and grow in an international environment.
Atlantic Soundscapes here in Brussels today is one step in this direction. And I would like to thank the people at our Faroese Mission here for taking this initiative and organizing this event together with good people and organizations here and in the Faroes. I would also like to thank the sponsors of the event and all of you that have gathered here today.
And of course a special thanks to the artists and designers which we are about to experience.
Ladies and gentlemen, music, rhythm and art saved our language in the Faroes.
Today music, rhythm and art are our international language. And that is crucial to our development and survival in the globalized world of today.
Globalisation has no clear direction or intrinsic value. The opportunities generated in our globalised world can be a double-edged sword.
There is a trend towards greater uniformity and conformity, but at the same time there are also opportunities for improved democracy; a more culturally diverse and culturally aware world, where more people are able to participate on equal terms.
And that is the ultimate Faroese goal, to be one of the many flowers in the diverse global garden. We want to grow and flourish side by side with other nations and cultures, contributing our unique colour and fragrance to the bouquet of experiences among peoples.
Our vision and our challenge as a small island nation is to embrace the ambition and creativity of our people and provide them with the best conditions to be productive, to enjoy a high quality of life, and - not least - to be bale to make their contributions as citizens of the international community to a sustainable and meaningful future for us all.
I am confident that we all tonight will get a unique experience of some of our best Atlantic sounds and scapes. And I assure you, there is more where it comes from.
In the words of the Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen we will tonight hear tones that… “gave souls to beasts and fire to stones”.
Thank you very much.
Høgni Hoydal
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