President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson honored ten Icelanders with the Order of the Falcon at his residence Bessastadir on Friday, New Year’s Day. Those honored include author Einar Kárason and police chief Geir Jón Thórisson.
From left to right: Dorrit Moussaieff, the president’s wife, the president, Helgi Seljan, Einar Kárason, Hjálmar Vilhjálmsson, Ragnhildur Gudrún Gudmundsdóttir, Geir Jón Thórisson, Pétur Ágústsson, Áshildur Haraldsdóttir, Sólveig Gudlaugsdóttir, Högna Sigurdardóttir og Sólveig Gudlaugdóttir.
The other recipients are as follows:
Musician Ásthildur Haraldsdóttir, former parliamentarian Helgi Seljan, ichthyologist Hjálmar Vilhjálmsson, architect Högna Sigurdardóttir, manager and sea captain Pétur Ágústsson, chairwoman of the charity Maedrastyrksnefnd Ragnhildur Gudrún Gudmundsdóttir, carving master Sigrídur Jóna Kristjánsdóttir and psychiatric nurse Sólveig Gudlaugsdóttir.
The Order of the Falcon is the National Order of Iceland, established by King Christian X of Denmark and Iceland in 1921. It may be awarded to both Icelanders and foreigners for their contributions to the Icelandic or international community.
Past recipients include the Icelandic national men’s handball team for placing second in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
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