Former Mayor of Reykjavík Jón Gnarr is among five recipients of this year’s Lennon-Ono Grant For Peace awards, visir.is reports. Artist Yoko Ono, who is the founder of the awards, stated that Jón has inspired others to get involved in politics.
“He was a comedian who decided to become a politician. It takes a lot of courage and many people didn’t take him seriously to begin with … then some started to think to themselves ‘I could really become mayor or a member of parliament,’” she said, adding that she has a lot of respect for him.
This year’s other recipients include the publisher of Rolling Stone magazine Jann Wenner, founder of Peace One Day Jeremy Gilley and founders of Art Production Fund Dorren Remen and Yvonne Force Villareal. Previous winners include Lady Gaga, Doctors without Borders and Vandana Shiva.
Ono will light her Imagine Peace Tower on Viðey island off Reykjavík tonight, on her late husband John Lennon’s birthday. A special ceremony will be held on the occasion to which members of the public are invited.
Free ferry rides are offered from Skarfabakki pier to Viðey. The program begins at Viðeyjarnaust at 7 pm with a concert by Snorri Helgason.
Viðeyjarnaust will be illuminated with candles and people can have a seat around Ono’s wish tree, purchase hot chocolate, coffee, beer and snacks, write their wishes for peace and hang on the tree while listening to Snorri’s music, as stated in a press release from the City of Reykjavík.
The girls’ choir Graduale Nobili will perform several songs. Actress Þórunn Lárusdóttir will serve as the evening’s host.
The first free ferry will leave Skarfabakki at 6 pm. There will also be free bus rides to Skarfabakki from the Hlemmur terminal in central Reykjavík with the first bus leaving at 5:35 pm and then every 20 minutes until 7:35 pm.
After the ceremony, the first ferry will sail from Viðey at 9 pm and buses will take passengers back to Hlemmur.
