This is going to be another difficult year. Just as Covid-19 was being overthrown, Ukraine was invaded. When you read and see what Ukrainians have to endure, the hard snowy winter in Iceland becomes easy to live with.
Iceland is a peaceful country. We do not have an army, but we are in NATO and rely on it to protect us if any nation invades our small island in the middle of the Atlantic.
At the beginning of settlement in Iceland, our island was not particularly peaceful. The Vikings who fought for occupation of the island often committed very brutal and bloody conflicts. The Icelandic sagas tell well about this aspect of Icelandic history. The last execution in Iceland took place in 1830.
All the time since the establishment of the republic, Icelanders have spoken for peace. We do not want to wage war with other nations. We want to live in peace. That is why it is difficult for Icelanders to understand the purpose of the invasion of Ukraine and the cruelty that Russia is showing to Ukraine, which is our friendly nation and which I believe wants to live in peace just like Icelanders.
Ukraine is one of the leading producers of sunflower oil in the world. I came across a very beautiful work of art by Laura Zerebeski of Ukrainian sunflowers. To show support for Ukraine, I had artificial intelligence create a work using a picture, which I took in one of the most beautiful places in Iceland, Skaftafell, and painted it in the same style as Ukraine Sunflower Fields. You are welcome to share this as you please.
