Yoko Ono was named an honorary citizen of Reykjavík yesterday, RÚV reports. “It’s incredible,” she told reporters. “I was so shocked, but it’s good…I think it’s an encouragement for me to do more work—better work.”
Yoko is the fifth person to receive this title. The first was Catholic priest Bjarni Jónsson in 1961, followed by the opthalmologist Kristján Sveinsson in 1975, former Icelandic president Vigdís Finnbogadóttir in 2010, and the pop artist Érro in 2012.
When reporters asked Yoko about having said that she’s become “attached to the city,” she replied that “Yes, but it’s not just the city. It’s Iceland. I think it’s a beautiful, beautiful country—very unique. And they are always thinking about good things, and I like this spirit very much. So when I came here the first time, I thought, ‘this is incredible.’ It’s something that you don’t really expect in a country. And Reykjavík is doing a very good job—I was very pleased with it, and I respect it.”
Yoko Ono’s Peace Tower on the island of Viðey was relit this week on October 9, the anniversary of John Lennon’s birthday. Only last week, Iceland was also named the world’s most peaceful country.
You can watch part of the honorary citizen ceremony and the interview with Yoko via RÚV:
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