Words by

Jóhannes Bjarkason

Photo by

Eyþór Árnason

President of Iceland Halla Tómasdóttir bestowed the Order of the Falcon to 14 individuals on New Year’s Day. Seven women and seven men received the award. 

The Order of The Falcon is the sole order of chivalry in Iceland, traditionally awarded by the president twice each year: on New Year’s Day and on June 17.

The recipients of the order are:

• Bala Murughan Kamallakharan, entrepreneur and founder of Startup Iceland, for his efforts in supporting Icelandic startups.
• Brian Pilkington, visual artist, for his contribution to illustration and children’s literature.
• Eðvarð Júlíus Sólnes, emeritus in environmental engineering, for pioneering practises in earthquake defences and environmental
• Geirlaug Þorvaldsdóttir, hotel manager, for her contributions to tourism, culture, and the conservation of Icelandic fine art
• Glódís Perla Viggósdóttir, footballer, for her accomplishments in football
• Íris Inga Grönfeldt, sports scientist, for her local contribution to children, teenager, and adult’s sports and health improvements
• Jón Þór Hannesson, producer, sound engineer and filmmaker for his pioneering work in filmmaking
• Jónas Karl Þorvaldsson, department manager at The Icelandic Coast Guard, for his contribution to peacekeeping and defence matters
• Kristín Jóhannsdóttir, museum director, for her entrepreneurship in culture and tourism on a local scale
• Magnea Jóhanna Matthíasdóttir, author and translator, for her contributions to translations and writing
• Sigurþóra Bergsdóttir, CEO, for creating solutions which improve access to support and consultation for young people
• Sólveig Þorsteinsdóttir, library and information scientist, for pioneering library improvements and nationwide access to digital databases
• Þorsteinn Tómasson, plant geneticist, for his contributions towards selective breeding in agriculture, forestry, gardening and biotechnology
• Þórir Hergeirsson, handball coach, for his achievements in coaching and contribution to female handball