What is Snorri Deaf?
Note: The Snorri Deaf program ran in 2018 and 2019 but is inactive as of 2023.
The goals of Snorri Deaf are the same as the other programs with the added goal of seeing and learning from the Deaf communities in both North America and Iceland. The inaugural Snorri Deaf Program sent two participants and their sign language interpreter from Iceland to North America in September of 2018. They visited Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba. In the summer of 2019, two Deaf participants from North America visited Reykjavík, Hofsós, and Akureyri.
Enjoy this video made by 2018's inaugural participants, Heiðís and Júlía - vimeo.com/279349661
The goals of Snorri Deaf are the same as the other programs with the added goal of seeing and learning from the Deaf communities in both North America and Iceland. The inaugural Snorri Deaf Program sent two participants and their sign language interpreter from Iceland to North America in September of 2018. They visited Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba. In the summer of 2019, two Deaf participants from North America visited Reykjavík, Hofsós, and Akureyri.
Enjoy this video made by 2018's inaugural participants, Heiðís and Júlía - vimeo.com/279349661
The work of this project is carried on by volunteers who offer their time, talents, and finances. Families in both Iceland and North America are very generous and hospitable, offering sightseeing, lodging, and meals for the Snorri Deaf participants. We are so thankful for this opportunity and for the team of people who worked to make this dream a reality. These included:
In Iceland:
In North America:
In Iceland:
- Bryndís Viglundsdóttir, educator and member of Félag Heyrnalausa (The Deaf Association)
- Halldór Árnason, former Chair of the Snorri Foundation, who did voluntary work for the Snorri Programs for many years and saw that all was properly managed.
In North America:
- Sunna Furstenau, Immediate Past President of the Icelandic National League of North America in 2018 and also the founder of Icelandic Roots. These two groups helped to organize the initial program itinerary, find host families, help with financing, set up meetings with other Deaf associations, and also to find families and relatives of our Snorri Deaf participants on both sides of the ocean.
Your help is needed!
We need your help to identify and locate deaf people of Icelandic families or those with sign-language knowledge. Please help us find our "Cousins across the Ocean" by doing the following:
1) Visit the Icelandic Roots website and fill out a "Cousins Across the Ocean" form. This is a free service open to anyone in the world of Icelandic descent.
2) If you know someone of Icelandic ancestry in North America who is deaf or who knows sign language, please have them contact Icelandic Roots: [email protected]
1) Visit the Icelandic Roots website and fill out a "Cousins Across the Ocean" form. This is a free service open to anyone in the world of Icelandic descent.
2) If you know someone of Icelandic ancestry in North America who is deaf or who knows sign language, please have them contact Icelandic Roots: [email protected]
We truly believe this program is of great value and benefit to deaf people both in Iceland and North America. Your help is greatly appreciated!
