Vigdis Finnbogadottir - President of Iceland Quiz

Answer: Reykjavik

Vigdis Finnbogadottir was born in 1930 in Iceland's capital, Reykjavik. Per article 12 of the Constitution, the President of Iceland is required to reside in Reykjavik.

Player pusdoc gave birth to this question as part of the Red Crew's participation in Phoenix Rising's Global Tour 2022.

Answer: Harvard University (USA)

A highly intelligent and well-educated woman in a time before the internet, when learning involved trawling through many books and much interactive lecturing, Vigdis Finnbogadottir studied in Iceland, France - both at the University of Grenoble, and at the Sorbonne- at the university of Copenhagen in Denmark, and at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. She gained qualifications in French, French literature, the history of theatre, English and a graduate certificate in education.

She was involved in Harvard University in the USA, but not until 1996, when she became Chair of 'The Council of Women World Leaders' at the John F. Kennedy School of Government there.

Smpdit did her own spot of learning in order to place this question whilst travelling in Phoenix Rising's World Tour.

Answer: Theatre

For the eight years prior to becoming the President of Iceland, Vigdis Finnbogadottir was the artistic director at Reykjavik Theatre Company where she was also part of an experimental theatre group. Additionally, during that time period, she appeared on national television teaching French and was involved in cultural programming. This would lead to her sitting on the Advisory Committee on Cultural Affairs in Nordic Countries and eventually being elected chair. Her love of Icelandic culture and her opportunity to promote said culture on national television, gained her popularity and national recognition. That might explain her successful presidential elections.

Jaknginger sang and danced her way into this quiz while touring with Phoenix Rising's red crew.

Answer: She adopted a child.

Vigdis married in 1954 but ended up getting divorced in 1963. When she adopted her daughter, Astridur, in 1971 she was the first single woman allowed to adopt a child in Iceland.

This question was adopted into the quiz by Phoenix Rising teammate and Red Crew member Triviaballer as part of the team's 2022 World Tour. Triviaballer is also the proud father of two adopted children.

Answer: Women's rights

In October 1975, 90% of Icelandic women participated in "Women's Day Off", a strike in which they didn't go to the office and handed off childcare and household chores to the men in their lives. Vigdis attended the rally in Reykjavik with her mother and daughter.

This question was rallied into the quiz by pusdoc as part of the Red Crew from Phoenix Rising's 2022 World Tour.

Answer: First democratically-elected female president worldwide

Just five years after Iceland's historic "Women's Day Off", the women's movement pushed for a female candidate. Vigdis Finnbogadottir eventually agreed and was one of four candidates for Iceland's presidency. Winning a third of the national vote was enough for her to be elected as Iceland's first female president.

While Finnbogadottir's 1980 election saw her become the first elected female president of a country, Khertek Anchimaa-Toka was elected as head of the Parliament (Head of State) of the Tuvan People's Republic (South-Central Russia) in 1940. Eva Peron served as President of Argentina in the 1970s, but she was never elected into the position.

This question was voted into the quiz by leith90, who has a trip to Iceland on her bucket list.

Answer: First incumbent to be opposed in an Icelandic presidential election

Traditionally, sitting presidents in Iceland are unopposed in subsequent elections, so no voting is undertaken. In 1988, Sigrun Thorsteinsdottir campaigned against Vigdis, but was wildly unsuccessful. In her previous eight years as president, Finnbogadottir had become so respected, she won the election with a resounding 94.6 percent of the vote. In 1992, she was re-elected unopposed and retired in 1996.

Halldor Laxness won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955 "... for his vivid epic power, which has renewed the great narrative art of Iceland". Classical musician Hildur Gudnadottir became the first Icelander to win an Academy Award, winning "Best Original Score" for her work on 2019's "Joker".

Leith90 was unopposed when volunteering for this question, and romped it into the quiz.

Answer: Mikhail Gorbachev

Vigdis Finnbogadottir sought to more actively put Iceland and other small nations on the world stage. Hosting the Reykjavik Summit in 1986 between U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet General Secretary of the Communist Party Mikhail Gorbachev, Finnbogadottir initiated discussions between two major world powers. Nuclear disarmament and reducing missile stockpiles were major focal points of the summit but unfortunately no agreement was reached in Reykjavik. A year later though the U.S. and USSR signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.

This question was proliferated into the quiz by Phoenix Rising teammate and Red Crew member Triviaballer as part of the team's 2022 World Tour.

Answer: Establishing a forest in an area that previously had no tree cover.

Afforestation involves establishing a forest in an area that previously had no tree cover. Vigdis Finnbogadottir's presidency was notable for afforesting much of Iceland's landscape. A major benefit of creating forests is that tree cover can help capture carbon thus reducing CO2 emissions.

This question was planted into the quiz by Phoenix Rising teammate and Red Crew member Triviaballer as part of the team's 2022 World Tour.

Answer: UNESCO

Vigdis Finnbogadottir became renowned for her promotion of linguistic diversity and was chose to be a goodwill ambassador for languages for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) she also uses this podium to promote women's rights and education.

Visiting Iceland on the Phoenix Rising's World Tour, smpdit came away feeling very in awe of this amazing woman.