The City Executive Council today approved a cooperation agreement with the Historical Society (Sögufélag) regarding Reykjavík City's participation in publishing Iceland's history. The agreement is a one-year pilot project with plans to publish two books in 2025, both related to Reykjavík's history.
The History of Reykjavík was previously published in six volumes between 1991-2002, meaning that by 2036, when Reykjavík celebrates its 250th anniversary, the first books in the series will be nearly half a century old. Since then, history has progressed, the city's boundaries have changed, and new perspectives and approaches have emerged in historical research.
Book series based on Danish model
In January 2023, the City Council referred a proposal from a Left-Green Movement city councilor to the City Executive Council to prepare a draft budget and project plan for writing a new history of Reykjavík, with the goal of completing publication by 2036, the city's 250th anniversary. At a City Executive Council meeting in February 2024, members approved Reykjavík City entering discussions with the Historical Society about participating in the publication of Iceland's history, with potential synergies and cost-effectiveness in mind. The Historical Society plans to publish a series of booklets/small books, each covering specific aspects of history. The publication is expected to include 40-60 booklets over the coming decade, based on a successful Danish model. Officials explored the possibility of integrating a new edition of Reykjavík's history into this publication series, and today the City Executive Council approved a one-year cooperation agreement. The total cost for each publication about Reykjavík City's history is 5.5 million króna, with Reykjavík City's contribution contingent on it fitting within the annual budget.
Collaboration sought broadly
The target audience for the entire series is the knowledge-seeking public and students, with the books designed to be accessible to everyone. The emphasis will be on concise and readable narratives based on solid research. Each book will be approximately 100 pages and follow a clear editorial policy, with each volume focusing on a specific event and year. One of the project's core principles is that the content should not only be historically significant but also relevant to contemporary society and future generations. The project will seek partnerships with museums, schools and institutions throughout the country for research, exhibits and other content dissemination, and is already gaining significant momentum. In February, the Historical Society finalized an agreement with the Center for Education and School Development regarding publication and dissemination collaboration, which is extremely valuable for the overall project.