Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir remembered at Hólavallagarður

Ritstjórn
Flowers laid at Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir's grave in Hólavallagarður on Women's Rights Day, June 19, each year.
Flowers at Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir's grave in Hólavallakirkjugarður cemetery

A beautiful memorial service was held yesterday at Hólavallagarður cemetery to honor women's rights activist Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir. This year marks 110 years since Icelandic women age 40 and older gained the long-awaited voting eligibility and right to run for parliament.

The ceremony began with two young girls, Lína Björk Jansdóttir Dobrowolska and Auður María Elídóttir, carrying flower wreaths to Bríet's grave.
 
President of City Council Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir receives the flower wreaths.
Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir forseti borgarstjónar tekur við blómsveignum.
President of City Council Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir received the flower wreaths and placed them at Bríet's grave. She then gave a brief speech for the occasion.
Rebekka Blöndal and Andrés Þór Gunnlaugsson provided music for the ceremony.
President of City Council Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir delivered a speech at the ceremony.
Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir played a major role in establishing legal reforms for women and thus strengthening democracy as a whole. She founded the Icelandic Women's Rights Association in 1907 and served as its first chair from inception until 1928. Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir founded the Icelandic Women's Rights Association and played a major role in securing legal reforms for women, strengthening democratic society as a whole. The organization's mission was to work toward full political equality for Icelandic women with men, including voting eligibility, the right to run for office, the right to hold public positions, and the right to employment under the same conditions as men.
Mayor Heiða B. Hilmisdóttir, President of City Council Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir, Chair of the School & Recreation Council Helga Þórðardóttir and Chair of the City Executive Council Líf Magneudóttir posed at the grave of women's rights activist Bríet after the ceremony concluded.
Heiða B. Hilmisdóttir, borgarstjóri, Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir, forseti borgarstjórnar, Helga Þórðardóttir, formaður skóla- og frístundaráðs og Líf Magneudóttir, formaður borgarráðs stilltu sér upp við leiði kvenréttindakonunnar Bríetar að lokinni athöfn.

Events throughout the city

To commemorate this significant milestone in Icelandic history, entertaining events were offered throughout the city. It is important to remember this significant milestone in Icelandic history.

The Icelandic Women's Rights Association hosted a pre-party and book launch for the occasion. The women's associations that own Hallveigarstaðir – the Icelandic Women's Rights Association, the Federation of Icelandic Women's Associations and the Alliance of Women in Reykjavík – will provide coffee, pastries and light refreshments. At the same time, they will celebrate the 74th issue of the magazine 19. júní.

Women's Year invited women and non-binary adults to Kvennavaka in Hljómskálagarður yesterday evening. The concert started at 7pm and featured Bríet, Reykjavíkurdætur, Heimilistónar, Countess Malaise and Mammaðín.

The City Museum offered an educational walking tour about women's historical sites in the center of Reykjavík. The group stopped at selected locations to learn about many significant aspects of women's history in Reykjavík, because without women's contributions, much would be different in the city. At Hólavallagarður, a historical tour was offered examining the manifestation of women in the cemetery in connection with Women's Day.