Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson
Encyclopedia
Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson (born February 21, 1939) is an Iceland
ic politician.
, Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson earned an MA in Economics from University of Edinburgh
in 1963. He studied at Stockholm University
from 1963–1964, and studied teacher education at the University of Iceland
in 1965. He attended Harvard University
's Center for European Studies from 1976 to 1977.
.
n Seimas (Parliament)the rocks of the last barricades from January 1991 bear the inscription To Iceland - They Dared When Others Remained Silent. For his role in recognizing Lithuania's independence, he was awarded Commander's Grand Cross Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
, as well as Medal of January 13 and title of honorary citizen of Vilnius
. He was also, purportedly, the first foreign minister in the world to recognize Croatia
as a sovereign nation in 1991.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic politician.
Education
The son of Hannibal ValdimarssonHannibal Valdimarsson
Hannibal Valdimarsson was a politician from Iceland. He was a member of Parliament from 1946–1959 for the Social Democratic Party and People's Alliance and then from 1963–1974 for the People's Alliance, as an independent and also the Union of Liberals and Leftists...
, Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson earned an MA in Economics from University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
in 1963. He studied at Stockholm University
Stockholm University
Stockholm University is a state university in Stockholm, Sweden. It has over 28,000 students at four faculties, making it one of the largest universities in Scandinavia. The institution is also frequently regarded as one of the top 100 universities in the world...
from 1963–1964, and studied teacher education at the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
in 1965. He attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
's Center for European Studies from 1976 to 1977.
Political career
- Chairman of the Icelandic Social Democratic PartySocial Democratic Party (Iceland)The Social Democratic Party was an Icelandic Political Party based on social-democratic ideas. It was founded in 1916 as the political representation of the trade unions of Iceland....
(1984–1996) - Minister of Finance 1987-1988
- Minister of Foreign Affairs 1988-1995
European Economic Area
Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson led Iceland's delegation while Iceland participated in forming the European Economic AreaEuropean Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
.
As diplomat
Later he served as a diplomat in the USA, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. He recognzied the Baltic States' independence in 1991, as the only western foreign minister to arrive on the scene in January 1991 when Gorbachev was at the brink of a military crack down.Legacy
In recognition the square in front of Estonia's Foreign Ministry is named as "Iceland's Square", and on the grounds of the LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
n Seimas (Parliament)the rocks of the last barricades from January 1991 bear the inscription To Iceland - They Dared When Others Remained Silent. For his role in recognizing Lithuania's independence, he was awarded Commander's Grand Cross Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas
The Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas is the Lithuanian Presidential Award which was re-instituted to honour the citizens of Lithuania for outstanding performance in civil and public offices. Foreign nationals may also be awarded this Order. The Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke...
, as well as Medal of January 13 and title of honorary citizen of Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
. He was also, purportedly, the first foreign minister in the world to recognize Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
as a sovereign nation in 1991.
Links
- Biography at althingi.is