- 1924-00-00 — In 1924 Amelia Collins became the first to visit Iceland when she and her husband had a two-days stopover while on a cruise. During the time spent in Reykjavik she became friends with Hólmfríôur Árnadóttir with whom she corresponded about the Faith for many years. This same lady was then able to open many doors for Martha Root who followed in July of 1935. Hólmfríôur is considered the first believer in Iceland. [Bahá'í News No 417 10 December 1965 p10-11]
- 1935-07-12 — When Martha Root landed in Iceland in 1935 she immediately made contact with Hólmfríôur Árnadóttir, with whom Amelia Collins had struck up a friendship during her short visit in 1924. The following year Hólmfríôur had visited Milly and stayed in her home for nine days while she was attending an International Congress at Columbia University. The two had also exchanged notes of greeting over the decade since that time.
Hólmfríôur facilitated Martha's teaching efforts with her knowledge of the language and local contacts. During her stay in Iceland she gave lectures and did radio interviews. In one of her radio appearances she did a review of Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era and left copies of this book in the libraries. The first ever article on the Bahá'í Faith in the Icelandic language was published in a newspaper. An editor interviewed her for an article and wrote another explaining the basics of the Faith. As she usually did, Martha made contact with the Theosophists and the Esperanto Society and presented a lecture in Esperanto. [The Soul of Iceland-A Bahá'í Saga by Martha Root; BW6p684]
- 1936-07-00 — While on a a cruise, on the way to Norway, Mrs French made a stop in Iceland where she distributed some Bahá'í literature. [BN No 104 December 1936 p8]
- 1956-02-21 — The first Bahá'í pioneer, Marguerite Allman, (later Miners), formerly of Hamilton and her pioneer post in the Queen Charlotte Islands (now Haida Gwaii), arrived in 1956. She taught the second Icelandic Bahá'í, Erica Petursson. [BN No 487 October 1971 p20; BN303 May 1956 p13]
- 1965-04-21 —
The first local spiritual assembly in Iceland was formed in Reykjavik. Its members were Asgeir Einarsson, Kirsten Bonnevie, Florence Grindlay, Jessie Echevarria, Carl John Spencer, Charles Grindlay, Liesel Becker, Barbel Thinat and Nicholas Echevarria. [Bahá'í News No 417 10 December 1965 p10]
- See Bahá'í Historical Facts for a photo.
- 1970-12-00 —
One of the goals of the Canadian Bahá'í Community was to prepare its "daughter" community, Iceland, to achieve National Assembly status by Ridván 1972 with incorporation by 1973. To facilitate these goals the National Spiritual Assembly assigned Douglas and Elizabeth Martin to the project with Elizabeth as the principal executive. The opening phase of the proclamation was launched at a Victory Conference which resulted in the enrollment of thirty people in January 1971 thus doubling the numbers in Iceland.
- In January/February 1971 Continental Board of Counsellor Betty Reed visited and there were 130 declarations and of these, eight were adults. [BN No 487 October 1971 p20]
- In addition six Icelandic believers, three of them youth, were invited to attend the Canadian National Convention in Halifax at Ridván. They were: Gudmundur Bardarson, Anna Maggy Palsdottir, Baldur B. Bragason, Margret Bardardottir, Svana Einarsdottir, and Janina Njalsdottir. [BN485 6 August, 1971 pg 6]
- The Icelandic community organized a team to undertake a summer teaching project in the Faroes Islands in cooperation with the UK Bahá'ís. [BW15335-336]
- Three additional local assemblies were formed in Iceland in August 1971 and they were in Keflavik, Hafnarfjordur and Kopavogur. [HNWE26; BN485 6 August, 1971 pg 6]
- 1971-09-03 —
The Oceanic Conference of the North Atlantic was held in Reykjavik, Iceland attended by some 800 people from 36 countries. [BW15:322–3; VV6; BN 488 November 1971 p24]
- For pictures see BW15:309–12.
- During the conference three believers from Canada-Florence Springgay, an Inuit; Hugette James, a French Canadian; Mary Ann Crow, from the Blackfoot First Nations flew to Greenland during the Conference to proclaim the Cause, and returned to report the results of their efforts. [BW20p310]
- 1972-04-21 —
The National Spiritual Assembly of Iceland was formed with its seat in Reykjavik. Its members were: Liesel Becker, Svana Einarsdottir, Barbara Thinat, Carl John Spencer, Petur Magnusson, Johannes Stefansson, Roger Lutley, Baldur Bragasson and Larry Clarke. [BW15:225, 281]
- For picture see BW15:153.
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