Meet the Snorri West 2026 Participants!
- Jody Arman-Jones
- 11 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Are You Related?
The Snorri West Program is pleased to announce three Icelanders who will be taking part in the 2026 trip to the “Pacific Corridor” of British Columbia, with an additional, optional week in Washington State. The trip to explore the lives of Western Icelanders, visit historic settlements and see how the Icelandic heritage is kept alive in North America will take place June 18 - July 16, 2026. Locations to be visited include Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo and Kelowna, British Columbia, followed by Seattle and parts of Northwest Washington. Of course, it is hoped the participants will meet some of their relatives, too! Additionally, joint activities will take place in Iceland with the North American Snorri participants both before and after the Snorri West trip.
The three young men are also scheduled to make an appearance at the Þjóðrækknisfélag Íslendinga (ÞFÍ / INL Iceland) annual conference on September 13, 2026 at the Hotel Natura in Reykjavík.
Are you related to these young men? Please let us know so we can arrange for them to meet or correspond with you! Contact us at SnorriWest@INLofNA.org.
Rafn Ágúst is 22 and from Seltjarnarnes, Iceland, a peninsula near Reykajvík. He attended Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík, graduating in 2022 in Archeology, and is currently studying at Háskóli Íslands (University of Iceland) in Reykjavík, in Linguistics, and at Iceland University of the Arts, Reykjavík, in Theater and Performance Making.
Currently, Rafn Ágúst has worked as a journalist for the online newspaper Vísir and its radio station Bylgjan for just over two years.
“I cover everything from foreign affairs, politics, human interest, arts and have travelled and written articles and interviews from the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Sweden and more places.”
He enjoys languages, history, poetry and literature. “I want to work in media and the arts and write and produce plays, documentaries and educational content on the things I am most passionate about: Icelandic language and culture, history, languages and cultures of the world, religion, politics, philosophy etc. I have several years under my belt working as a journalist where I have made several long pieces on these subjects with long and extensive interviews, I have also produced news for radio. In a couple of years with all of this experience in journalism and bachelor's degrees in linguistics and the performing arts, and the connections and friends I've made, I want to start making more professional books/films/videos/productions/other.”
“I have always been hugely interested in Vestur-Ísland and have tracked down and bought and read a lot of copies of different histories, family stories and linguistic descriptions of the Icelanders that went west and their descendants. I even managed to combine all of them in a short story I wrote that will be published in the literary magazine Leirburður next spring, which is the magazine of the Icelandic literature department at the University of Iceland. I also love sewing and making clothes, especially traditional ones, politics and foreign affairs and journalism generally.” Rafn Ágúst speaks both native Icelandic and advanced English, Danish and Spanish, as well intermediate level Faroese, Swedish, Latin, Norwegian and is a beginner in Greenlandic and Haitian Creole! He has visited Washington, D.C and Florida with his family.
29-year-old Jón Jakob was raised in Reykjavík 102, graduated with a degree in Natural Sciences from Kvennaskólinn í Reykjavík in 2015, and completed three years of a Bachelor's degree at Háskóli Íslands.
“I took part in the Young Social Democrats movement in Iceland, helped with voter rallies and call centers, served as a spare in the board for 2 years in 2018 and 2019, served as a Youth Delegate in the European Youth Delegate program in 2021 run by the Council of Europe [which] involves learning about the democratic process of the Council of Europe. I spoke at the summit of the heads of state of Europe in Iceland in 2023 [as seen in this clip]:
"I'm a judge at the Nexus game store, where I help run card game tournaments for Star Wars Unlimited.” Jón Jakob is currently a Team Leader at Bakkinn Vöruhótel, a company that specializes in warehousing, packaging, labeling, handling, and distribution of products.
“My interests include history, political science, fantasy literature, video games, and board
gaming.” His language capabilities include speaking native Icelandic, advanced English, and beginning German."
In addition to being born in North America, he has also visited Florida and Minnesota with family members.
“Long term goals include successfully running a real-estate business and finishing my Bachelor degree. I've already gotten together with a group of investors to start our own business in which I sit on the board of directors. We're currently raising capital and have already acquired our first property. As to my education, it's been put on hold until I can stabilize my life enough to fully devote myself to finishing my education.”
“I was born in America and I've always been interested in visiting and exploring the country of my birth. The people of North America are famed for their openness and hospitality, and the ties that bind us with our shared history are something I want to explore. I'm hoping to broaden my horizons and develop relationships with different kinds of people, as well as explore and gain an appreciation for different cultures and environments.”
Gunnar Freyr has lived in Reykjavík most of his 25 years. He graduated from Borgarholtsskóli, Reykjavík, in 2020 and went on to study creative technology at the Icelandic Film School, Reykjavík, graduating in 2022. He is currently studying at The
School of Photography in Reykajvík and will graduate in 2026. He has been employed at Borgarsögusan Reykjavíkur, including preparing photographs for the exhibition Half a Century Through the Lens with works by Gunnar V. Andrésson, which was later published in the book Spegill þjóðar, nominated for the Icelandic Literature Prize. He has also
worked at Hitt Húsið as both a photographer and a filmmaker.
“[My] future goals over the next five years, I plan to continue my education by completing a BA in Italian and Creative Writing at the University of Iceland, followed by an MA in Fine Art at the Iceland University of the Arts. Alongside my studies, I aim to further develop my artistic practice and professional skills. My long-term goal is to work as a photographer. To achieve this, I will focus on building a strong portfolio, participating in exhibitions and projects, and gaining practical experience within the field while completing my academic training.”
His hobbies and interests include photography, reading, guitar, hiking, swimming, and running. He has taken a Dale Carnegie Course focused on communication,leadership, and personal development; guitar courses to develop musical skills, consistency, and performance; a creative writing workshop to improve storytelling and literary skills; and has hiked independently and guided others, developing leadership, navigation, and teamwork skills over multiple years.
Gunnar Freyr has not been to North America but speaks his native Icelandic, advanced English and intermediate Italian.
“My expectations for visiting North America through the Snorri West Program are travel, cultural exchange, and personal growth. I am eager to experience a new culture, meet people with different backgrounds, and gain perspectives that are different from my own. By immersing myself in everyday life, traditions, and social environments, I hope to develop a deeper understanding of North American society and its connection to Icelandic heritage. I see this experience as an opportunity to challenge myself. Traveling and adapting to new surroundings will help me grow both personally and professionally. Meeting new people and building international connections is especially important to me, as I believe meaningful conversations and shared experiences are one of the best ways to learn. Participating in the Snorri West Program will also support my future educational and professional goals.
As someone pursuing studies in the arts and humanities, exposure to new cultures and
environments is essential. The experiences I gain from observing cultural differences to
engaging with communities will influence my creative work and academic development. Overall, I hope to return with new insights, inspiration, and a stronger sense of independence that will benefit me in my future studies and career.”
The Snorri West Program is available to Icelanders ages 20 to 30 years of age and is organized and operated by volunteers of the Icelandic National League of North America (INLNA) in partnership with the Icelandic National League of the United States (INLUS), and with the cooperation with the Snorri Foundation in Iceland. Like its sister programs, Snorri and Snorri Plus, the primary purpose of Snorri West is to strengthen the bonds between the people of Iceland and the people of Icelandic descent in North America. We rely heavily on Icelandic Roots to identify, locate relatives of the participants, and assist with genealogy research, support, and information, the Snorri West participants receive three months of access to the Icelandic Roots’ database to assist in exploring their family relationships. In Iceland, Þjóðræknisfélag Íslendinga
(INL Iceland) is also an important partner, including supplying participant grants. We are deeply grateful for the contributions of the many partners, families, and friends who make this program possible.
