56th Conference

Akureyri20. - 23. August 2015

Open your heart

Greetings, p. 3-8 LCI President, Chantess Wiggill p. 3 President LC Iceland, Ester Hjartardóttir p. 5 Vice President of LC Iceland, Hafdís Inga Haraldsdóttir p. 6 Conference Convenor, Hildur Halldórsdóttir p. 8

LCI Board 2014-15, p. 9

Conference Team, p. 12-13

Conference Program, p. 14-15

Information, p. 16-17

Map, p. 18

Participants, p. 20-33

General Information, p. 36

Timetables & Trips, p. 38-39

Contents

... and now we meet again!

Vilnius 2014 ...

______________________________Layout & Design: Unnur María Sólmundsdóttir, LC2Guarantor: Hildur Halldórsdóttir, LC7

AGM Iceland 2015

I am so proud to welcome you all to yet another fantastic LCI Confer-ence in one of the most beautiful settings, Akureyri Iceland, where you are sure to “Open Your Heart” up to experiences and memories that will last you a lifetime! It is the one time of the LCI year where we reunite celebrating our successes

of the year with friends we worked with as well as an opportunity to meet new friends. I was so Encour-aged in this incredible year as we chartered 4 countries Mauritius, Tunisia, Ukraine and Uganda. I am still in awe of the passion shown by Ladies Circle when Ukraine were so determent to charter, they would persevere under any circumstance, Ukraine was chartered via Skype which is the first in LCI history. Working with our incredible Side by Side Partners has been Empow-ering, we supported each other throughout the year and united when tragedy struck. It has been an honour collaborating with Jason from Round Table International, Susanne from Tangent Club Inter-national, Kelly from Agora Club International and Makarios from Club 41 International. Amongst all these great experiences, I would like to THANK each and every one of YOU for opening your homes and hearts for the LCI Board and myself during this year. All the encouraging mails, texts and calls made us feel like the world was not as big. To the LCI Board, THANK YOU for all your hard and tireless work you have invested in making

Dear friends...

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Open your heart

Welcome Ladies Circle sisters...

this year a success for Ladies Circle International. It has been the biggest adventure to have you at my side. Thank you to Hildur, Convenor of this 56th AGM and the amazing

Icelandic Team for all their hard work ensuring you have a fantastic time with treasured memories and lifelong friendships you are sure to make. Thank you ladies, you can be so proud! I wish you all a special AGM and Enjoy the moments!

Your Friend in Circle ForeverChantess WiggillLCI President

Encourage, Empower, Enjoy

...and all conference attendees!It is my pleasure to welcome you to the LCI Conference 2015 in my beautiful country Iceland and this wonderful town Akureyri. For four years this has been a dream, ever since the gala in Hamburg where the idea sounded good after few glasses, then the application three years ago in Helsingborg and all the conference meetings and work ever since. First of all a big thank you to conference convener Hildur Halldórsdóttir and the conference team, it has been an honor to be part of your group, you have been

AGM Iceland 2015

super organized, creative and gone all the way with open hearts and I am so proud of you, fabulous work. Also thanks to all ladies that assisted in any way. Many thanks to those who invited ladies into your home, you have showed great hospitality and I am proud to be member of LC Iceland with so many wonderful la-dies. I am a passionate circler, I love ladies circle locally, nationally and internationally. I love all the good friends and amazing memories I have made travelling to different countries and I can’t wait to show you my country. I hope you will not just enjoy this great weekend we have ahead of us but will also go sightseeing and enjoy Iceland. This weekend we celebrate the end of a year, which has been so great in many ways. We can be proud of our LCI board, they have been travell-ing like crazy to all these amazing events we see pictures from on facebook and in newsletters. New counties have started forming clubs and others have been chartered. It was also a pleasure to have the LCI board in Iceland last October and honor to have them over at my house for dinner. Nationally here in Iceland we have also been doing great three new clubs started,

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more and more ladies are attend-ing events, higher amount is raised for charity and we have a weblady nominee for the LCI board. Friend-ship and service is so important. Friendship without borders as we practice in Ladies Circle is the best way to make a difference inter-nationally. It not only changes the way we see the world but also the way our children see the world.

I am so glad you followed your heart all the way to Iceland and opened your heart to new friends and travelling. I wish you a very fruitful and enjoyable LCI AGM 2015. Enjoy Iceland!

Sincerely, Ester HjartardóttirPresident Ladies Circle Iceland 2014 - 2015

Follow your heart

Open your heart

...from all over the world. I am happy and proud to welcome you to my hometown Akureyri. Finally the day we have been waiting for is here. For the last three years it has seemed far away in the future, and quite unreal that it would actu-ally come. For the ladies who took the first steps, most of them being in the conference committee, this has been a long way; from the idea being born in Hamburg 2011, applying in Helsingborg 2012 and since then endlessly planning, organizing and working to make this happen. Very unIcelandic, I must say, since we Icelanders be-lieve in everything being done last

minute, and even have a saying „þetta reddast“ which can‘t even be translated properly to English – but is something along the lines of “it will be allright“, meaning that even though things haven‘t been done as they should have, everything will work out. I am so proud of all the ladies who have worked hard to make this happen. Now we know that anything is possible and anything can be made to happen, if we believe in our-selves and work together. It has been a privilege to take part in this with my sisters in LC. Not only have I gotten to know many whom I did not know before, I have also seen how dedicated they are in their LC work, how much they are willing to do for LC and how much they are looking for-ward to seeing the fruit of their hard work. Thanks to them, we have managed to keep the costdown, which is no easy task, be-cause, as you might already have found out, Iceland can be rather expensive. In my opinion, it is also very special for the AGM to be held in such a small town as Akureyri is. As far as I know, this

Dear ladies...

AGM Iceland 2015

is the first time it has been held in a place so small and far away from an international airport. It was obviously a big question if ladies were willing to come such a long way. But as I write this, we have over 500 registered and many are coming from afar. I want to thank you all for making the trip and hope you have a fanta-stic stay. I am equally glad that so many Icelandic ladies have decided to come, for most of them, myself included, this will be their first AGM and I sincerely hope it will not be their last. I only had my first international meeting in Copen-hagen this year, and even though it was only a small meeting, the experience was even better than I hoped. Well, of course it helped that it was being held in my be-loved Denmark ... but still, I don‘t think any of us can find the right words to describe how it feels to take part in MTMs or AGMs. So even though the more experienced ladies have tried to tell the rest of us what an amazing time they had, it doesn‘t come close to experienc-ing it first hand. It gives a whole new meaning being a Lady and

being a part of such a great organi-sation. I also hope the whole event will inspire you to be even more active in your LC life. You get so much back when you give of your-self. Encourage your LC sisters, who haven‘t taken the step to get to know Ladies Circle to the full-est. Empower yourself by learning as much as possible from your LC life. And finally, enjoy your stay in Iceland :-)

Best regards,Hafdís Inga HaraldsdóttirVice president of Ladies Circle Iceland 2014 – 2015

Believe in yourself

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Believe in yourself

Open your heart

friends, new and old, from all around the world I’m so proud to have the opportunity to welcome you to the 56th international La-dies Circle conference and to my hometown Akureyri.

Four years ago this conference was just a little idea in our heads and now we have more than 500 ladies attending and 70 partners. Wowthat’s just incredible. We have worked so hard for the past three years, countless of e-mails, phone calls, strategy meetings and lots of planning. It is often said that the times flies when you’re having fun and in this case it’s true. For the past three years I’ve had the best time of my life. I’ve met so many new friends, I’ve travelled, experienced new things and proba-bly laughed more than ever. As a conference convenor I’ve been supported with an amazing con-ference team of 12 hard working ladies. We have built a lifelong strong friendship that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. That’s what LC is all about, friendship!

Let’s open our hearts this week-end, embrace the power of circling and encourage each other to keep on smiling and enjoying!

Yours in FriendshipHildur HalldórsdóttirConference Convenor 2015

Dear friends...

AGM Iceland 2015

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Encourage, Empower, Enjoy

Gitte HøyerImmediate Past President

Heidi S.H. JohansenWeblady resigned March 2015

Ruth CurrySecretary

Ruth HungweVice President

Mariame HichauxTreasurer

Chantess WiggillPresident

LCI Board2014 - 2015

Meeting Point

www.theviking.isHafnarstræti 104 · Akureyri

DEAR BEAUTIFUL LADY

Show this and you get 20 % discount on all souvenirs and wool pr

oducts

5% in the art and ceramic cornerFrom 19 - 23 of August

Open your heart

Conference Team - Open your heart

Hildur Halldórsdóttir LC7 – Akureyri

Conference Convenor

Tel: +354 661 6109

Hildur Ýr Kristinsdóttir LC7 - Akureyri

Head of Meetings & Councillors DinnerTel: +354 660 5351

Steinunn LínbjörgRagnarsdóttir LC7 - Akureyri

Conference Treasurer

Tel: +354 899 4321

Ingibjörg SigurðardóttirLC5 – Húsavík

Conference Secretary

Tel: +354 864 3778

Hildur Bára Hjartard. LC6 – Reykjanesbær

Head of Pre-tours & Homehosting in

Reykjavík areaTel: +354 822 5653

Hulda S. Hermannsd.LC1 - Akureyri

Head of Opening Ceremony &

Welcome PartyTel: +354 691 8313

AGM Iceland 2015

Conference Team - Open your heart Conference Team - Open your heart

Eva Björg Skúladóttir

LC7 - AkureyriHead of Sponsoring & Conference bagTel: +354 862 9820

Áshildur Hlín Valtýsdóttir

LC7 - AkureyriHead of

Gala DinnerTel: +354 842 2711

Ragnheiður Lilja Bjarnadóttir

LC1 - AkureyriHead of Homehost-

ing AkureyriTel: +354 866 4085

Gyða Björk Aradóttir

LC1 - AkureyriHead of

Home PartiesTel: +354 662 0051

Jóhanna Kristín Gunnlaugsdóttir

LC7/Agora1 - Akureyri

Head of DaytoursTel: +354 863 1568

Ester Hjartardóttir

LC3 - ReykjavíkLCI Board Assistance

Tel: +354 898 9234

Ragnheiður Jakobsdóttir LC7/Agora1 - AkureyriHead of Registration

& TransportTel: +354 690 3353

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Conference Program19th August - Wednesday12.00 - 21.30 - Registration - Hotel KEA, Hafnarstræti 87-89.19.00 - 23.00 - Councillors DinnerONLY for National Presidents 14/15, Vice Presidents 14/15 and nominees. Venue: Meeting room, 3rd floor, Skipagata 14. Dresscode: Regalia / Smart Dress.

20th August – Thursday9:00 - 14:00 - Councillors meetingLunch afterwards. Venue: Hamrar meeting room, HOF Cultural and Conference Center, Strandgata 12.Dresscode: Regalia / Comfortable Business Dress.08:00 - 18.00 Regitsration at Hotel KEA18:00 - 01:00 Opening ceremony - parade – welcome party.Venue Opening ceremony: Akureyri Sportshall, Skólastígur.Venue Welcome Party: Hof, Cultural and Conference Center, Strandgata 12. Dresscode: Regalia / National Costume / National flags recommended. Participants: ALL registered.

21st August - Friday09:00-14:00 Annual General Meeting 14:00-15:30 Lunch. Venue: Hamra-borg, HOF Cultural and Confernece Center, Strandgata 12. Dresscode: Formal / Hat. Participants: ALL.19:00 -23:00 Home parties (meet-ing point at 18.00). Venue: Homes of Ladies Circle Ladies in Akureyri.Dresscode: Casual.Participants: ALL registered.

Light up your heart...

AGM Iceland 2015

22nd August - Saturday08.30 -14:00 International Contact Meeting. Lunch afterwards. Venue: Hamrar meeting room, HOF Cultural and Conference center, Strandgata 12. Dresscode: Smart Casual.19:00 - 02:00 Gala Dinner (meeting point at 18.30). Venue: Akureyri Sports Hall, Skólastígur.

... and waiting is over!

... the North is shining...

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Open your heart

HashtagsWe will be using the hashtags:

#openyourheart and #lci2015Let’s have fun posting pictures during the conference.

Registration and InformationHotel KEA (yellow marker) Open:Wednesday from 12:00-21:30 and Thursday from 08:00-18:00.

Councillors DinnerThe dinner is only for councillors, nominees and LCI board. The dinner will be held at the meeting room, 3rd floor, Skipagata 14. Meeting point at Pósthúsbarinn, Skipagata 10.

Opening CeremonyIs at Akureyri sportshall (pink marker). There is no transport so please be on time. The ceremony starts at 18.00 so try to be there at least 30 minutes before.

Welcome PartyWill be held at HOF the conference center (purple marker). A perfect event to swap pins and meet new and old friends. The party will go on until 01.00. Please bring your badge!

AGMAGM Meeting will be held at HOF the conference center (purple marker). The meeting starts at 09.00. Please be there at least 15 minutes before. You will be hand-ed the AGM booklet at the entrance. Please have your badge with you!

CM and ICMCouncillors Meeting (CM) and In-ternational Contact Meeting (ICM). Both meetings will be held at HOF (purple marker) the conference center. Please be there at least 15 minutes before the meetings starts.

Home PartiesThe pick-up for Home Parties is at the pick-up place (green marker). The buses leave 18.30, try to be there shortly after 18.00 to find your bus in time. All participants attend-ing Home Parties have their number on the badge and can also find the number in the participations list of this booklet. Please have your badge with you. We´ll be back at the pick-up place between 23.00-24.00. Meeting point after the part-ies is at Pósthúsbarinn, Skipagata 10.

Information

AGM Iceland 2015

Gala DinnerThe Gala Dinner will be held at Akureyri sportshall (pink marker).If you need transfer please be at the pick-up place (green marker) at 18.30. Please note that partici-pants staying at Icelandair Hotel don’t need pick-up since the hotel is within few minutes walking distance.

Day-tours and Partners toursDepartures and arrival are at the pick up place (green marker).

Most important of all...is keep on smiling, be on time and bring your badge to the events.

Akureyrarkirkja, the Church of Akureyri

Don’t forget the tickets!

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Conference guests at Ladies circle will get

20% discount +

15% tax free in our store in Skipagata,

Akureyri.

Open your heart

Participants

AGM Iceland 2015

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www.rub23.is

RUB23 | Kaupvangsstræti 6 | 600 AkureyriTel : +354 462 2223 | rub23@rub23. is

Funky, freshand full of flavour!

Þökkum stuðninginn

Símstöðin - Hafnarstræti 102 - Akureyri

Open your heart

General InformationDoctor/HospitalIf you need to see a GP doctor they have open appointments on weekdays between 15.00 and 16.00 at the health care center, 3rd and 6th floor, Hafnarstræti 99 (in the centrum). There is also possible to get appointments on weekdays at the hospital between 17.00-21.00 and weekends between 10.00-12.00. and 14.00-16.00.

The Emergency Ward at the Hospital is open 24/7 and should only be used for emergen-cies. For minor problems please see the GPs at the above men-tioned times.

The 112 Emergency Number is the single emergency number in Iceland, representing all the response parties to accidents, fire, crime, search, rescue and natural disasters on land, at sea, or in the air. 112 can be reached anywhere in Iceland, from any telephone, by voice or by SMS.

Tourist Information Center is located at HOF the conference center. Open 08.00-18.30 every day.

The Tourist Information Centre staff provide information on accommodation, restaurants, entertainment, weather, road conditions, bus schedules, organ-ized tours and much more. At the information centre you can find information brochures, book accommodation and tours or buy maps, hiking maps, postcards, stamps and more. They also have computers and phones available for tourists to use.

Public Transport There are buses in Akureyri and it’s free to travel around with them. Just find your route and hop on.

Swimming PoolThere is a great swimming pool about halfway between the confer-ence hotel and Icelandair hotel. It’s great to relax in the pool or the hot tubs the day after wild nights. All the pools are heated by natural geother-mal water. Temps range from a pleas-ant 27°C to the hottest hot pot, 42°C. The whole facility is maintained to a high standard. Opening hours:Mon-Fri 06:45-21:00.Sat-Sun 08:00-19:30.

AGM Iceland 2015

General opening hoursThere are mini markets, coffee shops, drug stores and bakeries in the center of town. There are also several restaurants and bars in the town center where you can have a meal and drinks. In general stores in Iceland are open from 10.00-18.00 on weekdays, from 10.00-16.00 on Saturdays and some might be closed on Sundays. Reastaurants are open until 22.00 and bars are open until 01.00 on week days and 03.00 on weekends.

Parking CentrallyParking is free in Akureyri, please as-sure to get a parking-clock, available at the tourist information in HOF, at banks, some shops and gasoline

stations. Follow the instructions on the clock, and regulations regarding free parking areas. The free parking time is different according to each area from 15 minutes up to several hours.

Smoking is not permittedindoors in public places. This in-cludes bars and restaurants. How-ever, most places have a designated smoking area outdoors.

TaxisThe taxi station is located centrally and the number is: +354-461-1010.

Tipping is not a custom in Iceland. For more information about Akureyri and area: www.visitakureyri.is.

HOF, the Conference Center

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Timetables...for day tours, partner tours, post-tour and buses.

Day toursThuesday, 20th of August08:30 Whale Watching Tour. (The Boat leaves at 9:00). Meeting point Midtown Harbour, boat name AMBASSADOR. Participants will receive the tickets when they regis-ter for the conference. 09:00 Jewels of the North – Lake Myvatn. Meeting point Bus Termi-nal, Hafnarstræti 77.09:30 Skjaldarvik Riding Tour. Meeting point Bus Terminal Hafnar-stræti 77.

Read carefully, some times might have changed

since registration.

Day toursSaturday 22th of August 08:45 Polar flight to Grimsey. Pick up at Icelandair Hotels and KEA Hotel. Flight departure at 09:30.08:30 Skjaldarvik Riding Tour. Meeting point Bus Terminal Haf-narstræti 77.11:00 Myvatn Nature Baths. Meet-ing point Bus Terminal Hafnar-stræti 77.10:30 Skjaldarvik Riding Tour.Meeting point Bus Terminal Haf-narstræti 77.12:00 Akureyri Falls and Farmland. Meeting point Bus Terminal Haf-narstræti 77.13:00 Whale Watching Tour. (The Boat leaves at 13:30). Meeting point Midtown Harbour – boat name AMBASSADOR. Partici-pants will receive the tickets when they register for the conference.

AGM Iceland 2015

Partner toursFriday 21st of August 08:00 Sea Angling in Dalvik. Meeting point Bus Terminal Hafnarstræti 77.

18:00 Hrisey Island. Meeting point Bus Terminal Hafnarstræti 77.

After the Conference Sunday 23th of August 08:00 Bus Akureyri – Reykjavik. Meeting point Bus Terminal Hafnar-stræti 77.

10:00 Post-tour – Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Meeting point Bus Terminal Hafnar-stræti 77.

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100%sighting successin June & July

For more info:www.ambassador.is