The Fulbright Forest Becomes a Reality
Fulbright Iceland Valsson
On a sunny afternoon in September, members of the Fulbright Iceland Alumni Association (FFSÍ) and a number of our current U.S. grantees gathered for the inaugural planting of the Fulbright Forest, located in Heiðmörk, a large conservation area just outside Reykjavík. The object is to plant a tree for every Fulbright Iceland grantee and that the Fulbright Forest will in time be a place for regular alumni gatherings. Alumni planted 560 trees in September, but FFSÍ still has work to do, since around 1600 Fulbright grants have been awarded to Icelandic and U.S. students and scholars since 1957. The Fulbright Forest is made possible by a generous grant from the U.S. Embassy in Reykjavík.
In other Alumni Association news, FFSÍ sponsored a Happy hour in May, inviting both current and incoming Fulbright grantees to join the Fulbright alumni. This was the first in-person event organized by FFSÍ since the start of COVID-19 and the alumni were happy to finally meet again and chat about their Fulbright experiences.