Welcome to all participants and guests to the 161st edition of the forum song Contest, to Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, an island country in the Kingdom of Denmark.
We are visiting Tórshavn this month thanks to the Danish victory in FSC #160. Please enjoy this encore performance of the winning entry, New Moon performed by MØ:
The host city for this edition is Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, located on the island of Streymoy.
The Scandinavian Viking settlers established their parliament on the Tinganes peninsula in 825, and Tórshavn thus became the capital of the Faroe Islands and has remained so ever since. Early on, Tórshavn became the centre of the islands' trade monopoly, thereby being the only legal place for the islanders to sell and buy goods. In 1856, the trade monopoly was abolished and the islands were left open to free trade.
All through the Middle Ages, the narrow peninsula jutting out into the sea made up the main part of Tórshavn. It belonged to the outfield of two farmers. Unlike other Faroese villages, Tórshavn was never a distinct farming community. During the 12th century, all trade between Norway and the Faroes, along with other tributary islands to the west, became centralised in Bergen.
Sources do not mention a built-up area in Tórshavn until after the Protestant reformation in 1539. In ca. 1580 a small fort, Skansin, was built by the Faroese naval hero and trader Magnus Heinason at the north end of the harbour. Later small fortifications were built at Tinganes. In 1584 Tórshavn had 101 inhabitants. The population was divided into three equally large groups made up of farmers, their families and servants, trade and government officials and people who owned no land and therefore not much else; this included the landless proletariat from the villages that during this period came to Tórshavn in search of work.
In 1856, free trade came to the Faroe Islands. By opening the islands to the world, it transformed the economy, with Tórshavn at its centre. In 1866, Tórshavn's town council was founded. The town has been the capital of the Faroe Islands ever since. Later, in 1909, Tórshavn became a market town with the same municipal charter as Danish market towns. In 1913, the Danish Folketing granted DKK 810,000 to construction of a harbour in Tórshavn.
In 1927, Tórshavn had a modern harbour built. This made it possible for larger ships to berth. During the British occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II, Skansin was used as the headquarters of the Royal Navy Command, and two 5.5-inch guns used aboard HMS Furious before World War II were deployed. In 1974, the neighbouring villages Hoyvík and Hvítanes were made part of the town area. Later, even more municipalities joined the Tórshavn municipality. In 1978 Kaldbak, in 1997 Argir, in 2001 Kollafjørður, and finally in 2005, Kirkjubøur, Hestur, and Nólsoy.
Today, Tórshavn has an urban population of 21,000, and is the capital of the Faroe Islands, and as such is the seat of the Faroes’ self rule government. The government holds the executive power in local government affairs. Today a part of the government is located on the Tinganes peninsula of Tórshavn. The Prime Minister's office is there and the Ministry of Internal Affairs was also there until it was closed in 2013. The other ministries are located in other office buildings in various places in Tórshavn, i.e. the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs are located near the Hospital of the Faroes in Eirargarður, and the Ministry of Finance is located in Argir in a building called Albert Hall on the street Kvíggjartún. The parliament, the Løgting, which was originally located on Tinganes, was relocated to the town square, Vaglið, in 1856.
Tórshavn, as the capital city, is the centre of sport in the islands; the largest sports centre is located in the Gundadalur district of Tórshavn. Also, the largest football stadium, Tórsvøllur, is located here, seating 6,000 spectators. The stadium serves as home to the Faroe Islands national football team. Around the city there are also two other football pitches, indoor tennis courts, badminton courts and a swimming pool. Every year in July the Tour of Faroe Islands, which is a road bicycle race, is held around the islands. The race is called Kring Føroyar (Tour de Faroe / Around the Faroes), it starts in Klaksvík and ends in Tórshavn.
The harbour is served by the Smyril Line international ferry service to Denmark and Iceland. The harbour is also used by domestic ferry services of Strandfaraskip Landsins within the Faroe Islands. The town is served by Bussleiðin – a network of local buses, with the service identified by its red livery. In addition, there is a helipad by the coast. The only airport in the Faroe Islands, Vágar Airport, is located on the island of Vágar, 47km away from Tórshavn, ans is reachable by means of the Vágatunnilin.
Tórshavn is known for its old town, Tinganes, crammed with wooden turf-roofed houses on a small peninsula. Nearby is Tórshavn Cathedral, rebuilt in the 19th century. Local boutiques dot the main shopping strip, Niels Finsens gøta. There are plenty of clubs and bars offering virtually any kind of atmosphere you might want, from lounge singers in romantic restaurants to rock bands to thumping DJ beats. To the north, the Nordic House cultural center offers theater, dance and music performances in a contemporary space.
The host venue for the proceedings of this edition is Nordens Hus, or the Nordic House.
The Nordic House (Faroese: Norðurlandahúsið) is a cultural institution in the Faroe Islands. Its aim is to support and promote Nordic and Faroese culture, locally and in the Nordic region. In concept, it is green with dragon-like steel struts to provide stability against the strain that the hurricane winds often place on the 2000 m2 turf-covered roof. Inside the building, there is a large lobby space that can house a number of simultaneous activities. There is a café and a recessed amphitheater. Ebitions are organized here as well as cultural events. The public areas can be subdivided or combined with light, sound, and space-defining elements. All of the rooms are daylit except for the 800 m2 hall, which can be opened to the amphitheater and lobby, as the west end wall consists of movable elements. The bearing element in structure and space is the high in-cast concrete wall in the large hall. Everything rests on it or relates to it. The large span of steel structure emanating from this wall gives space in the lobby for the organic, snakelike, and supple stairs and ramp.
The materials used at the Nordic House come from all over Scandinavia. In the lobby and on the ramps is Norwegian slate from Gudbrandsdal. The wood flooring is Swedish pine. Ceilings in the hall and amphitheater are of Danish ash, and all doors and veneered furnishings are of Finnish birch, with Danish brass fittings. All the exterior materials originated from the Faroe Islands or were produced on the Islands except for the glass and anodized aluminum facades, which are Danish.
Our hosts for this 161st edition of FSC are esteemed sportsmen Sverri Sandberg Nielsen, Jóhan Hansen and Pál Joensen.
Sverri Sandberg Nielsen (born 14 October 1993) is a Faroese rower who competes for Danske Studenters Roklub and Denmark in the heavyweight single sculls. He also competes in indoor rowing and has set a new Danish record three years in a row, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and again in 2019 and 2020. In 2019 he won silver medal at the World Rowing Championships. In 2020 he won the European Rowing Championship and the following year he won silver at the same event. In 2021 he competed for Denmark at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Jóhan á Plógv Hansen (born 1 May 1994) is a Faroese-born Danish handballer for SG Flensburg-Handewitt and the Danish national team. He has previously represented Faroe Islands national team, but due to the structure of the Danish Realm Greenlandic and Faeroese players can themselves decide which national team they wish to represent. In 2012 he represented Faroe Islands in the 2012 EHF Challenge Trophy. Hansen won silver with the Danish national U21 handball team in 2015 in Brazil. He was chosen as one of the best players and became one of the All Star team as the best right wing player. On 29 May 2015 he was called up to the Danish national team as a part of the squad in the 2016 European Men's Handball Championship qualification. He made debut for the Danish national team on 10 June 2015 in a match against Lithuania.
Pál Joensen (born 10 December 1990) is a Faroese elite swimmer. He was born in Vágur, Suðuroy, Faroe Islands. He has won World and European Championship medals. His bronze medal in the men's 1500 metre freestyle at the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Istanbul was the first medal won by a Faroese swimmer at the World Aquatic Championships. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics for Denmark in three events: 400 metre freestyle, 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay and 1500 metre freestyle. Joensen holds many of the national swimming records for the Faroe Islands; and these records are not only in freestyle. In short course swimming he holds most of the records in breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley too.
Please welcome our opening act, Ukrainian-born Portuguese DJ and producer Mari Ferrari performing "Call Me":
Tórshavn is known for its old town, Tinganes, crammed with wooden turf-roofed houses on a small peninsula. Nearby is Tórshavn Cathedral, rebuilt in the 19th century. Local boutiques dot the main shopping strip, Niels Finsens gøta. There are plenty of clubs and bars offering virtually any kind of atmosphere you might want, from lounge singers in romantic restaurants to rock bands to thumping DJ beats. To the north, the Nordic House cultural center offers theater, dance and music performances in a contemporary space.
The host venue for the proceedings of this edition is Nordens Hus, or the Nordic House.
The Nordic House (Faroese: Norðurlandahúsið) is a cultural institution in the Faroe Islands. Its aim is to support and promote Nordic and Faroese culture, locally and in the Nordic region. In concept, it is green with dragon-like steel struts to provide stability against the strain that the hurricane winds often place on the 2000 m2 turf-covered roof. Inside the building, there is a large lobby space that can house a number of simultaneous activities. There is a café and a recessed amphitheater. Ebitions are organized here as well as cultural events. The public areas can be subdivided or combined with light, sound, and space-defining elements. All of the rooms are daylit except for the 800 m2 hall, which can be opened to the amphitheater and lobby, as the west end wall consists of movable elements. The bearing element in structure and space is the high in-cast concrete wall in the large hall. Everything rests on it or relates to it. The large span of steel structure emanating from this wall gives space in the lobby for the organic, snakelike, and supple stairs and ramp.
The materials used at the Nordic House come from all over Scandinavia. In the lobby and on the ramps is Norwegian slate from Gudbrandsdal. The wood flooring is Swedish pine. Ceilings in the hall and amphitheater are of Danish ash, and all doors and veneered furnishings are of Finnish birch, with Danish brass fittings. All the exterior materials originated from the Faroe Islands or were produced on the Islands except for the glass and anodized aluminum facades, which are Danish.
Our hosts for this 161st edition of FSC are esteemed sportsmen Sverri Sandberg Nielsen, Jóhan Hansen and Pál Joensen.
Sverri Sandberg Nielsen (born 14 October 1993) is a Faroese rower who competes for Danske Studenters Roklub and Denmark in the heavyweight single sculls. He also competes in indoor rowing and has set a new Danish record three years in a row, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and again in 2019 and 2020. In 2019 he won silver medal at the World Rowing Championships. In 2020 he won the European Rowing Championship and the following year he won silver at the same event. In 2021 he competed for Denmark at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Jóhan á Plógv Hansen (born 1 May 1994) is a Faroese-born Danish handballer for SG Flensburg-Handewitt and the Danish national team. He has previously represented Faroe Islands national team, but due to the structure of the Danish Realm Greenlandic and Faeroese players can themselves decide which national team they wish to represent. In 2012 he represented Faroe Islands in the 2012 EHF Challenge Trophy. Hansen won silver with the Danish national U21 handball team in 2015 in Brazil. He was chosen as one of the best players and became one of the All Star team as the best right wing player. On 29 May 2015 he was called up to the Danish national team as a part of the squad in the 2016 European Men's Handball Championship qualification. He made debut for the Danish national team on 10 June 2015 in a match against Lithuania.
Pál Joensen (born 10 December 1990) is a Faroese elite swimmer. He was born in Vágur, Suðuroy, Faroe Islands. He has won World and European Championship medals. His bronze medal in the men's 1500 metre freestyle at the 2012 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) in Istanbul was the first medal won by a Faroese swimmer at the World Aquatic Championships. He competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics for Denmark in three events: 400 metre freestyle, 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay and 1500 metre freestyle. Joensen holds many of the national swimming records for the Faroe Islands; and these records are not only in freestyle. In short course swimming he holds most of the records in breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley too.
Please welcome our opening act, Ukrainian-born Portuguese DJ and producer Mari Ferrari performing "Call Me":