Representatives of five Icelandic fish exporters participated in World Food Moscow on 17-20 September.

The Icelandic group GusGus have a concert at the P!pl club in Moscow on 13 September at 9 p.m

Between November 4-6 2012, Reykjavik will host the 5th edition of You Are In Control, a hothouse for creatives and thinkers interested in cross-platform explorations and ideas relating to future business models created by the digital revolution.

The readers of National Geographic Traveller Russia have selected Iceland as the best ecotourism destination in the World. About twenty thousand readers took part in the selection and twenty countries and companies received awards related to tourism. In the May issue of National Geographic Traveller Russia there was an article about Iceland and there will be more information and photos on ecotourism in Iceland in the next issue.

Amiina band is coming to Moscow with a concert on 28 July 2012 at 20.00.

The Icelandic band Hjalmar is coming to Moscow with their new programme to present at B2 club on 26 July 2012 .

Ambassador Jónsson visited St Petersburg on 7-8 June. He met with Deputy Governor Alexander Prokhorenko to discuss Icelandic-Russian relations and with Mr. Grigory Goldovsky, acting director of the State Russian Museum to discuss an exhibition of the works of Kjarval, one of Iceland´s greatest painters, at the Museum in the fall of 2013. The Ambassador also met with experts on Arctic issues and with Professor Anatoly Lifshits, a veteran of the vital Arctic Convoys between Iceland and Northern Russia in the Second World War. Iceland´s geostrategic role and importance for the convoys had much to do with the fact that Iceland and the Soviet Union established diplomatic relations in 1943.

The company TRUE ICELAND had a stand at the travel fair, which was held on 18-20 May. This was the first time an Icelandic tourist company participated in the fair, which was now being held for the twelft time. Last year twenty three thousand people came to the fair. The Iceland Club in Moscow, who sells trips to Iceland, was also represented at the stand.

Ambassador Jónsson visited Murmansk on 2-4 May to be present at the opening of an Icelandic-Russian company, Murmansk Apama.

On April 30, 2012 The Moscow Conservatory presents a star of the world stage, Icelandic singer Sigrun Hjalmtysdottir and Mr. Pavel Cherniy, soloist of the Bolshoi Theater and winner of International contest. The unique voices and the golden repertoire of chamber and opera music will give unforgettable impressions of the evening. The concert will be in Small Hall of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory at 19.00

On 31st March Ambassador Jónsson met with Mr. Ivan Grachev, Member of the State Duma and Chairman of the Duma´s Committee on Energy. The Ambassador informed Mr. Grachev about the Iceland-Russia relationship and latest developments within it.

The company MARR will be importing Icelandic lamb to Russia. Ambassador Jónsson and his wife visited the company on the 22nd of March for a tour of the premises and a discussion about the prospects for Icelandic lamb and other Icelandic gourmet food on the Russian market.

On March 20th Ambassador Jónsson had meetings with Dr. Artur Chilingarov, member of the Federation Council, and Mr. Igor Fyodorov, Governor of Nenets Autonomous Region to discuss Arctic issues. Dr. Chilingarov is a famous Arctic explorer and Special Representative on Arctic and Antarctic issues to the President of the Russian Federation.

On March 16 Ambassador Jónsson met with Jón Ólafsson, Chairman of Icelandic Water Holdings, and his Russian associates to discuss export of Icelandic Glacial water to Russia, which began in 2010. Russia is a promising market for this unique product. For more information see: http://icelandicglacial.com/

On March 15 Ambassador Jónsson and his wife, Ása Baldvinsdóttir, visited the Faculty of Art of the Moscow State Regional University. They were received by Professor Stanislav Lomov who gave them a tour of the Faculty and introduced them to teachers and students.

Last week the Ambassador of Iceland visited the Nordic School in Moscow and met with 20 students of the Icelandic language. He gave an introduction to Iceland and Icelandic matters and had a long discussion with the students. About 500 Russians take evening courses in Nordic languages at the Nordic School, which has been opereted since the year 2000.

This past week, some leading Icelandic meat and fish exporting companies took part in the largest annual specialized food trade show in Russia and Eastern Europe. ProdExpo was opened in Moscow last Monday, where a large number of Russian and foreign companies presented quality produce to the local Russian market.

Actavis Group is one of the world´s leading players in the development, manufacture and sale of first-class generic pharmaceuticals. The Group has more than 10.000 employees operating in over 40 countries around the globe, including Russia. Ambassador Jónsson recently visited the Actavis Offices in Moscow.

Ambassador Albert Jónsson visited on 1st February the Moscow office of the Icelandic company Marel. Its General Director in Russia, Mr. Valerie Akbashev gave a presentation of Marel´s business in Russia.

The Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture awards annually a number of scholarships to foreign students for study of the Icelandic language, literature and history at the University of Iceland, Reykjavík.