The ties that bind

This weekend, I had the pleasure to join the Thanksgiving Dinner organized by the Fulbright Alumni Association at Nitjánda in Kópavogur.  It was a fun-filled evening of music, dance, camaraderie, and reflection.  We were all sharing that moment thanks to the vision of the late Senator William Fulbright, who established a program designed to increase the understanding between the people of the United States and the people from other nations.   In the Icelandic/U.S. context, over 1,300 grantees from Iceland and the United States have had the opportunity to study, teach, or carry out research in either the U.S. or Iceland.   At the event we had artists, journalists, musicians, lawyers, diplomats, engineers, psychologists and many other professions.   Seeing such an impressive group of Icelanders and Americans conversing, sharing a meal, and working together to strengthen the ties between our countries was an inspiring experience and one that reminded me how Icelandic and American societies share the core values that identify our nations.