The event, which was by invitation, was organised in cooperation with the Friends of the National Archives of Iceland and was well attended, with more than 30 guests present. Steinunn Valdís Óskarsdóttir, Chair of the Friends of the National Archives, served as chair of the meeting.

During the event, Ólafur Arnar Sveinsson, Director of Communication and Research at the National Archives, gave an overview of the donated collection. The archive comprises approximately 54 shelf metres of records and reflects the long and multifaceted career of Hjörleifur Guttormsson as a scientist and author. The collection contains extensive material relating to environmental issues, museum affairs, political activity, and Hjörleifur’s own writings, as well as a substantial number of letters and diaries. In accordance with the terms of the donation, access to parts of the collection will be restricted until 2040.

Hjörleifur Guttormsson worked closely with specialists at the National Archives on the arrangement and cataloguing of the collection prior to its transfer. At the event, he delivered a presentation in which he described his collaboration with the institution and reflected on his lifelong engagement with documents and books. He traced this relationship from his childhood years at Hallormsstaður, through his studies in Leipzig, and onward through his teaching and research in Neskaupstaður and his professional career. He also described the process leading up to the submitting to the archives and referred to diary entries documenting his work on organising the collection.

The formal programme concluded with the signing of the donation agreement by Hjörleifur Guttormsson and Hrefna Róbertsdóttir, General Director of the National Archives of Iceland. Refreshments were served afterward, and the event concluded with a musical contribution by Gunnar Guttormsson, Hjörleifur’s twin brother. He performed an original poem written in 2016, set to the melody of Österlensvisan by Swedish singer-songwriter Olle Adolphson, itself based on the Scottish folk tune Maa Bonny Lad.