Every year the National Queer Organization, Samtokin '78, hands out the LGBT Human Rights Awards to honor individuals and Organization that have done an outstanding work for the LGBT community in Iceland, making it more visible and accepted. This year the awards are given to two individuals, pop-singer and activist Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson (Paul Oscar) and Academic and Psychologist Sigrún Sveinbjornsdóttir. The organization awarded the Human Rights Award this year is HIV-Iceland. The awards will be handed out during Reykjavik Gay Pride opening ceremony, August 4th.
Páll Óskar (b. 1970) is one of Iceland´s best known pop singers and performers. Since his early days as a performer Páll Óskar has never been afraid to go forward as an openly gay artist which has earned him a wide respect. At the same time Páll Óskar has given the local LGBT community an important voice which has been noticed.
Sigrún Sveinbjornsdóttir, PhD (b. 1946) is an educational and developmental psychologist and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Akureyri. Her valuable research work has focused on adolescent well-being including the caring of non-heterosexual youth (homosexual, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered, HLBT) and their well-being in family, at school, and in society. She is also a founding member of the Association of Parents and Relatives of Lesbians and Gays in North Iceland.
HIV-Iceland (HIV organization of Iceland) was established on the 5th of December 1988 with the main goal of offering support to people with HIV/AIDS and to increase knowledge and understanding about HIV. For a long time HIV-Iceland has played an important role in raising the issue of HIV, educating the general public about HIV and supporting HIV positive individuals and their relatives.
