Faroe Islands mark ‘Flag Day’ at Scottish reception
Designed by nationalist Faroese students in 1919, the flag had not previously been officially recognized.
The first time the Faroese flag was flown was on a boat sailing from the Faroe Islands to Aberdeen. The Faroese fishing fleet continued to land their catches in Scotland throughout the Second World War – sailing in incredibly dangerous conditions.
The friendly British occupation of the Faroe Islands in the 1940s is one of the ways in which Scotland has become strongly linked with the islands. It was thought that Scottish soldiers would be most suited to the sometimes harsh conditions in the North Atlantic, and the Lovat Scouts and Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) were two of the regiments stationed in the Faroes. There were more than 170 marriages between servicemen and Faroese women during and after the war, and descendants of these families were at the event.
After the Second World War the Faroe Islands voted in a referendum for independence – but the vote was so narrowly passed (50.7% in favour of independence, 49.3% in favour of home rule within Denmark) that the final outcome was negotiations between Denmark and the islands which gave the Faroese the autonomy they still have today. As part of this, the Faroese flag was recognised as the national flag by the Danish government.
Guests at the Flag Day event heard speeches from Faroese representatives, the Lord Provost, and MSPs. Music came from Faroese musician Dávur Juul Magnussen, a trombonist with the RSNO. Chef Leif Sørensen, a pioneer of New Nordic Cuisine specialising in using ingredients native to the Faroes, served appetisers. Speakers at the event were keen to emphasise modern, as well as historical, links between Scotland and the Faroes.
Particular attention has been paid in Scotland to the newly built tunnels which now connect many of the islands. The newest tunnel, opened at the end of 2023 at a cost of £99 million, provides a fixed link connecting the small island of Sandoy to the main island of Streymoy. At 10.8km, and more than 150 metres below the sea, it is the longest subsea tunnel in the Faroe Islands and one of the longest in the world. The 10-minute drive through the tunnel replaces a ferry trip that took over half an hour, which could regularly be disrupted by wild weather.
There has been considerable interest in these tunnels, or fixed links, in Shetland. Meanwhile, Transport Scotland has proposed carrying out detailed appraisals of the feasibility of tunnels to link parts of the Western Isles, and to link Mull and the Scottish mainland.
“We do not lag behind when it comes to technology,” said Hoydal, as he talked about the increased connectivity in the islands. He spoke of his hope that the Faroe Islands and Scotland could build metaphorical bridges of co-operation.