Further Information

Rockall, the place
Rockall is a rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Just 25 by 30 metres, it occupies one of the roughest parts of the ocean. It is uninhabitable for humans and if it weren't for the surrounding natural resources, few would care for this barren peak of an extinct volcano. Rockall is slightly controversial. It’s been claimed by the UK, Denmark, Iceland and Ireland. Even Greenpeace has advanced a claim. None of the claimants have been able to install a permanent population and luckily, the UN Law of the Seas states that no one can claim land that is not permanently habitable.

Rockall, the project
As for us, Rockall is our imaginary home, and we are its Travelling Embassy. As we hail from a barren and uninhabited rock we know nothing of nation building, resource management, running a country or how to make plokkfiskur. Our intention is to collect ideas from experienced citizens of the world, starting off with Reykjavik, in order to outline the possible futures of our ambitious, rocky home country. We invite you to tell us what we should and should not do. What we are, in essence, is a blank canvas for all of your hopes and fears, a way to express yourself about what concerns all of us: society and life around us.

Now, to save you from further prose-poetry, what is all of this actually about? The project of Rockall is quite simply about asking the question of how to build a society from scratch. How will you manage, socially, culturally and technologically? The island of Rockall has been fought over for centuries but is in itself a useless rock formation. All the claimants want to prove it is habitable only to own it--but what about seeing it as a place to imagine how we could do things differently, perhaps even a lot better? We want to get people to think, talk and dream about this scenario in order to critically look at and play with their own role in current society. Projecting your thoughts on Rockall’s empty canvas allows for a more creative engagement with real, social possibilities. As our supposed society is tiny and easily analyzed, we think that as a scale model it will make abstract issues and complex systems tangible, approachable and discussable. This way, the idea of Rockall can function as a platform for people to share their own understanding of a better future and get to thinking and talking about the world around them.

Reykjavik 2016
Now, we can hear you think: how will this be practically realised? Well, during the months of July, August and September 2016, Rockall will set up its Travelling Embassy in Reykjavik’s Harbour district. This area, Vesturbugt, will be event center and the place where we invite collaborators, experts, artists and performers to contribute to the Embassy’s collection of ideas. We are setting up a programme that draws upon a wide variety of themes, ranging from technology to politics to international relations. This weekly program which features talks, concerts, dance and theater performances will be hosted at The Embassy, surrounded by art exhibitions and showcasing innovative technologies and designs. This way, the Travelling Embassy of Rockall will turn an empty and unused plot into a lively public space, open to anyone: fellow travellers, neighbours and their curious kids. Really, just anyone who passes by.

Workshop, participation and empowerment
Not only do we want to get the ideas flowing, we just as much want to see your sleeves rolled up and practical knowledge being shared. We intend to set up a variety of workshops to show and teach how both modern and age old skills and technologies can be used to practically empower people. How to recycle old clothes, how to grow harvest your own vegetables, or even how to operate a 3D-printer: aren’t these the must-have skills of any ideal citizen? This hands-on element is essential to a project like Rockall, because after all we do not just live in our heads: we need to be practically skilled with the world around us.

Inevitable costs and requirements
The Embassy of Rockall is run entirely by dedicated volunteers, and we depend a great deal on the goodwill and generosity of the city, community members and other organisations for our infrastructure, network and location. We are keeping costs to an absolute minimum, however, realising our workshops will simply require financial support. Whilst we’re hard at work to make sure nothing goes to waste--by collaborating with the recycling station and local industrial businesses--we will inevitably have to rent, purchase or otherwise acquire technology, manpower and supplies to facilitate the workshops. This is why we need your help. We’ve turned to a crowdfunding campaign and hope we can count on your willingness to help out--to lend a hand in realising Rockall 2016. Your financial support will enable us to purchase raw materials and machines that will hopefully show hundreds of people over the summer how they can, with little effort, play a better role in their environment. This way, each penny received will be spent on organising practical learning possibilities that will hopefully leave a lasting impression: that you are capable of more than you think, and your direct environment has far more to offer still than you imagine at first thought. In short, your support will help educate and stimulate the community.

Pledges and prizes
To thank you for supporting us we’ve come up with the following list of prizes. We hope there’s something in it for everyone.

€10 - Acknowledgement
The strongest gestures are when all the small are ones collected, and it might just be your €10 that pushes us over the finish line and changes the entire game for us this summer. Then we will all thank each other!

€15 - Stickers
Many of us are rightfully convinced that the world needs some practical decoration. Your siblings’ laptop might need another inspiring statement, or perhaps it is that mail box around the corner that lacks a word to spread. We at Rockall want to provide you with a provocation starterkit: a variety of durable stickers that will last long wherever you put them, asking the necessary (or stupid) questions about politics, society and identity. Have fun responsibly!

€25 - Rockall bags
We have been given leftover fabrics by Seglagerðin to turn into some handy things like wind and rainproof tote bags. Pledge €25 to get one of these handmade beauties. We promise you will do an extra trip to Bónus just to show it off.

€40 - Book/ documentation
At the end of the summer we will have collected all the ideas necessary to make a mental start with building Rockall. All the valuable insights and conclusions reached over the summer will distill into a document–a book. Pledge €40 and take your time to read about blooming ideas about nation building or social management.

€60 - Rockall furniture
As we are certain our visitors will be inseparable from all the performances and lectures, we are designing and making some furniture for all of you to rest at. Chairs, tables and benches will be crafted in open workshops out of discarded timber and used throughout the summer at the Embassy. When the programme comes to an end, you can take a piece of furniture home!

€80 - Coffee clip card
We are scheduling a programme filled to the brim with things you do not want to miss. Luckily the summer sunlight makes it easy to stay awake. Still, our friends at Reykjavik Roasters will keep you shining longer with their supreme beans. Pledge €80 and you will fill 20 cups in the endless days to come.

€80 - Soup clip card
On Rockall we have a saying that roughly translates into “No revolution on an empty stomach”. It is the type of grandmother-truth you cannot argue with. Pledge €80 and get a Soup & Bread clip-card to spend when you get hungry on-site. One card will serve you ten bowls of warm vegetarian soup with fresh sourdough bread.

€120 - Dinner
We are very pleased to announce that we have something to offer the gourmet. Pledge €120 and you will get a seat during an exquisite dinner in a marine and unique location. Our team will collaborate with a chef to set up an evening of dining and music that is well worth your money, and above all, your pledge will be a serious step towards our goal. We bow to you.

€200 - Group site visit
Finally, if you pledge €200 or more, we will organise a day of private workshops with experts, meeting the team and ample coffee for your company or group of friends. This pledge is especially for those who want to support the project as much as possible and become further acquainted with the team, the project and our personal philosophies behind it.

Important - Bought items are waiting for you at the Embassy of Rockall at Vesturbugt, Reykjavík. If shipment is requested, the costs will be charged to the receiver.

So who’s behind this?
The Travelling Embassy of Reykjavik is made up of varying personal, educational and professional backgrounds. With members hailing from Iceland, Portugal, the Netherlands as well as the United Kingdom, what unites the team is that they’re imaginative minds that have been around the globe and seen alternatives, both of the better and the worse kind. If you scroll up you can see the individual profiles of all team members--and check out their smug smiles! We’ve outlined who does what exactly, and if you’ve any individual questions for team members you’re always free to send them an e-mail at their Rockall address. Just take their first name and write @rockall.is behind it. Simple, isn’t it?

After 2016
The basic thought of the Embassy is to gather people, ideas and techniques to envision and question the possibilities of making desolate places habitable. Every country and every city has different qualities to offer. Therefore it’s important to move from place to place, making it a whispering game of knowledge. The Embassy will move to Rotterdam, the Netherlands and Aarhus, Denmark in 2017 and 2018 respectively, before returning to Reykjavik again. Collaborators from both cities will take part in this years edition. In the following years, the number of cities can expand.

Contact
We are always willing to answer any questions you might have. Contact us at team@rockall.is, ask your question, leave your details and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Connect with us
Website: https://www.rockall.is/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RockallEmbassy/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockallembassy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RockallEmbassy