Round Table Iceland

The first club (Round Table 1) which formed Round Table in Iceland was chartered September 5th, 1970 in Reykjavík at the initiative of Mats Wibe Lund, who had been introduced to Round Table in Norway.

He had been introduced to Round Table in Norway through friends and acquaintances. Enthralled by the movement, he became interested in establishing Round Table in Iceland. To that end, he gathered 13 men for an introductory meeting at Hótel Loftleiðir. Two members from RT-35 in Oslo attended and introduced the work of the Round Table movement. Several meetings were held that spring, and as a result, it was decided to establish Round Table in Iceland.

The official charter ceremony took place in early September that autumn. News of the upcoming founding of RT Iceland spread worldwide, leading to the attendance of a representative from as far away as Australia. The charter celebration of RT Iceland was attended by numerous international guests and was an immensely joyful occasion.

It took some time for Round Table Iceland to find its footing, and in the early years, the organization experienced ups and downs. During the first four years, there was much discussion about the need to establish a second club. Most agreed on this, but no action was taken. It wasn’t until early 1974 that preparations began for the founding of RT‑2, with several introductory meetings being held. On June 1, 1974, RT-2’s official charter ceremony took place, which was also celebrated as the annual gala of RT‑1. A total of 36 international guests attended, participating in five days of festivities.

In January 1975, the European IRO Meeting was held in Iceland over two days, with representatives from 13 countries. In October 1979, the Nordic IRO Meeting was held in Reykjavík, with representatives from all the Nordic countries participating, along with the national board and IROs from all clubs.

On May 28, 1975, the official charter ceremony for RT‑3 took place, coinciding with RT-1’s annual gala. On that day, the first national board of RT Iceland was elected, taking over various responsibilities previously handled by RT-1’s board. The charter celebration for RT‑4 and RT‑5, combined with RT Iceland’s annual gala, was held in Húsavík on April 29, 1978, and was a great success.

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Tables

As of May 2025, Round Table Iceland has 15 active clubs with around 300 members, and two additional clubs in formation. Membership is open to men between the ages of 20 and 45, with each club typically capped at 30 members, though actual sizes vary. Just under half of the clubs are located in the capital area, but Round Table is active in most regions across the country.

Clubs meet bi-weekly during the winter months, hosting a variety of events ranging from social gatherings and fellowship activities to business meetings.

Each club operates with a high degree of autonomy, with a shared mission to foster fellowship, camaraderie, personal development, and community involvement. Activities often focus on getting to know the local community, supporting members, and organizing projects that benefit the public.

Annual General Meetings (AGMs) are typically held in March or April and take place in two parts:

• • A‑meeting: The election meeting, where the board is elected, the year is reviewed, and reports are presented.
  • B‑meeting: The formal handover meeting, where the new board officially takes over and the new tabling year begins.

The locations of the clubs can be seen on this map🔗. The clubs are:

The National Board & Council

The National Board consists of five active Tablers. Each position, except for the President and Vice President, is elected for a two-year term. The roles are as follows:

• • Forseti — President
  • Varaforseti — Vice President
  • Alþjóðatengslafulltrúi — International Relations Officer (I.R.O.)
  • Gjaldkeri — Treasurer
  • Ritstjóri — Editor

The National Council is composed of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of each local club, along with the National President, who serves as the head of the council. All council members have voting rights; however, among the National Board, only the National President holds a vote. His vote is always recorded separately and only used in the event of a tie, in which case it serves as the tiebreaker.

During council votes, the Sergeant at Arms collects and tallies the votes. Once the results are announced, the formal vote count is not published. The Sergeant-at-Arms then requests permission to destroy the ballots.

National Meetings

During the statutory year, Tablers in Iceland gather four times annually for national-level meetings. These events, organized by local clubs, combine official duties with fellowship and connection-building among members.

May – 1st Councilors’ Meeting (1. fulltrúaráðsfundur)
Held on the Saturday morning following the AGM, this meeting is the first official councilors’ meeting of the new term. Its focus is on aligning the new councilors, finalizing the budget and schedule, and laying the groundwork for the upcoming year.

October – 2nd Councilors’ Meeting (2. fulltrúaráðsfundur)
The second councilors’ meeting of the year. It serves as a mid-year check-in, similar to a Half-Year Meeting. Clubs typically share short presentations about their ongoing activities and initiatives.

February – 3rd Councilors’ Meeting (3. fulltrúaráðsfundur)
The final councilors’ meeting of the statutory year. Its primary focus is the election of the incoming National Board, who will prepare to take over at the next AGM.

May – Annual General Meeting (AGM) (Aðalfundur fulltrúaráðs)
The AGM is the most important meeting of the year, where the current board presents its reports, the financial year is closed, and any motions or constitutional amendments are discussed and voted on. The AGM marks the end of the statutory year, and outgoing board members officially hand over to their successors.

Community Service Projects

Strongest Tabler

Rondel

The charge of the Round Table Iceland rondel features Mount Hekla or Hecla, an active stratovolcano in the south of Iceland with a height of 1,491 m (4,892 ft). Hekla is one of Iceland’s most active volcanoes. It had erupted on May 5, 1970, and lasted until July 5, 1970, during the same period that Round Table Iceland was being formed. This eruption was immortalized in the rondel of the association that was chartered only a few months later.

The Rondel features no king, which has been replaced with four waves, representative of the nation’s nautical heritage.

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