New Delhi: In a significant step towards strengthening cultural relations between India and Iceland, the Patronship of the Indo-Iceland Film and Cultural Forum was formally presented to H.E. Benedikt Höskuldsson, Ambassador of Iceland to India, during a gracious ceremony held at the Embassy of Iceland in New Delhi.

The Indo-Iceland Film and Cultural Forum was established by the International Chamber of Media and Entertainment Industry (ICMEI) to develop meaningful cooperation between the two countries through cinema, television, media, art, culture, education, tourism and other creative disciplines.

Dr. Sandeep Marwah, President of ICMEI and Chancellor of AAFT University of Media and Arts, congratulated the Ambassador on accepting the Patronship of the Forum. “We are deeply honoured to welcome H.E. Benedikt Höskuldsson as the Patron of the Indo-Iceland Film and Cultural Forum. His guidance and support will add fresh energy to our efforts to bring the people of India and Iceland closer through art and culture,” said Dr. Sandeep Marwah.

“Iceland is internationally admired for its extraordinary natural beauty, rich literary traditions and rapidly growing creative and film industries. The Forum will encourage greater interaction among filmmakers, artists, writers, students, educators, cultural organisations and tourism professionals from both countries,” Dr. Marwah added.

H.E. Benedikt Höskuldsson expressed his appreciation for the honour and welcomed the initiative to expand cultural cooperation between India and Iceland. “Culture and creative expression play an important role in building understanding and friendship among nations. Iceland and India share immense possibilities for collaboration in films, arts, literature, education, tourism and cultural exchange. I am pleased to accept the Patronship of the Indo-Iceland Film and Cultural Forum and look forward to supporting its meaningful initiatives,” said H.E. Benedikt Höskuldsson.

The Forum will work towards organising film screenings, cultural festivals, art exhibitions, academic exchanges, workshops, seminars, institutional partnerships and visits by artists and creative professionals. It will also explore opportunities for collaboration between the film and media industries of India and Iceland.

The ceremony reaffirmed the shared commitment of both sides to advancing people-to-people relations and creating new avenues of cooperation under ICMEI’s global mission of promoting Love, Peace and Unity Through Art and Culture.

Icelandic Ambassador H.E. Benedikt Höskuldsson Becomes Patron Of Indo-Iceland Film And Cultural Forum