FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
19TH December 2012
Hordur Torfason, the Man Who Initiated Iceland’s Massive Political And Economic Overhaul is Coming to New Zealand in
March 2013
Top economists are now saying Iceland is showing the way: While many places have bailed out the bankers and made the
public pay the price, Iceland let the banks go bust and actually expanded its social safety net.
Nobel prize-winning economist Joe Stiglitz notes: “What Iceland did was right. It would have been wrong to burden future
generations with the mistakes of the financial system.”
On Oct. 11, 2008, five days after Iceland’s financial crash, Hörður Torfason planted himself outside the parliament
building in Reykjavik and started putting questions to the people who passed by. Every day for a week he stood in the
same spot and asked the people two questions. The first, “Do you know what has happened in this country?” The second,
“Do you have any ideas about what we can do about it?”
By gauging opinion on the streets, he devised several demands which reflected the people’s immediate wishes and
ultimately resulted in:
1. Resignation of the whole government.
2. Nationalization of the bank.
3. Referendum so that the people can make economic decisions.
4. Incarcerating the responsible parties.
5. Rewriting of the constitution by its people via Twitter and Facebook etc
All of this was accomplished peacefully.
A democracy advocate, currently lecturing on meta modern democracy in Europe, Hordur Torfason’s New Zealand visit is
being financed in the most democratic way – through PledgeMe.co.nz
With a target of $20,000 for international and domestic flights, marketing, venue hire, accommodation etc, the public
can pledge any amount above $5 to provide free entry for all to his talks. https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/691
“People should view the pledge as being an alternative to buying a ticket to hear him speak,” says organiser Sian
Clement. “Only 1000 people need to pledge $20 to bring him here and then people from all walks of life can hear what he has to say. New Zealand was once a leader in democracy
worldwide, it’s time for a refresher course!”
Torfason will be speaking in Auckland, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin. Tour information will be added to
the facebook site www.facebook.com/HordurTorfasonNZTour .
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For further information please contact: Sian Clement - sianeclement@gmail.com