Atassut’s chairman will impose a task on Nalakkersuisut to choose between national anthems. However, Naalakkersuisut suggests that voters vote on the national anthem at the next ordinary inatsisart committee. The matter will be considered again this autumn meeting.
What kind of national anthem should Greenland have have? “Nunarput utoqqarsuanngoravit” and “Nuna asiilasooq” are both used today as national anthems. Atassat’s chairman, Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen, wants to change this. That is why he has put forward a motion for resolution in Inatsisartut.
– The time has now come for us to decide on our country’s future official national anthem, said Aqqalu C. Jerimiassen when he presented his proposal on Wednesday.
In his motion for a resolution, one of the tasks he wants to assign to Naalakkersuisut is that Naalakkersuisut must investigate whether one of the current national anthems can be designated officially, or whether work can be initiated with a view to creating a new national anthem.
The party opens up the possibility of having a new national anthem.
– Atassut believes that the possibility of creating a new and original national anthem should be seriously investigated.
– We should not be ashamed to say that. A new national anthem will be able to reflect our country today, our community and our goals for the future. However, a national anthem cannot be decided by one party alone. Therefore, the proposal does not decide in advance whether the current national anthems should be removed, or whether a specific song should be chosen, says the party chairman.
Naalakkersuisut: Let the citizens vote
The Atassut member’s wish to impose a task on Naalakkersuisut is perceived differently by those who wish to be tasked with the task. Naalakkersuisoq for education, culture, sports and church, Nivi Olsen (D), made an amendment on behalf of Naalakkersuisut in her answer to the first reading of the proposal.
Instead of being assigned the task, they want the citizens to vote at the inatsisart committee.
– Naalakkersuisut therefore puts forward the following amendment proposal against this background: “Naalakkersuisut is required to provide a legal basis for and subsequent implementation of an indicative referendum on Greenland’s official national anthem.”
– The referendum must take place at the same time as an ordinary election for Inatsisartut. The referendum must include the following options: continuation of the current system, designation of one of the existing national anthems as the official national anthem, or initiation of a process with a view to drawing up proposals for a new national anthem. The final decision on the country’s official national anthem must be made by Inatsisartut by adopting an Inatsisartutlaw on this, suggests Nivi Olsen.
The matter must now be dealt with by Inatsisartut’s committee for culture, education, research and church. The proposal is scheduled for the second and final reading in Inatsisartut on 5 November.
