HipHop whale party in Reykjavik

They're cool in Sweden. They're cool in Iceland. And they brought a message to the Icelandic government about whaling: chill. Miss Universum, Timbuktu & Damn!, and Graenir Fingur rocked the Rejkjavik club NASA for Greenpeace and the whales.

"Iceland is a great place, but whaling is just so old-fashioned. It´s a pity they re-started whaling. Our advice to the Icelandic politicians is to stop immediately. Iceland will gain so much more from watching whales than killing whales" said Miss Universum lead singer Catti Brandelius.

"We have and will all take the Greenpeace Pledge, to consider going to Iceland again if whaling stops" the band members stated during the concert.

Miss Universum together with award winning Hiphop community Timbuktu & Damn! Is supporting Greenpeace in persuading the Icelandic Government to choose eco-tourism over whaling.

"In my opinion chasing free animals is wrong. It´s sad that we feel that we have to kill animals that are just minding their own business. They are a vital part of the environment and without them the planet will go hey wire. We seriously need to think more about who we are and what our place on this planet is", said swedish-american Timbuktu rap artist Jason Diakté.

This scenic North Atlantic island has a golden opportunity to become a leading eco tourism nation. Whale-watching has become a major tourist industry, along with nature tourism of many varieties, and a dozen whale watching companies have started in the last ten years, generating US$8.5 million in 2001.

The whale watching tourism is flourishing in Iceland but is seriously threatened by whaling. Many tourists choose to spend their vacation elsewhere or have cancelled planned trips to Iceland since its government decided to re start whaling last autumn.

"My impression of Iceland is that it´s beautiful but cold, slightly isolated and far away.but with a fascinating scenery. If the weather allows it we will go whalewatching and horsebackriding while we are here said Jason Diakté."

"It´s just like in the sagas. Tiny and small with friendly people. I really love Iceland and have wanted to come here for a long time. I would love to return to Iceland a lot more in the future, but only if they stop whaling", added Catti Brandelius.

To show the people of Iceland that whale tourism is a better alternative than whaling, Greenpeace last autumn created The Pledge, encouraging people to consider going to Iceland if the whaling stops. Currently over 35 000 people globally have taken the pledge and the number keeps increasing. The projected tourist value of these visits amount to 40 million USD -- ten times the annual worth of whaling in its heyday.

On August 6th, 2003 the Government of Iceland announced that they would restart whaling, in a so called 'scientific' whaling program, resulting in the killing of 38 minke whales in 2003. The program is planning to take a total of 500 whales, including sei and fin whales, during a period of two years. But the Icelandic government has not made a decision on this year's hunt due to a strong domestic opposition. The government would like to begin full-scale commercial whaling, which in the long-run could deplete the minke whales stock.

Read more about the Pledge and Greenpeace whales campaign in Iceland on http://www.icelandwhalespledge.com

Read about Miss Universum on http://www.missuniversum.nu/default.asp?language=eng

Timbuktu is one of the most famous and successful hip hop artists in Sweden. This year he toured Scandinavia, South Africa and Europe and worked with Swedish national Radio and TV. Now he is touring with the live act Damn!.

In his hit single "A letter", he expressed his political concerns about Swedish politics to the Prime Minister of Sweden -- directly impacting on the Swedish political climate. Timbuktu has been a part of the Swedish hiphop scene for a long time. His first recordings were released 1996.

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