Sesseljuhus Center for Sustainable Development

Sólheimar is a small eco-village in the south of Iceland with a clear and positive vision of a rural village and known for its artistic and ecological atmosphere.

The overarching social goal of our community is to provide individuals of various backgrounds the opportunity to work, live, and socialize. Around 100 people live and work together, disabled people and their caretakers, long-time unemployed people and volunteers with different nationalities make up Sólheimar.

Our village is based on four foundational pillars:
Diverse yet unified community, Trust and mutual respect.
Work Life and Activities, Variety of opportunities.
Respect and protection of nature, Promotion of a health tourism.
Various and versatile artistic and musical exhibitions, Summer Art Festival and Advent Festival.
Social Life, Ideology of the Sólheimar community enriching social involvement, Not specific groups.

The activities in Solheimar are diverse. There are Organic greenhouses (vegetable cultivation and nonfood plants); Ölur Forestry, the only organic forestry in Iceland; Vala Shop/Gallery; Græna Kannan Coffe house; Organic bakery; Sólheimar Guesthouse; and many art venues throughout the year.
There are six workshops, including a candle workshop, ceramics, weaving, carpentry, fine art atelier, paper-making workshop and an herbal workshop that makes soaps, shampoos, lotions, etc.

We have six years of experience in hosting study abroad programs like Leonardo, Erasmus, Grundtvig, Youth in Action projects (now Erasmus +) and CELL (Center for Ecological Living and Learning). Sesseljuhús is an educational and exhibition center focuses on environmental issues and sustainable development, provides environmental education in various forms throughout the year and collaborates with various Icelandic and foreign organizations on a wide variety of activities and events. Every summer, there are several new exhibits opened on topics relating to environmental issues as well as a series of seminars hosting experts in various fields of environmental sciences who lecture on a number of interesting subjects.
Sesseljuhús is also an excellent location for organizing art programs or other leisure activities (choir practices, yoga sessions, team building,...).