The Copenhagen Post, March 10 - March 23 by The Copenhagen Post

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DANISH NEWS IN ENGLISH VOL 20 ISSUE 04

MARTIN NILSSON

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Ahead of a fundraiser for her NGO at the Hard Rock, we caught up with the aid worker named the world’s most inspiring person

Our language school supplement can take you online or to the theatre!

INSIDE

CPHPOST.DK 10 - 23 March 2017

NEWS Capital’s friendliness praised as riots break out on streets

NEWS

Dish of the century Ali washes pots and pans, and now he co-owns Noma

RACE 17, MARCH 17, 2017: THE NUMBER OF THE FEAST

Plugging the employment inequality and pay gaps HISTORY Old days play: outdoor schools and junkyard playgrounds

19 RESTAURANT

Delectable spectacle Celebrating 130 years of fab food and fun at Wallmans

20 PRINT VERSION ISSN: ONLINE VERSION ISSN:

2446-0184 2446-0192

9 771398 100009

Denmark one of the best countries in the world for women working abroad

lowed by Italy, Brazil, Cyprus and Argentina.

Chief bread-earners ACCORDING to Danmarks Statistik, an increasing number of women in Denmark are the primary income earners in relationships. Among women under the age of 65, the percentage who have a higher disposable income than their man has increased from 22 in 1990 to 31 in 2015. The average man’s disposable income median in 2015 was 205,200 kroner, compared to 170,800 kroner for women. That 17 percent gap is smaller than it was in 1990, when the gap was 22. In 1990 the biggest income differences between men and women were seen among 40

ENMARK is the tenth best country in the world for women working abroad, according to an InterNations survey of 6,000 women worldwide. It ranked fourth out of 57 countries for its Work-Life Balance, 34th for Job & Career and 15th for Job Security. The survey revealed that 46 percent of all expat women listed their job or business as a reason for moving abroad, while 33 percent said they moved for their partner and 26 percent did so in search of adventure. Luxembourg topped the rankings, followed by Taiwan, Germany, Hungary and Bahrain. Greece finished rock bottom, fol-

to 65-year-olds. In 2015, that switched to 65 to 75-year-olds. Danmarks Statistik speculated that men were bigger risk takers and tended to be hit harder by recessions such as the financial crisis. Boardroom success ACCORDING to two separate reports from Dansk Industri and Lederne, women account for about 40 percent of the top positions at companies in Denmark. The share of female CEOs in Denmark has also shot up significantly in recent years, almost doubling to 12 percent in 2015 compared to 2002. The same trend is true of executive positions, where the female share has gone up from 14 percent in 2002 to 21 percent in 2015. (CPH POST)

4-5

Controversial video A VIRAL video has divided opinion as it has used children to send a message to Parliament. The kids were filmed crying after being told they weren’t Danish according to a statement released by Parliament in February. Critics said children should be off-limits, but filmmaker Alex Sabour contends this is exactly the point, as they were not off-limits in the statement.

Lord heads north NICKLAS Bendtner shocked the footballing world twice on Monday. First he left English side Nottingham Forest to join Norwegian champs Rosenborg on a three-year deal. And then he referred to his time at Arsenal as a period of “stability”. Rosenborg were overjoyed to land the 29-year-old striker – a transfer that started as a “wild idea”.

NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

Arrests mark youth club riot anniversary

ONLINE THIS WEEK COPENHAGENERS have until March 12 to suggest where City Hall can plant some of the 83,000 new trees as part of its tree prioritisation plan to plant 100,000 by 2025. By logging onto a digital map, they can mark up to ten areas.

NECESSARY EVIL

Sprucing up the city

Airbnb talks ongoing

No bicycle theft investigations on March 1 – that’s for sure!

Police called into action at Ungdomshuset demonstration CHRISTIAN WENANDE

Cycle lanes to widen A 1.1-1.8 BILLION bicycle strategy, Cykelstiprioriteringsplanen 2017-2025, will widen cycle lanes in anticipation of a 25 percent rise in cycling traffic by 2025 (up 36 percent in rush hour). While 87 percent are happy with the city’s 350km of lanes, just 62 percent are satisfied with their width. The lanes take up 7 percent of the road surface in Copenhagen, compared to 54 percent for car lanes.

Swedish attack memorial THERE was international interest in a Facebook event organised outside the Swedish Embassy on February 24 to pay tribute to those who perished in terrorist attacks in Sweden mentioned by Donald Trump. It is believed the US president confused Stockholm with Sehwan in Pakistan, where a bomb killed 70 on February 16.

HE DEFIANCE of Jagtvej 69 – the address of the Ungdomshuset youth house in Nørrebro, whose demolition in 2007 led to some of this city’s worst riots – refuses to die. At a demonstration on March 1 to mark the ten-year anniversary of the demolition, the police made at least five arrests

as activists threw stones and bottles at them and smashed shop windows. The police and activists clashed on Nørrebrogade, Jagtvej and then at the new Ungdomshuset location on Dortheavej. A turning point? AHEAD of the demo, Vendepunktet (‘the turning point’) announced it intended to turn the empty plot at Jagtvej 69 into a container village for the homeless.

It has agreed a deal to rent the land for three to five years from the landowner Udviklingsselskabet af 2010. Plans for the village have been designed by WE Architects and architect Erik Juul. However, Ungdomshuset activists said they opposed the idea because they fear it will help the landowner use the plot for commercial objectives once the new Metro station at Nørrebro Runddel is finished.

Dear in more ways than one Danish capital welcoming to visitors but unfriendly to their bank balance

OPENHAGEN is a welcoming city according to one survey, but not so friendly to our wallets, claims another. Trailing Swedish duo THE DANISH capital ranked sixth in the Sociable Cities study

by Business Insider, which included 40 cities from 28 countries and named Sweden’s Gothenburg and Stockholm as the top two. Copenhageners ranked as the second most liberal-thinking about other people’s lifestyles and the second most likely to value social priorities over their own individual priorities. No cheap coffee here MEANWHILE, airport transfer

firm Hoppa has ranked Copenhagen the third most expensive tourism destination, trailing only Zurich and New York with Oslo and Stockholm completing the top five. The price of a cup of coffee (most expensive), taxi ride (3), meal for two (4), hotel accommodation (5), a cocktail (8) and a pint of beer (9) all took their toll. (CW)

NINNA Thomsen, the city’s deputy mayor for health issues, has confirmed to DR that talks are ongoing with Airbnb regarding a ceiling on the number of days a property can be rented out via the service in Copenhagen. It is believed that city mayor Frank Jensen favours the 60-day ceiling in force in Amsterdam. Airbnb has indicated it will also talk to the government.

Culpable chair THE BUSINESS authority Erhvervsstyrelsen has found Michael Metz Mørch, the former chair of Wonderful Copenhagen (WC), partially responsible for the losses incurred during Eurovision 2014. It claims Mørch, who resigned from his position in August 2014, misled the WC board and has ruled liability of 21 million kroner. In total, WC incurred total losses of 58 million kroner.

Child porn case starts A CITY court case has begun involving a 62-year-old Vesterbro man who had so much child pornography in his apartment it would take 133 days to look at it all. It is alleged he paid for videos to be made in the Philippines.

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Editorial offices: International House, Gyldenløvesgade 11, 1600 Copenhagen Denmark

Bike boat a possibility A BICYCLE ferry travelling from Dragør, a suburb on the southern tip of the island of Amager, to Limhamn just south of Malmö could become a reality if it receives approval from its local municipality. If the shipping company Stoltz gets the necessary permits, it will conduct three daily trips using the Elephanten ship in June, July and August.

Pricier than posh hotel A NIGHT in Vridsløselille Prison, which since December 2015 has only been used to detain non-Danes, costs over 500 kroner more than one in the D’Angleterre Hotel, reports Information. Stealing the thunder of the tabloids, it revealed how the prison’s low capacity was resulting in an average cost of 3,794 kroner per night.

ONLINE THIS WEEK

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To tell us your story – call 3336 3300 or email news@cphpost.dk For all other inquiries – email info@cphpost.dk

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NEWS

10 - 23 March 2017

Targeting Syrian war criminals www.cis.dk

ISTOCK

Denmark supports new UN effort to prosecute CHRISTIAN WENANDE

HE GOVERNMENT has earmarked 7.65 million kroner to a new UN-effort aimed at prosecuting human rights violations, war crimes and crimes against humanity taking place in Syria. “With the new UN effort we are sending a clear signal – to the Syrian government, among others – that these crimes will be prosecuted,” said the foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen Major aid support THE CONTRIBUTION will complement Danish stabilisation efforts in Syria and Iraq – with a particular focus on dialogue and peace building – on which 332.5 million kroner will have been spent by 2018. Meanwhile, the development minister, Ulla Tørnæs, recently visited Jordan and Lebanon to put focus on the conflict

Spotlight needed on war crimes

in Syria and evaluate Denmark’s aid to the region, which totals nearly 2 billion kroner since the conflict in Syria began.

ONLINE THIS WEEK

FULL STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

Re-United Nations Our two campuses have re-united and we have opened the doors to our brand new school in Nordhavn. The new campus is now home to our 1,100 students and teachers from more than 80 different nations.

Royal pardon queried

A costly promise

A NGO IN Cambodia has reacted with disbelief to the news that Danish guesthouse owner Svend Erick Jonasson has been released early from his eight-year sentence for forcing his male employees to have sex with customers. Jonasson was freed after a royal pardon.

PAUL JOSEPH Watson, the UK-based editor of far-right website Infowars, last month offered to pay “any journalist claiming Sweden is safe” to stay in Malmö. He ended up paying 2,000 dollars to one of the many reporters who took his offer

Partially ungagged

Costs piling up

We are very proud of the fact that our new school is one of the world’s most modern teaching facilities. Among the school’s many features you’ll find state-of-the-art classrooms, a restaurant, a fitness center and a dance studio, three gyms, three music rooms, seven science rooms and a 350 seat theater - all powered by 12,000 solar panels.

THE ‘SHE Decides’ conference for women’s rights, which Denmark cohosted in Brussels last week, generated pledges of 1.3 billion kroner to plug the aid vacuum left by the ‘Global Gag Rule’. Some 400 participants from over 50 nations attended.

DANISH rail operator DSB lost over 100 million kroner due to the Swedish border controls last year. The checks cost 69.8 million kroner to carry out, while ticket revenue for the journey fell by 56 million kroner.

It’s no wonder that our new campus has been listed as one of the five most innovative and sustainable new buildings, together with Apple’s new Headquarters in California and Tesla’s new Gigafactory in Nevada.

Logging on with success

For more information or to arrange a visit, please contact us at cis.dk

Murder suspect held COLOMBIAN police in Medellin are grilling a suspect over the murder of Tomas Willemoes last summer. The 41-year-old Danish journalist was shot in the head at close range, and it might be linked to another murder 12 days earlier on the same street.

Support for terror victims THE GOVERNMENT is giving 20 million kroner to UNICEF’s efforts to help children and former child soldiers who have escaped the clutches of Boko Haram in Nigeria and its neighbours. Denmark contributed 31.6 million kroner to the terror group’s victims in 2016.

THE PREY Lang Community Network, a group of Cambodian activists fighting illegal deforestation in their country, have used an app developed in Denmark and Sweden to map and expose illegal logging and forest-burning activities.

Brexit visit THE UK’S Brexit minister, David Davis, visited Copenhagen on March 3 to discuss the effect of the UK’s future exodus from the EU will have on Danish-UK relations. Davis indicated that all EU residents living in the UK, including Danes, had nothing to fear about losing their right to live in the country. About 30,000 Danes reside in the UK.

COVER

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

Behind the craic: the fuel that drives the famous 3-legged race ... ST PATRICK’S 3-LEGGED RACE

ANNALEAH MAGNUSON

• 150 kroner cash only charity donation for participation, so 75kr each (or sokra leg)

How two events have transformed the feast day into one of the liveliest days of the year in the Danish capital

• Registration begins at 12:30 at Kennedy’s Irish Bar, Gammel Kongevej 23

OTHING encapsulates the spirit of St Patrick’s Day in Copenhagen better than the 3-Legged Race, an annual event since 2001. Every year hundreds of intrepid duos, tied to one another at the ankle, follow a course around town with the aim of visiting half a dozen Irish-connected drinking establishments where they must drink half a pint of beer at every one. Nothing can deter them – not even a blizzard! The year of the 17s THIS YEAR, to mark the 17th race in 2017, the organisers have a range of extra prizes to give away to mark the special occasion. CPH POST caught up with Siobhán Kelleher-Petersen, who together with her famous green boots has been at every single running since she co-founded the event all those years ago.

THE RACE COULD YOU TELL US THE HISTORY OF THE THREELEGGED RACE? WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION AND WHOSE IDEA WAS IT?

I started the race back in 2001 with my friends Garrett McKeon and Desmond Carswell. At the time we were all bartending at the Dubliner, and one evening after work, about a week before St Patrick’s Day, we were talking about what we could do to celebrate the day. We wanted to do something different and unique that would get people together. I had done a three-legged pub crawl back home in Ireland, and we thought it would be a great way to celebrate Paddy’s Day with all our friends. So we gave it a go, and well, we weren’t wrong.

HOW HAS IT EVOLVED SINCE ITS FIRST RUNNING? WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT THAT DAY?

That first year was great. There were only 18 teams but everyone had such good craic, I knew we had to put it on again. Most of those racers have gone into retirement now, but all of them have

• The race begins at The Tent, Axeltorv, 14:30, the same venue where all the teams are tied together • There are six pit stops this year: the Shamrock Inn, Hard Rock Café, Pub & Sport, the Globe, the Irish Rover, and the Dubliner (finish line). At each one, every competitor must drink half a pint of Carlsberg

Siobhan with her famous green boots and even more famous brother, John

remained involved in helping make the race what it is today: a real community event.

IT QUICKLY BECAME EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL. DO YOU RECALL THE MOMENT WHEN YOU THOUGHT: “WOW. EVERYONE REALLY LIKES THIS.”

2007 was a big turning point, when the race became a fundraising event. We had built up a following by then, and charity was always the next step. It made a fun day even more fun. And then there was our record year in 2012. It was the first time we had The Tent at Axeltorv, and we had over 600 racers and raised 60,000 kroner. The Tent was jam-packed with everyone singing and dancing. It was magical!

DOES IT GET MUCH ATTENTION OVERSEAS?

Yes – the race is very well publicised globally, especially in Ireland, and also the USA where St Patrick’s Day is a huge celebration. We’ve had racers from all corners of the globe – some who come to Copenhagen just to celebrate the day with us. And of course we have lots of Danes who come back year after year. They can be very competitive racers, which probably explains why there is always a Danish team in the top three.

IT’S PROBABLY FAIR TO SAY YOU’VE HAD SOME MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES OVER THE YEARS. COULD YOU PICK SOME HIGHLIGHTS.

There’s been a few over the years … I always smile when I think of St Patrick’s Day 2008, when we woke to a snow blizzard. I

thought it would be a disaster and no-one would turn up. But when I arrived down at Kennedy’s for the registration I saw them coming – over 200 of them! It was so cold, but we had such a blast, and we raised 21,500 kroner for charity, so it was a really great day. I remember back in the early days meeting a 60-year-old English couple in the Globe just a few hours before the race. They were in Copenhagen to celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary and I convinced them to come with me to Kennedy’s for registration, and get tied up. They had such a laugh, and when they got back home they sent a postcard to say their grandchildren couldn’t believe how cool they were. A week before St Patrick’s Day meeting a couple tied up outside the Irish Rover. They were training for the Race! One year I got a taxi home and was chatting to the taxi driver when he tells me that earlier that day he’d given a lift to a couple who were tied together with gaffa tape!

WHAT’S THE DAFTEST THING YOU’VE BEEN ASKED?

“Can we do the race on a skateboard?” I said why not, but it really didn’t work out too well for them. They fell constantly and ended up carrying it across the finish line. A close second is “Can my partner be a blow-up doll?”

THE NUMBER 17 WHY IS THE NUMBER 17 SO SPECIAL THIS YEAR?

This year we’ll be celebrating St Patrick’s Day on 17 March 2017, and it just so happens to be the 17th race. So we’re all about the

17s this year, and we’ll be giving out some special ‘17’ prizes to celebrate the day. I’m also very excited to have a long overdue reunion with [co-founders] Garrett and Desmond who are coming to Copenhagen for the race. We have not celebrated St Patrick’s Day together since 2004, so it’s going to be very special.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE NEW TO LOOK OUT FOR THIS YEAR?

This year we’re very excited to have the Hard Rock Copenhagen join the route between the Shamrock Inn and Pub&Sport. Hard Rock has partnered up with many charity organisations and we’re delighted to have them on board in 2017.

CHARITY YOU’VE RAISED A LOT OF MONEY FOR CHARITIES IN DENMARK AND OVERSEAS. CAN YOU GIVE US A FEW EXAMPLES?

The race became a fundraising event in 2007, and since then we have raised over 365,000 kroner. The money has been donated to various charities around the world, from the Neonatal Clinic and Children’s Cancer Ward at Rigshospital, to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Since 2010 we have proudly supported CCAF [Cambodian Children’s Advocacy Foundation] a preschool program in southern Cambodia where I spent some time during my travels. The program is run by dedicated, hardworking people, and it makes me very proud to be able to help them with their work.

WHO ARE YOUR PREFERRED CHARITIES THIS YEAR?

• The race must be completed on foot! Undercover race organisers are placed throughout the city so NO CHEATING! • Wear green! And remember, if you’re too inebriated, you will not be allowed to participate. Since 2015 we have been fundraising for the same three charities (one for each leg!): Danske Hospitalsklovne here in Denmark, Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice in Ireland, and the CCAF.

BEYOND THE ORGANISERS, WHOSE HELP DO YOU RELY ON TO ARRANGE THE EVENT?

From all the wonderful volunteers to the bars on route who have been so supportive over the years. We are very lucky to be sponsored by Diageo. They have allowed us to give 100 percent of all donations uncut to the charities.

IT MUST BE GRATIFYING TO THINK YOU CAN HAVE SO MUCH FUN AND MAKE SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE?

I think that’s why people keep coming back year after year. Whether it’s the racers, the volunteers, or those who turn up for the craic at the Tent and to cheer the racers on … there’s always a feel-good factor about the race. What’s there not to love about it? It’s wacky with a good cause: the perfect combination.

PERSONAL WHEN YOU’RE NOT ORGANISING THREE-LEGGED RACES, WHAT DO YOU DO?

By day I work as a Project Manager, which is a skill that definitely helps me with organis-

COVER

10 - 23 March 2017

and St Patrick’s Day Parade

VERYONE is Irish on St Patrick’s Day” is well on its way to becoming as immortal a tagline as ‘Wonderful Copenhagen’. And once again, for the 13th time, the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade will start at Rådhuspladsen, the city hall square, and take a route through Copenhagen’s city centre, inviting all Danes, Irish folk and foreigners alike to participate in its green pride festivities. This year’s merriment will take place on (hopefully) a sunny Friday afternoon, but the lively shamrocked cheer will continue, rain or shine! Stock up on the day EVERYONE is welcome to participate in the parade’s march through Copenhagen’s streets – providing they leave behind their Danish black attire and swap it for their brightest Irish garb. No costumes? No problem – from 14:00 onwards, Rådhuspladsen will offer free face painting for children, green accessories for sale, and a place to warm up with an Irish coffee or indulge in a pint of Guinness (maybe the first of the day, but definitely not the last). No shortage of fun THIS YEAR welcomes back a taste of cultural performances (from 15:30 onstage at Rådhuspladsen), including the Dark Green School of Irish Dancing, the Green Steps performers showing off their best Riverdance moves, and spirited Irish folk tunes to set the mood. Departing Rådhuspladsen at 17:00 – it’s best to get there at least 30 minutes early if you ing the race. Life has changed a lot for me in the past two years since I had my daughter, Maebh – she definitely keeps me busy. Last summer I got married to Martin, who ties legs at the race. We spend most weekends on the Danish green island of Bornholm where we have a small farm.

WHAT FIRST BROUGHT YOU OVER TO COPENHAGEN, AND WHY HAVE YOU CONTINUED TO LIVE HERE?

Like most women who come to Denmark, it was for a man, but in my case it was to see my brother. I love the city and the

want to participate – the Green Parade will be led by none other than St Patrick himself, This year the actor Ian Burns is playing the role. The parade arrives back at Rådhuspladsen at approximately 17:45 – still nice and early to take a rest before embarking upon the further partying the night has in store. So go on, join the craic! The pivotal role AHEAD of the big day, CPH POST caught up with parade co-organiser Marianne Green to find out more.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN A BIT ABOUT YOUR TAGLINE ‘EVERYONE IS IRISH ON ST PATRICK’S DAY’? WHAT IS YOUR GOAL THERE? HAVE YOU SEEN A LOT OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE CROWDS?

share and take part in each other’s cultural celebrations across nationalities and culture.

WHAT IS IT, DO YOU THINK, THAT MAKES THE IRISH SPIRIT SO INFECTIOUS? WHAT DO THE COPENHAGENERS HAVE TO GAIN FROM THIS FUN CELEBRATION?

The Copenhagen St Patrick’s Day Parade is a celebration of Ireland’s national day abroad, and the initiative has been taken by the non-Irish who are engaged with Irish music and culture and have had many great experiences travelling in Ireland and meeting Irish people. The motivation for organising a big event like a parade in Copenhagen was to give the Irish expats living here, along with people from all nationalities who are fascinated by or feel a connection to Ireland, a platform where they can celebrate Ireland’s national day with the whole family at a family-friendly event. The slogan we chose felt right because it is so important for us to invite and engage people who are not familiar with Irish culture or are not Irish and send a message that we can all

There is a very unique spirit of positivity and care-freeness in both Irish music and dance that is very satisfying for our souls and perfect for a fun social gathering. Especially because it is also balanced by a melancholic and nostalgic side, so you have both extremes of expressing emotion. The social spirit of the Irish always feels very welcoming and inclusive to strangers who instantly feel the atmosphere of the Irish ‘craic’. At the Copenhagen St Patrick’s Day Parade we strive to fulfill both criteria. We prioritise live music and Irish dancing very highly so people in Copenhagen can share in this experience. We also have a tent where you can enjoy an Irish coffee or an Irish beer, though with respect for this being a family event. For the children there is free St Patrick’s Day face painting and everyone can go to the little green shop and get kitted out to join the parade. We wish to engage all generations at this festive social gathering and hope

sense of freedom I feel here. And mostly I love Copenhagen for being a city where you can run around tied to another person, dressed like a leprechaun, and drinking beer. It definitely is Wonderful Copenhagen.

on a 20-minute play about an after-hours drinking session in a Dublin pub: ‘Thirst’ by Myles na gCopaleen. My brother and I played roles in it, and we put it on in all the bars on route. It’s a brilliant play and we plan to put it on again next year.

YOU’RE QUITE WELL KNOWN FOR YOUR ACTING. ANY POSSIBILITY WE MIGHT SEE YOU ON STAGE IN THE CITY AGAIN?

Ah it’s been a while now and it’s something that I miss, but there are plans in the pipeline. Back in 2009, to raise some more money for the charity, we put

MANY OF OUR READERS WILL KNOW JOHN KELLEHER, YOUR BROTHER, WHO IS THE QUIZMASTER AT THE GLOBE AND A FAMILIAR FACE IN TV, SPORT AND THEATRE CIRCLES. HOW IMPORTANT A ROLE HAS HE PLAYED IN THE ORGANISING OF THE RACE?

John was one of the first racers,

Marianne Green Ian Burns as St Patrick

ST PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

TIMELINE:

that people in Copenhagen will enjoy experiencing Irish culture and taking part at being ‘Irish’ for a day.

• 14:00: Tent opens at Rådhuspladsen

SINCE THE PARADE’S INCEPTION IN 2005, HOW HAVE YOU SEEN IT CHANGE?

• 17:00: Parade leaves Rådhuspladsen

When it first started it was mostly people we knew through Irish cultural activities and friends and families of those that got involved. However, we launched it as an international event from the beginning and had ambitions for it to develop as such and become a tradition like other new introductions to Denmark – For example, Halloween and Valentine’s Day – have become. This was very well received by the Danish press and it quickly grew and became a popular event. People travel from abroad to take part with Irish expats and and he won a couple of times back in the early days. Today he helps organise the race and is always ready to welcome the crowd at the registration at Kennedys. He’s a great man with a megaphone!

YOU’VE WORKED TOGETHER ON VARIOUS THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AS WELL AS THE RACE. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SIBLING RELATIONSHIP?

We come from a scattered but very close family. John and I are here in Copenhagen and our brother Tommy lives in Barcelona. We also have two

• 15:30: Onstage entertainment begins

• 17:45: Parade returns • ROUTE: Rådhuspladsen – Vester Voldgade – Stormgade – Vindebrogade – Højbro Plads Gammelstrand – Nybrogade – Rådhusstræde – Gammeltorv – Nytorv – Slutterigade – Lavendelstræde – Vester Voldgade – Rådhuspladsen • INFO: info@stpatricksday. dk, stpatricksday.dk local Copenhageners alike. It has indeed become a Copenhagen event that people look forward to and make their own. sisters back home in Ireland. Our younger sister Gráinne has been coming over to help with the race for many years now. She used to work as a Garda (police) in Ireland so she’s very handy with crowd control.

AND WHERE CAN WE GET A PAIR OF YOUR FAMOUS GREEN BOOTS?

You mean the furry ones? I have a few pairs of green boots. My wardrobe is full of green clothes, so it’s difficult to narrow down. It’s just not a good day if I’m not wearing green.

NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

Muslims feel looked down upon

ONLINE THIS WEEK Ghost homes

Suing the state THE FAMILY of the German woman killed after her car was hit by a rock, which was thrown off a motorway bridge in Funen last August, has decided to sue the Danish state.

Bomb-making charges A 25-YEAR-OLD Somali man in Aarhus has denied charges he helped produce bombs that were found in the basement of a house following a four-month police investigation.

A third think it affects their employment chances, and four-fifths think it’s got worse in the past decade

ISTOCK

AROUND 2,500 homes are abandoned in rural areas every year. In most cases, they are left to the children of elderly people who do not want them and cannot sell them. Around 60,000 homes stand empty nationwide, and the cost of demolishing them is over 3 billion kroner.

OME 37 PERCENT of Denmark’s 280,000 Muslims feel they are looked down upon in Danish society due to their religion, according to a Megafon survey for Politiken and TV2. Some 50 percent disagreed they were looked down upon, while 64 percent agree they can practise their religion in Denmark as they please, with only 15 percent disagreeing. Furthermore, 33 percent say their background makes it hard to find employment, and 80 percent agree that the view of Islam and Muslims has declined over the past decade.

It would appear the situation has worsened since the Cartoon Crisis in 2006

large diasporas in Denmark.

RAT INFESTATIONS in Aarhus have increased by 80 percent in four years, from 4,416 in 2013 to 8,011 in 2016.

Apostasy Facebook group MEANWHILE, an ex-Muslim has created a Facebook group to give others who have left the religion a platform where they can find support, particularly as some experience harassment and violence. Abdikani Josef, 28, who was a

radicalised Muslim in his teenage years, said he also wants ‘ExMuslims of Denmark’ to help those who lose contact with family, networks and friends due to their decision. As of 2016, a total of 16 Muslim nations criminalise public apostasy – with some carrying death sentences – and some of these, including Somalia, have

Blasphemy trial IN RELATED news, Denmark will hold its first blasphemy case for 46 years after the state prosecutor’s decision to charge a 42-year-old man from north Jutland with the crime for burning a copy of the Koran in 2015. It’s the first time since 1971

that a person in Denmark has been charged with blasphemy, and only the fourth time in history. The man published a video on the internet in December 2015 of himself burning a Koran in his garden, along with the text: “Think of your neighbour, it stinks when it burns.” (CPH POST)

Elderly free to drive

More cons and conscripts

Easier to steal?

The wrong wife

Bilingual kid classes

Capital for rats

ISTOCK

A safe pair of hands?

Locked up with adults

Passenger deterrent

Copy and redfaced

Help is at hand

THE GOVERNMENT is removing a requirement for elderly drivers to be checked by a doctor before their licences can be renewed. Currently, drivers over the age of 75 must be examined every two years to renew their licence, and the over-80s every year. Meanwhile, the latest week-long nationwide traffic campaign targeted cyclists driving on pavements and ignoring pedestrian crossings, as well as scooter riders breaking the speed limit and not wearing a helmet. In 2015, 26 cyclists and 19 moped riders lost their lives in accidents.

MORE CHILDREN can be found in the prison system. On any given day in 2016, there were 14 minors in prison, compared to nine in 2014, reports the Justice Ministry. In most cases judges place the children in prison to ensure they don’t try to escape custody. Some of them might end up in the armed services, as now government coalition party Konservative has called for the conscription of 8,000 youths a year, nearly double the 2016 figure of 4,179. Elsewhere, Sweden has confirmed it is bringing back conscription for the first time since 2010.

WHILE bicycle thefts continue to fall, the number of stolen prams has never been higher. Last year there were 52,465 reported bike thefts, down from nearly 80,000 in 2009. Experts blame falling crime rates, better security and fewer police reports because they only tend to investigate 0.9 percent of all cases. However, crime is alive and kicking when it comes to prams as the number of thefts has soared from 369 in 2012 to over 600 in 2016. Experts concur that parents are spending more money on prams than in previous years.

A SUSPECTED copy and paste incident last October in letters turning down two family reunification applications, both involving couples from Somalia, has been uncovered by Information, suggesting that not enough care is being taken in the process. The letters were sent within days of one another, and the name of the first rejected applicant’s wife appeared in the second letter. Additionally, the wording and justification for the rejection were almost identical. The name of the second applicant’s wife was correct later in the document.

OVER 44 percent of bilingual students from a non-Western background who started school in 2015 needed special help to improve their Danish skills, according to Copenhagen Municipality. And now a proposed government bill would enable local authorities to make language assessments of children as young as two and give them the opportunity to attend a daycare facility if need be. Only 11.7 percent of students with Danish or Western backgrounds in kindergarten in 2015 required a ‘special or focused’ effort to get better at Danish.

READ THE REST OF THESE STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

NEWS

10 - 23 March 2017

ONLINE THIS WEEK Billion euro brains

Midwife on line THE 1813 CALL reporting the symptoms of a 17-year-old who died of meningitis on January 1 was handled by a midwife not a doctor, it has emerged. Experts contend that a doctor would have recognised the symptoms.

Fowl expiry date ANYONE who has purchased chicken thighs at a Rema 1000 should check the expiry date. Packages marked 9 June 2017 should be returned as the correct date should have been March 9.

World Bank assessment follows similar plaudits from World Energy Council CHRISTIAN WENANDE

CCORDING to a new report from the World Bank, Denmark has the best energy policies and regulations in the world. Denmark scored 94 out of 100 on the World Bank’s RISE (Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy) Index thanks to a score of 100 in the ‘Energy Access’ category, 86 for ‘Energy Efficiency’ and 94 for ‘Renewable Energy’.

DANISH poultry can once again be exported and traded abroad following a three-month quarantine period implemented due to the discovery of avian influenza type H5N8.

A proud minister “IT MAKES me very proud that Denmark can once again put on the global green leader jersey as the nation with the best framework for sustainable energy in the world,” said Lars Christian Lilleholt, the energy and climate minister. “Last autumn, the World Energy Council rated our energy system as the world’s best, and that has once again been confirmed by this big analysis by the World Bank.”

Dangers of Mor smoking

Deadly spider at large

No poultry matter

ISTOCK

THREE British-based brain researchers have been awarded the Brain Prize, the 1 million euro Lundbeck Foundation award, for their research into how learning is associated with the reward system of the brain.

World’s best energy policies

They might be out of sync, but the whole of Denmark’s in tune, says World Bank

Somalian woe CANADA was ranked second in the index with a score of 91 overall, followed by the US (91) the Netherlands (90) and Germany (89). The UK (88), Romania (87), the Czech Re-

public (86), France (86) and Italy (86) completed the top 10. Other notables included South Korea with a score of 85, Australia, Japan and Sweden (82), China (81), Russia (77), Brazil (72) and India (70).

At the opposite end of the spectrum, Somalia came last with a score of just 5, while Haiti (11), Mauritania (13), Sierra Leone (14) and Chad (14) weren’t much better.

More bears than thought

WWII plane found

Bacteria multiplying

NASA pic of the week

STD not going away GONORRHOEA cases continue to climb, reports the Statens Serum Institut. Last year there were 1,993, up from 1,637 in 2015 and an average of 952 between 2011 and 2015.

Cancer plan in action PATIENTS can from this month finally make use of the 2.2 billion kroner Kræftplan IV, a four-year cancer plan originally revealed in 2015.

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GERMAN FEDERAL ARCHIVES

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JOÃO P. BURINI

RESEARCHERS at Rigshospitalet have discovered that the children of mothers who smoked during pregnancy have fewer optic nerves.

AN IMAGE from NASA’s Terra satellite beautifully illustrated the 5-12 cm of snow that landed in a 100 km-wide belt across the middle of Denmark on February 23.

At large in Kolding

Easy now the ice has gone

Granddad knew his planes

Denmark’s unseen peril

IT IS BELIEVED that a deadly Brazilian Wandering Spider is on the loose in Kolding after surviving the trip hidden in a bunch of bananas. A 16-year-old girl ‘awakened’ the stowaway last week whilst eating a banana. A cocoon fell into her hand, which she away, at which point it opened and she threw saw it was a spider. And then two days later she threw spotted a big spider under the radiator, and when the family googled it, they discovered its true nature: that it causes more fatalities than any other species, and that it also known as the Banana Spider. (RW)

THERE are more polar bears in north Greenland than expected. Recent counts suggest there are 2,820 and 357 bears in the Baffin Bay and Kane Bassin areas, significantly more than the 2,173 and 164 counted back in the 1990s. However, Erik W Born, an expert responsible for the count, said the ‘90s figures were inaccurate and that the bears’ existence is still under threat. Born said that some of the bears have been reaping the rewards of global warming as the ice pack had broken up and provided them with more food sources. (CW)

A FARMER and his son have discovered the remains of a German WWII aircraft buried in one of their fields. The find, which included the remains of the dead pilot and ammunition, was made using a metal detector near Aabybro in north Jutland. Farmer Klaus Kristiansen said that his grandfather had told him that a German plane had crashed in a field behind the farm during World War II, so he thought it would be fun to look for debris as part of his son’s school project. It got less fun, though, when they found human bone fragments. (CW)

DOCTORS in Denmark are registering lots more cases involving the multi-resistant bacterias CPE (carbapenemaseproducing Enterobacteriaceae) and VRE (Vancomycin-resistant enterococci), as well as the dreaded ‘flesh-eating bacteria’, which was not named in a report by Ekstra Bladet, but is believed to be necrotising fasciitis. CPE cases have increased 12-fold since 2012, and VRE hospital admissions seven-fold. While over the past 20 years, the number of cases of the ‘flesh-eating bacteria’ has risen from five per year to over 100. (CW)

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NEWS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK Golden Four is history DENMARK has scrapped its men’s lightweight coxless fours – ‘Guldfiren’ (‘The Golden Four’) – following world rowing’s discontinuation of the race class. Since the discipline’s introduction at Atlanta ‘96, Guldfiren had medalled every time, winning three golds, a silver and two bronzes.

Charlize to the rescue ROLAND Møller, a star in Denmark’s Oscar-nominated film ‘Under Sandet’, was held for hours at LA International Airport where he was grilled about his gang culture past. Eventually his interrogator found an online photo of him and Charlize Theron and gave him a visa.

New handball coach NIKOLAJ Jacobsen will replace Gudmundur Gudmundsson as the coach of the Danish national handball team and take charge for the May and June qualifiers. Jacobsen, who has signed a fouryear deal, will stay on as coach of German champs Rhein-Neckar Löwen until 2019.

10 - 23 March 2017

Noma rewards its soul man Gambian dishwasher Ali Sonko made a partner in business

FC COPENHAGEN has drawn Ajax in the last 16 of the Europa League after beating Bulgarian outfit Ludogorets Razgrad. The Lions will host the Dutch giant on March 9 and then travel to Amsterdam a week later.

Raining Michelin stars DESPITE Noma’s closure, Denmark has increased its number of Michelin stars, earning 29 for 25 restaurants. Five have been recognised for the first time, with eateries outside the major cities in the likes of Fredericia, Hørve and even the Faroe Islands getting in on the act.

Striking fear into opponents

Like father, like Sonko SONKO has been with Redzepi, whose Macedonian father worked as a dishwasher when he arrived in the country, every step of the way, including a memorable trip to London in 2010 to claim Noma’s first world’s best restaurant award – or in spirit anway. Due to visa restrictions,

Sonko was unable to travel, so the ten Noma staff who did attend wore t-shirts bearing his face. Two years later, Sonko made the victory speech. “Ali is Noma’s soul. I do not think people understand how much it means to have someone in the house like Ali, who is always happy and smiling, no matter how it’s going with his 12 children,” said Redzepi, according to Berlingske.

Bet 365 facing the heat

Reasons to be hacked off

Goliath slays David

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

MICHELIN 2017 THREE STARS:

BEN HAMILTON

HE WORLD’S media have been falling over one another to get the story of Ali Sonko, the 62-year-old Gambian dishwasher who René Redzepi has made a partner in Noma. The owner and head chef made the announcement a day after Noma enjoyed its last days of operations at Strand Street 93 in Christianshavn on February 24, where it had been based since 2003, ahead of its move to a new location later in the year.

• Geranium

TWO STARS: • AOC • Henne Kirkeby Kro

ONE STAR • • • • • •

108 Domestic Ti Trin Ned Dragsholm Slot Koks Kong Hans Kælder

CAFEHACK.DK

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AUSSIE-DANISH singer Anja Nissen will represent Denmark at Eurovision after winning the Danish contest with her song ‘Where I Am’. Nissen, whose parents are both Danes but was raised in Oz, had previously finished second in 2016.

DENMARK is no longer interested in co-hosting Euro 2024 or 2028 as part of a Nordic bid that Sweden and Norway had already abandoned. Denmark is due to host three games in Euro 2020.

Wild Thing’s coming! TWO-TIME major winner John Daly will play in Made in Denmark in northeastern Jutland in late August.

Mother of all locations MOTHER Restaurant, a pizza joint in the Meatpacking District in Vesterbro, has confirmed to CPH POST that it was “headhunted” to open a new outlet in the redeveloped Battersea Power Station in London.

DANISH eSports team Astralis won another Counter-Strike: Global Offensive title on Sunday night, underlining its status as world number one and scooping 730,000 kroner in prize money.

Snapped up by Sharks NHL PLAYER Jannik Hansen, 30, has been traded by the Vancouver Canucks to the San Jose Sharks after ten years with the Canadian club. He will join forces with Mikkel Bødker.

No more Johnny Cash ROSKILDE Festival will be cashless when it opens this year. Organisers said it was no longer worth the expense.

Snubbed by Saints

His final service

Nordic Euro bid over

FCK to face Ajax

Frederiksmind Marchal Clou Studio Relæ Den Røde Cottage Kokkeriet Era Ora Formel B Kiin Kiin Søllerød Kro Kadeau Kadeau Bornholm Restaurant Frederikshøj Gastromé Substans

Aussie on song

BADMINTON legend Erland Kops has died at the age of 80; Jazz pianist Horace Parlan has died at the age of 86; and Danish Resistance fighter Jørgen Kieler has died at the age of 97.

ONLINE THIS WEEK

They’re the pits of the world

Hack’s backpacking days over

No match for FCK’s reserves

YOU KNEW where you stood with Danske Spil! The slip of paper in your hand didn’t lie. But then along came a new gambling act in January 2012, which ended its monopoly and opened up the market to other companies. One of these is Bet 365, and it might find it faces opposition next time it tries to renew its licence – the only time when punters can seize the upper hand in their eternal fight against the ‘enemy’. Its nonpayment of a winning bet placed on the recent Super Bowl has outraged punters all over Denmark – and so far its efforts to diffuse the situation have failed. (BH)

DR HAS cancelled its popular Sunday radio program ‘Café Hack’ with immediate effect after it was revealed it had been receiving backhander payments from broadcast venues – a sum believed to be well over 2 million kroner. SK Productions, the company that produces Café Hack for P4 of which the show’s host Søren Dahl is a coowner, asked for money from at least 19 of 36 broadcast sites it broadcast from between 2013 and 2016, according to an investigation by radio station Radio24syv – a clear violation of DR’s guidelines. (RW)

THE PAIRING of Superliga giant FC Copenhagen and third-tier side B93 in the Danish Cup on March 1 might not have sounded like the most inspiring match at first glance, but the contest is loaded with historical consequence and is perhaps the closest local derby in Denmark as their stadiums lie adjacent to one another. However, the game had to be played at Parken despite B93 being the home team, because the DBU deemed Østerbro Stadium unfit for football following the winter break. And in the end, FCK had too much firepower, winning the game 3-0. (CW)

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PIERRE-EMILE Højbjerg was an unused substitute as his side Southampton lost 2-3 to Manchester United in the League Cup Final, despite playing in every game of the cup run.

New accumulator record A PUNTER from Aalborg has set a new record for the highest ever accumulator bet. Seven correct predictions earned him odds of 179,974/1. Tragically, he only had a krone on it.

Two finals, two defeats CAROLINE Wozniacki has lost back-to-back WTA finals, losing to Karolína Plíšková in the Qatar Open, and then to Elina Svitolina in the Dubai Tennis Championships.

BUSINESS

10 - 23 March 2017

ONLINE THIS WEEK Maersk agrees oil deal

Rema’s big plans NORWEGIAN supermarket chain Rema 1000 intends to open 100 stores in the near future to add to its 287.

Vestas top again VESTAS was the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer in 2016, according to research firm FTI Consulting. In 2015, it slipped behind Chinese manufacturer Goldwind.

International ties: Iran, India, IT Silicon Valley visit pays immediate dividends for digitally-minded foreign minister

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MAERSK has agreed to spend 30 million kroner on a full reconstruction of the Thyra field. As part of a deal with the government over the future of oil in the North Sea.

OLLOWING last month’s announcement that international diplomatic relations would no longer be restricted to ties with other countries, Denmark has been busy courting interest in Silicon Valley. Sure, deals with India, Iran and China are also in the offing, but it was the trip of the foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen, to the US in late February that grabbed the headlines, as he seeks to continue a ‘tech diplomacy’ initiative that will include appointing the world’s first digital ambassador.

Smooth-talking in Silicon Valley, delegations in Dehli and trading in Tehran is paying off for Denmark

‘SingularityU Denmark’ will be located at a 5,000 sqm site in Copenhagen Science City and aim to boost Danish digitalisation, innovation and entrepreneurship, providing a number of education and innovation courses.

Google under scrutiny

Growing a network “ARTIFICIAL intelligence, big data, new digital business models and influential tech giants are already present here,” said Samuelsen ahead of touching down in Silicon Valley. “Technical development is generating challenges, opportunities and dilemmas. So we need to grow a network, harvest the knowledge and enter into a dialogue with them.”

THE CONSUMER council Forbrugerrådet Tænk has asked the Danish Data Protection Agency to investigate whether Google is breaking privacy laws by not capping the amount of personal data stored on its servers.

Singularity in Denmark AND THE trip has already paid dividends as the Silicon Valleybased think-tank Singularity University has announced plans to establish a new innovation hub in Copenhagen – only its second outside its HQ.

Growth adviser postings MEANWHILE, the government has announced plans to expand its official co-operation with India and Iran through sustainable urban development and patents regarding products. To this end, the Foreign Ministry intends to deploy growth advisers to the two nations – as well as to new projects in China, Mexico, South Africa and Indonesia, where co-operative measures are already in full swing.

Netting their business

Boeing suing

MOBILEPAY users will soon be able to pay their monthly bills via the app, claims the service. This would provide an alternative to Nets, which manages the pbs payment service that many use to pay their monthly bills. Mobilepay users will be able to pay their bills with just a few swipes of the app and without having to dig out their NEM ID card. Users will be notified the day before the money is taken out of their account and will be able to see which companies are onboard with the system via the app. The service will be free to subscribers, but companies will have to pay to sign up. (RW)

US AIRCRAFT manufacturer Boeing is suing the government for rejecting its bid to produce Denmark’s new fighter aircraft. Boeing’s Super Hornet lost out to a competitor, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter, which will become Denmark’s new fighter. Boeing is bringing the suit against the Defence Ministry because it wants to see the documents that led to the government choosing the F-35 over the Super Hornet – material the government has thus far failed to deliver since being asked six months ago. The lawsuit makes good on a threat made by the company when the decision was announced. (RW)

City construction boom A RECORD 4,300 residential buildings were constructed in Copenhagen in 2016, and nearly 50 billion kroner was invested in the property market. Almost half of the housing projects were located in the Nordhavn, Sydhavn and Ørestad districts.

Project worth billions DENMARK will help India overcome the challenge of providing water to its urban population, which is expected to number 800 million people by 2040. India has 100 billion kroner to spend between 2017 and 2040. Two growth advisers will be deployed to India – one focusing on sustainable urban development in co-operation with Aarhus Municipality and local Indian authorities, while the other will work within energy in tandem with the Energy and Climate Ministry.

ness Ministry, the Danish Patent and Trademark Office, and the Iranian authorities, the growth adviser will focus on patents and trademarks. Aarhus will enter into a cooperation concerning urban development and city planning with the cities of Udaipur in India and Tshwane in South Africa, while Copenhagen will step up its association with Beijing.

Trading smart in Tehran AND IN Iran, Danish exports, political dialogue and university co-operation has been increasing. In collaboration with the Busi-

Chinese tourism boost IN RELATED news, the business minister, Brian Mikkelsen, has returned to China to sign a tourism co-operation deal for 2017, which also includes maritime interests. “If we can attract just a fraction more Chinese to Denmark, it will have a major impact on Danish tourism,” said Mikkelsen.

Danes back EU

Airport’s runway u-turn

SAS could leave Stockholm

DESPITE the recent turmoil regarding Denmark’s Europol exit vote and the Brexit debacle, most Danes would prefer their nation to remain a member state of the EU. A Gallup survey carried out on behalf of Parliament revealed that just 18 percent of Danes want Denmark to exit the EU, while over 40 percent would like to remain as members without reservations or fewer reservations. Meanwhile, a report by consultancy firm Højbjerre Brauer Schultz claims Denmark’s GDP is 5 percent (or 100 billion kroner) higher than it would have been as a non-EU member. (CW)

FOLLOWING criticism from a number of airlines, Copenhagen Airport will postpone the planned closure of its crosswind runway as part of its comprehensive expansion project, Expanding CPH, to cater to 40 million passengers every year. Instead, it will temporarily relocate the runway to another part of the airport’s grounds – at a cost of 300 million kroner – before fully axing it at a later date. The airport originally contended the closure would result in 60 cancellations per year, but SAS estimated it would cause 25 airport closures a year and at least 500 cancelled flights. (CW)

SHOULD Sweden impose an airplane tax from 2018, the Scandinavian airline SAS has threatened to move all intercontinental flights from Stockholm to Copenhagen and Helsinki. SAS claims the tax would lead to an extra 35 million kroner annual tax bill as every one of its intercontinental flights would be taxed 430 Swedish kroner (and European flights 80 kroner). The Swedish government, which wants to reduce the impact of air traffic on the climate, could net 1.75 billion Swedish kroner annually from the tax. SAS fears it would lead to Middle Eastern rivals taking over. (CW)

READ THE REST OF THESE STORIES AT CPHPOST.DK

10 Facing a fascinating challenge at a global company WORK

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

Iker Echave, a Spanish ‘customer service excellence’ at Maersk Line, talks to CPH POST about building a career at the shipping giant ANDREA DOMINGUEZ

WHEN DID YOUR CAREER BEGIN AT MAERSK?

It all started in 2005. I undertook a Maersk internal program, the Maersk International Shipping Education (MISE). While it was for fresh university graduates, we also had people who came directly from high school. It was truly global, and it was without question one of the best learning experiences of my life. Many of us are still with Maersk 12 years later, and even though some of us no longer work for the company, we maintain a friendship and we all keep a very strong emotional attachment to Maersk. These days the GO with Maersk Program targets more senior people, such as MBA graduates, but it maintains some of the principles of MISE, like job rotation and expatriation. The company wants to take people outside of their comfort zone to maximise their learning.

which part of the world he/she is, feels that we take care of their cargo as they would.

SO YOU HAVE WORKED IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES, BUT YOU HAVE RETURNED TO DENMARK. WHY DENMARK AGAIN?

For the great weather! This is my second time in Denmark. I have also previously worked in China on two occasions. I typically follow the best job opportunity that I can find, and of course Denmark, being the head office, is a place with many interesting opportunities. That being said, I think Denmark is a great place. I like the working culture, how safe it is, how clean it is, how welcoming the people are, the healthy lifestyle, and the fact you can bike everywhere. If only it was a little warmer ...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN DENMARK THIS SECOND TIME?

It’s been 18 months.

WHAT’S IT LIKE WORKING AS A FOREIGNER IN A DANISH ENVIRONMENT. HOW INTERNATIONAL IS THE CULTURE OF THE COMPANY?

10 - 23 March 2017

“I think Denmark is a great place. I like the working culture, how safe it is, how clean it is, how welcoming the people are, the healthy lifestyle, and the fact you can bike everywhere. If only it was a little warmer” right people is more important than your performance.

TELL ME THREE THINGS THAT HAVE SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT YOUR WORKING LIFE IN DENMARK

• The respect for personal time and work-life balance. • The respect for timeliness: meetings begin and end on time. • A negative one … I think Denmark does not have a very customer-orientated culture (except at Maersk Line where we love our customers!

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST THING ABOUT WORKING FOR MAERSK?

I work in customer service, so we are the people who try to make the experience of shipping seamless. From the moment you plan a shipment until the cargo is finally delivered, we will be watching to make sure everything goes as plan, preventing surprises and dealing with exceptions when they occur. It is a fascinating challenge when you consider we move 10 million containers a year. I try to help our teams around the globe to optimise our processes and standardise our service delivery, so that a customer, no matter in

Maersk is truly international. In my team, I have colleagues from the Dominican Republic, Germany, Thailand, China, Indonesia, Ukraine and, of course, Denmark. There are probably more than 100 nationalities represented at [the Maersk Line headquarters on] Esplanaden. I think if there is an international company, this is it. I love that about it. I really like the Danish working culture. People are respectful, but straightforward. If they do not agree, they will tell you openly. I can see there is a sense of fairness and justice and typically the best person gets the job. This is not common. In other countries, knowing the

The values and company culture. Maersk is a company genuinely committed to bettering the world, enabling global commerce that has been the catalyst to getting billions of people out of poverty. Maersk is also genuinely concerned about improving its environmental impact. In how we treat people, I have always felt valued and respected. I have met many colleagues who have left Maersk, and with very few exceptions a large majority have positive words about the company and cherish their time there. I think this is one of the

American queuing up

Shortage of skills

ON MARCH 2, a Danish stand at a careers fair at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston was swamped by highlyskilled Americans interested in work. Dansk Industri, Work in Denmark, Copenhagen Capacity and the Technical University of Denmark collaborated at the fair to offer 60 vacancies to the attendees.

MORE COMPANIES are reporting skilled labour shortages, according to Danmarks Statistik. A quarter of plumbers, electricians and IT consultants struggled in 2016, as well as engineering contractors, consulting companies, research services, and specialised construction firms. MPs urge more overseas recruitment.

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR CAREER AT MAERSK?

Iker Echave, the ‘customer service excellence’ at Maersk Line

best things that can be said about a company.

AND WHAT ABOUT WORKING IN DENMARK?

I have only worked for Maersk, but I can say that salaries and working conditions are generally very good, and that the unemployment rate is very low. I would recommend anybody to come here.

days going out together to bars and to have dinner. Spanish people try to make their colleagues their friends, and that comes in very handy when you have had a bad day!

WHICH THREE PIECES OF ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEBODY CONTEMPLATING A CAREER IN DENMARK?

In Spain, people tend to mix personal relationships into business. That can make our days a little longer, but typically we end our

• Learn Danish (I did not!) • Do not limit yourself to jobs where you meet the criteria of the job ad – people look for skills and competences, not specific experiences • Look for a company where you will feel proud to say: “I work here”

Longer stays needed

Rising injuries

Demand for window makers

DANSK Industri recommends extending the researcher tax scheme, which entitles highlyskilled foreign employees who earn at least 63,700 kroner per month to a tax deduction of 26 percent, from five to seven years. According to DI, the extension would help companies be more competitive in attracting and retaining foreign talent.

DESPITE a clear goal to reduce work-related injuries in the construction industry, they have risen by 14 percent since 2011, according to the working environment authority, Arbejdstilsynet. Between 2015 and 2016, the number rose by 6 percent to 5,177, while the number of serious injuries jumped from 625 in 2011 to 734 in 2016.

TEKNISK Skole i Skive, a trade school located in Skive, has developed targeted nine-week courses in co-operation with several window manufacturers and job centres to help students learn about window manufacturing to meet the growing demand. Some companies need as many as 50 new employees.

WHAT DO YOU MISS MORE ABOUT WORKING IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY, SPAIN?

BUSINESS OPINION

10 - 23 March 2017

NEIL SMITH DANISH CAPITAL IN 2017 Neil is a Scottish-educated lawyer with 15 years’ experience in corporate structuring and general commercial matters. Based in Copenhagen, he primarily advises on international deals. Out of the office his interests include sport and politics. His column explores topical international financial and economic issues from a Danish perspective.

Initial optimism IN THE short-term an increase in growth is likely. With control of both Houses of Congress as well as the White House, Republicans will pursue their tax reform agenda – in reality this means significant tax cuts and encouragement for American companies (most notably Microsoft, GE and Apple), which collectively hold $2.5 trillion of cash abroad, to repatriate funds. Also in the pipeline is hefty infrastructure spending – Trump has talked about American infrastructure falling into “disrepair and decay” – although plans are hazy.

PHILIP TEES PERSONAL BUSINESS Philip is a technical writer at a technology company and former business editor at the Copenhagen Post. He has a law degree, but prefers to play with words than Westlaw. Get in touch by following @currently_pt on Twitter or email holla@philiptees.com.

Positive uncertainty BUT MY thoughts returned to this last year. The company I had recently moved to went from having an almost impossibly bright future to bankruptcy within the space of about six months. As the problems emerged, my position (and everyone else’s at the company) began to look very uncertain. This was worrying, but I realised that I was no longer concerned about my own per-

Fleeting success at best SCRATCH beneath the surface though, and this improvement will be transient. Whilst most accept the American tax code needs reform, it is questionable whether the Trump administration will do it in the most efficient way. And the infrastructure spending will likely either be done by paying up front (putting strain on a federal budget deficit already at over 3 percent of GDP) or by deferring the cost by some form of PFI-style financing (pushing the cost onto future generations). No long-term solutions MOST IMPORTANTLY, unless

There’s an idea: the kids in first grade couldn’t do much worse

done cleverly, these are short-term fixes, and there is little sign the Trump administration can solve the underlying problems. It is true that old school manufacturing jobs are under pressure, but this is primarily a result of automation rather than free trade – Germany, despite its exporting prowess, has also seen a significant decline in manufacturing jobs. Visit a production plant today and you see laser-guided technology performing intricate jobs at a furious pace. Even if plants choose the US over Mexico, the days of thousands of men working on a production

line are gone. And Trump’s plan to put a whopping import tax on Mexican goods will lead to several losers – chief amongst them the American consumer. Chronically unskilled ANY ECONOMIC success the administration has is therefore likely to be short-lived unless they focus on the real problems in the economy – amongst them a chronic shortage of modern economy skills amongst bluecollar workers. Ironically, these are the very people whose votes in the Rust Belt put Trump in power.

formance. I was liberated from the thoughts that I might not be good enough and I began producing some of my best work ever. Working on myself I HAD NO fear that I would underperform and get fired (we eventually all got ‘fired’ anyway). My attention turned to making myself more marketable to potential future employers. Everything I wrote became a possible portfolio piece, as well as serving its immediate purpose. I was working harder on myself than on my job. But the thing is, this time I was in a field and a job that I wanted to be in, so working hard on myself aligned with improving my work performance. Do it for you WHEN YOU improve, your employer automatically benefits. And it’s not just about technical (or even work-related) improve-

ISTOCK

FEW YEARS ago I heard a quote by the late motivational speaker Jim Rohn: “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.” The idea was that this ultimately benefitted both you and your employer. At the time, I was on the wrong career path and the quote didn’t work for me. If I were to work on developing myself it would be with a view to being able to leave my job. And this is what eventually happened.

These changes are likely to lead to further cash in the economy and a short-term boom, which is one of the reasons the Dow Jones is currently at a record high. The administration’s aim of 4 percent annual growth could be met initially.

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OLLOWING his surprise victory in November’s election, President Trump now requires focus on his stated aim of ‘Making America Great Again’. In practice this will mean making Americans wealthier, although he seems unlikely to succeed long-term.

You’re important, but post-it notes telling you so is going too far

ments. When you become a better-functioning person your employer wins, because it’s not just your workforce showing up at work, it’s you. The days of working at the same place for your whole career are, for most people, well

and truly over. And the eventual bankruptcy at my last company made me realise that job security is an illusion. You have a duty to your employer and your colleagues to do your best, but you also owe it to yourself to do it for you.

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OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

Above the clouds the sky is blue

N BEIJING last weekend, the National People’s Congress opened with the promise to clear the air so the sky is blue again.

Denmark stuck on taxis IN DENMARK we could do the same, but it is not likely to happen in the near future. The political establishment has agreed on new standard guidelines for taxis. It has a varnish of liberalisation, but in reality it is a conspiration to prevent Uber from taking a market share. If a private person with a nice car wants to offer transport to the public, he has to go through a training program and the car has to undergo technical changes such as the installation of seat sensors and security cameras. It is an example of not paying attention to the disruption that is about to revolutionise the transport sector.

‘Mere te’ Vicar?

Taking over quickly IN A FEW years’ time you will get a fine – not only for speaking into your mobile while driving, but for touching the wheel. Pilot projects testing driverless vehicles are on the way. The transportation of goods will be performed by drones. Buses and trains are to be robotised like the Copenhagen Metro. And it works. Some people swear that they are not entering an airplane without a pilot in the front seat. We understand that on some flights the pilots are forbidden from touching the controls during landing and take-off. Computers are better at it. Our minds are still a bit slow. If it is possible in the sky – then ground transport should be a piece of cake. Getting left behind IT IS ALL happening very fast. But in Copenhagen we are still waiting for our politicians to modernise our infrastructure for the future. Electrify the last railway lines. Ease the taxation on electric cars. Support the share movement so we can have a better utilisation of carparks. Improve the public sector’s use of the internet. The Danes are ready for it. We do not have to wear masks or count the victims in their thousands to understand the importance of a blue sky. The main thing to remember is that the Chinese blue sky is also our blue sky, so we cross our fingers and hope. (ES)

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As the Irish-born vicar of St Alban’s Anglican Church, Darren has a congregation of over two dozen different nationalities (st-albans.dk). Celebrating diversity and building inclusive community are his divine aspirations. And yes – he enjoys a nice cup of tea.

ISTOCK

China done with coal SOME 60 percent of energy production in the People’s Republic is still derived from fossil fuels such as coal, so it is about time. Since more and more of the world’s population are taken to the big cities, pollution will be the given result unless something is done. Among the Chinese parliament’s planned moves is replacing the capital’s taxis with electric cars – all 80,000 of them.

DARREN MCCALLIG

The only items on your Lent menu should be mortality, death and the good book

T SAINT Alban’s Church we are in the middle of the season of Lent.

Activation not abstinence? FOR MANY, this period of 40 days of fasting and abstinence is the perfect time to break unhealthy habits. For example, some people give up cigarettes, while others stay off alcohol or forgo chocolate. In recent times there has also been a move to take things up for Lent. With the evenings finally getting longer and the weather improving, some people begin going for a walk every evening or getting up for a run before work. The goal of all this sacrifice and self-denial is to arrive at Easter (April 16) feeling healthier and happier, with a few inches subtracted from our waistlines and a few years added to our life expectancy. Living on Lent time WHAT A load of nonsense! Lent is not a churchy version of a slimming club or an attempt to reverse the ageing process. In a sense, it is precisely the opposite. Lent is about mortality and death. It is about reassessing our

whole lives in light of the fact that we are mortal, that our time here is limited, and that some day it will come to an end. To underline the point, we began Lent at Saint Alban’s with a ceremony on Ash Wednesday (March 1) where black ashes were rubbed into people’s foreheads with the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” It was a powerful reminder that no amount of jogging can outrun father time and that sooner or later we all have to face the big questions of life and death. The top five regrets ONE PERSON who faced those questions repeatedly and honestly was the Australian palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware. She spent several years caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives and recorded their ultimate concerns in a blog, which later became the bestselling book ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’. Her findings should be essential reading for us all. Ware summarised the number one regret she encountered in her patients as “I wish I’d had

the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” Number two on her list was “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard” – a sentiment she said she had heard from every single male patient she had nursed. Yes, you read that correctly: every single one! The three other top regrets were “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings,” “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends” and “I wish I had let myself be happier.” A bucket full of dust WHAT’S particularly striking about Bronnie Ware’s list is that there is no mention of those achievements and experiences that feature so prominently on so-called ‘bucket lists’. Bungee jumping, scuba diving or travelling to exotic locations do not figure. Instead, it is the inner journey and the courage to plumb our own depths that features most prominently when death approaches and we finally acknowledge the simple truth: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

OPINION

10 - 23 March 2017

VIVIENNE MCKEE

Crazier than Christmas Vivienne McKee, Denmark’s best-known English entertainer, is this country’s most beloved foreign import. Over the last 34 years, hundreds of thousands of Copenhageners have enjoyed her annual Crazy Christmas Cabaret show at Tivoli, marvelling at her unique, wry Anglo wit and charm.

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Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD “Magic mirror, on the wall, who’s the orangest of them all?”

VERYONE remembers where they were when Kennedy was assassinated or when Princess Diana was killed, and now we all know where we were when we heard that Trump was elected president. If, like me, you had been living on a diet of late-night American chat shows – you might have thought it was a joke. Now after seven weeks in office, we know it is a joke. Sheriff duly elected LAST YEAR when I wrote my annual Crazy Christmas Show, I decided on Robin Hood as my theme so that I could portray the Sheriff of Nottingham as an orange-haired buffoon called Ronald Rump. The opening night of the show was on November 8, which by chance coincided with US Election Night. After a fitful sleep, I woke up to find my computer still running, and I heard the results. I thought I was still listening to a comedy show: “Donald Trump, the 45th president! The leader of the Free World, commander-in-chief ” … the idea was preposterous and the polls had told us that it could never happen! Hillary was ready. She had

already mentally redecorated the Oval Office to expunge all the memories of its ‘Oral Office’ renown. Her emails were clean. But instead of dealing with a woman who deleted her history, we now had a president who could delete ALL history. Front pages around the world reflected the shock. A German newspaper wrote “Bitte Nicht den HORROR CLOWN”, a British newspaper: “HELP!”, and a Mexican newspaper: “FUUUUCK!” Comic gold (and orange) SO IS THERE a silver lining to this unforeseen and, to many minorities, terrifying result? While President Trump lined up his family for the most embarrassing inauguration in American history and the first lady tottered around in her three-inch heels, comedy writers paused for breath. It was the eye of the storm. But now the comedy world has jumped back into the ring, ridiculing his inarticulate utterances, outrageous untruths, moronic family and billionaire cabinet. Not since the loved-up days of Thatcher and Reagan sparked

an avalanche of satire, have we had so much material for comedy. Rump will be back! SOME PEOPLE say we should ignore him because it is attention that he craves. But how can we ignore the most powerful leader in the world – particularly one who has his finger on the nuclear button, a hotline to Putin and a belief that journalistic freedom should be censored? We can’t. Perhaps a tsunami of ridicule will even trickle through to his confused supporters, who accept the headline that he can “Make America Great Again” stamped across the front page of the Klu Klux Klan’s newspaper. Comedy aside, basic truthtelling has now become an act of resistance. Private Eye, the British satirical magazine, showed an inaugurated Trump swearing on the Bible: “I swear to tell the post-truth, the alternative truth and nothing like the truth.” Although I had other ideas for this year’s Crazy Show, I’ve resolved to find the silver lining and reinvent my buffoon, Ronald Rump. And the theme? Well – watch this space!

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

ABOUT TOWN

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

Princess Benedikte, the queen’s sister, was the guest of honour (left) at the official opening of the new 25,000 sqm Copenhagen International School campus at Levantkaj 4-14 in Nordhavn on March 7, where she was welcomed by CIS headteacher Jennifer Weyburn (in dark red). The school’s 930 children (centre – not quite all of them!) have been using the spacious colour-coded building since January 9. The campus incorporates innovative architecture and cutting edge pedagogy to provide an inclusive community where it can educate the citizens of the future with an emphasis on sustainable living. Among the other dignitaries present were (right: left-right) Maersk owner Ane Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla, CIS chair Brit van Ooijen, the princess, Copenhagen mayor Frank Jensen and Merete Riisager, the minister of education

Turkish ambassador Mehmet Donmez is leaving these shores, and on March 2, many members of the diplomatic corps assembled at Hofteatret for a farewell concert and reception at which the dean of the diplomatic corps, Ivory Coast ambassador Mina Marie Laurent-Baldé, presented him with a leaving gift, a beautiful painting (centre). Among those in attendance were (right: left-right) were Serbian ambassador Dragana Ivanovic, Croatian ambassador Frane Krnic, Romanian ambassador Mihai-Alexandru Gradinar, Laurent-Baldé and Slovenian ambassador Tone Kajzer

Japanese ambassador Toshiro Suzuki (left: left) was among those in attendance at a wagyu seminar at the Admiral Hotel, one of many events being held this year to mark the 150th anniversary of the commencement of official relations between his country and Denmark. Live culinary demonstrations and talks were followed by an opportunity to sample the Japanese beef delicacy

Bangladesh ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhit was among the attendees at the ‘Doing Business in Bangladesh’ business forum at Asia House on February 28. He appears to have picked up a copy of the new CPH POST magazine Diplomacy

The cast of ‘After Miss Julie’, along with their director Ian Burns (right), took a well-deserved bow following their premiere on February 22. The run continues until March 25 – check out our review on page 21

The ’Danish’ city of Solvang in California was well represented at the US Travel Show held at the Tivoli Hotel on March 6

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10 - 23 March 2017

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

HE DTU Exiles RUFC 2017 season kicks off in March, and the men’s and women’s teams are once again hopeful they can unearth some talent in the international community and further afield.

If you think you’ve got what it takes – and let’s face it, you can be any size and there’s a position for you in this sport – then come along and try it out free of charge at one of the training sessions on Tuesdays (men’s: 18:00; women’s: 19:30)

and Thursdays (both 18:00) at the DTU in Lundtofte, a few miles north of Copenhagen. As well as playing hard on the pitch, the Exiles have a great social life, and they are no stranger to foreign tours, like the one to a beach rugby event in Helsing-

ALL PHOTOS: EXILES

OUT AND ABOUT

borg last summer (top right). While the team is the university’s official rugby club, it is not limited solely to DTU students or employees but open to everyone, insists club member Becky Hansen. “We have a mix of students,

LARRY D MOORE

NOEL NILSSON

JENNY MEALING

Can’t wait for street food season? Kødbyens Mad & Marked x Rebel Food has a preview of this summer’s truck foods, drinks and music (March 11, 11- 20:00; Den Røde Plads, Cph N; free adm)

Learn to use your voice in yoga to release tension. Discover how singing and movement combined can give you better focus (March 12, 12:00-15:00; the Yoga Flat, Christianshavns Torv 2, Cph K; 250kr)

It doesn’t matter if you have never tried the tango, as teachers Connie Yndal and Jørgen Erik Assentoft will help you fall in love with it. No partners needed! (March 11, 20:00; Absalon, Sønder Boulevard 73, Cph V; 50kr)

COMPANY PHOTO

Need a mind detox? This 48hr Ego & Negativity Detox with Clayton John Ainger will help you learn how to live without pain and stop sabotaging your live with negative thoughts (March 17-19; Be Moved (Studio Nia), Suomisvej 2, Frederiksberg; 3,000kr)

Expand your job network! Meet more than 100 companies at Karrieredagene and identify your dream job! Participate in lectures and get professional advice to improve your CV (March 10, 10:00-16:00; Forum, Frederiksberg; free adm for students/newly graduates)

Start the week laughing at the ICC improvised comedy show, which every Monday uses personal contributions from the audience as inspiration (every Mon 20:00; Improv Comedy Copenhagen, Frederiksholms Kanal 2, Cph K; 80kr)

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Take part in leadership conversations at an event hosted by Accenture Management Consulting (March 15, 17:30-20:00; Flæsketorvet 68, Cph V; free adm, register at Eventbrite.com)

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COMING UP SOON

full-time workers, Danes and foreigners from over 15 different countries!” she says. Find out more by emailing seniors@exiles.dk or ladies@ exiles.dk, or visiting exiles.dk and the club’s Facebook page. DAVE SMITH

Bike problems? Perhaps it’s time for you to learn how to fix your own bike. Bring your bike and participate in this Bicycle Repair Workshop (March 19, 15:00-17:00; Æbeløgade 4, Cph Ø; 59kr)

Craving pancakes? Join the Dutch pancake night party and go crazy! After all the cooking the party continues at a bar/club (March 11, 19:00; Bedwood Hostel, Cph K; free adm) ANDREA DOMINGUEZ

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HISTORY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

The junk playground – Denmark’s eco-contribution to outdoor school education Playing and learning in the great outdoors is a popular form of schooling in Scandinavia, and its origins go back to the 19th century STEPHEN GADD

UTDOOR schools of various kinds are becoming increasingly popular. They are a good way of making children aware of the environment as a whole and their part in it and also afford opportunities for healthy exercise. Although its origins can be traced back to the 19th century, the modern outdoor school seems to have originated in Scandinavia. In addition, Denmark also has the distinction of inventing the ‘junk playground’ (skrammellegepladsen). The first one of these was founded in Emdrup in 1943 during the dark days of the German Occupation of Denmark. John Bertelsen, who ran it, had been trained at a teacher training college where a free and anti-authoritarian atmosphere prevailed. Radical ideas and new thinking were encouraged, as was a critical view of capitalism: “Mankind is good, but his development is hampered by the culture of the bourgeois society.” Many of the students looked forward to a future socialist utopia. It is perhaps not surprising that Bertelsen spent three months in prison for Resistance activities. Developing through play IN THE 1930s, cultural radicals advocating for reformist ideas in pedagogy were questioning the prevailing wisdom that it was necessary for adults to force knowledge into children. Rather, they contended, the children themselves should be allowed to develop naturally – and this included using play. These ideas can be traced back to those of the 18th century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who formulated the concept of the ‘natural human’. Ole Schultze Henriksen, an academic who worked in junk playgrounds for 20 years and who has written a history of them, says that the ideas behind them were formed by the landscape architect Carl Theodor Sørensen. “He thought that children didn’t need conventional play

The country was under occupation, but these kids had their own narrative in Emdrup

furniture such as climbing frames or slides; they should just be given earth, pieces of wood, bricks and shovels,” Henriksen told CPH POST. Sørensen’s goal, continued Henriksen, was to create a place where children were able to be creative and play where “they can dream and fantasise and make their dreams and fantasies real”. Sørensen wanted to give urban children the same possibilities as those enjoyed by children growing up in the country. This, of course, is very much in tune with the ideas of Friedrich Froebel, the creator of the kindergarten, which literally means ‘children’s garden’. Moreover, ‘kindergarten’ signifies both a garden for children as a location where they can observe and interact with nature, but also a garden of children, where they themselves can grow and develop in freedom from arbitrary imperatives. Outdoor schools today JUNK PLAYGROUNDS in the form in which they were originally conceived have more or less ceased to exist. Many of them have been demolished and the remaining ones are now under the auspices of after-school clubs.

“In my opinion, the playgrounds have lost the originality, strength and idealism that they once had, so today, it is difficult to distinguish them from ‘normal’ children’s day institutions,” contended Henriksen. However, some of the ideas of the educational reformers from the past do live on, and outdoor schools embrace some of that spirit of adventure and ‘hands on’ teaching methods designed to reconnect children with nature and the natural world. ‘Outdoor school’ or ‘nature school’ is a broad term that describes regular teaching taking place in nature or in cultural surroundings. This can mean in woods, parks, in the local community, firms, museums and on farms. It is an extension and supplement to normal schooling activities and is characterised by teachers making use of the local environment when teaching specific subjects and curriculum areas. For example, natural objects can be incorporated into projects in mathematics or literature and visits to culturally important sites bring history lessons to life. According to Niels EjbyeErnst, a researcher at the University of Copenhagen, the

first record of a Danish outdoor school is from 1950, when Ella Flatau started a ‘walking kindergarten’ that included a daily hike in the woods as part of the curriculum. Within a few years, mothers began organising schools that transported their children from Copenhagen’s congested neighbourhoods into the countryside. The concept has now been extended to older children, as more and more schools have started introducing curriculum-based outdoor learning as a weekly or fortnightly ‘outdoor school’ day for children aged 7-16. Do they work? CASE STUDIES have shown that teaching across multiple platforms can foster better relations between children and between children and teachers in a class. Experienced outdoor-school teachers all emphasise that the system is very good at motivating children. Most of them point out that the variation offered by outdoor schools contributes to a large number of children actually enjoying going to school. They also say that children become more actively communicative when they are at an outdoor school.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF OLE SCHULTZE HENRIKSEN

What do the kids think? IN 2015, A SURVEY was carried out to ascertain what the children who attended outdoor schools thought of them. The survey gathered data from 689 children from seven schools throughout Denmark. The vast majority of children who were asked completed the survey. The survey concluded that Danish children are positive about outdoor schools. Some 77 percent of the children agreed with the precept ‘I like tuition when we have outdoor school’ and 68 percent agreed that ‘I look forward to outdoor school’. It was not only age-specific, as both young and older children said they enjoyed outdoor school. However, the survey did show (perhaps unsurprisingly) that boys enjoy outdoor school more than girls, although both sexes enjoy the learning process at an outdoor school. The boys also found it easier to concentrate on teaching and to remember what they’ve learnt. So maybe Rousseu et al were really on to something, and the concept has a future after all?

INTERVIEW

10 - 23 March 2017

War on witchcraft: Anja doesn’t need an army to make a difference CPH POST catches up with the famous aid worker to find out about her work in Africa after being voted the most influential person in the world in 2016

in 1500s. Even in Denmark, hundreds of women were killed for being witches. So before we start pointing fingers, we need to look and see why they are doing this. We want the villagers to know that we are there to help, but also that they should follow the law.

AMELIA AXELSEN

Date at the Hard Rock THE CPH Post got a chance to interview her as she’s back in Denmark attending fundraising events for her NGO. One of these is taking place at the Hard Rock Café Copenhagen on March 23, at which the Danish band Pretty Maids will be giving a performance (see factbox).

ARE YOU CURRENTLY GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM DENMARK AND NIGERIA?

Yes, I live partly in Denmark and

GREN LOVEN

A new perspective FOR LOVEN, becoming an aid worker did not happen over night. Establishing her NGO, DinNødhjælp, and her experience with Hope, the boy in the picture whom she later named, has helped shape her worldview. Her experiences have led to her being more grateful to the Danish government and her rich life in Denmark – something she believes Danes don’t always understand. Loven remains busy these days, risking her life for advocacy campaigns to teach local communities in Nigeria the dangers of witchcraft and running the new childcare centre she just built.

WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE?

FACEBOOK @ ANJA RING

ANISH native Anja Ringgren Loven, 38, captivated the world more than a year ago when a photo of her giving water to an emaciated toddler, who had been banished by his community due to centuries-old superstitions in Nigeria, circulated the globe. The picture went viral, garnering thousands of shares and likes on Facebook, and once again put childhood poverty in Nigeria at the forefront of international headlines. Despite being declared the ‘Most Influential Person’ by OOOM Magazine in 2016 – beating Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama, and Malala Yousafzai, who were among those ranked in the top ten – Loven remains modest and humbled by the injustice she’s encountered in Nigeria.

partly at my children’s centre in Nigeria. My son, David Jr, my husband and I travel a lot because we live in both countries. But at the moment, we are spending more time in Denmark. The last four years have changed a lot for me because I get booked for a lot of conferences in Denmark to talk about my experiences and why I established my own NGO. I also do a lot of fundraising events in Denmark and a little bit in other countries.

HOW DID YOU GET WHERE YOU ARE TODAY?

Six years ago I went from being a manager of a clothing store to becoming an aid worker in Tanzania and Malawi. It was a big jump from one world to another. I quit my job and sold my apartment and all my belongings to get rid of material things, which gave me the freedom to do what I wanted and freedom economically. I lived on my sister’s couch, so I could save money to travel. It was the sacrifice I needed to make to follow my dreams and make a difference for children in Africa.

WERE YOU ALWAYS INTERESTED IN HELPING PEOPLE IN AFRICA?

I have always been fascinated by Africa. When I was a small girl, my mother always told me to “think about the children starv-

ing in Africa”, so I was always fascinated by African culture and thinking about the children. At a young age I always wanted to help people who needed help. My mom worked at an elderly home and I always saw how she took care of the people there, and she always told me to help the weak people in society. My mom is one of the reasons I’m doing what I’m doing today. She was diagnosed with cancer and died when I was 23, so it took a while for me to overcome that and begin my NGO work. You never know where life will take you.

HOW HAS LANDING THE NUMBER ONE SPOT ON OOOM MAGAZINE’S ‘MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE LIST’ CHANGED YOU?

They sent me an email and told me that I was among the people they were interested in. When I saw the email I was happy they were nominating me, but I never gave it a thought again, nor did I think I would get number one. For me, I’m very modest, because I would never be where I am today if it was not for the hard work of my NGO, my staff, and of course my husband. When I got the number one I shared that with everyone else, because I’m not alone in this. I’m very proud, but it has not changed me. I wish

it was not my name as number one but the name of my NGO in Nigeria. It gives our NGO a lot of trust and acknowledgment.

WHAT DOES YOUR NGO DO?

We have just built a big children’s centre with our own hospital, a school, a girls’ hostel, boys’ hostel, large kitchen and office. We wanted to build a place where we can save a lot of children. We have 40 children now – two years ago we had 10 children. We want to bring an end to children being tortured and killed due to the old superstition of witchcraft.

Pastors from the Pentecostal Church and witch doctors take advantage of this ignorance and will tell the villagers that their child is a witch and they demand money for an exorcism. UNICEF reported recently that 10,000 children a year will be affected and tortured by witchcraft. It is illegal to brand a child a witch, but just because you make a law, it isn’t always implemented in Nigeria. This is a problem because the government doesn’t do anything to help. Nigeria has a corrupt government and a lot of people are involved in taking advantage of this superstition. This is why advocacy is so important, but we need to be very careful as the Nigerian government will take your licence, your children or even kill you if you talk poorly about the government. We have to be very diplomatic.

HOW CAN DANES GET INVOLVED IN YOUR ORGANISATION?

They can go to our website and become a member, which is a big help. Also, donations and volunteers are helpful. In order to be a volunteer though, they must apply. Danes can help in many ways.

HOW DO YOU STOP CHILDREN FROM BEING BRANDED ‘WITCHES’ BY THEIR COMMUNITY?

In order to help these children we have to do a lot of advocacy work and meet with the villagers face-to-face. That’s where we talk to the people and tell them children aren’t witches. The only way to do this is to promote the importance of education. The reason why children are being branded witches is due to ignorance and poverty. People don’t have any opportunity to put their own children in school and are very poor. No development will happen without the children being in school. These people are living like people did in Europe

PRETTY MAIDS CHARITY CONCERT • Where: Hard Rock Café, Rådhuspladsen 45-47, Cph K • When: March 23, 18:3023:55 • Tickets: 275kr, ticketmaster.dk • Event description: The famous Danish hard rock/heavy metal band are performing a fundraiser concert for Anja Ringgren Loven´s charitable organisation DINNødhjælp

RESTAURANT

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

Celebrating 130 years of this delectable spectacle WALLMANS DINNER SHOW

Cirkusbygningen, Jernbanegade 8, Cph V; performances Thu-Sat 17:30-23:00, nightclub opens at 23:30; adults 399-999kr, under18s half price if accompanied by an adult, group discounts available; 3316 3700; wecare@ wallmans.com; wallmans.dk CHRIS DOLPHIN

ETWEEN four courses the cast and crew of ‘Flashback’, the latest Wallmans dinner theatre performance, offer up delights and spectacle whose quality is without question. What a night!

What an opening! FOR OVER 130 years Wallmans has been thrilling audiences, and in their opening number they bring some of that past to life asking the audience to indulge in a little ‘Pure Imagination’ with a song medley that sets the stage perfectly for an evening adrift in song and marvels. What began with a showstopping rendition of the ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ classic, which featured LED horses shouldered by cast members and fire-swallowing by the renowned Maryanne, ended with an equally remarkable rendition of the original ‘At Wallmans Tonight’ melody, which showcased the astonishing vocal talents of the entire cast. As the opening number comes to a close, the lights are raised in the large theatre hall and the audience is asked to join the company of Wallmans in a toast to the evening and to the enduring legacy of the building. My companion and I gratefully acquiesced with a flavourful house Chardonnay. Four hours and eight titillating and impressive performances followed as the artists, ever attentive and charming, flew between stage and tables to mingle and serve the audience our various courses. A little bit of everything THE SECOND routine of the evening was a Bruno Mars medley that had the Wallmans cast don the swagger, ease, and charisma of the famous Honolulu native. With the vocal talent to

PHOTOS: JON NORDDAHL

back it up, the medley proved to be a fantastic pairing with my soup, a seasonal blend of cream and spice. After the soup came a starter that consisted of kimchi salad, a spring roll, a cheese truffle and a sword-swallowing act. In between savory bites I found myself holding my breath as Maryanne worked her way through her act accompanied by Wallmans pianist Casper. Another act passed before the main course, which arrived just as David Hammarberg began his

aerial performance. Consisting of an exquisitely baked chévre with beetroot, fried walnuts and fried pasta from Alsace, it came to the table steaming. The chévre melted in my half-open mouth as Hammarberg twirled and spun 20 feet from where I was seated. By then we were opening the Campanile red and it was a welcome change as was the satisfying crunch of the fried pasta. A celebration of life AFTER dinner came the Chapel of Love number, in which the

audience is invited to join in celebration of the anniversaries, birthdays and special occasions that have brought many guests to the Wallmans theatre. One guest, Micah, was even coerced into accompanying the cast on stage and donned a wedding gown as we toasted again. Finally dessert, and with it came the Dou Creative number. Modern day strongmen Zbigniew and Michał astonish with their unexpected and intense routine that made me

think twice about indulging in the chocolate almonds, delicious banana mousse, and chocolate cupcake that came as our culinary closer. The last act, a tour de force of ‘80s legends, was complemented by coffee, and at just the right time as the tunes of Run DMC and Paula Abdul had my head bobbing and shoulders grooving. It was a night to remember, full of sights and delights that are rarely found under the same roof. Here’s to another 130 years!

INOUT: WHAT’S ON

10 - 23 March 2017

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

BEN HAMILTON

BENJAMIN Stender is the chauffeur stuck between the motherly affections of the maid (Johanne Wang-Holm), and the amorous advances of the lady of the house, the eponymous Miss Julie (Maria Winther Nørgaard). The dramatis personae sounds familiar somehow … A moustache borrowed from Errol Flynn doesn’t quite suit

GROUP SHOW ongoing, ends April 7, Tue-Fri 12:00-16:00, Sat 12:00-16:00; Prince Gallery, Hauser Plads 16 A , Cph K; princegallerycph.com NIKLAS Bruhn graduated from the Funen Art Academy in 2014 and is exhibiting paintings that refer to mythologies, religious narratives and animated films. Matilde Duus graduated from the Roy-

STRUGGLE FOR POWER AND DOMINANCE AFTER MISS JULIE depicts a struggle for power and dominance enacted through a cruel and compulsive game of seduction and repulsion. In an atmosphere of wild revelry and loosened social constraints, Miss Julie and John dance and drink, charm and manipulate each other. She, all hauteur longing for abasement, he, ambitious, polished but coarse – both united in mutual loathing and attraction. By turns seductive and bullying, savage and tender, their intimacy leads to desperate plans and a vision of a life together... Unsure if the morning brings hope or hopelessness, Julie and John find their escape in a final act as sublime and horrific as anything in Greek tragedy. SET IN 1945 in an English country house on the eve of The Labour Party’s landslide victory at the end of the Second World War, this compelling and erotic psychological thriller is inspired by August Strindberg’s once universally banned masterpiece Miss Julie. During the celebrations, Julie wanders into the servants’ quarters. As she flirts with her father’s handsome chauffeur, what begins as game playing quickly ignites into passion, with devastating consequences.

March 16-26; various venues; cphdox.dk THIS YEAR’S documentary film festival will officially open with ‘Last Men in Aleppo’ directed by Syrian journalist Fira Fayyad and Steen Johannessen. Some 200 films will be presented (including 75 world premieres). This year’s categories are: Music, Hit,

COPENHAGEN BIKE SHOW

March 10-12, 10:00; Lokomotivværkstedet, Otto Buses Vej 5A, Cph SV; 75kr, copenhagenbikeshow.dk Last year’s event attracted 13,600 visitors. Exhibitors from Germany, Sweden, France, Italy, the US, Taiwan and Bangladesh ensure there’s an amazing array of products, while your kids can chill out in their own zone. (BH)

A frenzied night of passion...

AFTER MISS JULIE by Patrick Marber ...and a strange new dawn

Politics, Drama, Art, Kids, Beyond, Concerts, Talks, Events, CPH Science, and the Dox: Award, which consists of 13 films competing in this year’s main competition. There’s also a new competition category, ‘Next: Wave Award’, for emerging international filmmakers. And don’t forget the talks on subjects such as Science & Film and Serialised Storytelling. (AD)

PARTY

DRAG 2 THE 80S

March 11, 20:00; Draghouse, Enghavevej 40, Cph V; 150kr The organisers are promising hairspray, shoulderpads and blue eyeshadow as crowd favourites such as Daisy Duchesse Daffodil take to the stage to belt out ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘Tainted Love’ and anything by Bronski Beat. (BH)

PIXABAY

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

March 17-April 29; Falconer Salen; 198-898kr; saturdaynightfevermusical.dk Marvel at the king of the disco floor, Tony Manero, in the Danish premiere of the classic musical based on the film of the same name from 1977. All of the Bee Gees hits will be performed in English. (JC)

CPH: DOX

FESTIVAL

you long after the curtain has fallen. Next up for That Theatre is Educating Rita starring Burns and the super-talented Dawn Wall this autumn. But who would envy them having to go after Miss Julie?

Wang-Holm, meanwhile, conducts herself at a different pace, anchoring the play in an assured fashion that really makes you believe she’s working in domestic service in 1945. She inhabits the drama’s quieter moments, which stay with

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MUSICAL

PERFORMANCE REVIEW

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MIKLOS SZABO

V1 GALLERY

TANGERINE SOCIETY

ongoing, ends March 25, Wed-Fri 12:00-18:00, Sat 12:00-16:00; V1 Gallery, Flæsketorvet 69, Cph V; v1gallery.com B Thom Stevenson tends to favour dilemma and protest paintings, as most of his work is somehow connected to conflict. (LH)

al Danish Academy of Fine Arts in 2014. The topics of fragility, time and light are covered in her artworks for which she uses different materials. Anna Kristine Hvid Petersen studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts – unnaturally spaces develop in her paintings that can be discovered by the viewer. Helene Vestergaard studies at the Funen Art Academy and creates paintings/collages in which she places collected pictures. (LH)

KIDS

ICE SCULPTURE WORKSHOP

March 18; 10:00 & 11:00; Vigerslev Bibliotek, Kirsebærhaven 23, Valby; 13:30 & 14:30; Kulturanstalten Vesterbro Bibliotek, Lyrskovgade 4, Cph V; free adm; bibliotek.kk.dk This free workshop with Søren Cip will teach your kids to create an ice sculpture. Ice blocks and tools are provided. (LH) 22 Feb – 25 Mar ‘17 ACTORS Benjamin Stender Johanne Wang-Holm Maria Winther Nørgaard DIRECTOR Ian Burns

Photo: Valdemar Mørkeberg Mikkelsen

ongoing, ends March 25, performances Mon-Fri 20:00, Sat 17:00; Krudttønden, Serridslevvej 2, Cph Ø; 165kr, teaterbilletter.dk; thattheatre.dk; 75 mins

ART

on the attack, getting slapped or being genitally poleaxed – all choreographed in collaboration with director Ian Burns, a master of physicality himself. It’s a credit to both actors how they convey they’ve just had sex, and the foreplay is convincing as well. Crisp movements, flexed and inclined limbs and superb direction combine to involve the audience in the seduction, although it’s never completely clear who’s seducing who. Central to this is Nørgaard’s enchanting performance as a privileged socialite who cannot clearly see beyond the confines of her cossetted existence. Her misty eyes expertly betray a paternally-born vulnerability, and she is a perfect foil for Stender.

Stender, an actor who will never be short of female fans, but it’s effective as it nullifies his good looks, and this is key to his performance. Initially, he cuts an unimpressive Uriah Heep-type figure: servile, self-serving and most probably in aftershock following his service in World War II. But having sex with the lady of the house lets off an incendiary device that explodes his ego, not dissimilar to the one that is going to bring down Churchill’s government at the 1945 election, the backdrop of the play. When he emerges post-coital midway through the play, it is as a man transformed. No longer a wheezy weed, he exudes sexuality through every pore, whether he’s

THAT THEATRE

AFTER MISS JULIE

Tickets: teaterbilletter.dk 70 20 20 96

FILM

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

10 - 23 March 2017

Springtime for Hollywood and germination – every year without fail BEN HAMILTON

which might explain why Beauty and the Beast (64; March 17) has cast Emma Watson and Dan Stevens in the titular roles. However, CHiPs (NRY; March 23), the story of a couple of motorcycle cops who just … cruise around ... has opted for a non-British approach. Which is just as well, or it would have been called ‘Crisps’.

OLLYWOOD is revisiting the Power Rangers, King Kong, Beauty and the Beast, The Birth of the Nation, Patriot Games and even the 1970s/80s motorcycle cop TV series CHiPs – a show that really annoyed me when I was seven. Has it always been spelt that way? Yes! Another reason to hate it! Not as good as Spotlight PATRIOT Games … noooh, Patriots Day (69 on Metacritic; released on March 17) is not a remake of that over-rated, crossAtlantic Jack Ryan flick, which some remember fondly for the head-giving/shooting scene featuring a gorgeous IRA assassin. No, this film recalls the events of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the manhunt for its perpetrators. In fact, one of them, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is on Death Row, so maybe he’ll find time to bask in the limelight again. We say again because in 2013 he was on the cover of Rolling Stone looking like the fifth member of the Kooks. So it’s no surprise to note that the actor playing him, Alex Wolff, who will no doubt get thumped (or worse) by at least one Trump supporter, is also a musician. Overall the reviews have been solid, but the hometown media have been harder to please. The Boston Globe (they preferred Spotlight of course) remarked that “at best, it’s unnecessary; at worst, it’s vaguely insulting”, while others have taken issue with Mark Wahlberg’s hackneyed fictitious policeman. With everyone’s favourite badass JK Simmons (Whiplash) on board, there’s plenty to like though.

Oscar’s biggest loser THE SAME can’t be said of The Birth of a Nation (69; March 23), an early frontrunner in the Oscar race before it was released stateside and got mediocre reviews. The cynics will say the ‘blacklash’ was always going to claim the big prize, and that Moonlight stole this film’s Oscar. Back in September, just weeks before its US release, it was a 5/1 second favourite, and we revealed how 39.1 percent of its votes (674) gave it zero on IMDB and 32.7 percent gave it 10, despite it being based on a slave revolt (led by preacher Nat Turner) that took place in 1831. Some might not have liked how it took the name of a DW Griffith silent movie from 1915, a three-hour Ku Klux Klan propaganda project that pretty much covered half of the 19th century. While others might have had it in for its star and director, Nate Parker, after allegations surfaced that he raped a student in 1999. But most were just racist rednecks with no historical knowledge predating the invention of the twinkie. Robocop’s French sidekick ALSO OVERLOOKED by the Academy – for guaranteed hilarity, check out a pre-award BBC

report in which the PriceWaterhouseCoopers accountants portentously show off their magic briefcases – was Elle (89; March 17), a fantastic return to form for veteran Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, which failed to get nominated for Best Film in a Foreign Language. Barely a day passes by without our current dystopia recalling an iconic scene from films like RoboCop and Starship Troopers (the recent assassination of the once heir to the North Korean empire, for example) in which he gloriously satirised the future, while the rape scene in Showgirls is one of cinema’s most cruelly hilarious moments. But this is a departure from his normal focus, even if it was described as “pure Verhoeven, extremely erotic and perverted” when it was first announced at Cannes in 2014. There could, however, be no overlooking its star, the 63-year-old French actress Isabelle Huppert, whose Golden Globe for best actress in a drama made a nice change to her record in the César Awards, which has shortlisted her 16 times but only given her one statuette. I know: you’re still questioning whether she’s 63. We live in ageist times after all, when

most actresses over the age of 40 struggle to get work without resorting to daily Botox and lip collagen injections. Her captivating performance as a woman who responds in an unorthodox fashion to being raped in her own home is, as one reviewer noted, “gloriously empowering”. Creating bad? IT’S THE kind of performance Bryan Cranston tends to deliver, so it makes you wonder how he’s ended up in Power Rangers (Not Released Yet anywhere; March 23), but this is a franchise that has thrived because badass children like breaking things. Life (NRY; March 23), in which a space mission to the Red Planet gets the answer they were dreading to the immortal David Bowie question (“Yes, but mostly death”), has the stars queuing up. Jake Gyllenhaal and Ryan Reynolds are joined by Swedish-English actress Rebecca Ferguson who hasn’t looked back since playing the title character in The White Queen and being handpicked by Tom Cruise to star in back-toback Mission Impossible films. Normally to get ahead you need to have starred in either Harry Potter or Downton Abbey,

Mumbled masterpiece? ELSEWHERE, Certain Women (81; March 2) was sneaked out with minimal notice. Directed by Kelly Reichardt (Night Moves), its three loosely-connected mumblecore plot strands don’t add up to much, but as a female character study it is immense. Each of the characters, applauds the Wall Street Journal, is a “minimalist masterpiece, sculpted, polished and uncompromisingly female”. Kong: Skull Island (62, March 9) and A United Kingdom (66, March 9) were previewed in our last issue, as was CPH: DOX, of which Iggy Pop study Gimme Danger (72, March 9) was the opening film. The festival features heavily in Cinemateket’s March/April program, which also includes a David Lynch retrospective in the build-up to the return of cult TV series Twin Peaks; festivals dedicated to the cinema of Ireland (ongoing, ends March 15) and New Zealand (ongoing, ends April 20); a chance to see recently acclaimed Danish films with English subtitles (see dfi. dk); and a season dedicated to films that inspired La La Land (ongoing, ends April 10). Yes, La La Land, or as it’s know in Faye Dunaway’s house: ‘Emma Stone, La La Land’.

DANISH FILM 2016 March-April: Experience Jyllands-Posten film critic Nanna Frank Rasmussen’s seven favourite Danish films of 2016 – six of them are screened with English subtitles. We present some 50 films with English dialogue or subtitles every month. See what’s on at cinemateket.dk or visit us in Gothersgade 55

INOUT:TV

10 - 23 March 2017

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

THE FAMILY DR2, MARCH 13, 00:00

PICK OF THE WEEK

DIRECTOR Rosie Jones (Triangle Wars) explores the story of a notorious Australian cult and its operations during the 1960s and 70s, but while it’s an interesting tale, the Guardian felt the end result was convuluted. Yoga teacher and cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne claimed to be the reincarnation of the Messiah. She adopted and raised at least 28 children and prepared them for the coming apocalypse. Her

Most late 1970s school photos looked like this, to be honest

COMING SOON Did canons ever look new?

it’s impossible to know whether the 2017 doc Trumped (SVT2, March 13, 22:15) is any good. After all, who can we really trust? In the case of the Graham Norton Show T2 Trainspotting Special (DR3, March 10, 21:00), we can personally vouch that it’s great fun. And Britain’s Bloodiest Dynasty: The Plantagenets (DRK, March 12, 21:00), Dog – their secret lives (DR1, March 11, 19:10), The Trouble with Mo-

bility Scooters (DR2, March 21, 00:10) and Millionaire Party Planner (DR3, March 10, 20:10) should speak for themselves. Elsewhere, we’ve got the first semi of Britain’s Got Talent (Charlie, March 11, 21:15); and there’s another chance to see S6 of Game of Thrones (SVT2, March 15, 22:15), classic series The Jewel in the Crown (DR1, March 19, 01:10) and spooky BBC miniseries The Turn of the Screw (DR1, March 18, 01:30). (BH)

SVT2, March 11, 19:05 Sofia Coppola’s ‘La Traviata’

WOULD either of the two new time travel series making their debuts this past week McFly their way back to the future to avoid the other? Probably not, as the reviewers have them evenly matched. FOX series Making History (73 on Metacritic), which favours visiting the 18th century, is a love across the ages yarn, while

ABC series Time after Time (67) follows HG Wells as he chases Jack the Ripper in modern day New York – if it sounds familiar, it’s because it’s based on a 1979 film! If only Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) and Julie Walters (Molly Weasley) had Hermione’s timeturner, they could use it to escape the events of National Treasure

(83) in which Coltrane’s character, a famous comedian, is on trial for rape. The Guardian found it “thoughtful, bold and accomplished”. Staying in the courtroom, The Good Fight (80), a spin-off of The Good Wife, features many of the show’s characters. New to the set-up is Rose Leslie (Ygritte in Game of Thrones).

ALSO NEW

Also boasting a good cast is ABC miniseries When We Rise (67), which follows the early days of the LGBT movement. Among those on board are Mary Louise Parker (Nancy in Weeds) and Guy Pearce, who many of us best remember as Mike from Neighbours before his Hollywood adventure began with LA Confidential. LESLIE HAWENER ARDFERN

ARNE MÜSELER/ ARNE-MUESELER.DE

PAOLO CAMERA

CAN THE Irish recover from their Paddy’s Day excesses to enjoy their side beating England and win the Six Nations? Much will depend on whether they beat Wales a week earlier (TV3 Sport 2, March 11, 12:25). Would England settle for beating Germany at football? Can Leicester bounce back and knock Seville out of the CL? Elsewhere, the FA Cup continues on K6. (BH)

goal was to create a master race. The children were raised to believe she was not only their mother but also Jesus Christ, and they were eerily dressed identically with dyed blonde hair cut into the same bob shape. Allegedly the kids were also beaten, starved and injected with LSD. The documentary, based on a book by journalist Chris Johnston, was filmed over a period of four years and explores both sides of the story: of Anne’s followers and also her victims. CLAUDIA MAIER YASUKO KAGEYAMA / TEATRO DELL’OPERA DI ROMA

GIVEN her father’s impeccable use of music in his films – some of which was composed by her grandfather Carmine – the title Sofia Coppola’s ‘La Traviata’ will surprise few. Staying with the arts, Bolshoi Babylon (DR2, March 14, 20:45) investigates a horrific acid attack involving dancers. Also acclaimed are What on Earth (DR3, March 16, 21:15) and Genius by Stephen Hawking (DR3, March 23, 20:15), but

SPORT OF THE WEEK TV3 Sport 1, March 18, 17:55 Six Nations: Ireland vs England

TV3 Sport 1, March 22, 20:40 Germany vs England

FILM OF THE WEEK TV3, March 12, 23:35 Nightcrawler

SVT4, March 11, 00:35 Locke

SVT1, March 18, 22:25 Pionér

3+, March 14, 20:45 CL: Leicester City vs Seville

FOUR FILMS take you into darkness this week. Nicely timed to salute Bill Paxton, Nightcrawler is a superb media satire starring a truly creepy Jake Gyllenhaal. Locke sees Tom Hardy behind the wheel on a long journey into night. In Pionér, divers cash in on the Norwegian oil boom at the bottom of the sea. And finally, it’s awfully murky in Albert Nobbs’ (DRK, March 18, 23:20) trousers. (BH)

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