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The 12 commandments A dozen new laws to ensure 2020 starts differently

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Make your mind up then! Denmark hailed as best country in the world just days after slipping down equality rankings CULTURE

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T WOULDN’T be normal if Denmark didn’t top some surveys and flunk a few others.

Tak Janteloven! FIRST off, Denmark has the best quality of life in Europe, according to a survey by US website Far & Wide that assessed 44 countries. The survey pulled no punches, ranking Britain and its drab food in 40th position, one place below Moldova. Denmark, it concluded, had a lot to thank Janteloven for, as it instilled a sense of community over personal success.

Acclaimed capital THE PLAUDITS continued with HomeToGo ranking Copenhagen as the third most forward-looking city in Europe, behind only Zurich and Stockholm. Its survey was based on three key parameters – technology, internet connectivity and sustainability – and assessed the 100 most populous cities in Europe. While CNN has put Copenhagen on its 'Top 20 places to visit in 2020' list. Equality evener BUT IT wasn’t all roses, as Denmark has slipped to 14th in the WFS's annual equality report. Its placement looks even worse given that the top four places are taken by Nordic neighbours Iceland, Norway, Finland and Sweden.

4 Citizenship after decade?

Ragnarök obsession

A PEOPLE'S petition wants to grant citizenship to anyone who has lived for ten years in Denmark. Its author Inge Christoffersen asserts that non-Danish tax-payers are “prevented from having democratic influence and the security of citizenship”. Submitted on January 6, the petition needs the signatures of 50,000 citizens by July 4 in order to be submitted to Parliament.

DENMARK’S exoplanet has been named Surt after a giant-sized Norse deity prophesised to engulf the world in flames as part of Ragnarök. And its nearest star has appropriately been called Muspelheim, Surt’s kingdom of fire. The public chose the names from 830 suggestions. The International Astronomical Union confirmed the names in December during its 100th anniversary celebrations.

December 31 heartbreak LAST YEAR shared the title as the wettest ever recorded in Denmark. Its total figure of 905.2 mm tied the 905 mm set in 1999 – back when decimals were not used in calculations. Had the final figure reached 905.5 mm, it would have been rounded up to a record 906 – the highest since records began in 1874.

New alternative sought UFFE ELBÆK, the founder of Alternativet, is stepping down as party leader on February 1. He will continue as an MP. Elbæk, who founded Alternativet in 2013, has recently faced allegations that he permitted sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour within his party.

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

16 January - 6 February 2020

Girl power kicks off Metro extension

ONLINE THIS WEEK

DSB SWITCHED off the WiFi on the S-train at the end of the year due to low usage. It was being used by around 0.3 percent of the customers. In other travel news, Øresund commuter travelcard sales increased by 5.7 percent between December 2018 and November 2019, according to Skånetrafiken.

T-rex debut VISITORS to Statens Naturhistoriske Museum will from April be able to view a skeleton of a tyrannosaurus rex – the first time one has ever been displayed in Denmark. The 3.4 metre-high, 12 metre-long, black-coloured, Danish-owned T-rex was discovered in Montana in 2010. Some 170 of its 300 fossilised bones are original.

New bridge

BEN HAMILTON

ORK HAS begun on the Sydhavn section of the M4, an extension of the latest Copenhagen Metro line – which is due to open on an unconfirmed date this spring and take passengers from the city centre to Nordhavn – through five stations heading south. Two heavy tunnel boring machines were last week placed in a large hole 30 metres underground in Sydhavn, and some 4.5 km of drilling lies in wait ahead of the anticipated opening of the extension in 2024.

Police investigation and government report concur that most are Filipinos here for economic purposes ROSELYNE MIN

US TRAVEL magazine Condé Nast Travelers has included Hotel Nimb at Tivoli on its list of the ‘The best hotels and resorts in the world’.

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

COPENHAGEN Municipality will soon revert back to controlling its 48,000 street lights via twilight switches. An upgrade to LEG lights a few years ago made many switches incompatible.

Nice for Nimb

Blow for commuters IN RELATED news, Metroselskabet has closed down the M3 Cityringen until Monday January 27 to enable safe testing of the M4 line to Nordhavn – bad news for the thousands who have quickly grown to depend on it. Additional buses will be laid on to transport Copenhage-

Empty for a fortnight

ners between the stations, with at least one service every four minutes during rush hour.

have been living ‘underground’ in Denmark for five years, during which time they have expanded the number of their clients – typically to encompass 10-15 homes, charging 100-120 kroner an hour. Few learn Danish IN RELATED news, the Immigration and Integration Ministry recently released the results of its evaluation of the au-pair scheme, which it began in 2015. And sadly it chimes with the police investigation. Ideally au pairs should gain an insight into Danish culture, but in reality 40 percent do not bother learning Danish – often because the host families insist on English being spoken at

Drone case appealed FOLLOWING convictions ranging from 30 to 48 months, the long-running drone case is heading to the High Court. In related news, prosecutors have called for the strictest possible punishment for the two men who have pleaded guilty to killing reformed gang member Nedim Yasar.

Ammonia attack

Au pairs used primarily as cleaners

ORTH ZEALAND Police has confirmed that a number of families from the area face heavy fines for hiring au pairs to primarily clean their homes. With the help of the Fagbladet 3F trade union, the police force has been investigating 84 families who have allegedly hired au pairs – mostly female Filipinos – to carry out cleaning work without the necessary work or residence permits. In some cases, the women

Street light boost

Female names AS IS TRADITIONAL across the world, the machines have been given feminine names. ‘Inge Lehmann’ and ‘Olivia Nielsen’ were chosen from a list of 500 submissions. The former was a geophysicist and the latter was a trade unionist.

AUPAIR

COPENHAGEN Municipality is establishing a new 42 million kroner bicycle and pedestrian bridge over Folehaven to provide safer passage between Vigerslevvej and Sønderkær out in Valby. Folehavebroen, which will open this spring, will be 5.5 metres wide and 137 metres long.

Elsewhere, the Cityringen is closed until January 27 due to testing work on the new M4 line

METROSELSKABET/DITTE VALENTE

Wi-Fi switched off

ONLINE THIS WEEK

A 44-YEAR-OLD man was detained for punching a train inspector and throwing ammonia solution at passengers on an S-train in late December. Ammonia can cause severe burns and eye damage, or can even be fatal. The man has since been taken to a psychiatric ward.

Scaffolding suspicions COPENHAGEN Police suspects a scaffold on Scandiagade in southwest Copenhagen may have been deliberately overturned on December 29. Nobody was injured.

Killed for cards

One of the lucky ones

home. Most au pairs come to Denmark for economic reasons, the study found, while most families hire them for help with their domestic chores. Au pair numbers are in freefall, halving from 2,118 in 2008 to 1,007 in 2018, of which 818 come from the Philippines. None are from western Europe.

THE CHARGE sheet of a suspected serial killer, a 27-year-old man accused of murdering three elderly people in Østerbro in February and March 2019 and stealing their cash cards, confirms he failed to withdraw money near the crime scenes, but then made purchases at a cinema and strip bar.

First avocado cafe AVOBAREN, the country's first dedicated avocado cafe, has opened at Falkoner Alle 38 in Frederiksberg. As well as being vegetarian and vegan, its range is gluten and lactose-free.

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16 January - 6 February 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK

NEW YEAR

Mothers of the nation’s lonely flock

ONLINE THIS WEEK STIG NYGAARD

Firefighters under siege FIREWORKS are increasingly being aimed at firefighters, with some politicians calling for much stiffer sentencing for offenders, even though most of the culprits are children. In Sweden, jeopardising human lives with fireworks is punishable with life imprisonment. In Denmark, it is eight years, but most culprits see very little jail time.

Burgled by Santa SOME 742 burglaries were reported between December 20 and 27 – a similar figure to 2016 and 2017, but down on 2018. North Zealand was the worst hit area, followed by Funen and east Jutland, where a man attempted to burgle the royals on January 3 at Marselisborg Castle, the queen’s favourite castle to celebrate Christmas.

Festive trains popular DSB REPORTED a 22 percent increase in festive period ticket sales – the busiest it has been for half a decade. The biggest travel days were December 23 and 26.

Late celebrating? DR CAMERAMAN Morten Seligmann confesses that the 1.2-1.6 million tuning into DR to salute the beginning of the new year are probably late celebrating, as often the broadcast lags behind real-time. Seligmann advises viewers not to use a satellite dish (seven seconds behind) or stream (45-60).

Who needs fireworks?

Over 200 injured SOME 228 people were treated for firework injuries sustained on New Year's Eve and Day – 27 serious, of which nine were children – which was on a par with last year. Two-thirds were aged under 26 and four-fifths were male. Three youngsters aged 11-12 were then injured collecting ‘used’ fireworks on January 2 in Odense.

It wouldn't be New Year without the Queen's speech. The PM's on the other hand ...

Social media increasingly isolating youngsters, warn queen and PM BEN HAMILTON

UEEN MARGRETHE’S new year speech, her 48th since acceding to the throne in 1972, was warmly received by the Jewish community, who applauded her for condemning the recent rise of anti-Semitism. Henri Goldstein, the chair of the Danish Jewish Society, commented that “it means everything to us” – particularly given the recent attacks on the Jewish community on the night of November 9 and 10. Lyrical like Bowie THE QUEEN also addressed climate change and loneliness during a broadcast in which the subtitles mysteriously dis-

dAnCe WitH Me

appeared – a “technical error”, explained DR, just in case some viewers thought she might have a skipped a page (stapled together this year) by mistake. In reference to the 50th anniversary of the Moon Landings and the first photograph taken of Earth from afar, the queen made reference to how the planet had looked “so pretty and round and blue” – but today looks “vulnerable”. She invited her viewers to consider society’s lonely people – not just the elderly, but also youngsters alienated by social media. Year of anniversaries PRINCE Christian got a mention as he will be confirmed this year, and so did her second son, Prince Joachim, for fronting a history documentary series. "I thought he would be good at that," she observed. Looking ahead to this year,

she drew attention to the 80th anniversary of the start of the German Occupation (April 9) and the centenary of South Jutland's reunification with Denmark (July 10). For the children A DAY LATER it was the turn of PM Mette Frederiksen, and she chose to target similar subjects to her monarch: namely the big anniversaries, climate change and loneliness through her central message of making Denmark a better home for its children. But she still found time to deride the various factions that have made it a trying year in Denmark: from Britta Nielsen (not named) to the parties responsible for exploding bombs, the ongoing gang war, firework maniacs, returning foreign fighters, dangerous drivers and recent terror-related arrests.

LOVE LOSS LONELINESS LAUGHTER – REFLECTIONS TROUGH A WOMAN’S MIND

A HISTORIC 18th century building in the Bornholm seaside town of Svaneke burned down on New Year’s Eve. Some 20 firefighters fought the blaze at Søllingsgård in Svaneke Torv for three hours, and there are hopes it can be restored.

Hound haven FOR THE third year running, Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport was a popular destination for dogs on New Year’s Eve. Some 180 soundproofed rooms were booked to ensure that 223 pampered pooches wouldn’t have to endure a noisy night listening to fireworks – twice as many as last year.

Television shake-up AS DR SEEKS to cut 22,500 hours of TV and 8,700 hours of radio from its schedules to cut its budget by 20 percent, it has cut DRK and P7 Mix radio program. DR4 can only be streamed and DR Ultra viewed on other devices. A new streaming service, DR2+, will be launched next week. In related news, YouSee customers can no longer access Discovery Networks' 11 channels.

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SOLBJØRG HØJFELDT

28th FEB – 21st MAR Vesterbrogade 150 København V

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

16 January - 6 February 2020

Should there be more native speakers teaching languages in Danish schools? Most professionals advocate total immersion, but sometimes that doesn’t suit the students, claim home-grown educators SOMA BIRÓ

OOK THROUGH the Education supplement accompanying this edition and you’ll see that although Denmark is doing well relative to other countries, its foreign language skills are actually in decline. It brings to mind an age-old complaint aired on expat forums these past two decades that the non-native speaker language teachers are sometimes just not good enough. It raises the question whether there are a sufficient number of native speakers working as language teachers in Denmark, and whether there is enough focus on full-immersion language teaching – the preferred method of most leading language schools. This is the story of The Chinese Teacher, The English Teacher, The Politician, The Student and, of course, The Danish Teacher. Their experiences, opinions, stories and knowledge will guide us to a greater understanding of what more native speaker language teachers could provide to Danish society. Trust in the natives USING native teachers is “definitely the preferable option”, claims ‘The English Teacher’. Her name is Penelope Mikkelsen, a British ex-professional snowboarder and language teacher who moved to France, met a Dane, fell in love, came to Denmark, started teaching English and bought BLS, the professional language school that hired her. “We only use native speakers at BLS,” she revealed. ‘The Danish Teacher’ concurs there are advantages to this. “Obviously, as a Dane, I’m not as fluent in the languages I teach

as a teacher who comes from England or Spain. That’s a given,” admitted Charlotte Thrane, who teaches Spanish and English at Borupgaard Gymnasium in Copenhagen. Certainly ‘The Student’ – Karla Hamilton, a 15-yearold Danish-Brit, has some complaints in this regard: “Sometimes Danes who teach English have this really thick Danish accent. One of my teachers pronounced the word ‘again’ as ‘a gain’. She pronounces a lot of words wrongly, but actually we just think it’s a little funny. We just laugh about it.” Hamilton recalls an incident in which she pulled out her native gun and fired at a mistake, but instead of kudos for the nice shot, she found herself in the line of retaliatory fire: “The teacher was just like: ‘No, you’re wrong’ and then moved on. They won’t listen.” Not all Danish foreign-language teachers are like this, of course. “I have on occasion asked them if I was in doubt about anything,” Thrane said about Spaniards who took her Spanish class. Believing in immersion MIKKELSEN utilises the full immersion method in BLS teaching – speaking 100 percent in the target language without any Danish explanations. She’s done this ever since she began teaching French and German to children in the UK, where full immersion is the path language teachers (for example TEFL – Teachers of English as a Foreign Language) are trained to take. “I go for full immersion. I don’t refuse to answer if students want to ask me something in Danish, but I always respond in English. I do believe it is a method that does work.” Her own children are taught using the full immersion method in school and she’s of the opinion that “as long as the method used is full immersion, it’s irrelevant

really what the nationality of a teacher is when it comes to children.” But sadly this doesn’t always happen. “I think it would be better if teachers spoke English the whole lesson,” agreed Hamilton. “But sometimes they just don’t do that.” Grammatical issues BUT IT must be good sometimes, for children, for example, to have some things explained in Danish? Mikkelsen wouldn’t budge: “I don’t agree with that actually – I think full immersion works. It’s a slow learning curve at the beginning, but then the curve boils over.” Thrane has a different take, however. Sometimes in order to learn a foreign language, she reasons, children need to have an understanding of grammar in their own language. “As a language teacher in Denmark you need to know your Danish grammar,” she said. “Some high school students today have a very hard time understanding the grammar of the foreign language being taught, because they don’t even know Danish grammar. Sometimes, I simply need to explain Danish grammar as well.” Not everyone salsas THRANE also attributes her use of Danish to the level of motivation with which her students enter the classroom. Comparing her own habitat to language schools such as BLS and Berlitz, Thrane contends that their students tend to be more motivated. “They are usually adults who choose to study the language based on interest, or because they know they need it. So they put the effort in,” she said. “In high school, you can choose between several languages, and sometimes my students end up in my Spanish classes because they try to pick the ‘least painful option’ – to avoid maths or something else, like German or French.” Such students might need

There is less contention in maths

more help to get in the groove of things – to salsa in Thrane’s case. But putting all personal pride aside, Thrane would actually employ native speakers rather than Danes in her fantasy high school staff: “I would choose someone who is native. But it’s important that they speak good Danish as well and can explain the grammar. If they have both of these qualities, then that is the supreme choice.”

what’s essential,” he reasoned. And, perhaps surprisingly, Mikkelsen agrees. “The native speaker needs to be qualified. Unfortunately, I think there’s a big risk of non-qualified native speakers being hired just because they’re native,” she said. “The main issue is the grammar. Non-qualified teachers don’t have a good enough grasp of grammar to be able to pass it on to their students.”

Qualified quality ‘THE POLITICIAN’ does not believe in the full immersion method, though. “Pedagogically speaking I don’t think it’s a good way to learn languages,” contended Socialdemokratiet’s education spokesperson Kasper Sand Kjær. He agrees with the importance of using Danish as a tool to teach other tongues: “I believe that the best way to learn other languages is through comparison with your own.” Given a choice between a qualified Danish teacher and a native speaker, Kjær would choose the Dane every time. “The most important things in teaching others, whether it’s teaching a language or something else, is to be good at teaching: handing down the knowledge, creating the best opportunities for students’ learning. That’s

Cultural nuances BUT SURELY there’s more to language than grammar and what you can learn at teaching college? ‘The Chinese Teacher’ certainly thinks so. Born in Harbin, China, in 1983, Aobo Tai arrived in this world with a twin sister at a time when many Chinese women were not allowed to have more than one child. Over three decades later, she teaches high school students at Ørestad Gymnasium. She contends there is no substitute for understanding the culture behind a language. “A Danish person who teaches Chinese might have studied in China, worked in China, but they probably haven’t lived for many, many years with a Chinese family,” she said. “So, natives know the small details better than them.”

INTERNATIONAL

16 January - 6 February 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK Flying further than before MORE TRAVELLERS leaving Denmark are aboard medium-haul flights. The number flying 2,000-3,000 km rose by 35 percent in 2019 from 3.2 to 4.3 million, while the number flying 3,000-5,000 km increased by 31 percent, according to Danmarks Statistik. The increase in journeys less than 550 km was only 7 percent – proof that some people are thinking environmentally, but not enough.

Gang arrests abroad TWO MEN have been arrested in Barcelona in connection with aiding the escape of the gang member Hemin Dilshad Saleh from a psychiatric hospital in Slagelse on November 19. Both men are believed to be affiliated to NNV, which for nearly two years has been involved in a civil war with its parent gang, Brothas. Saleh remains at large.

London top again LONDON was again Denmark’s most visited travel destination in 2019, according to Momondo. dk. Malaga, Bangkok, Barcelona, Paris, New York, Rome, Berlin, Istanbul and Palma de Mallorca completed the top ten.

Powerful passport DENMARK ranks fifth on the new Henley Passport Index, which calculates the number of destinations passport holders can access without a prior visa.

Danish forces under attack in Iraq Iranian missiles a retaliatory strike in response to the US assassination of one of its most prominent generals ROSELYNE MIN

OME 133 DANISH military personnel based in Iraq were among those targeted by missiles on January 8, as Iran carried out retaliatory attacks in response to the US assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. PM Mette Frederiksen was quick to respond, revealing that at least 100 of the troops would be temporarily moved to Kuwait

until the situation becomes more stable. The Danes under fire were at an airbase in Al-Asad, and none were injured. The same was true of US and other coalition troops, based both in Al-Asad and the other target in Irbil. At the time, Iran's foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, wrote on Twitter that the attacks should not be seen as an escalation, but solely as a self-defence measure. Presence since 2014 AHEAD of the attacks, Danish Defence had already decided to temporarily halt all its training

activities in Iraq. While the Iraqi Parliament has announced it no longer wants foreign troops in the country, the Iraqi government has not asked the US and its allies to leave. Denmark has deployed soldiers to Iraq since 2014 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, an international coalition formed to see off the threat of IS in Iraq and Syria. The Danes have also pledged to send two separate naval contributions to the Strait of Hormuz in 2020 as part of a European-led mission.

Abuse video maker caught

Brazilian cocaine route

Charged with murder

A FILIPINO woman has been arrested in Manila for making child abuse videos featuring her own children following a co-operation between Danish and Filipino police. North Zealand Police contacted the authorities in the Philippines after it arrested a 63-year-old man from Nærum for streaming the video, who last year was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

TWO BRAZILIANS have pleaded guilty to smuggling nine kilos of cocaine into Denmark – the second duo from the country to be stopped at Copenhagen Airport in December with the drug on their person. Elsewhere, Danes are among a gang of 11 sentenced to lengthy prison sentences for smuggling 14 million cigarettes into Denmark.

A 22-YEAR-OLD Dane has been charged with stabbing two people to death in Maniitsoq in west Greenland on December 18. In other crime news, a 21-year-old Dane has been arrested following an unsuccessful heist at a chemical plant in Helsinki to steal medical cocaine, and the number of smuggling-related arrests at the southern Jutland border has shot up over the last year.

Erection u-turn

Relief worker deported

African migration talks

GERMANY has set up more electric fences along its Polish border following the discovery of 50 boars infected with swine fever in western Poland. When the first pillar of a 70 km fence was placed along the German-Danish border, German politicians heavily criticised the erection.

SALAM Aldeen, a Danish-Iraqi humanitarian relief worker whose arrest on Lesbos on December 11 was widely condemned, was deported three weeks later. He was accused of entering Greece illegally. In October he was banned in connection with his efforts at Team Humanity to aid migrants and refugees.

THE MINISTER for development, Rasmus Prehn, visited Berlin to discuss African migration affairs on December 12. Consequently the minister has announced a new contribution of 50 million kroner to the EU Trust Fund for Africa – to which both Denmark and Germany are among the largest donors.

ONLINE THIS WEEK Damning torture verdict HANS WOLFF, the chair of the Council of Europe's Torture Committee, has delivered a damning verdict of the Ellebæk Immigration Center and Nykøbing Falster Holding Centre in Zealand following visits to the sites last April. The Danish authorities have three months to address how they can improve the situation for the residents.

Fighting bushfires TEN VOLUNTEER Danish firefighters are heading to Australia to support BlazeAid’s efforts to contain the bushfires currently ravaging the country. The ten will be picked from the members of a Facebook page set up in response to the crisis. A formal offer to the Australian government from PM Mette Frederiksen to send 50 firefighters was rejected.

PM tough on fighters PM METTE Frederiksen has ruled against distinguishing between men and women who joined Islamic State, thus ruling out the possibility of their children returning to Denmark. Many human rights advocates have warned that the government’s stance sets a dangerous precedent. One fighter barred from Denmark is suing the immigration minister, Mattias Tesfaye.

Killed on skiing trip A YOUNG Danish man was recently killed in Gastein, Austria, after he skied into a tree.

NATIONAL

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK Most underrated city VEJLE has been named the country's most underrated city by Lonely Planet. In related news, Skagen, Sæby and surprise entry Haderslev are the nation’s most popular resorts, according to Dansk Kyst- og Naturturisme, and CNN has published a glowing piece commending Denmark’s castles, which bizarrely included the Ermitage hunting lodge in Dyrehaven.

Rural taxi dearth THE TRANSPORT minister, Benny Engelbrecht, has promised he will this year arrest the declining number of taxis in rural areas – a situation most blame on the new Taxi Law introduced in 2018. In other transport news, a train link that travelled between Lolland and Fehmarn via ferry, made its last voyage on December 14, bringing to an end 147 years of service.

Stamp of approval A COLLECTION of five stamps will this year mark Queen Margrethe II’s 80th birthday. The motifs will mark out five key moments in the Danish queen’s life. During the reign of the monarch, whose birthday is on April 16, no less than 158 stamps have been issued bearing her likeness.

Mormor abandons kids A 54-YEAR-OLD woman from Afghanistan was arrested after two infants aged approximately 12 and 30 months, who are believed to be her grandchildren, were abandoned on the streets of Aarhus. It is believed the parents of the children, who have been taken into care, are not in Denmark and arrived here without them.

Laughing gas popularity A SUNDHEDSSTYRELSEN study reveals that 17 percent of young men at business schools have tried nitrous oxide cartridges – the so-called laughing gas. The problem is greatest in the Capital Region, where every fourth young man has tried nitrous oxide.

16 January - 6 February 2020

Good things don’t always come in 12s January 1 brought a dozen new laws that could significantly impact your life in Denmark CHRISTIAN WENANDE

ANUARY 1 didn't just usher in a new decade, immense hangovers and countless doomed New Year resolutions. Loads of new laws also came into effect as the clock struck midnight and millions of kroner's worth of fireworks rose and burst into the skies over Copenhagen. New rules for the unemployed, pensions, trucks and plastic bags were among the new laws. Here are the 12 laws most likely to impact your life in 2020. Less pressure on jobless TO AVOID losing their benefits, the unemployed no longer need to search for jobs every week (at a minimum) if they are within six weeks of starting a new job or a flexjob, going on parental leave, taking early retirement, or receiving flex benefits or a pension. Overall, there will be less communication with the municipality. Help for families A TEMPORARY benefit of 550700 kroner for every child under the age of 14 will help tackle child poverty until the Benefits Commission releases its recommendations and a new system is introduced. The benefit will help families impacted by the unemployment benefit ceiling or the integration benefit. The benefit is expected to help about 27,900 kids from 14,300 families.

Pensions for worn-out A PENSION initiative allows individuals who have been worn-out by a long working life to apply for early retirement if they have six years or less to go until they reach pension age. The person must have worked full-time for a total of 2025 years and be deemed only able to work 15 hours a week. More detainment powers THE AUTHORITIES have more cause to make forceful detainments – particularly concerning citizens with dementia or who have mental disabilities. For instance, a municipality no longer needs to pre-approve the shortterm detainment of a citizen in situations relating to hygiene. Controls on absenteeism NEW NATIONWIDE rules are in place that aim to streamline the registration of absenteeism in schools in the form of a tick every morning for the younger classes and two ticks for older students, as those in grades 7-10 will also be registered according to their attendance of the last class of the day. Exceeding absenteeism limits can lead to parents losing their child benefits. Workplace accident review EMPLOYEES who suffer accidents at work will have an easier time having their mishap approved as a work-related accident – but only accidents that occur after 1 January 2020.

income (such as kontanthjælp, dagpenge or early retirement) now get an obligatory pension initiative that can be paid out upon retirement. The state-sponsored contribution is at 0.3 percent in 2020 and increases every year to 3.3 percent in 2030. Trucker freedom AS OF JANUARY 1 the speed limit for trucks, trailers and campers has increased from 70 to 80 km/hour outside densely populated areas and on motorways. Trucker penalties TRUCK companies and drivers face stiffer penalties for owning or operating unroadworthy vehicles: up from 1,000-3,000 to 5,000-10,000 kroner. Scrapping cars online CAR OWNERS who seek to have their cars scrapped will have to do so without leaving a paper trail because the process has been completely digitalised. Cheaper nuts THE PRICE of nuts in supermarkets should decrease to reflect that the nut tax has been abolished. For instance, a bag that cost about 29 kroner in 2018 will cost about 23 kroner in 2020.

Public income pension PEOPLE who receive public

Plastic bag hike AS PART of the government’s aim to reduce plastic consumption, plastic bag prices will increase from three to four kroner, while the price of disposable plastic cutlery will rise by about 30 percent.

Avoids sing-sing

Not securely locked

Cost of ceremony

THE 29-YEAR-OLD American woman found guilty of illegally performing for seven choirs without the necessary work permit has escaped prison. Instead, the Malmö resident and former Det Kongelige Danske Musikkonservatorium student has been fined 15,000 kroner and given a suspended sentence of ten days. Her employers received fines ranging from 4,000 to 48,000 kroner.

INVESTIGATORS have concluded that a trailer on the freight train that collided with a passenger service on the Great Belt Bridge rail accident in strong winds on 2 January 2019, which killed eight people, was not properly locked. Additionally, the report determined that improper maintenance was to blame. Stricter guidelines are expected in the wake of the accident.

MATTIAS Tesfaye, the immigration and integration minister, has revealed that citizenship costs each new Dane 3,800 kroner – up from 1,200 kroner in 2018 – and that 600 kroner is spent on the ceremony itself, which includes shaking the hand of a senior municipal official. His party Socialdemokratiet backed the new measures that became law in January 2019.

ONLINE THIS WEEK Tighter net THE MINISTRY of Environment and Food has started electronically monitoring fishing vessels in adherence with 2020 North Sea fishing quotas. The surveillance will extend a tighter net over which species are being caught and the exact size of the fish. However, the Danish Fisheries Association believes the cameras cast "unnecessary suspicion" on the fishermen.

Pipe bomb in garden A LEADING member of the far-right party Frit Danmark has been sentenced to seven years in prison for crimes that included making a pipe bomb in his front garden, which he claimed was self-defence against potential terrorists from the nearby Odense neighbourhood of Vollsmose, possessing a functioning World War II machine gun, violence and threats.

Lithium ignorance A DANWATCH and Amnesty International investigation reveals that none of the major bus operators in the capital, Aarhus or Roskilde know where the lithium used by their electric buses comes from – a mineral commonly derived from Chilean and Congolese mines that use child labour.

Rise in arms offences THE NUMBER of violations of the Arms Act has increased by 82.5 percent according to Danmarks Statistik: from 7,700 cases in 2008 to 15,300 cases in 2018. However, the number of criminal law notifications fell by 7.4 percent from 548,000 to 508,000. In other crime news, East Jutland Police recently found 40 kilos of cocaine in a Hamburg-bound container at the port of Aarhus.

Psychiatric breakouts THERE have been 106 escapes from psychiatric wards in the past two years, but there was no danger of beating the record set in 2016 when there were 73 escapes.

SCIENCE

16 January - 6 February 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK

LAST SPRING the Food Ministry established a think-tank to fight food waste, and in late December ONE/THIRDS released its first list of recommendations. Among the highlights was improving the way the government informs the public about opportunities to get rid of surplus food. Denmark wastes about 700,000 tonnes each year.

Sustainable solar cell DTU RESEARCHERS have built a multi-junction solar cell using sustainable material. The team combined thin-film solar cells with regular silicon cells, using a material called CZTS. Consisting of just copper, zinc, tin and sulphur, it is cheap and sustainable.

Rare sea turtle found AN ENDANGERED hawskbill sea turtle was sighted struggling off the Danish west coast at Blåvand and handed into a local zoo. In related news, Nammco has warned that Greenland is hunting the narwhal to extinction, and otters have returned to Lolland for the first time since the 1960s.

Environmental candle THE DANISH Technological Institute is launching a candle that emits 90 percent less particles – good news for hygge lovers as most candles emit CO2, nitrogen dioxide and harmful soot. The average Dane burns through 6 kilos of candlelight every year.

Makes a change from bones, enthuses KU archaeologist VALMIRA GJONI

F YOU’VE ever wondered what a Danish woman from the Neolithic era would look like, scientists have found the answer in what has been described as prehistoric chewing gum. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Museum of Lolland-Falster have defined the physical condition of a woman living 5,700 years ago in Denmark, including her physical traits, her diet, and the bacteria and viruses she probably carried.

ONLINE THIS WEEK KØBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET/TOM BJÖRKLUND

Food waste pledges

DNA extracted from prehistoric gum

The ancient Dane's a dead ringer for Pia Kjærsgaard

Hannes Schroeder, a KU archaeologist, told the New York Times.

hunter-gatherers in Mesolithic Europe.

Better than bones THE SCIENTISTS extracted the woman's DNA from a one sq cm piece of birch bark, which it is believed ancient Danes chewed on to make more pliable for various uses, found at the Fehrman Link construction site. “It is very exciting to be able to extract a full human genome from anything other than bone,’’

Dark hair and skin THE DNA extracted from the chewed birch, which was probably used as an adhesive or a natural treatment for dental illnesses, revealed that the woman was a dark skinned hunter-gatherer with dark brown hair and blue eyes who had recently eaten duck and hazelnuts for a meal. The physical characteristics were not an unusual combination for that era since they have been found among other

Unearthed city IN RELATED news, Danish National Museum archaeologists have helped to unearth the ancient Greek city of Sikyon. Located on the Peloponnese peninsula west of Athens, it was sacked and destroyed in 303 BC. Among the finds so far are a large storage container for olive oil, a place of worship, a tomb containing a pair of bulky sandals, and some strigiles, which athletes used to scrape the oil and dirt off their body after physical exertion.

Fewer twin births

No abortion suicide link

Meds from the UK

TWIN BIRTHS have declined by a third over the last decade from 1,431 sets in 2008 to 928 in 2018, according to Danmarks Statistik. Experts attribute the decline to the growing tendency to only use one egg for in vitro fertilisation. Previously a quarter of women implanted with two fertilised eggs gave birth to twins.

AN AARHUS University study suggests that abortion alone does not raise the risk of suicide attempts. Based on the data of half a million Danish women, it concludes that women who have abortions are more likely to have mental health problems, and that the suicide risk is higher before the abortion, not after.

MANY DANES are ordering prescription meds online via UK-based websites, which are equipped with Danish language customer service. In related news, Danish pharmacies have run out of scabies treatments following a recent outbreak, and the DTU played a major role in making the first ebola vaccine.

Robot promise INDUSTRIAL robot exports grew sixfold between 2014 and 2018. It is predicted the number of people employed by the robotics industry will grow from 8,500 to 25,000 by 2025, and that its turnover will increase from 18 to 25-30 billion kroner. In related news, University of Copenhagen researchers are testing a new tool that will help cardiologists sort out patient data using AI.

Energy island plans THE GOVERNMENT is currently looking for possible locations to place a 10 GW wind energy island that would require investment of 200-300 billion kroner. Just one would meet the electricity demand of more than 10 million European households.

Diabetes research WITH FUNDING of 1 million euros, DiaUnion, a Swedish and Danish collaborative project, aims to develop new treatments for type 1 diabetes patients – the rarer type of the disease that tends to affect 0.5 percent of the population, normally from childhood.

Skin cancer increase THE NUMBER of Danish women diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer rose by 14.5 percent in 2018, according to the Cancer Registry – from 1,255 to 1,353 cases. Meanwhile, colon cancer rates fell by 11.6 percent among women, and by 10.8 percent among men.

CULTURE

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK Four plays nominated FOUR ENGLISH-LANGUAGE theatre productions have earned best of 2019 noms from reviews website CPHCulture: ‘Oh Baby, It's Cole’ (London Toast), ‘Last Tango in Little Grimley’ (HIT), ‘Look Back in Anger’ (That Theatre) and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (After Hours), including acting noms for Vivienne McKee, Søren Hajen and Dawn Wall. The winners will be announced on February 1.

HBO green light FILMING has begun on 'Kamikaze', HBO's first Danish-produced series, the tale of a young man whose rich parents and only sibling die in a plane crash, leaving him with lots of loot to spend. It was picked up by HBO after plans for 'Conqueror', a continuation of the story told in 1987 Oscar-winning film ‘Pelle the Conqueror’, were dropped.

Children’s favourites DENMARK has two entries on a new list released by Time magazine of the 50 best experiences for children in the world: LEGO House in Billund and the new artificial ski slope at Copenhill in Amager.

Stepping down at Tivoli LARS LIEBST is stepping down as chief executive of Tivoli after nearly 25 years in the role. Liebst feels his departure makes sense given the new strategy of the board, which he has been “working on for a year”, and he will leave once a suitable successor has been found.

16 January - 6 February 2020

Mr kiss kiss, bite bite, bang bang? Talk of the town but is the Danish actor Claes Bang too old to play 007? BEN HAMILTON

ANISH actor Claes Bang is 16/1 to become the next James Bond after many British reviewers compared his turn in the new Netflix miniseries ‘Dracula’ to being like an evil 007. William Hill is the only bookmaker to list the actor in a market that has been dragging its heels for five years due to the uncertainty over whether Daniel Craig would make a fifth film.

The name's Dracula, Count Dracula

Square’, the 54-year-old actor’s career has taken off with a bang. Last year, he had a major role in the final season of ‘The Affair’ – in which his character was an actor famous for playing a James Bond-like role!

Art imitating art? SINCE landing the lead in ‘The

Just like Roger Moore HOWEVER, Bang has already told the Daily Telegraph that he is probably too old to play the part – despite

some monstrously kind reviews. “The crown of the work is the casting of Claes Bang, who was fantastic in the role of a self-centred Hollywood actor in 'The Affair' last year,” praised the DT reviewer. “His Dracula is fun, outrageous and exciting. If Bond producers want to go back to the Roger Moore days of jokes and questioning eyebrows, Bang is their man.”

French great dies

Haarder’s new job

Scenic in the States

DANISH actress Anna Karina, a star of French New Wave cinema who was a frequent collaborator of former husband Jean-Luc Godard in the 1960s, has died. She was 79 and had cancer. Born Hanne Karen Blarke Bayer in Solbjerg, she moved to France aged 17 and spent the rest of her life there.

THE FORMER minister Bertel Haarder has been appointed chair of the Royal Theatre by the current culture minister, Rasmus Prehn. Haarder replaced Lisbeth Knudsen, who had been in the position since 2016, at the turn of the year. Haarder was culture minister from 2015 to 2016.

DR HAS highlighted how Danish scenographer Kristian Milsted, 45, is kicking arse in the US through his work on the acclaimed HBO series ‘Watchmen’. From his base in London – his home since 1998 – he has already carved out an impressive CV, having worked on successful British series 'Killing Eve' and 'Utopia'.

Electric year ahead

Hearty line-up

Louisiana’s record year

2020 WILL MARK the bi-centenary of HC Ørsted's discovery of electromagnetism. HCØ2020, a consortium led by the DTU, has set itself a goal of educating 1.6 million people in Denmark about Ørsted’s breakthrough. The events will include exhibitions, lectures, debates and … experiments.

THE HEARTLAND Festival, the music, culture and food event held at Egeskov Castle on Funen, has confirmed a strong line-up for 2020, including The National, The Cardigans, Kurt Vile, Seasick Steve, Rufus Wainwright and The Jesus and Mary Chain. This year’s festival will take place from May 29-31.

LOUISIANA, the country’s most popular art gallery, has reported a record year. In total, it received a record 757,163 visitors. Elsewhere, Kongernes Jelling, Glyptoteket and Nivaagaards Malerisamling also reported record years, whilst Kunstmuseet Trapholt in Kolding and Museet Kunsten in Aalborg reported their second best.

ONLINE THIS WEEK Apologies for sexism POLITIKEN has apologised following criticism of its reviewers for not judging female performers purely based on their music. Often pilloried for their appearance, several reviewers have questioned why women often wear uncomfortable high stilettos. One reviewer claimed they made a TV presenter wobble neurotically whilst on air.

You little tinker! LAST MONTH’S daily julekalender TV show proved to be a real festive winner for TV2 with most episodes of ‘Tinka og Kongespillet’ drawing more than a million viewers. The julekalender was a sequel to the 2017 edition 'Tinkas juleeventyr’, so no prizes for guessing what’s coming up in 2021. However, by that time Tinka (actress Josephine Højbjerg) will be 18 years old.

‘Cave’ in contention THE DANISH-SYRIAN documentary ‘The Cave’, the story of a female doctor who runs an underground hospital in the Syrian province of Al-Ghouta, has been nominated for an Oscar. ‘Dronningen’, meanwhile, missed out on making the tenfilm shortlist for Best Film in a Foreign Language. The Oscar ceremony is on February 9.

Nelly to visit Denmark US HIP-HOP star Nelly is performing at Vejle Musikteater on March 24 and at Store Vega on March 25.

SPORT

16 January - 6 February 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK Inter eyes Eriksen

Legend eyes Tokyo ALONG with the likes of Tony Hawk, Danish skater legend Rune Glifberg, 45, has helped to elevate skateboarding to the heights of popularity the sport enjoys today, so it’s understandable that he wants to take part in the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer, where the sport is making its debut. The two-time X Games gold medallist is aiming to be among the 20 competitors to qualify.

Bangin’ Braithwaite

Tomasson quits

Tall in the saddle

CYCLIST Mads Pedersen, who in September became the first Dane to win the men’s World Road Championships, has been named the 2019 Sports Person of the Year. The men’s handball team won the BT Gold award for winning the World Championships earlier in the year, Kasper Schmeichel and Pernille Harder were named the footballers of the year, and boxer Mikkel Kessler has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

DENMARK forward Martin Braithwaite may have been a failure at Middlesbrough, but he’s been smashing it for La Liga club Leganes. On Saturday he scored for the fourth match on the trot, netting a brace in the cup. His league tally of six makes him the most prolific Dane in Spain for 24 years, trailing only Bent Christensen (12 for Compostela, 1995/96) and record holder Michael Laudrup (13 for Barcelona, 1991/92).

THE DBU football association DBU is looking for a new assistant coach for Åge Hareide ahead of Euro 2020, as Jon Dahl Tomasson has quit to become the new coach of Malmø FF. The former Denmark striker was set to stop after Euro 2020 when Hareide will be formally replaced by Kasper Hjulmand. Meanwhile, the DBU has appointed Jakob Jensen, 45, as its new CEO. Jensen formerly worked for the Employment Ministry.

DANISH cyclist Mathias Norsgaard Jørgensen, 22 years old and 202 cm tall, who joined Movistar late last year, is officially the tallest rider in World Tour history, relegating Belgian rider Stijn Vandenbergh (199 cm) into second place. Jørgensen aims to establish himself as a top support rider in the coming years. Below he is pictured with Movistar’s shortest rider, Eider Merino (154 cm), who competes for the women’s team.

Handballers fear exit

Another NHL Dane

Bjarne bounces back

HEADING into the 2020 Euros in men’s handball, which are being co-hosted by Sweden, Norway and Austria, the Danes were 23/10 favourites to win – particularly as they beat reigning champions Norway and France in warmup games. However, they haven’t got off to the best of starts, losing 30-31 to Iceland on January 11, before drawing with Hungary two days later. The tournament concludes on January 26.

IN DECEMBER yet another Dane got a chance to play in the NHL. Joachim Blichfeld, 21, who played a couple of games for the San Jose Sharks before being sent back down to the minors, is the 14th Dane to play in the world’s top ice hockey league. In other NHL news, Toronto Maple Leaf netminder Frederik Andersen became the second Dane to be picked for the NHL All Star Game, following Frans Nielsen’s selection in 2017.

1995 TOUR DE France champ Bjarne Riis is again returning to the world of cycling to front a World Tour team. Riis last week confirmed that Virtu Cycling – the company he owns with Lars Seier Christensen, which previously ran a women’s team of the same name – has become the co-owner of South African outfit Team NTT and that he will take over as manager. Racing under the name Dimension Data in 2019, NTT had a dismal year.

International theatre schools for 4-18yr olds Free trial day – Book now scenekunstskoler.dk

MOVISTAR

THE DRAWN-OUT transfer saga involving Tottenham and Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen could end this month, reports Ekstra Bladet. Inter Milan are believed to be closing in on a deal that could see the 27-year-old Dane leave Tottenham for around 150-180 million kroner – a club he joined in 2013 from Ajax. Eriksen has resisted Spurs’ efforts to extend his contract, which is in its final year.

Cyclist wins top award

10 BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK

BRITISH fitness chain PureGym has paid 3.1 billion kroner to acquire its Danish counterpart Fitness World. With 1.7 million members and more than 500 gyms, PureGym is the second largest gym chain in Europe. Fitness World, in contrast, has over 230 gyms and more than 600,000 members in Denmark, Poland and Switzerland.

Rogue wind turbine THE POLICE were forced to close off some roads in Mors, northwest Jutland, on December 30 after a wind turbine went rogue. It was feared the 30-metre, 175 kilowatt turbine, which was turning despite being switched off, might dismantle like a similar turbine in the same area in 2015.

New path to parliament DAT IS introducing a new air route between Copenhagen and Strasbourg from February – principally to make it easier for politicians to travel to the European Parliament. The new service will operate on Monday and Thursday every third week in order to coincide with EU parliamentary meetings. The route is also open to the public.

Sports chain sold THE NORDIC Capital Fund has sold Sportmaster to a Singaporean company that pretty much has the same name. Sportmaster Operations, which mainly operates in eastern Europe and Asia, paid an undisclosed price for the sports goods chain. Sportmaster has 89 stores in Denmark but its last annual report revealed a loss of more than 100 million kroner.

Mobile payment boom MOBILEPAY passed the 100 billion kroner mark in transfers during 2019 – an increase of 18 billion kroner from 2018. Mobile payments at stores have driven the progress, where 330 million payments were made. MobilePay was initially launched in 2013 for private transfers, and today it has more than 4 million users in Denmark.

Majority don’t expect a pay rise

ONLINE THIS WEEK CPH AIRPORT

Fitness World sold

16 January - 6 February 2020

More optimism about economy, according to Randstad survey VALMIRA GJONI

CCORDING to a new survey by the Randstad recruitment agency, just 39 percent of Danes expect to see a pay rise in 2020 – the second-most bleak outlook in the OECD. Additionally, only 28 percent of Danes expect to get a bonus. “A great proportion of the Danish labour market is regulated and tied up in various wage agreements, while many salaries are price-regulated and are therefore so small that people don't see it as a wage increase," noted Nima Astanehdost, the CEO of

Only a few are expecting a rise

Randstad Denmark. According to Astanehdost, workers on high taxes tend to shrug off pay rises more readily than those who will see more of the net gain. Optimism for 2020 THE DANES are more optimistic about their economy, however. Some 62 percent think the

country’s financial situation will improve, and 68 percent believe that their company’s finances will get better. According to Astanehdost, Denmark's ability to attract highly-skilled workers will play a key role in determining whether 2020 is a successful year for Denmark.

Business more upbeat over Brexit After years of uncertainty, the UK election result has brought much needed clarity THESS MÓSTOLES

N DANISH business circles the mood is far more upbeat now that there is clarity over the future of Brexit, with Dansk Industri applauding the resolve of British PM Boris Johnson to “get it done”. “Most people can now see the end of this because at least we know that we are negotiating with someone who knows what they want,” Thomas Bustrup, the deputy general secretary of DI, told TV2. One of the companies that has been looking closely at Brexit

is the Danish shipping company DFDS. “We must expect that when Boris Johnson goes to parliament there is a clear agreement he will execute the agreement that is already in place as soon as possible,” DFDS chief executive Torben Carlsen told TV2.

Vestas’ green pledge VESTAS has become the latest Danish company to set goals regarding zero emissions, announcing that it intends to replace its petrol-driven cars and trucks with electric-powered vehicles. Its factories and offices have been powered by 100 percent renewable sources since 2013, but its direct CO2 emissions have been increasing since 2015 to 69,000 tonnes in 2018.

Alleged postage fraud NATIONAL postage service PostNord Danmark faces a Transport Ministry investigation after an anonymous tip-off containing various fraud allegations was sent to various politicians. It is believed the allegations, according to Jyllands-Posten, pertain to the postage service gaining an unfair competitive edge by allegedly merging its letter and parcel deliveries with other logistical tasks.

Spotlight on Huawei

A lot to figure out FOLLOWING the UK exit, there will only be 12 months to secure a trade agreement, which is not a lot of time. In comparison, the EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement took seven years. “There is a lot at stake over the next 12 months for Danish business concerning the trade agreement, which may contain

Brexit nearing a conclusion

All good at Tivoli

SAS’s safety praised

Iranian nightmare

TIVOLI is performing well financially. For the nine months ending September 30, it posted a pre-tax profit of 169.4 million kroner – up from 51 million in the same period in 2018 – and for 2019 it is on course to break its all-time record. Visitor numbers increased by 11 percent last year to 4.85 million, during which it was open for 282 days.

SAS HAS been ranked in 14th place in the 'Top Twenty Safest Airlines for 2020' list compiled by AirlineRatings. The institution assesses 405 airlines worldwide based on seven factors, including crashes and serious incidents, age of fleet, financial performance and quality of pilot training. The Australian airline Qantas was ranked first for the seventh consecutive year.

DANISH business speculated it could earn 8 billion kroner a year from trade with Iran when international sanctions were lifted in 2016 – exports more than doubled between 2015 and 2017 – but the future now looks bleak. Novo Nordisk, which in 2015 set out plans for a 500 million kroner factory in Iran, is expected to be one of the biggest losers.

many of the things that apply today when they trade with the UK. That is what needs to be negotiated,” said Bustrup. “You can already feel the concern that there is only a year to negotiate the more precise details of the exit. Is it at all possible within the timeframe?” asked Carlsen.

THE SPOTLIGHT on Huawei's efforts to gain a foothold in the icy north continued over the festive period: firstly when it emerged that Ericsson has been chosen to provide Greenland with its 5G network (in addition to Norway), and secondly when reports emerged that the Chinese ambassador had met with Føroya Tele, the ultimate decision-maker in the Faroes.

Big tax earner PAL, A 15.3 percent tax payable on pension schemes, has become one of the government's biggest earners – and it even yields a larger return than the top tax bracket. Only income tax, labour market contributions and corporation tax earn more. According to PFA, it will earn close to 60 billion kroner this year as more Danes increase their investment risk.

Arla's new record ARLA SOLD a record 93 million litres of organic milk in 2018 – a quarter of the total sold in Denmark.

INDIA

THE HIMALAYAS IN NORTHWEST INDIA: UNIMAGINABLY VAST AND BEAUTIFUL!

WE WAKE TO A PANORAMIC VIEW THAT GIVES A FORMIDABLE IMPRESSION OF THE EXTENT OF THE HIMALAYAS. AS FAR AS THE EYE CAN SEE ARE SNOW-COVERED PEAKS, FERTILE VALLEYS, JUNGLES, RICE PADDIES, SMALL IDYLLIC MOUNTAIN VILLAGES AND FOAMING WATERFALLS Text and pictures: Titi production/translation Stephen Gadd

“The students come from all over the world and foreign tourists are just beginning to discover Mussoorie. But foreign tourism is still very low-level,” says Sandeep. TRACES OF BRITISH RULE Next morning we wake up to a panoramic view that gives us a formidable impression of the extent of the Himalayas. As far as the eye can see are snow-covered peaks, fertile valleys, jungles, rice paddies, small idyllic mountain villages and foaming waterfalls The peaks remind you a little of the Austrian Alps but Mussoorie is dramatically different from European nature and culture, even though the British left visible traces of their period of government. This can be seen particularly in the classic black streetlamps that are everywhere in streets and alleys, and in the architecture of the small churches. Christ Church, built in 1835 in Gothic style with large glass windows, high ceilings and tower, is the oldest. Among the most popular streets is the Mall, a steepish asphalted boulevard lined by green trees, where the restaurants and shops lie cheek by jowl along the entire length and which helps to create an impression of colonialism. But wherever you go is filled with scooters and cars and there are masses of people everywhere. However, nobody is aggressive and it is as if Indians have quietly accepted that there should be room for everybody.

“What are you having, whisky, vodka and white wine? asks Sandeep Sahni who is the host for our little group of travellers and president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association in the state of Uttarakhand.

away from the government in Shimla and who wanted to have fun without having someone looking over their shoulders came here. That’s the story behind the name Northern India’s Las Vegas,” explained Sandeep.

We’re sitting at the dinner table of the restaurant in the Queen of Hills hotel in Mussoorie in the Himalayas where we’ve just checked in and are looking forward to having something to eat and drink. Everyone smiles when a dry remark is made: “I’m told they also drink whiskey with their food in America!”

He shows us the book ‘Tales of Yesteryear Mussoorie Medley’ by Ganesh Saili in which it states that at one time, the town had up to 54 brothels and that here there had been a lot of scandals and romance in the air. The dancing girls in the various establishments charged handsomely for even a little kiss and a great deal of money was spent in the town’s shops and brothels.

While the waiter serves one colourful, aromatic and delicious dish after another, Sandeep Sahni tells us a little about the town’s history and its population. And he’s certainly caught on to the expression ‘whisky in America’ because he goes on to tell us that Mussoorie is known as northern India’s Las Vegas. “Around 80 years ago when India was subject to rule by the British Empire there was a competition to find out where the British Government should hold its next summer camp – in Shimla or Mussoorie. Shimla was chosen and we thank the gods for that,” he continues. Shimla went on the become the British Govenment’s official summer headquarters and Mussoorie the unofficial one. That meant that anyone who wanted to get

Sandeep goes deeper into another chapter of the book and tells us that around 5,000 of the very richest people in India have lived here during the summer period and that Mussoorie is still one of India’s largest tourist attractions and attractive for the rich upper classes. That is evident from the vibrant business scene in the streets and all the expensive hotels and schools that have been built here over time. The oldest school is Mr John Mackinnon’s Mussoorie Seminary and dates from 1840. While he’s talking loud music can be heard from the international college close by where the students are busy having a party. They dance and have fun to the music of Rihanna and Eminem, just as every other young person does everywhere else.

If you surrender to the beat of the street you soon discover that there is a rhythm in everything and that you can actually get across the road without being run over as long as you watch where you are going. However, you must be careful not to push a cow if one suddenly crosses your path. Cows are holy and have a special place in society. The butchering of cows is totally forbidden in most states and can result in life imprisonment, which puts the fact that India is one of the world’s biggest exporters of beef in sharp relief. COLOURFUL SENSORY IMPRESSIONS On our way through the town we meet only friendly and helpful people and feel completely safe. Here there is a smell of curry from roadside kitchens and we are being enriched by colourful sensory impressions and spirituality from all sides. A lot of people have a coloured dot on their foreheads that is a religious symbol and in the case of women, also a beauty spot. However, you also see many priests and spiritual men with the coloured dots. Colour plays a very large part in Hinduism and many Hindus believe that the correct use of colour can create an environment that can make a person happy (Source: Hinduismen.dk). Many of the spiritual men go round in orange robes but male workers dress in the traditional dhoti kurta, a piece of cloth that is wound around the legs combined with a long overcoat-like top part. The women dress in colourful saris that consist of a piece of cloth around six metres long that is would around the body and can be bought in all colours

INDIA

Other things

TO DO IN THE AREA

RIDING IN THE MOUNTAINS A little higher up than Mussoorie is the Auli Ski Resort, around 2,800m above sea level. The view of mountain range upon mountain range is superb and the terrain is especially attractive to skiers from all over the world who wish to test their skills.

and qualities. Some also wear veils that can give the erroneous impression that the women are shy and retiring. Some may be. but many are curious and talkative, so if you have a question don’t hesitate to ask the locals who very probably speak English as they learn it at school. LIBERATION FROM THE OLD NORMS In a small local restaurant a little further up in the mountains we meet three older women dressed in colourful saris who are happy to be photographed and talk to us. They explain that the young people and their elders don’t quite agree on what is ﬁtting. For example, a sari can be bound so that just a little of the stomach is visible and that is not well thought of by the older women. “But we don’t wear veils to hide away from strangers but to emphasise religious observances and the days of the week. For instance, many women wear a white scarf on Mondays, which is the day dedicated to the god Shiva,” they explain. Whichever way you look at it the sari is rapidly dying out because young girls would rather wear trousers, dress in European style and educate themselves on equal footing with men. Dyvia Gauda, a manager at Air India, adds that both the young and slightly older women want to look beyond religious interpretations towards the democratic social structure inspired by the British legal system.

“

THE STUDENTS COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND FOREIGN TOURISTS ARE JUST BEGINNING TO DISCOVER MUSSOORIE. BUT FOREIGN TOURISM IS STILL VERY LOWLEVEL SANDEEP

”

“If you take a walk though New Delhi you will see that many of the young girls prefer to dress in a more international style,” says Gauda. Here in Mussoorie the girls are primarily dressed in scarves and colourful clothes and the people here seem to be living on the cusp of another age. So if you want to try an adventurous trip that is totally dissimilar from the European way of life, Mussoorie is a very good place to start. HOW TO GET TO MUSSOORIE Mussoorie lies in the Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand in north west India and is situated around 2,000 m above sea level. The town is 35km from the state capital Dehradun and 290km from the country’s capital New Delhi. According to the Mussoorie Population Census from 2011-2019 it has a population of 30,000. You can get to Mussoorie by flying from Kastrup to New Delhi and taking in internal flight from there to Dehradun’s Jolly Ghat Airport. The flight takes about 50 minutes. From Dehradun you can take a bus or a taxi to Mussoorie for around 300kr. The drive takes around 2 hours. Airline tickets from Kastrup to Dehradun with a stopover at New Delhi cost from 6,217kr with Air India. In addition, you must remember to order a visa in good time. That costs around 500kr.

In the summer months you can experience a colourful carpet with all the world’s different species of flowers and the area is perfect for trekking, paragliding etc. If you want to take things a bit more easily you can take the cable car up to the top of the mountain where it is possible to explore the area on your own. But you can also chose to go through the mountainous terrain on horseback. As the air is thin and you can quickly become short of breath, the latter can be strongly recommended – also because the tour goes past a little temple in the middle of the jungle where a priest blesses passers-by by giving them a coloured dot on the forehead. Price: around 100kr for a half-day riding tour. https://www.tripsavvy.com/the-top-things-to-do-inauli-uttarakhand-4176790 YOGA IN RISHIKESH Rishikesh lies at the foot of the Himalayas around 250km north of the Indian capital Delhi and is known as India’s formost yoga city. Over the years, celebrities such as Mia Farrow and The Beatles have come here to practice transcendental meditation. Today, it is a centre for yoga tourists from all over the world and you can find many ashrams and meditation huts picturesquely situated down to the Ganges. The city is so holy that it is completely alcohol, drugs, meat and car-free – or at least as good as. Price: A three-day stay at a yoga resort cost around 700kr https://www.bookyogaretreats.com/yoga-vidyamandiram/3-days-himalayan-meditation-and-yogaretreat-in-rishikesh-india RIVER RAFTING ON THE GANGES The Ganges is the most holy river to the Hindus and pilgrims and other fascinating people journey to, there obtain spiritual cleansing. But even though the Ganges is sacred you shouldn’t deny yourself a chance to sail up the river and try river rafting. You could, for example, chose to take an 11km trip that takes around an hour and a half. On the way you sail through half a dozen falls that give you one of the best adrenalin rushes around. Price: around 300kr http://www.rishikeshtourism.in/River_Rafting_ Rishikesh.html

INDIA

ENJOY A HOLIDAY AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD – HEAVEN ON EARTH!

NORTHERN INDIA IS A FANTASTIC TRAVEL DESTINATION BECAUSE IT IS SO VARIED AND THERE IS JUST TO MUCH OF EVERYTHING. THE COUNTRY IS IN THE MIDST OF A TREMENDOUS PERIOD OF DEVELOPMENT AND OFFERS A PLETHORA OF ENCHANTING EXPERIENCES. HOWEVER, BEFORE YOU GO IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO TAKE TIME TO LOOK AT THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS IN THE COUNTRY Text and pictures: Titi production/translation Stephen Gadd The freedom to experience things. Today it has become possible to travel precisely where you want to go, and more and more people are looking at tailor-made trips where they can visit hidden places that are normally only known by the locals. Authentic experiences have become the new black and if you are in search of an unforgettable adventure, Uttarakhand state in the north western Himalayas is a good bet. The area offers rich possibilities for everything from trekking, riding, star gazing and long trips with fantastic views. Here, the adventure-seeking traveller can find anything he or she dreams of. But whatever you decide to do, you must remember to check your pulse and move along at an easy pace if you don’t want to be short of breath. That can happen very easily in the thin atmosphere but luckily short stops and a little water can correct that. COW CHAOS AND A HUMAN MAELSTROM The north west Himalayas resemble a mixture of the Austrian Alps and the mountains in Lesotho in South Africa. But from a cultural perspective there is multiculturalism and it is no exaggeration to say that Uttarakhand is a paradox where the richness of colour and beautiful saris are in contrast to the rags and gracious temples stand cheek by jowl with older buildings and miserable hovels. It is completely overwhelming but also charming because even though there are incredibly many people – today, India has a population of around 1.3 billion and is expected to overtake China in 2050 with 1.7 billion (source: Arbejderen) – so there is also order and a definite rhythm to everything. You

do, however, have to be careful. If a cow suddenly appears in your path don’t try and push it or divert it, because cows are sacred and have special rights. The butchering of cows is completely forbidden in most states and can lead to life imprisonment. “Anyone who does not save a cow will not be saved by the government,” Gujurat’s justice minister Paradipsinh Jadeja recently said in parliament. (Kilde: Berlingske Tidende).

THE FIFTH LARGEST ECONOMY India is in a tremendous period of economic growth and is well on the way to becoming one of the world’s largest markets. This is reflected in everything from street markets to the business world. As part of the modernisation of the economy India’s government is investing in new strategies and technologies that will contribute towards the ambition of positive growth. That provides excellent opportunities for companies offering sustainable solutions. There is a good strategic match between Danish competencies and the solutions that India is seeking especially in the fields of green energy the handling of water and rubbish, transport, infrastructure and the farming and food sector. Analyses indicate that within a very few years India will overtake the United Kingdom as the fifth largest economy in the world (source: Dansk Industri). In the longer term it will hopefully sow the seeds for finally ending the caste system. Unfortunately this is still very much in evidence, despite being officially abolished by the Indian Constitution of 1950 (source: Dagblad Information). THE CASTE SYSTEM The caste system was originally developed by Hindu priests who wanted to position themselves on the highest rung of society. There are four castes and at the top are priests and learned men. After them come chieftains and warriors and then merchants and traders. At the bottom are servants who do the manual work for the other castes.

KARMA AND FATE However unjust it sounds before this changes there is not much that can be done regarding equality in India before the religious belief that a person’s fate is already decided at birth and their position in society will be inherited by their descendants. Karma means ‘actions that bind’ and this creed decides what existence a person’s soul gets next time they are reborn. ‘As you sow so shall you reap’ could be the motto arising from the idea that a person’s fate is self-inﬂicted. It sounds harsh but luckily there winds of change on the way that want a more modern social structure. Also in this ﬁeld India is well on the way as well, as being the world’s largest democracy.

But not everyone belongs to a caste. Around 20 percent of the population are casteless (source: Kristeligt Dagblad). This group includes the poorest farmers, uneducated workers and poor street artists who live under aparthheid-like conditions.

In all its greatness and duality India is a completely unique as a travel destination that will remain indelibly in the memory when other trips are forgotten. Here is everything that a traveller could wish for and experience within the realms of ﬂora, fauna, politics and culture.

These people are, for example, not allowed to eat together with people of a higher caste, they don’t have access to temples or oﬃcial cemeteries and can’t rely on police protection.

So if you have itchy feet and want to experience something entirely new there’s no excuse for not going – especially as it is now incredibly easy to take a plane to New Delhi with Air India Denmark and from there, fan out both south and north.

EASY TO FLY TO NEW DELHI

INDIA

DANISH INTERNATIONAL STAR ANITA LERCHE AND HER PASSAGE TO INDIA

By Githa Schultz Denmark has its very own ‘Star of India’ born in a small Copenhagen suburb with eyes as blue as the Nordic skies, fabulously beautiful and as colourful as a Danish summer’s day.

It was an adventure that began as a fourteen-day trekking trip to India almost 15 years ago and a journey that ended with Anita staying in India for over a year to record her first Indian-language CD ‘Heer from Denmark’. As the first non-Asian woman in the world Anita used Punjabi music spiced with Bhangra rhythms. She fell in love with this musical genre that comes from the northern state of Punjab on a trip somewhere in the Himalayas. Since then, Anita Lerche has become established as a name to millions of Indians who have really taken her into their hearts, garlanded her with honours and nominations and sent her round the world several times to perform. She has, as it were, India at her feet and has almost attained the status of a singing goddess. BEHIND HER SUCCESS LIES A NATURAL TALENT AND FOCUSED SINGING TRAINING The Punjab, singing and music was not exactly written above Anita Lerche’s cradle, but already as a child she was performing songs and music. As a 13-year-old Anita was accepted into Danmarks Radios girls choir. She took her high-school diploma at Skt Annæ Gymnasium then continued her education at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. This led to roles in musicals, plays and operettas. Anita Lerche’s talents are extremely broad and she can sing in over 16 languages. No musical genre or language seems too difficult for the Danish star and apart from the Indian adventure, Anita has a very large and in demand international repertoire. You can also hear Anita’s Danish voice in a number of Disney productions such as voicing the little Indian plane Ashani in the cartoon film ‘Planes’. Or tune in to Anita’s weekly show ‘Heart & Soul’ and hear Rukus Avenue Radio, North America’s first mainstream southern Asian radio station. Photo: Kamalsona Photography and Harjit Singh

There has also been time for an appearance in the Danish leg of the Eurovision Song Contest and since the first Indian CD Anita has released two more Indianlanguage CDs, ‘Sadke Punjab Ton’ and ‘Bhajans’. The latter managed a top five placing in the prestigious American Billboard Chart in the New Age Music genre. In 2013 ‘Sadke Punjab Ton’ was nominated for a Danish Music Award world track, but Anita has already won a Danish Music Award World in 2009 with the song ‘Maahiya’. MUSIC IS THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART This year, the world famous peace-loving Indian Mahatma Gandhi would have been 150 years old. Last year embassies around the world took part in choosing singers from 155 countries to record and celebrate Gandhi’s favourite song ‘Vaishnav Jan To’. Anita Lerche was chosen by the Indian Embassy in Denmark to record the tribute song. As is well known Pakistan, that has also made its musical contribution to the recording, borders the Indian state of Punjab and Anita also has many fans on that side of the border too besides her Indian ones. Many million Pakistanis speak Punjabi and can therefore enjoy Anita’s songs and music just as much as Indians. UK BHANGRA AWARDS In 2017 Anita was awarded a prize for ‘Best International Artist’ in the prestigious UK Bhangra Awards held every year in Birmingham. Broadly speaking, the awards are the equivalent of the American Grammys but celebrate the sounds of the Punjab and its Indian echo. In November 2019 she was once again nominated in the same event, just in a different category – a ‘Special Contribution’ award. Both times she was up against big Indian names. When she sits there with her Nordic countenance, expectant and dreaming of hearing her name after “and the prize goes to ...” Anita is still surprised, touched and thankful to hear her name called. But almost as a foregone conclusion she won the honorary award in that category this year.

INDIANA, USA Six years ago Anita moved to Indiana in the United Sates after having got her green card and work permit in the ‘unique artist’ category. Many Danish artists have tried their luck musically in the US but only a few have made it. Anita Lerche has the whole world as her auditorium, even though the Indian music will always be very close to her heart. Anita has written six new songs in English and worked with Grammy Award-winning musicians on a new album. And we can deﬁnitely expect to hear the beautiful singing star in Denmark in the future. Here she was born but her music and singing belong to the whole world. ‘Love is my religion’ will be the title of her new album. Media: https://anitalerche.com/ https://www.rukusavenueradio.com/

16 January - 6 February 2020

FIT FOR BUSINESS CEOs and Olympic medal-winning athletes come to Ed (edley. net) for help to optimise their physical and mental performance. Using neuroscience and body work techniques, his methods improve their energy, health, fulfilment and well-being. And as the co-host of the Global Denmark podcast, he has his finger on issues pertinent to expats in Denmark.

’M NOT BIG on resolutions, but heading into 2017 I had been in Copenhagen for six months and I wasn’t integrating. I had coaching clients in the UK who I spoke to by phone whilst enjoying the beauty of Charlottenlund. And while that was an incredible experience, away skiing at Christmas I decided it was time to get some skin in the game. One person at a time I RESOLVED to meet a new person every day for coffee. I took to LinkedIn and searched for founders and CEOs doing interesting things. My ‘story’ was that I was looking for interesting things to get involved with in this country, whilst presenting my skills as a life coach, which tend to lie in affecting behavioural change to improve performance – both

Carlos started a business through denmarkbrazil.com, but while his blog survives, he has left for pastures new and is now the head of strategic partnerships at Ucommerce, where he mainly deals with agencies in the Benelux countries. The roundtables host seeks to inspire many on a vast range of topics, from digital transformation and mental health to the future of work in the 4th industrial revolution.

But what next? THE REACTION got me thinking: when was the last time you procrastinated or avoided making a hard decision? In my last article, I spoke about discovering I suffered from depression – which is all fine when we are self-aware about a particular issue we undergo (see box for a reminder of what happened to me in 2019) – but what happens next?

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Perspective issues SO WHY am I down on resolutions? Well, I’m yet to meet anyone who has a string of 20 years of successful resolutions in their wake. We get a bird’s eye view of our lives at Christmas when we get to assess them without emotion. But the trouble is that this experience Belly up IN BRAZILIAN Portuguese, we have an expression called ‘empurrar com a barriga’, which in literal terms means to push something with your belly. In simple terms, it means to procrastinate. You see: becoming aware of a particular challenge that is bugging you is very important, but things won’t change much if you don’t take action. Nothing comes your way for free. The beautiful and challenging thing about becoming part of the adult world is: no-one will tell you what to do, and no decisions will be made for you.

Get busy networking

tricks us into thinking that the emotions and feelings that have derailed us in the past will not return when the work does. Objectively the resolution fits, but the reality is very different. The most powerful resolution one can make, I have found, is to start removing things – starting with those detailing emotions. The resolution process often shows us truths: namely that our lives are as packed as they feel. Why else would we feel like we can add in more commitments?

Slow down! IT IS OUR feelings that so often make our lives feel overwhelming. So this year, slow down. Name those detailing emotions, and then list the ingredients that make up those emotions. You see, there is no effect without cause, and we need to identify the ingredients that are combining to derail us. Commit to not allowing these ingredients to combine in 2020, and have a happy New Year.

HARD DECISIONS IN 2019:

• Left Denmark and admitted to myself I had a problem I had to look carefully at • Visited Psychiatrist number 1, but was not too fond of his style • Visited Psychiatrist number 2, who I liked • Got referred to go to a psychologist and began cognitive therapy. • Returned to Denmark • Left startup • Agreed with ex-wife that we should divorce — the hardest and most complex decision of my life to this day • Found a job PIXABAY

GIVE YOURSELF A CHANCE

EFORE I start this new article, I’d like to say thanks to everyone who reached out to me after I shared my last article, and to tell you how humbled I am. I had no idea that sharing my article would impact so many people. My LinkedIn and WhatsApp inboxes were cluttered with messages from people from all over the world. Thank you!

mental and physical. I was blown away by the response. Danes invited me to their companies and showed me their challenges, whilst contacts offered to introduce me to others in their network. The country I was exposed to filled me with excitement regarding the possibilities. Soon I started to be invited to work with some of them. Within six months I had no choice but to take on a small studio in Hellerup because the travel was restricting my working day.

Action is everything YOU MAY work consciously or subconsciously to have someone decide your destiny for you, but I don’t think that is sustainable.

There’s no doubt that 2019 has been a transformational and turbulent year for me – let’s face it, I could have spent it beating around the bush. But that would have made the price of not taking any decision (which is a decision by the way) much higher for me. For 2020, I hope you too can take the necessary action for whatever you’ve set as a priority in your life.

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16 OPINION

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16 January - 6 February 2020

Expect the unexpected

The key is in the centre THE KEY question will revolve around which parties are prepared to back Socialdemokratiet’s climate policy and back the tough measures needed to cut CO2 by 70 percent by 2030. Pandering to the far left (or the right) will only muck the waters and increase the possibility that the climate policy won’t see out the decade. To effect binding change, the government needs to reach across the centre to Venstre and Konservative and with Radikale form a solid 70 percent majority. A left bloc coalition will leave the government vulnerable to protests and standalone positions, handing power over to marginal parties that don’t advocate for the concerns of the majority. It would be a mistake as the popular movement to support these steps is gaining momentum. The public want less meatsourced protein in their diet, fewer air journeys, less disposable plastic, environmental heating, more public transport and electric cars, and lots of measures to cut down on transport. The government has to ask if effective climate policy is possible without harsh legislation?

Mishra’s Mishmash

Are they prepared to cut spending on welfare? Because that’s what it might take. More hands to the pump ANOTHER issue at hand is the dwindling population. Immigration has been kept down to a minimum since the migrant crisis in 2015. The shock of seeing the refugees on the motorway hasn’t gone away. But in order to carry the burden of CO2 emission reduction without the loss of prosperity, we need growth and that means more skilled people. Again, a centre coalition is needed to ease the strong measures against foreigners. Meanwhile the EU will have to come to terms with a liveable policy so we can adapt a flexible model. That aside we must hope for more refugee quotas – at a time when there sadly seems to be more than ever in need of a new home. Easy route for PM? WILL CANNABIS for recreational use be legalised in 2020? Probably not, even though most people know it is high time given the gang wars fought over various territories and the strain it places on the police force. Will tax reform reduce the burden of the high earners? Probably not as the government will be busy tiding up the tax administration, not to mention the new evaluation system on property that will bring the nation to the barricades no matter what it includes. The blue bloc will spend the year licking their wounds – their sights are already set on 2023 or 2024. As long as she doesn’t attempt anything too daring, the PM will sail with good winds – at least for another year. Happy New Year! (ES)

As a regular contributor to the Times of India, the country’s largest newspaper, Mishra is often soughtafter by Danish media and academia to provide expertise on Asian-related matters, human rights issues and democratisation. He has spent half his life in India and the other half in Denmark and Sweden.

HE QUEEN of Denmark has been remarkably successful at setting new agendas for public discourse despite the fact she is not the political head of the country. For 48 consecutive years the queen’s speech has been broadcast to the nation live on television on New Year’s Eve when people are still sober. This time awaiting a new decade, a large proportion of Danes were once again glued to their television listening to Queen Margrethe. We can see it is televised live because she clearly had a cold and took a handkerchief to blow her nose in the middle of her speech, making it a very human experience. There is no time nor possibility to cut out such moments. Not just alone SHE OFTEN picks a few subjects to highlight their importance to the nation, and this year she picked two: growing anti-Semitism in Denmark and the unhealthy effect of loneliness. Since anti-Semitism has been widely debated, I would like to focus on the importance of the new discussion regarding loneliness in Denmark. Part of the debate surrounds what constitutes loneliness. Traditionally, many associate it with people who are simply on their own and have limited social contact with others. They might live on their own and be unemployed or incapacitated. More likely they are elderly and their partner is no longer alive. But loneliness can also increasingly be defined as perceived social isolation experienced by people who are often in contact with people via social

BILL EBBESEN

N 2020 NOTHING particular is going to happen. But then again, who knows? So far, the government’s stance on climate is mostly hot air. It might end up banning plastic bags and taxing air tickets, and making it more advantageous to choose electric cars over petrol, but nothing overly consequential will happen – not while the PM favours policies with no cost to consumers and taxpayers. Affecting real change is unrealistic at present.

MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA

Never gets lonely on that balcony ... unless she's smoking

media, but live a life bereft of meaningful social contact. Physical toil APPROXIMATELY 210,000 people, some 4.6 percent of the Danish population, feel lonely. Feeling lonely has severe effects on a person's physical health, and it can often be worse than smoking or being overweight. This emphasises how we human beings are not just generic but also social, and social acceptance has a tremendous effect on our health. Teasing and bullying at schools, in the workplace or on social media leaves many people feeling lonely. And in turn, their feelings can have a knock-on effect as they find reasons not to interact with other lonely people – their parents or grandparents, for example. And while everyone is vulnerable to loneliness, it can be worse in villages or small towns where many risk getting physically trapped in spaces where a social life is not feasible.

In touch with her people THE BOTTOM line is that despite the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, a huge number of people in Denmark feel lonely. Newcomers to Denmark should know that Danes form all sorts of groups to cultivate their social lives. From mixing with the parents of their school children’s friends, to trade unions and sports clubs, meeting people is encouraged across all facets of society. Actually, Denmark probably has the world record for the most social interest groups. From joining a badminton club to hooking up with fellow vegetarians to sample new delicacies, taking part is a surefire way of making new friends. So the queen was absolutely right to make loneliness a major theme of her speech ahead of a brand new decade in Denmark. Her concern is just one of many reasons why she and the rest of the Royal Family remain popular and are seen as an important stabilising institution in Denmark.

OPINION

16 January - 6 February 2020

JESSICA ALEXANDER

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Englishman in Nyhavn

Jessica is a bestselling US author, Danish parenting expert, columnist, speaker and cultural researcher. Her work has been featured in TIME, The Huffington Post, The Atlantic and The NY Times, among others. She graduated with a BS in psychology and speaks four languages. Follow Jessica on IG @jessicajoelle_ or jessicajoellealexander.com.

Green Spotlight

JACK GARDNER

SIBYLLE DE VALENCE PIXABAY

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Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD

Straight Up

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ZACH KHADUDU It looks like ... it will be sunny later, most Danes concur

AST WEEK CNBC ran a program on why Danish and Nordic people are so happy. They focused a lot on the work-life balance and the concept of well-being. For a long time I too wondered what made Danes seem so contented. It couldn’t be the food, weather or taxes, so why did they always seem so cheery? Ask a Dane how they think the weather is when it is freezing, grey and raining outside, and they will unwittingly answer: “Well it’s a good thing I’m at work” or “Glad I am not on holiday” or “There isn’t bad weather, only bad clothing.” Try to get them to focus on anything really negative and you might be surprised by the clever twist in their language and outlook. Eternal optimists WHILST researching for ‘The Danish Way of Parenting’, I discovered that the Danes are what psychologists would call ‘realistic optimists’. That is: they use ‘reframing’ to view almost every aspect of life. Reframing is the ability to see the big picture

and focus on the less negative aspects of a situation while not negating the negative. Let me give an example. Imagine you are in an art gallery looking at a painting. The mood is dark and sombre. You see a mean man and a helpless woman. You conclude that it is a negative picture and start to move on. But the guide stops you to point out that there are other subtle details in the picture you hadn’t even noticed. There are jovial people arriving in the background bearing gifts. The man has dropped something on his foot, which is why he looks mean, and the woman feels bad for him. There is a sweet child giggling in the corner, and the light streaming through the window is extraordinary. In the very same picture there are many other things to focus on that change your entire experience of the picture. With practice the ability to ‘reframe’ – to find these more positive storylines – becomes easier, and the key to finding them is you.

High resilience REFRAMING has been strongly linked to resilience, and it has now become such a sought-after skill in the US that numerous organisations are training their staff in this invaluable skill. Dean M Becker, the founder of resilience firm Adaptive Learning Systems, explains: “More than education, more than experience and more than training, a person’s level of resilience will determine who succeeds and who fails. That’s true in the cancer ward, that’s true in the Olympics and that’s true in the boardroom.” Danes don’t have to train in reframing because it’s so engrained in their culture. They pass it on to their children who do it naturally as adults. This ability, I believe, is one of the little-known secrets to their happiness. It’s not only the work-life balance that matters, it’s how we choose to describe it. If a picture paints a thousand words, then try to choose those words carefully. How you frame the pictures of your life could make all the difference to how you feel about it.

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18 COMMUNITY

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ABOUT TOWN

16 January - 6 February 2020

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

Pakistani ambassador Syed Zulfiqar Gardezi is bidding farewell to these shores. At a special reception at his residence on January 9 many members of the diplomatic corps gathered to say goodbye, including (left-right) Ukrainian ambassador Mykhailo Vydoinyk, Swiss ambassador Florence Mattli, Croatian ambassador Tina Krce, Italian ambassador Luigi Ferrari, Portuguese ambassador Rita Laranjinha, three other guests, Gardezi, Nigerian ambassador Amadou Tcheko and Egyptian ambassador Ayman Alkaffas

The dignitaries were out in force for Parliament’s New Year reception for the diplomatic corps. Among those in attendance were (left-right) Vietnamese ambassador Pham Thanh Dung, Saudi Arabian ambassador Fahad Alruwaily, the Algerian ambassador agrée, Benin’s ambassador Eusebe Agbangha, Swedish ambassador Frederik Jörgensen (and his wife), Serbian ambassador Jasmina Maric, UAE ambassador Fatema Khamis Almazrouei, German ambassador Detlev Rünger and Czech ambassador Radek Pech

Daniel Günther, the minister-president of the northern German province of Schleswig-Holstein, was fittingly one of the guests of honour at the gala event at Det Kongelige Teater in Kongens Nytorv on January 10 to mark the centenary of this country’s reunification with the region now known as Southern Denmark, but which was from 1864 until 1920 known as northern Schleswig. Also pictured to the left is the German ambassador Detlev Rünger

Croatian ambassador Tina Krce was in a jovial mood ahead of her country’s formal assumption of the EU presidency, which took place at an official ceremony at Europa House on January 15. She attached a special Croatian necktie to the statue of Hans Christian Andersen outside City Hall – as part of plans to tie cravats at landmarks in the capitals of every EU member state this week. Croatian soldiers introduced the cravat to Parisian society in the early 17th century

South Korean ambassador Sang-jin Park (centre) hosted screenings at the Korean Film Festival from December 4-10 at Cinemateket

The agrée ambassador of Cuba is Roger Lopez Garcia. Bienvenido!

COMMUNITY

16 January - 6 February 2020

Indian girl hailed as one of the best maths students in the world North Zealand International School principal “speechless with pride” following confirmation that pupil has won Top in the World Award from the University of Cambridge ROSELYNE MIN

N INDIAN student from the Danish international school North Zealand International School has been awarded the Top in the World Award by the University of Cambridge. In her IGCSE exams for the secondary education diploma, Shruti Anand obtained the maximum score for mathematics, placing her among the best students in the world. The award was handed over on December 5 at a NIS Certificate Evening attended by a guest of honour, Line Clemmensen, an associate professor at the Danish Technical University. Happy student “I WAS EXTREMELY happy when I saw my result. In the past few years, my understanding of concepts in mathematics had always been very clear, and I would be well prepared coming into exams, but I would usually end up making a couple of ‘silly mistakes’,” said a delighted Anand. “It definitely feels amazing to have overcome this and fulfilled my goal. I couldn’t have done it without the motivation and encouragement from my NIS teachers and the support from my family who have supported me while ensuring that I never feel the pressure from academics.” Proud teacher HER FORMER maths teacher, Chris Boerman, was also jubilant when he heard the news. “It is a privilege to have had a student like Shruti in the class and to be able to contribute to her academic development,” he enthused. “She has worked hard over the

last two years, set new goals and challenged herself, and that is why, with the exam, she places herself at the top in mathematics.” Principal delighted NORTH Zealand International School principal Claus Campeotto was also delighted. “I am almost speechless with pride. These awards recognise the talent, dedication and commitment of both learners and staff,” said Campeotto. “It is not every day that we have a student who performs at this level. It was a combination of good teaching and Shruti’s solid academic ability and determination that allowed her to reach her goals.” IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is an internationally recognised qualification taken by around 1 million students each year.

Shruti Anand (second left) was immensely proud and it was another great year for the students at the school

EVENTS

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16 January - 6 February 2020

Old Times Jan 29-Feb 15, Wed-Sat 20:00, Sun 12:00; Krudttønden, Serridslevvej 2, Cph Ø & ; 175kr, teaterbilletter.dk HIT presents Harold Pinter’s conflict-charged erotic play. A steamy re-interpretation of a classic love triangle, with an exciting international cast: Andreas Lyon, Jana Pulkrabek, Dina Rosenmeier, Camilla Søeberg and Tom Hale. Find out what happens when love and lust turn to brutal jealousy. The performance is in English.

Carmen ongoing, ends Feb 15; Operaen, Ekvipagemestervej 10, Cph K; 155-945kr; kglteater.dk; in French with DK subtitles The sultry señorita is back – directly in fact from the Royal Opera House in London! Georges Bizet’s classic opera − full of steamy Spanish passion, eroticism, raucous stage scenes and familiar songs that will have you swaying on your haunches − was first performed in Paris in 1875 and it’s been wowing audiences ever since.

The Visit Feb 19-March 21, Mon-Fri 20:00, Sat 17:00; Krudttønden, Serridslevvej 2, Cph Ø; 175kr, teaterbilletter.dk This is the world premiere of a play based on an extraordinary true story. Set in 1857, it relates how HC Andersen visited Charles Dickens’ home and ended up staying six weeks. His limited English led to monumental gaffs, misunderstandings and odd adventures. Marvel at how the eloquent men got on without a means of verbal communication!

Dance with Me Feb 27-March 21; Black Horse Theatre, Vesterbrogade 150, Cph V; 40-205kr, teaterbilletter.dk Peter Asmussen’s monologue about loneliness, longing and love is being performed in English for the first time. Sue Hansen-Styles plays a woman abandoned by her one true friend for her best friend. Alcohol is now her only anchor. This is a poignant testimony to what loneliness does to a human being as well as a heartwarming story about the human need for love and inclusion. (RM)

Hot Pink Turquoise Jan 23-May 17; Louisiana, Gl Strandvej 13, Humlebæk; 130kr, louisiana.dk What’s the brightest thing in the dark? The audience will be able to find the answer when visiting Ann Veronica Janssens’ exhibition during the darkest time of the year. Her artwork surpasses borders between artforms: from sculptures to installations to films. But one thing is ultimate: light. Who knows? You might get the shot for your 2020 Instagram profile picture! (RM)

Ballet de Luxe ongoing, ends April 4; Kongens Nytorv 9, Cph K; 105-655kr, kgl.dk Whether you are a true ballet aficionado who has seen almost everything, or a curious beginner with healthy enthusiasm, you can relax and look forward to this ballet. In what was one of George Balanchine’s last works, the choreography pushes the ballerinas to the limits of their physical abilities. (RM)

Craig Costello Jan 17-Feb 22; Eighteen, Slagtehusgade 18c, Kødbyen, Cph K; free adm US contemporary artist Craig Costello is opening a solo exhibition at Eighteen. Come and peruse Costello’s minimal, experimental, intellectual and primal artworks. According to the gallery, his work “is all about equilibrium: surface, movement, paint, application and reaction”. (RM)

Merike Estna ongoing, ends Jan 26; Moderna Museet Malmö, Ola Billgrens Plats 2–4, Malmö; free adm; modernamuseet.se Moderna Museet Malmö introduces Merike Estna to Scandinavia for the first time with her exhibition Ghost from the future, filled with memories of past. Merike uses today’s digital society as her medium to reinterpret folk tales and mythology as abstract imagery. (RM)

I Feel It In My Bones Jan 17-Feb 22; V1 Gallery, Flæsketorvet 69-71, Cph K; free adm V1 Gallery is presenting a solo exhibition by John Copeland from New York. I Feel It In My Bones, a follow-up to last year’s The Birds at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, consists of 15 oil paint paintings in various sizes. Vibrant brush and line work renders figurative, abstract, earnest, precise, ambiguous, disarmingly loose artwork. (RM)

Burns Night at Dubliner Jan 23, 19:15; The Dubliner, Amagertorv 5, Cph K; 200kr, reserve via 2812 5763 Kilts, haggis, whisky, bagpies, entertainment from the legendary Angus Rollo, and dancing on the tables to the Proclaimers – find out why so many walk 500 miles to attend this riotous Burns Night celebration. The ticket price includes four drams of whisky, haggis, neeps and tatties.

Winter in Tivoli Jan 31-Feb 23; Vesterbrogade 3; 130kr, tivoligardens.com For the second year, Tivoli is opening for a special winter season to breathe life into cold and miserable February.

Sausage Sizzle at Souls Jan 26, 15:00-18:00; Nørre Farimagsgade 63, Cph K; give. everydayhero.com Spend Australia Day at Souls to raise funds for those affected by the bushfires. It’s ‘pay as you feel’.

Night Fever Jan 24, 19:00-22:30; Designmuseum Danmark, Bredgade 68, Cph K; free adm An exhibition dedicated to nightclub culture, encompassing everything disco to DJing. (RM)

Sci-Sunday: Forbidden Planet Jan 26, 15:30; Husets Biograf, Rådhusstræde 13, Cph V; 50kr, husetsbio.reservation@mail.dk Enjoy this sci-fi classic in the comfy chairs at Husets Biograf with a hot cup of coffee. (RM)

Candlemas Ball Feb 2, 16:00-20:00; Klærkesalen, Griffenfeldsgade 44, Cph N; 200kr Dance waltz, polonaise and quadrille at this palatial venue. Get there early for free rehearsals. (RM)

Pub Quizzes Jan 16 & 30, 19:30; The Globe, Nørregade 43, Cph K; 30kr; 5 PT Feb 3, 19:30; Kennedy’s, Gammel Kongevej 23, Cph V; 50kr; 4 PT The Globe winners get 1,000 kroner and at Kennedy’s 800.

Baghaven’s 2nd Anniversary Jan 18, 12:00-23:30; Mikkeller Baghaven, Refshalevej 169B Mikkeller is celebrating the birthday party of its bar on Refshaleøen. Toast marshmallows and don’t miss the chance to win vintage bottles in the raffle. (RM)

Wine Tasting for Beginners Jan 21, 19:30-20:30; Not Your Usual, Lavendelstræde 13, Cph K; 145kr Do you want to learn about wine in a fun and social environment? These sommeliers will help you to identify different types. (RM)

Friday Bar & Dinner Jan 17, 14:00-21:00; Globalhagen Kitchen, Fælledvej 12, Cph N Beer and veggie dishes for cheap prices! People gather at 15:30 and the table is set at 18:00. This community dinner is a true Danish experience! (RM)

Danish on a Sunday: ‘Hævnen’ Jan 19, 14:15; Cinemateket, Gothersgade 55, Cph K; 80kr, dfi.dk Cinemateket screens Danish classics with English subtitles twice a month. This Sunday the movie is 2011 Oscar winner Hævnen (In a Better World).

OBITUARY

16 January - 6 February 2020

Pip Pip Pony-tailed Pete, you did your home town of Barnet proud Expat football club left devastated by premature death of much-loved member playing the sport he loved BEN HAMILTON, IAN QUINTANA, JOHN WHITE & MARTIN O’ROURKE

HE SAD news that the expat football club Copenhagen Celtic had lost one of its own spread across social media last week. Peter Streader, 56, a well-loved and greatly admired amateur footballer, administrator and referee who worked as an English teacher at the Cambridge Institute, collapsed whilst playing the game he

loved in Valby on January 7. He had just moments earlier scored a brilliant goal. Dedicated scribe AT CPH POST we are proud to say he worked here from 2012 to 2016 as a freelancer specialising in history and culture with a strong

love of witty repartee and language. The dedicated husband and father often took the opportunity to treat his children to various events around town, but wisely chose not to bring them along to our Christmas parties. The outpouring of grief that followed his death is testament to

how universally respected he was. Genuine gentleman AS ONE player present on Tuesday put it, he was “a genuinely decent, intelligent, humorous gentleman”. And club founder Coogan paid him the ultimate compliment, calling him a “club-

man through and through”. But as all his team-mates, past and present, will no doubt agree as they take stock, Pete will want us to celebrate his life with happiness not sadness. He was, recall long-time Celtics team-mates Ian Quintana and John White below, one of a kind. (BH)

Peter was my role model Celtic’s Corinthian: Jigsaw to his friends

HEY SAY ‘the good die young’, and Pete was one of the very best. The first time I encountered Pete he was playing for Osborne’s against Celtic 21 years ago in Ryparken. He was quick and cheeky. The next time we played he was representing Bloomsdays in Valby. He caught me with a crunching tackle. It hurt, but it was a good tackle, and he gave me a hand up, a wink and we got on with a cracking game. Made a difference IN THE old days when there were a few pub teams flying around, the British/Irish lads always seemed to raise their game against the famous Copenhagen Celtic. But Pete always had a good level and he impressed everyone in Celtic who crossed his path. It was with great happiness, and relief, when Pete decided to join Celtics. You always wanted Peter Streader on your team – it made life a little bit easier. The first time I had the pleasure of playing on the same team as Pete was for the Old Boys A team. Pete became an integral part of a very good team that would go on to win the league and make two cup finals in three years – often as the captain.

All-round role model FROM THE first match Pete impressed with his positioning, determination, technical abilities and winning mentality. But the biggest compliment I can pay is that he became my role model. His friendly nature, his winning, tough-tackling attitude, his empathy, his fairness, the way he was gracious in defeat and always kept his team-mates grounded after an impressive victory, and the way he conducted himself with the referees and opposing players – it all inspired me. I became a better player, leader and person because I played football with Pete. Always admirable PETE WAS club secretary for a few years and always conducted himself in an admirable manner, solving problems and ensuring that lots of guys got to play their football. I never met Pete’s wife or kids. but I know how proud he was of his family. He loved his football, but his family always came first. It’s so hard to understand why a fit, healthy, happy young man had to leave us. Pete, you were a gentleman and a Gooner. You made the world a better place. My condolences go out to his family first and to all the people’s lives that he touched. Rest in peace my friend (JW)

Y FIRST impression of Peter, back when we first met in 1997, was does this man get dressed in the dark? But after getting to know him, I realised he should only be let out in the dark and never on his own! Pleasure to play with OVER THE past 23 years I’ve had the pleasure of playing for three different football clubs with Peter. The first was at Osborne where he earned the nickname ‘Jigsaw’ as he would run rings around the opposition and then go to pieces in the box. And then at Bloomsday's he took great delight in rechristening us Atletico Bloomsday – a tag we did not always live up to. Well known for his Corinthian attitude, he even went as far as wanting to kick a penalty over

the bar as it had been unfairly awarded to us. Top marksman HE STARTED at Celtic in around 2004, and he won quite a few awards over the years for different teams – the last, but not least, being top scorer for the Super Masters last season. He also did some refereeing as well as a lengthy spell as club secretary, and I know many people were grateful for the help and guidance he gave them – especially those new to Denmark. He was a credit to the Celtic organisation. Mark of the man AS SELFISH as Peter could be on the pitch – I could have strangled him on many occasions for not releasing the ball – he was one of the most unselfish people I‘ve ever met.

He was always ready to lend a helping hand, and while many people’s first impression might have been that he was a public schoolboy type, he was the complete opposite: a Corbynista in fact. He was also a die-hard Gooner, which he delighted in letting us know during their winning period, and also a supporter of his home town club Barnet, whose games he went to whenever he could. Peter’s humour was a bit like his dress sense: off the wall. And he was always ready with a quip or two. But I think the thing that best sums him up is that over the years we’ve been playing against the same teams, and you can see the look of dread when they see some of us walking onto the pitch. With Peter, they were always glad to see him. That was the mark of the man. (IQ)

His final goal was an absolute screamer

ETER HAD come close to scoring in the first half. Latching on to a long ball, he outpaced the defence before only a last-ditch tackle thwarted him inside the penalty box. But he was just warming up. When Celtic cut through the Valby defence in the second half,

it culminated in the ball flashing across the six-yard box at such pace that it looked like it would fly out harmlessly for a throw. But cometh the hour as they say. Flying in at the back post stretching full length to divert the ball over the line with his right boot came Peter as he had

done for Celtics so many times for so many years. Like many of Peter’s goals, it mattered: the equaliser, a game changer. He just had the habit: the ability to be in the right place at the right time. Some player. Some man. (MOR)

ON SCREENS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

16 January - 6 February 2020

When’s it all white on the night, spiky reactions will get you noticed BEN HAMILTON

HE OSCAR nominations are out and … rest easy Spike Lee … they haven’t been whitewashed like in 2015 and 2016 – and every year from 1929-38, 1940-49 and the entire duration of the Jimmy Carter administration. That’s right, for six years from 1975-1980 there wasn’t a single black Oscar nominee, despite Carter being the most pro-diversity US president in history. It goes to show that sometimes the stats don’t stack up and reveal a bigger picture, although the recent all-white BAFTA nominations do reek a bit of Brexit. Margot Robbie, for example, has been nominated twice: deservedly for Bombshell and bizarrely for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – a film in which she barely has five lines, and three of those are laced with amphetamines. Bullshit beneficiaries MOST OF the reaction is downright hysterical: whether it’s the whiteface walls of shame on the front page of the LA Times, or all manner of bullshit performance being suggested. In 2016, the best they could come up with was Idris Elba, and it really caught on. Not only did the Screen Actors Guild Award name him Best Supporting Film Actor for Beasts of No Nation, Nation, just a few days after his Oscar ‘snub’, but it also crowned him Best Miniseries/TV Movie Actor for Luther on the same night. The guy looked embarrassed. Spike Lee has also done pretty well out of #WhiteOscars. In 2016, he and Jada Pinkett Smith, whose destiny on Earth is to eternally hold a torch for husband Will not winning for Ali in 2002, both boycotted the ceremony. Lee duly won an honorary award a year later and then a screenplay gong for BlacKkKlansman in 2019, only to an hour later storm out of the Dolby theatre after Green

Book was announced Best Film, comparing the decision to a bad basketball referee’s decision – like a hick.. There’s no doubt the Oscars have changed their tune overall, but is it a big gimmick? A black woman hasn’t won Best Actress for nearly 20 years, but for Best Supporting Actress over the last decade, the winning ratio has been 50 percent. Likewise the presenter list has gone from Hollywood A list to the combined casts of Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians. Asians. Future winner, you creed DURING the #OscarsSoWhite debacle in 2015, it was widely remarked that the only nominations received by Straight Outta Compton and Creed were given to white contributors, with Michael B Jordan overlooked for his powerful lead in the latter (insult piled onto injury when Sly Stallone picked up a nod for his seventh outing as Rocky – as punchdrunk as ever). In Just Mercy (68 on Metacritic; released on Jan 23), an again impressive Jordan (whose time will come at this rate) plays a lawyer battling to save a wrongfully-imprisoned Death Row inmate (Jamie Foxx), and the film has been widely praised for its performances (including British actor Rafe Spall ahead of his starring role in Denmark later this year). The same can’t be said of Bad Boys 3: Bad Boys for Life (Not Released Worldwide; Jan 16), so don’t expect any awards for Martin Lawrence, an actor most people loved to hate back in the days when we weren’t afraid of being accused of racism for disliking a black actor – specifically the moment he followed Big Momma’s House with Black Knight.. In a nutshell, the years Knight haven’t been kind (annoyingly Smith could still pass as 35) and he really does look like he’s wearing a mask he’s about to whip off Mission Impossible-style. Impossible-style. Strongly praised for his per-

Y’all see! Faye Dunaway is so horrid that she even tried to change the result when ‘Moonlight’ won

formance is Adam Sandler in Uncut Gems (90; Netflix; Jan 31), a thriller about a New York jeweller who owes money to a loanshark, while former NBA star Kevin Garnett, in his debut, is apparently a revelation. Also recommended this month are documentaries Aretha Franklin: Amazing Grace (94; Jan 16) and The Biggest Little Farm (73; Jan 30) – and The Lighthouse (83; Jan 16). Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson have both been praised for their work on the psychological horror directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch), Witch), a filmmaker who sadly for humanity is more of a favourite of critics than the public. The reverse is true of Jojo Rabbit (57; Jan 16), with many pundits marking down the comic tale of a ten-year-old Hitler Youth member, whose imaginary friend is the Fuhrer himself, for daring to depict nice Nazis at a time when their number are rising. Strong interlopers at large TELEVISION also has a number of strong offerings: The Outsider (66; HBO Nordic; Jan 13), The Stranger (Netflix; Jan 30) and Avenue 5 (HBO Nordic; Jan 20). The Outsider is a thriller miniseries that delights in keeping the viewers guessing about the mini league coach (Jason Bateman)

accused of killing a child, who has the backing of his family, but not of the chief investigator (Ben Mendelsohn). From the clip promoting conspiracy thriller The Stranger, Stranger, in which the title character (a cameo it transpires) unleashes an earth-shattering secret about the protagonist’s wife (it must be big … like is she a man, or was she previously married to Martin Lawrence?), I’d stick my neck out and recommend giving it a go. Fast on the success of Veep Veep,, its creator Armando Iannucci brings us Avenue 5, 5, a sci-fi series in which the captain of a cruise space ship (Hugh Laurie) must deal with disgruntled passengers on a voyage to Saturn. So far, the praise has been reasonable – “a comic Poseidon Adventure”, Adventure”, is how one reviewer put it – but Iannucci is used to better. Meanwhile, there are new seasons of Sex Education (S2; Jan 17), Titans (S2; Jan 10), Grace and Frankie (S6; Jan 15) and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (S3; Jan 24) on Netflix, and Manifest (S2; Jan 7), The Magicians (S5; Jan 16), Curb your Enthusiasm (S10; Jan 20) and Babylon Berlin (S3; Jan 24) on HBO Nordic. While RuPaul’s new sitcom AJ and the Queen (45; Netflix) looks like it is probably the most annoying buddy-buddy pairing since Batman & Robin. Robin.

Dracula ... Count Dracula FINALLY, since our last preview, a number of new TV series and unannounced films have been released. Dracula (75; Netflix) features a deliciously demonic performance by Danish actor Claes Bang, who has been compared to an evil James Bond and seen his odds of becoming the next 007 slashed to 16/1. Overall, though, the concluding third episode was a disappointment. Messiah (46, Netflix), on the other hand, which features a somewhat demonic Christ figure, is decidedly ropey throughout. Following its triumph over The Irishman in the best dramatic film category at the Golden Globes, 1917 (79; at cinemas) is locked in a three-horse race with Parasite and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood for the big prize. Director Sam Mendes lends an assured hand to this World War I tale of two soldiers venturing behind enemy lines to save hundreds from certain death. Mostly overlooked is Motherless Brooklyn (60) – the tale of a hoodlum with Tourette’s in 1950s New York – which must be a kick in the teeth for director and star Edward Norton, who has barely made anything consequential since Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel six years ago. Judging by the reaction, we’re still waiting.

ENGLISH JOB DENMARK Recruitment Announcements Part of The Welcome Group CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE MANAGER, TDC NET

New position that takes a leading role in identifying challenges and improvements. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: 31 January Contact: Cæcilie Thielke Mølgaard, +45 30443249

SENIOR FRONT END ENGINEER, COBIRO

Take responsibility for your own projects, use your knowledge & curiosity to build something great. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: When filled Contact: cobiro.bamboohr.com/jobs/

HR AND ADMIN SPECIALIST, QUEUE-IT

Looking for a community-oriented HR and Admin Specialist. Location: Ballerup Deadline: 5 March 2020 Email: application and cover letter to Hr@queue-it.com

CLIENT ACQUISITION LEAD (COPENHAGEN), AND

Identify, prospect and test our digital value propositions with potential client organisations. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: When filled Contact: and.digital/join-us/

To advertise your vacancy here and reach 60,000+ readers weekly, contact: info@englishjobdenmark.dk or call 6070 2298. Check out our new website https://englishjobdenmark.dk/

ENGLISH JOB DENMARK

BUSINESS CONTROLLER, DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL Provide proactive financial support related to international activities. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: 26 January 2020 Contact: camilla.damlund@drc.ngo

HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, BESTSELLER

Do you have the business acumen, personal drive and communication skills required to support Executive Management? Location: Aarhus Deadline: 10 February 2020 Contact: Søren Alnøe, +45 82382783

DRIVER(S), INZU GLOBAL APS

Professional and responsible drivers for our transport company. Location: Næstved Deadline: Until filled Email: info@inzuglobal.com Contact: Bilal Ahmad, +45 51932566

HEAD OF TALENT MANAGEMENT (17528BR), DANFOSS Develop and implement Talent Management processes and programs fueling our digital transformation journey. Location: Nordborg Deadline: When filled Contact: Lesley Anne Tull, +45 51807635 www.danfoss.com/en/about-danfoss/ careers/

KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER (R0034396), EBAY CLASSIFIEDS If you are able to demonstrate a clear sales focus & can work operationally, think tactically & work strategically, we would love to hear from you! Location: Copenhagen Deadline: When filled Contact: talent@ebay.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER AIRLINE/AIRPORT SOLUTIONS (SCANDINAVIAN REGION) 30117, SITA

Accountable for driving the profitable growth by identifying pursuing and closing business opportunities for Tier 2 customers. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: When filled Contact: sita.aero/about-us/careers

KITCHEN ASSISTANT (SUSHI), OSI APS

Two job vacancies for kitchen assistant. Location: Kolding Deadline: 2 March 2020 Email: Info@joisushi.dk

KICK START YOUR CAREER COURSE

Dates: 27-31 January 2020 After this 5-day course you will be ready to enter the employment market in Denmark. Contact: info@the-welcomegroup.com

UX DESIGNER, 3SHAPE

You have broad and extensive experience within UX and design thinking. Location: Copenhagen Deadline: When filled Contact: careers.3shape.com/

Working together with internationals and companies to better understand the needs of one another. The Welcome Group has created this page and provides additional services, including an online community supporting employment for internationals on Facebook.

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

16 January - 6 February 2020

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