CPH POST 12 December 2019 - January 16 2020

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Ahead of the UAE’s hosting of Expo 2020, organisers are busy finalising plans for the Danish Business Pavilion

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Diplomacy Magazine’s winter edition is packed full of interviews and event coverage – with a special NATO focus

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ON ÓF ALTUSZ OR KRIST BUCKLE UNDER BASSAD TO ARIAN AM Y IS REFUSING TO IMPOSE • HUNG EMPTS COUNTR EU’S ATT HOW HIS AIN OF THE S THE STR ON SANCTI K PUNITIVE COMPRE

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LOCAL Floods of people open park redesigned to drain rainwater

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T SURPRISES many that the CIS fees are four times the amount payable for most other international schools in the capital, even though it’s often followed by the remark: “But they’re the best”.

And were it not for CIS, Copenhagen could have the cheapest international school fees in the world. While the median average is 4,542 US dollars a year, the cheapest school only costs 3,613.

In Switzerland, a country where expenses are often compared to Denmark, the median is 25,630 in Zurich and 23,414 in Geneva, while China leads the way with 31,253 in Beijing and 30,046 in Shanghai.

Of the 56 cities included in the International Schools Database, Copenhagen was the second cheapest, trailing only Cape Town.

Thank you to the state IN DENMARK, every private school (friskoler) gets a state subsidy of 76 percent. This means a child benefiting from a 3,000 dollar-a-year education is effectively getting 12,000 dollars’ worth.

In countries where prestige is attached to whether you were privately educated or not – in the UK, for example, it pretty much determines whether someone is upper-middle class – it is great value for money.

According to the figures, the Middle East and Africa are generally the cheapest areas in the world for international education.

4-5 Major terror act averted

Second most festive city

TWENTY people were arrested on December 11 as reports emerged that the country had averted a major act of terror carried out by militant Islamists.

Eight people have subsequently been retained in custody on charges related to obtaining arms and explosives, which were found during raids on addresses in Zealand, Jutland and Funen.

“I WISH it could be Christmas every day,” sang Wizzard in more innocent times, but be careful what you wish for, because in Denmark that’s very nearly true.

It’s no surprise, therefore, to learn that Copenhagen has been named the second most festive city in the world, according to bigseventravel.com, a perennial publisher of mostly useless, unscientific studies.

Woz to quit in Oz

Trainspotting approach

CAROLINE Wozniacki has confirmed she will retire from tennis following the 2020 Australian Open, the scene of her only grand slam victory in 2018, although she will play one last game in May: a farewell in Copenhagen against Serena Williams. The 29-year-old was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2018. It is believed she wants to start a family.

HORSENS Regional Hospital is taking a leaf out of RentBoy's 'Guide to Relinquishing Junk' with its new approach to dealing with alcoholics. While it isn't laying on free heroin, it is serving up beers, cigarettes and crisps, reasoning it is the lesser of two evils if the patients enjoy themselves before or after potentially life-saving treatment.

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THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

Historic park reopens in Vesterbro

ONLINE THIS WEEK

ALL PHOTOS: LINE PEDERSEN/HOFOR

Accused bombers THREE young men have been retained in custody in connection with the bombing of a Vanløse pizzeria on September 18. In related news, two other men have been arrested in Barcelona in connection with aiding the escape of gang member Hemin Dilshad Saleh from a psychiatric hospital in Slagelse on November 19.

Among the top 100 COPENHAGEN ranked 71st in Euromonitor International’s Top 100 City Destinations report thanks to a 3.6 percent increase in visitor numbers to 3.0 million in 2018. A similar rise is expected this year to 3.185 million visitors. Stockholm, at 88th, was the only other Nordic city to feature on the list.

Plague victims found SEVERAL early 18th century plague victims have been found buried at a school in Frederiksberg.

Plague wiped out a third of the Copenhagen population in 1711. A museum expert has confirmed there is no risk of infection after 300 years.

Electric avenues THE CITY’S first electric buses hit the streets on December 8.

Bus lines 2A and 18 switched from diesel to electric – the first step towards Copenhagen’s goal of all its buses running on sustainable energy by 2025.

Polar bear born A NEW POLAR bear cub was born in early December at Copenhagen Zoo – the second year in a row that the species has managed a birth at the zoo.

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

ONLINE THIS WEEK Seabins in action TWO FLOATING ‘Seabins’ have been placed in the Nyhavn canal area by By & Havn – in collaboration with the WWF and canal tour boat operator Stromma – to help keep the water clean. The bins suck litter into a catch bag using a submersible water pump and can even pick up microplastics. Cigarette butts account for 29 percent of the rubbish they catch.

Protest turns ugly A PROTEST against a scaffolding company using foreign workers and paying them well below the Danish average turned ugly at a construction site on Lundtoftegade in Nørrebro on December 2. Scaffolding was ripped down and cars overturned by angry scaffolders who reportedly spat at a female Netto employee who objected.

Disco on the ice as large crowds braved bad weather to celebrate

Enghaveparken has a new ice rink and flood protection basins VALMIRA GJONI

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NGHAVEPARKEN in Vesterbro reopened on December 14 with a new ice rink and a contemporary environment for outdoor recreational activities. HOFOR, NCC, COWI and Tredje Natur were involved in the revamp.

The park, which had been closed since June 2018, has 82 new trees, around 5,000 new plants and upgraded lighting, and it offers the local community a pleasant and safe space to hang out in.

Two original stalls designed

by Arne Jacobsen were rebuilt at the entrance thanks to a grant of 5 million kroner from the Realdania association. Meanwhile, the AP Møller Foundation donated 10 million kroner.

Flooding purpose THE HISTORIC park, which ac-

Mayor wants stove ban THE COPENHAGEN mayor, Frank Jensen, wants to ban the remaining 16,000 wood-burning stoves in the capital, pointing out that every city home should be able to enjoy climate-friendly district heating.

counts for half of Vesterbro's public open space, was revamped in order to help protect the district from flooding during heavy downpours.

It will collect rainfall through its unique design, which collects and recycles great amounts of rainwater in a large underground pool.

Millions of litres of water can be recycled as the park can store and reuse rainwater and water coming from the rooftops of the Carlsberg district in a large tube pool underground.

Founded in 1998

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Mad driver rise THE NUMBER of ‘mad driver’ cases in the capital – involving motorists driving at double the speed limit or in excess of 200 km/h – has risen from 26 in 2018 to 42 this year.

Trial to end in February THE BRITTA Nielsen trial will resume on February 10, with a verdict expected eight days later.

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18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

The Danish ‘parents’ rearing the next generation of Israelis

MICHAEL THIRER

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HANI SHAVIT, the daughter of a Danish mother and an Israeli father, is a special kind of importer.

What she imports can't be found on any customs declaration.

What Shavit is importing to Israel is ‘The Danish Approach’ towards parenting and early-age education.

Two eye-opening visits SHAVIT, 33, a well sought-after lecturer and parenting advisor, is the founder of the nearly 9,000-strong Facebook group ‘The Danish Approach – The Secrets of Raising Happy Kids’ (translated from Hebrew).

The former kindergarten caretaker advises the personnel of Israeli daycare institutions on how to avoid conflict and evoke co-operation among children, passing on what she has herself learnt and experienced first-hand during two recent trips to Denmark.

Surprisingly, what drew the attention of Shavit to The Danish Approach wasn't her own upbringing.

“A year ago I discovered Danes are considered to be the happiest nation in the world for the past 40 years, so I thought that if they know how to raise

Shani Shavit

SHANI SHAVIT

Regardless of whether it’s called ‘The Danish Approach’ or ‘The Danish Way’, this country’s parenting methods are taking hold in the most unlikely of places

happy kids, there must be something we can learn from them,” she explained.

This led to Shavit paying two trips to the Scandinavian country, during which she visited Danish kindergartens (børnehave) and nurseries (vuggestue), meeting with pedagogues, parents, psychologists, home-schoolers and youngsters.

What she saw was an eye-opener.

Cutting out the conflict “IN ISRAEL, we put an emphasis on discipline, which creates a lot of conflict, and it’s hard to teach a child when there’s conflict,” she said.

“What I saw in Denmark was that Danes really understand kids, and they know how to work with them – and that is very beautiful to see. In Israel, if a child cries, you usually explain to him why he shouldn’t cry, or that there’s no reason to cry. In Denmark, it is okay to cry: ‘You’re hurt? It’s fine.’ It’s that small, but it makes a big difference.”

Shavit was also impressed with how they dealt with a hyperactive child.

“Instead of making him sit down and participate, the staff thought about what's best for the child and realised that's being outdoors. So they decided he'll join the group heading out for a nature walk every day, instead of once a week like the other kids,” she recalled.

"In Israel, this might be looked upon as if the badly behaved child is being rewarded: ‘What will the other kids learn?

Behave badly and you’ll be rewarded?’ In Denmark, they look at it differently: ‘This child has different needs, and we need to help him.’ And so the other kids look at it in the same way.”

“In Israel the predominant approach is that when children display unacceptable behaviour, they should receive a negative response in order to learn not to repeat it. I want people to realise it’s the complete opposite.

The team approach encourages empathy - with each other and the worms!

Children don't learn when they get negative responses. The only way they do learn is in a safe environment. Then they're ready and available to learn.”

For example, in cases of violence, there is a big difference, according to Shavit.

“In Denmark, they understand this is the way kids communicate sometimes. They'll try to understand why the child hit out, and then they'll try to understand what he could have done differently, so that he'll know next time how he can react. In this way you also have a learning process. You're teaching the child,” she said.

"Also, the Danes understand that if a grown-up has a conflict with a child, it’s not because something is wrong with the child. It means something I’m doing isn't right, or that the environment isn’t right.”

Investing in their future RESPONSIBILITY is also an important factor, and the Danes tend to give a lot to children, observes Shavit.

“Danish children understand that learning is a process and, if right now you’re not capable of doing something, it’s okay, you’ll

learn, and they're there to teach you,” she contended.

“And they're very aware of the child’s brain development.

Children’s brains are not fully developed at kindergarten age, so there are things they can't do.

Danes understand responsibility is something you learn, and they teach you how to take responsibility for things, so you'll be capable of doing it.”

But the difference between the Israeli and Danish early-age education systems isn’t merely conceptual, it’s also materialistic. According to OECD stats, Denmark spends about 10,000 US dollars per child a year on education (all ages), whereas Israel spends about half that sum on its kindergarten kids (ages 3-5) and nothing on nursery education, which is mainly private and costs the parents about 6,000 kroner per child per month.

This means, among other things, that at the Israeli public kindergartens, by Shavit’s own account, one will normally find two caretakers (one qualified kindergartner and one assistant) in charge of up to 35 kids. This is a far cry from the pedagogue-child ratio at Danish institutions.

Danish inspiration SHAVIT is convinced it is possible to implement Danish methods in Israel despite the limited funding and low caretaker-child ratio.

“There are kindergartens in Israel that operate according to similar approaches to the Danish one, like the Dialogic Pedagogy Approach – and it works,” she enthused.

“I think it’s even more important to reduce conflict in a 35/2 situation. It clears up more time and energy for meaningful learning.”

It’s hard to hear Shavit use terms like “reduce conflict" without thinking of the profound differences between Danes and Israelis in this respect – not least their tendency to avoid (Danes) or engage (Israelis) in confrontation.

“There are also a lot of good things in Israel, and the Israeli education system reflects them as well,” she said.

“Israelis love learning and exploring and making things better, and a lot of effort is being put in towards improving education and children’s wellbeing.

There are a lot of amazing educators and caretakers that are doing their best for the kids. We’re

COVER

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020 SHANI SHAVIT

seeking all the time for better tools and other approaches, and one way to do it is to learn from other nations. People want this change: they’re looking out for inspiration, and I chose to look in Denmark for it.”

Jessica Alexander

All in the names THE BIGGEST difference is what Alexander calls the ‘low power distance’.

"Kids call teachers by their first name in Denmark. Parents see children as completely competent from the time they're babies. It's not like I'm this big adult and you're this small child.

There's a lot of respect for kids.

And when you have this kind of respect, and on a much more equal basis, then everything changes about how you treat a child,” she contended.

Like Shavit, Alexander believes the proof can be found in the little things Danes do differently.

"It starts in seeing the child as fundamentally good and deserving of respect. For example, the words we use are very important,” she said.

“We call kids of a certain age 'the terrible twos'. Danes, however, say 'trodsalder' (the independence age/the boundary pushing age). We say terrible twos' and expect a child to be terrible. They say: 'Look at this healthy age he has reached where he's doing what he's programmed to do.' You meet the child differently when you see the child differently.”

Ultimatum-free zones IN HER book, Alexander highlights six key components of ‘The Danish Way’: Play, Authenticity, Reframing, Empathy, No Ultimatums, and Togetherness.

Alexander walked me through the six components and, as I did with Shavit, I focused on the 'No ultimatums' component, since even though I rarely give them, I'm not sure I'm ready to disarm myself from the 'No TV!'

Way of the word ALEXANDER travels the world talking about The Danish Way, and the word seems to be spreading.

“I just came back from a big conference in Brazil. They were very enthusiastic about it. Same in Mexico. They're really looking

into how they can implement it.

I'm scheduled to travel to Luxembourg to talk to educators there about The Danish Way as well,” she continued.

“I've also done quite a lot of teaching to international schools, companies and parents about it. It's also huge in Italy, a lot of places running courses on it. It became a little movement here. In South Korea it's done really well. In Canada big institutes have already implemented the Danish Way, and a university in Iowa runs courses about it.”

The location is irrelevant, maintains Alexander. "I always tell people in my talks around the world – I'm not trying to recreate Denmark, but they're doing great things in parenting, so why not learn from them?” she asked.

“Just like others adopted lasagna and pizza from Italy, this is something the Danes are really talented at, so let's be open to this and see if there's something we can take from them. I think we should try to export not just goods from countries but ways to be good.”

Perhaps in the not-so-distant future, parenting will be identified with Denmark, the same way lasagna and pizza are with Italy.

But even if that doesn't happen, Denmark can now pride itself on yet another cultural export to follow 'hygge'.

SHANI SHAVIT

A US comparison IT TURNS out Israelis aren’t the only ones looking Denmark's way for parenting inspiration.

Jessica Joelle Alexander, an expert on Danish parenting, is the co-author of the book ‘The Danish Way of Parenting’ and author of the soon to be published ‘The Danish Way of Education’. She too fell in love with the Danish parenting style.

"It started back before I was thinking of having kids – back when I lived in Denmark with my Danish husband,” she recalled.

“I looked at the kids in

Denmark and how happy they seemed – how well behaved and responsible and serene. When I got pregnant I read hundreds of books on parenting. But when my child was born, I found myself preferring my Danish family's advice. It always seemed to work.”

Like Shavit, Alexander too comes from a culture whose prevalent parenting model is very different.

"The roots of the US culture are very authoritarian, discipline-focused," she said.

"There are about 19 states in which corporal punishment in school is still allowed. Most people don't realise how prevalent spanking still is in America.

Many people feel it's their right to hit their kids even if it isn’t openly talked about. Denmark was one of the first places where I noticed there was such a huge difference between Danish culture and my culture.”

nuclear option just yet!

"Danes are more authoritative, not authoritarian,” asserted Alexander.

"One of the big differences is the level of patience. This 'No Ultimatums' approach is not a magic wand that works the same way as hitting or screaming or making a child afraid might. Danes absolutely don’t want their children to fear them. This is a philosophy you build up, and you build it up through trust and connection, understanding that when a child is acting out he actually needs more connection, not less. They need more help not less.”

Even after this explanation, it’s unlikely I’ll be giving up ultimatums altogether – but maybe I’m in the minority on this one.

Alexander's book about Danish parenting has been translated into Chinese, German, Spanish, Italian and more, reaching a total of 26 countries (and by chance, a few days after our interview, Alexander confirmed it will see the light in Israel soon).

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NATIONAL

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK Talk about sing-sing A 29-YEAR-OLD US music student at the Royal Danish Academy of Music (DKDM) has been found guilty of working for three years as a church singer without the necessary work permit in Denmark, even though she has a CPR number. It is feared she could be jailed and deported. The DKDM and six churches where she sung were fined a total of 80,000 kroner at Frederiksberg Court.

Furore over cost THE EDUCATION minister, Pernille Rosenkrantz-Theil, is under fire for spending close to a quarter of a million kroner on her search for a new head of press at the ministry. Recruitment agency Zeuthen Storm got the bulk. In related news, Marcus Knuth has switched from Venstre to Konservative, citing a major difference of opinion with his former leader, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen.

Above average scores DANISH school students are still performing above average in the PISA report, which assesses the reading, maths and science skills of 15-year-olds in the OECD countries. With a score of 501, Denmark finished 14 above the average, with maths (509) leading the way ahead of reading (501) and science (487).

Google’s most wanted THE NEW school portal Aula was the most searched term on Danish Google this year, followed by far-right politician Rasmus Paludan and billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen. Meanwhile, Rasmus Seebach topped the decade charts.

NATO ‘party’ cancelled LAST WEEK’S 70th anniversary NATO conference in Frederiksberg was cancelled due to a conflict over one of its scheduled speakers, a Trump critic who the US Embassy objected to. To read more about this story, check out this issue’s edition of Diplomacy magazine.

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

New budget an “early Xmas present” Internationals rejoice as free Danish-language classes return and tough residency criteria is eased CHRISTIAN WENANDE

W

ELL, THAT didn’t last long. One of the biggest talking points generated by the government’s 2020 budget, which was confirmed in early December, is that free language classes will once again become available to foreigners.

Also of interest to internationals will be the news that Danes and foreigners returning home to Denmark will not have to have been in Denmark for seven out of the past 12 years to get social benefits, while foreigners who have been in employment for at least two years should have an easier time remaining in Denmark.

But in keeping with its tough stance on immigration, the government has confirmed that it wants the border controls to continue, although money has been set aside in the budget to take in 500 quota refugees next year.

Nevertheless, many internationals hailed the budget as an early Christmas present on the Expats in Copenhagen Facebook page.

introduce minimum limits for our children, boost efforts [with 600 million kroner] to help people with psychological disorders and, as opposed to the previous government, we will invest [rising by 275 million kroner in 2020 to about 800 million kroner in 2023] in education,” said the finance minister, Nicolai Wammen.

“And it is a very green budget, which is the first step towards ensuring a sustainable future for the coming generations.”

Big plus for parents FOR PARENTS, the budget delivered the news they had been waiting for: more daycare workers.

By 2025, 1.6 billion kroner will be set aside annually to ensuring there is at least one adult per three children in nurseries and one adult per six kids in kindergartens, so parents can expect a gradual improvement.

But it was bad news for parents who have purchased apartments for their children to use while they attend university, as the rebate payment on parental apartments has been scrapped.

Also discontinued to free up funds were tax reductions on free work phones and leased company cars, while the cost of buying plastic bags and disposable cutlery, transferring real estate, inheritance, airline tickets and betting has been raised.

Much, much higher

Smiles all round

education from taking another such education at the same level, or lower, will be abolished from July next year.

Funds will be set aside to turn arable land into nature and a new fund, ‘Denmark’s Green Future Fund’, will be established to invest in sustainable projects.

Plans to increase fees on electric cars from next year have been dropped.

And the price of cigarettes will increase to 55 kroner next year, and to 60 kroner in 2022.

Many highlights ELSEWHERE, a ceiling that restricted people who have completed a state-funded higher

Climate on course MEANWHILE, a Parliamentary majority is expected to approve a new climate law, which will commit Denmark to reducing greenhouse emissions by 70 percent by 2030 (compared to 1999 levels), in February.

The climate minister, Dan Jørgensen, underlined that there would be annual follow-ups to ensure that the process is on the right track – including milestones for 2025 proposed by the Klimarådet climate council.

Additionally, climate action plans will be approved this coming spring.

Least obese in EU

Passport peddler alert

Too many fatalities

JUST OVER 20 percent of Danes have a BMI of over 30 – the lowest share of obese citizens in the EU, according to the OECD, and the seventh lowest among the countries that comprise the organisation. In related news, 84.5 percent of Danes aged 11-15 are less active than the one hour per day recommended by WHO, according to a Lancet study.

SINCE 2008, some 333,431 lost passports have been reported, according to Rigspolitiet. Last year alone, 35,917 were lost, although 43 percent were later found. It is believed that many are being sold, and in one case an individual lost three in a short period of time. In Sweden, they are only valid for five years and only a maximum of three can be issued during that period.

DENMARK may have the second lowest road traffic fatality rate in the EU, but it is falling short of its target of 120 a year. As of the end of October, there had been 159 fatalities, which is 25 more than the same time last year. The transport minister, Benny Engelbrecht, has vowed to apply even stricter rules on speeding and using mobile phones at the wheel.

Cool for kids THESE were just some of the inclusions in the first left-wing budget since 2014, as allies Radikale, SF, Alternativet and Enhedslisten finally gave their consent to the Socialdemokratiet government’s plans.

“We ensure there are funds for 1,000 more nurses. We will

ONLINE THIS WEEK

MUCH LARGER, 580 gram cans of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) are appearing on the streets of Denmark – 70 times the size of the eight gram cartridges that have become a common fixture over the last two years. Question marks are being asked about why Parliament has been so slow to take action, although a bill is now being formed.

Off and on the list THE NUMBER of vulnerable neighbourhoods on the annually published ‘Ghetto List’ fell by one over 2019. While Korskærparken in Fredericia and Karlemoseparken in Køge have been added, the Gadelandet/Husumgård area in Copenhagen, Charlotteager in Høje Taastrup and Ellekonebakken in Viborg have been removed.

However, the number rated 'very vulnerable' was unchanged at 15.

Cyber expert course DANISH Defence has set a start date of June for its first ever tenmonth cyber-defence program, which will train 30 officers in dealing with cyber threats targeting Denmark. The recruits will first complete four to five months of basic military service. The specialised course will be based in Fredericia.

Odense light rail postponed THE OPENING of Odense’s new 3.579 billion kroner light rail has been postponed by a further eight months to 1 September 2021 – at an extra cost of 180 million kroner. In other transport news, from the end of next year, battery-powered trains will be tested in north Zealand and Jutland.

Awaiting prosecution THE NUMBER of cases in which people have been charged but not prosecuted has tripled since 2016 from 28,828 to 82,761. Nick Hækkerup, the justice minister, has vowed to make the matter a priority in 2020. Meanwhile, Copenhagen and Funen police are prioritising crimes against the person over the rest of the year.

INTERNATIONAL

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK Neo-Nazi talks

OWNERS of decade-old cars will need to be vigilant at service stations from 2020, as E5 petrol is being phased out in favour of the more environmentally-friendly E10 – in accordance with EU guidelines.

For cars manufactured after 2011, this won’t be a problem, but for the 750,000 produced before then, their owners will be compounding their new year hangover if they don’t check the compatibility.

A DATA leak from the right-wing forum Iron March reveals that in 2016 a Danish man (apparently from Aalborg) contacted Brandon Russell, a founding member of the US-based neo-Nazi group AtomWaffen Division, to seek advice on how to start a similar organisation in Denmark. Iron March has since closed, while AtomWaffen has been linked to five killings.

Urged to buy planes US AMBASSADOR Carla Sands has urged Denmark to buy more F-35 fighter jets, citing concerns that NATO’s aircraft power and surveillance capacities are not sufficient in the Arctic, and that Denmark is committed to strengthening defence and surveillance in the region. For a full article on recent NATO developments, check out this issue’s Diplomacy magazine.

Criticism in Indonesia THE DEVELOPMENT minister, Rasmus Prehn, faced heavy criticism on his recent visit to Indonesia regarding Danish investment of 40 million kroner in two as yet unopened waste treatment centres in the country that primarily deal with plastic. NGOs contend that the centres conversely thrive on getting as much waste as possible.

PM on world list DANISH PM Mette Frederiksen, who this year emerged as a real trailblazer after standing up to President Donald Trump over his interest in buying Greenland, has been included on an annual list of the 'most definitive people in the world' compiled by Bloomberg. The '50 list', which recognises individuals who define global business, also includes Greta Thunberg and Rihanna.

Kinnock has little hope FOLLOWING Boris Johnson’s landslide victory in the UK General Election, Danish media is claiming that Stephen Kinnock, the husband of the former Danish PM Helle Thorning-Schmidt, has a chance of replacing Jeremy Corbyn as leader when he steps down. In reality, the bookmakers rate him the 11th most likely candidate at 50/1. Danish business, meanwhile, applauded the result, claiming that they can now look forward to clarity over Brexit, which is expected to happen soon.

Adoption problems THE COUNTRY’S only bureau for international adoptions, Danish International Adoption, is in serious financial trouble and seeking to bring a halt to all new applications in the new year. The social minister, Astrid Krag, is concerned, indicating that funding could be set aside for operational support in 2020.

Hormuz pledge fulfilled AS PART of its pledge to protect shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, following a number of Iranian seizures in the passage, Denmark has confirmed two separate naval contributions in 2020 as part of a European-led mission. A Danish frigate will be deployed next autumn for four months, and personnel will be sent to a French-led HQ in Abu Dhabi.

IS duo lose passports NEW LEGISLATION has enabled the government to strip two Islamic State Danish fighters of their citizenship: a 25-year-old man and a young woman.

It is believed the man joined IS in 2013 under the alias Abu Osman. PET estimates that 22 other Danish fighters, who travelled to Syria to fight for IS, remain in the conflict zone.

Chinese deny Faroese ambition Ambassador’s recent visit to the island were “normal duties”, contends embassy VALMIRA GJONI

C

HINESE ambassador Feng Tie has denied that he put pressure on the Faroese government to choose Huawei to provide its 5G network, whilst making a visit to the islands on November 11.

Describing the Danish media’s reportage of Feng’s visit as “cyber-bullying”, the Chinese Embassy tweeted that the ambassador was performing “normal duties” in his discussions with leading Faroese politicians, including Bárður á Steig Nielsen, the de facto PM. Spy claims FURTHERMORE, the tweet accused the US of “using its state power to bully Huawei”, which it maintains has strong connections to the Chinese government and will use its network for spying purposes.

Experts claim this is the first time that China has openly showed it is backing Huawei. However, the Faroese telecom company Foroya Tele insists that US fears

Ambassador Feng's (right) a busy man

are groundless following a satisfactory test of the 5G network provided by Huawei.

Broadcast banned WHILE Nielsen denied feeling “threatened or pressured”, he did not deny Berlingske’s claims that a “straightforward and forceful” Feng threatened to withdraw a lucrative export deal for Faroese salmon, whilst dangling the carrot of a future free trade agreement.

Faroese TV station Kringvarp Føroyas was ordered not to broadcast a segment on December 2 that referred to the discussions, which was recorded when the Faroese trade minister, Helgi Abrahamsen, forgot to turn off a mic wired up for another interview.

According to 2011 figures, China is the sixth biggest importer of Faroese salmon.

ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS AT ST ALBAN'S CHURCH

CAROL SINGING ON STRØGET 30 NOVEMBER 1400 AT RADHUSPLADSEN WALKING TO KONGENS NYTORV

CAROL SERVICES

8 DEC, 16.00 AND 9 DEC, 19.00 NO TICKETS NEEDED

MESSY CHURCH

14 DEC, 15.00 FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY

POETRY AND CAROLS

Interpol hunt fugitive

14 DEC, 18.00

INTERPOL has again urged the public to help track fugitive Mohammad Ayoub Jahangery, a 28-year-old Afghan who was last year charged in absentia with murdering his wife in Denmark. Jahangery immediately fled the country.

CHRISTMAS EVE

CHILDREN'S NATIVITY 24 DEC, 12.00

IGHT MASS

Greenland top priority AS FOREIGN powers encroach on Greenland, the Danish Defence Intelligence Service has named the island as the country’s top priority. In related news, the foreign minister, Jeppe Kofod, has confirmed that there are no secure communication lines between Denmark and Greenland or the Faroes.

HASSE FERROLD

Petrol hangover

7

24 DEC, 23.00

CHRISTM

TIVAL COMMUNION 25 DEC, 10.30

JOY TO THE

ORLD — THE LORD HAS COME ST. ALBAN'S CHURCH CHURCHILLPARKEN 11, 1263 KØBENHAVN K

8

SPORT & CULTURE THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK Freddy stepping up

Contrasting fortunes DANISH golfer Rasmus Højgaard won the Mauritius Open via a playoff on December 8 – the 18-year-old’s first European Tour triumph. In related news, it was bad news for another promising youngster, cyclist Mathias Norsgaard Jørgensen, when he was hit by a car in Spain. He is expected to be out of action for six months.

Hammershøi again

Gaelic delight as FCK draw Scottish champions in Europa League

T

HE LAST time FC Copenhagen drew Celtic in European competition – in the 2006-07 Champions League group stage – the Gaelic community in the Danish capital queued around the block for tickets whilst fielding ‘conflict of interest’ questions from the Irish media!

Aidan Coogan, the Cork-born founder of Copenhagen Celtic, was a man in demand, recalling how he had started the club almost a century after its more illustrious predecessor in Glasgow.

He was adamant, of course, that he would not be supporting the home team.

Tak Lugano!

FOLLOWING a 0-1 loss at home to Malmö in their final Europa League group game – which would have ended the Lions’ progress had Lugano not surprisingly drawn away at Dynamo Kiev – FCK were

Thanks for the Finns OVERALL, it has been a splendid fortnight for Denmark regarding football draws, as Euro 2020 is also shaping up nicely.

Denmark learned on November 30 that the fourth team in

The Snow Queen

The Nutcracker

Così fan tutte

NEVER mind a gansta’s paradise, Denmark in 2020 is starting to resemble a rocker’s heaven. Firstly Pearl Jam announced they’re performing at Royal Arena on June 29, and then Aerosmith confirmed they’re coming to Middlefart on July 21 – the only Nordic date of their European tour.

OPERA

MIKLOS SZABO

Rockers rejoice

BALLET

HENRIK STENBERG

BALLET

unseeded heading into the draw, so they will be pleased they avoided the big fish in the tournament.

The first leg of the last-32 clash will take place at the Telia Parken Stadium on February 20, with the return leg at Celtic Park a week later.

Celtic are generally available at 40/1 to win the tournament, and FCK at 100/1. At Parken, both teams are rated 13/8 to win the game.

DANISH artist Tal R has won a Maritime and Commercial Court case against Copenhagen-based company Kanske, which planned to cut up his painting 'Paris Chic' and make watches out of it. The court ruled that Kanske would be misusing the artist’s reputation for commercial gain.

Strictly the same sex

Aidan Coogan likes Copenhagen, but …

their group will be Finland (on June 13), a team that have never before qualified for a major tournament. Russia (June 22) and Belgium (June 18) are the other teams in Group B. With the four best ranked third-placed teams advancing to the last 16, and all of Denmark’s group games being held at Parken, the home side’s prospects look good. However, should they top the group, their last-16 game will not be in Copenhagen.

In other news, Denmark are among the third seeds ahead of the 2022-23 Nations League draw on March 3, which is good news as UEFA has raised the number of teams in each group from three to four.

Grim discovery OLYMPIC TV rights holders DR and Discovery Networks Denmark have divvied up the sports for the 2020 Tokyo games, and it’s grim reading if you don’t have K5 or Eurosport, as Discovery will be showing all the rowing, swimming and cycling.

Together they have accounted for half of Denmark’s medals over the last three Olympics.

Watch this verdict!

BEN HAMILTON

PER MORTEN ABRAHAMSEN

'INTERIOR from Strandgade 30', a 1900 painting by Copenhagen painter Vilhelm Hammershøi, has broken the record for the highest price ever paid for a piece of art on Danish soil. It was sold for 30.5 million kroner – not far off the global record of 39.5 million, which was set by another Hammershøi work in New York in 2017.

Celtic’s help from within

ONLINE THIS WEEK

BEN HAMILTON

FREDERIK Løchte Nielsen, 36, has replaced Kenneth Carlsen as the captain of Denmark’s Davis Cup team, bringing to an end his governor’s 11-year reign. In other retirement news, handball legend Michael V Knudsen is calling it quits at the age of 41.

He scored 797 goals in 244 games for Denmark, ranking him fourth on the all-time list.

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

ACTOR Jakob Fauerby and Silas Holst have become the first ever same sex couple to win an edition of 'Strictly Come Dancing'. They won the Danish version, 'Vild Med Dans', on November 29.

Politiken’s finest HERBERT Pundik, the editor-in-chief of Politiken from 1970 to 1993, has died at the age of 92.

The Danish Jew fled the Nazis in 1943 to Sweden before moving to Israel later that decade. He worked for Mossad in the 1960s and ended up living in Tel Aviv in his retirement.

Handball heartache DENMARK finished ninth at the World Women's Handball Championships, which means they have failed to qualify for the Olympics.

They did, however, have the consolation of knocking out France, the reigning world and European champs, in the group stage.

Selling out in seconds

«««««¶

«««¶¶¶

«««¶¶¶

ON THE opening night of 'The Snow Queen', waves of applause and cheers filled Tivoli Concert Hall. It was an overwhelming triumph for the new version of the ballet, which is Queen Margrethe II's eighth collaboration with Tivoli as a costume and set designer and the third time she has worked with Danish pop star Oh Land and award-winning choreographer Yuri Possokhov.

Her Majesty has again crafted some spellbinding scenes and costumes, while Oh Land has written a fun score to mirror Hans Christian Andersen’s tale.

It’s highly recommended! (SdV)

WHEN YOU’RE opening a Christmas cracker, or cracking open a nut for that matter, you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Sometimes you’re pleasantly surprised, and on other occasions the contents are corny. Despite George Balanchine’s beloved choreography and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s divine music, this production felt like the latter. Overall there was a disconnect between the two acts, and by the time the two young leads made their dash back to the land of the living, we’d pretty much forgotten that this was a dream and not a garish version of ‘Ballet X Factor’. (BH)

TOBIAS Hoheisel’s set for this Mozart opera consists of a giant camera obscura or, more likely, a daguerreotype camera. It opens up and inside we find various parlour-type settings where the characters interact, reminding us of hidden camera reality TV series like 'Candid Camera'. But while it may well be a clever choice of stage set, it ultimately begins to feel somewhat clunky and limiting. Tim Albery’s production never quite rises above the level of a solid and somewhat engaging offering. It feels 'boxed in' and fails to reach the emotional heights opera can reach. (BG)

THE MUSIC festival ‘Musik i Lejet’ sold out in just two minutes earlier this month. All 6,500 tickets were quickly sold, leaving 7,500 prospective buyers disappointed.

Dodgy chocolates FRELLSEN has been compelled to withdraw 10,000 chocolate advent calendars after it emerged that the treats tasted just like the packaging.

It came as a blow to Save the Children, the recipient of the proceeds.

Best in class BÆST HAS the best pizzas in Denmark, according to Big 7 Travel, followed by Mother, Gorms in Aarhus, Frankie’s Pizza and Neighbourhood.

SCIENCE

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

ONLINE THIS WEEK

LINDØ Port of Odense intends to replace its physical buoys with virtual ones to guide large ships through Odense Fjord. The switch will save up to 1 million kroner. However, the Maritime Authority is not convinced yet.

Water-tech visit THE ENVIRONMENT minister, Lea Wermelin, visited China from November 25-28 in relation to the two countries’ bilateral co-operation on water tech.

Forestry dilemma THE GOVERNMENT looks set to spend 20 million kroner on forestry – either on planting 8,000 hectares of new forest or speeding up the development of 16,600 hectares designated by the previous government.

Volcano discovery A UNIQUE volcano has been discovered off the west coast of Greenland that may shed light on how the massive island was formed.

It is believed it was created 95 million years ago when the supercontinent Pangea was broken up.

Clap cases double THE NUMBER of gonorrhea cases nearly doubled from 1,141 in 2014 to 2,192 in 2018, according to State Serum Institute. Men accounted for 1,350 cases, of which 43 percent were homosexuals, and the 20-24 age bracket racked up the most diagnoses.

ONLINE THIS WEEK PIXABAY

Virtually buoyed

The kings of renewable energy Eleven Danish cities praised for their efforts in global report ROSELYNE MIN

W

ORLD MEDIA Wire has declared Denmark as the unofficial winner of REN21’s Renewables in Cities 2019 Global Status report, placing it at the top of the rankings for renewable energy.

“Denmark has eleven cities on the report and is the uncontestable leader in this fight for world change!” it proclaimed about a report in which Denmark has 39 mentions and Copenhagen a further 24.

The eleven cities were Aarhus, Copenhagen, Egedal, Frederikshavn, Gladsaxe, Helsingør, Høje-Taastrup, Hvidovre, Samsø, Skive and Sønderborg.

District fine DENMARK was further commended for having the third biggest share when it comes to renewable energy fuelling its district heating network Copenhagen, which aims to become the world’s first carbon-neutral city, was particularly praised for deriving 97 percent of its heat demand from local district heating systems.

Climate change concerns ACCORDING to a Eurobarometer survey published by the European Commission, 50 percent of Swedes and 47 percent of

9

House of fungi A RESEARCH team from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts intends to build a house of fungi called the FUNGAR project. Using AI and funding of 21 million kroner from the European Commission, a computer will regulate room temperature and humidity by receiving data from mushroom walls.

Fertility fallback WAITING lists at public fertility clinics in Zealand are considerably longer than elsewhere in the country, according to Health Data Authority figures. In related news, increasing numbers of women are giving birth at home. The percentage has doubled from 1.5 in 2013 to 3.3 last year.

Not only is the energy renewable, but also the praise

Danes consider climate change the most serious issue facing the world today – the highest rankings in the study.

The citizens of 20 European countries were given a list that included other concerns, and the most popular choices were poverty, hunger and a lack of drinking water. On average, 23 percent opted for climate change.

In 2017, only 29 percent of Danes identified climate change as the most serious issue, and climate researcher Sebastian Mernild believes the recent result is more due to privilege.

“In many of these countries, there are societal problems that we do not have in Denmark and Sweden,” he said.

Emissions up IN RELATED climate news, Denmark’s CO2 emissions rose by 1 percent in 2018, according to the Energy Agency, which attributed the increase to less wind.

From 2014 to 2017, Denmark saw a 45 percent increase in the quantities of plastic collected for recycling: from 57,635 to 83,833 tonnes, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Danish economy experts, the so-called wisemen, have called on the government to reconsider its aim to cut CO2 by 70 percent by 2030, as it greatly harms the country’s economy.

Failing on feta THE EUROPEAN Commission is taking Denmark to court over its continued production of cheese labelled feta, as EU legislation prohibits products made outside particular areas of Greece from using the name. Danish producers have illegally marketed and sold ‘feta’ to several non-EU countries.

Robots sidelined HERLEV og Gentofte Hospital’s ambitious plan to delegate less complicated tasks to robots has been suspended. The robots were purchased for 40 million for collecting and delivering goods like medicines, food, bedding and waste. It turned out that pavement traffic confused the robots, so they often stop working.

10 BUSINESS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ONLINE THIS WEEK

DANSK Industri wants more compulsory paternity leave instead of the current arrangement that enables couples to split the parental leave as they see fit. DI contends that it would provide women with better career opportunities. However, DI did not specify how much paternity leave. In related news, DI Business is discontinuing its English newsletter.

Hotel on Papirøen GERMAN hotel company 25hours Hotels has announced plans to build a new establishment on Paper Island by 2024.

The Papirøen hotel will consist of 128 guestrooms and suites, a sauna, rentable houseboats and a rooftop bar.

Dip in organic exports DENMARK last year saw a dip in organic exports for the first time in years, according to Danmarks Statistik. Their value fell by 46 million kroner to 2.9 billion.

Meanwhile, organic imports rose from 3.9 to 4.4 billion kroner – primarily due to the drought.

The Danish Agriculture & Food Council expects exports to increase in both 2019 and 2020.

Under attack THE VAST majority of Danish companies have faced cyber-attacks over the past year, according to PwC. Some 68 percent endured a phishing attack in 2019 – down from 76 percent over the previous year. PwC warned that it is important for employees to be trained in awareness.

Haulage firm bankrupt DANISH haulage company Erik Nielsen og Søn Transport has gone bankrupt after being in service for well over a century. The Funen-based company, which has been in operation since 1894, called it a day on December 3. The company had 35 employees. Most of its clients worked in the construction industry.

ONLINE THIS WEEK

Kastrup on course for dip in passengers CPH AIRPORT

DI wants more paternity

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

A number of unforeseen circumstances have led to foot traffic decreasing at Copenhagen Airport THESS MÓSTOLES

A

MUCH SLOWER November than in 2018 has put Copenhagen Airport on course to record its first decrease in passenger numbers for years.

Some 46,000 fewer passengers used the airport last month – a 2.1 percent decline on November 2018 – and overall 0.2 percent fewer passengers have used the airport this year compared to 2018.

A number of reasons THE DECREASE, which is expected to be confirmed at the end of the year, has been blamed on a number of factors, including the SAS pilot strike, the bankruptcies of Primera Air (in October 2018) and WOW Air (in March 2019), and Norwegian's decision to stop running long-haul flights from Copenhagen.

And it won’t have been buoyed by a baggage handler strike that began on December 4 involving employees of Menzies, which tends to service customers using Norwegian, British Airways and Finnair.

SAS strike hit hard THE SAS strike resulted in the airline declaring its worst

New Legoland in China A NEW LEGOLAND is set to open in China in 2023. The 4.4 billion kroner themepark will be situated in the Jinshan district of Shanghai – a region that has a population of 220 million people. Family-owned Lego investment arm Kirkbi, which recently took back a 50 percent stake in Merlin Entertainments, has indicated there will be more park announcements forthcoming.

Negative the norm Did a temporary loss of focus cost SAS this year?

financial result for five years.

The seven day pilot strike in April and May is estimated to have cost the airline 450 million kroner.

Nevertheless, it still managed to post its fifth consecutive profit, even though it fell by 60 percent to 440 million kroner for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Norwegian closures NORWEGIAN has decided to close routes from Copenhagen and Stockholm airports to the US and Thailand from 29 March 2020, which will result in 15 fewer departures each week from Copenhagen Airport by the summer.

According to Hans Christian Stigaard, an expert at the consulting firm Realise, Norwegian is closing the routes because they are not profitable.

Committee business MEANWHILE, the Copenhagen Growth Committee has suggested a number of initiatives to further expand Copenhagen Airport and establish it as one of northern Europe’s biggest transport hubs.

The committee, which is made up of influential decision-makers both south and north of the Øresund – including Frank Jensen and Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, the mayors of Copenhagen and Malmö – tends to meet two or three times a year, and their last meeting of 2019 was at the end of November.

The initiatives include an extension of the Metro line to Malmö, a direct rail line from western Denmark, and climate-friendly growth of the airport that would lower CO2 emissions to reach its 2050 carbon-neutral goal.

Co-operative headache

Record Black Friday

Another name change

CO-OPERATIVE housing pricing has risen so sharply that many banks say it would be impossible for homeowners to remortgage based on their valuation. Nordea, Sydbank and Arbejdernes Landsbank are among the banks opting out. According to the Transport and Housing Ministry, half of all co-operative housing in Denmark is evaluated by property consultants.

BLACK Friday continues to be a major hit as sales skyrocketed to record highs on November 29 – a 57 percent jump in spending compared to 2018.

Online transactions shot up by 151 percent compared to a regular Friday. However, according to the Forbrugerrådet Tænk consumer council, most of the discounts aren’t offering savings, as the prices have been artificially inflated.

BLACKSTONE is changing the name of its management company in Denmark to Kereby (which translates as 'take care of the town'). An executive, Kenneth Ohlendorff, told Politiken that Blackstone wants to establish a positive image of the company, “signalling that it cares about its customers”. It is the second time Blackstone has changed its name, as it was previously called 360 North.

NORDEA has confirmed that private customers with deposits in excess of 750,000 kroner will be subjected to a deposit rate of minus 0.75 percent from February 1. The new rate will be applied to all deposit accounts bar pension accounts and child savings. Jyske Bank, Sydbank, Spar Nord and Ringkjøbing Landbobank already have negative interest rates.

Ørsted thinking big ØRSTED has proposed building a 1,000 MW Baltic Sea wind farm off the coast of Rønne, the capital of Bornholm, reports TV2. The Danish energy company suggests the project will be more attractive than building an artificial energy island in the North Sea – a proposal of the government’s.

New cattle market THE DOOR has opened for the Danish and Dutch beef industries to enter South Korea. According to Landbrug & Fødevarer, the market is worth 43,000 kroner per tonne.

South Korea is short of protein as its pork output has been hit by an outbreak of African swine fever.

Biggest Netto store NETTO has opened its biggest store in Denmark. Located on Bredstrupgade in Randers, the store is 1,550 sqm in size. The supermarket is about twice the size of a typical Netto in Denmark.

11 Expo 2020: A sustainable slice of Denmark in Dubai EXPO 2020

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

With just under a year to go, local efforts have resurrected the Danish Business Pavilion CHRISTIAN WENANDE

F

ROM ALGERIA to Zimbabwe, an all-time record 192 countries have queued up from across the planet to participate in the immense splendour of Expo 2020 in Dubai next year.

And Denmark isn’t an exception, with plans well underway for a Danish Business Pavilion to be part of the proceedings.

In fact, the Danes are striving to have the most sustainable pavilion at Expo 2020 – quite an ambition, considering pretty much every country in the world is represented.

But really, a Danish presence at Expo 2020 can be greatly attributed to the efforts of Jens Lund, who is spearheading the Danish Business Pavilion from his longstanding local perch in Dubai.

As the founder of the Danish Business Council (DBC) in Dubai back in 2005, Lund and his team of high-profile Danish professionals have extensive experience working in the UAE, and they have laboured tirelessly in establishing the Danish Business Pavilion.

Rising like a phoenix WITH TEN months before Expo 2020 kicks off in grand style, the pavilion looks to be shaping up well, although that wasn’t always the case. Just a few short months ago, there was a lot of uncertainty in regards to Denmark’s participation.

In fact, Lund has managed to resurrect the Danish Business Pavilion without any funding from the government and, while he would like to see the government take part, it isn’t something that he is banking on.

“From day one, the vision has been two buildings. One is the core building that we are building – we have the funds for

that – and the second is called the climate building, or the CO2 building, in homage to the Danish government’s desire to reduce CO2 emissions by 70 percent by 2030,” Lund told CPH POST. “And that building will be constructed in the event we get additional funds from the government – or bigger enterprises when they see the value it provides. But if it doesn’t happen, so be it. We are not concerned about that. We are going ahead no matter what, and if the government wants in, they are welcome. I think there is a very solid case, politically and business-wise, for them to join.”

Mette F is welcome UNDER the Lars Løkke Rasmussen administration, the government had allocated 50 percent of what they thought would be a good budget, leaving it to the private sector to kick in the other half.

A long story short: the way

the funds were allocated was rigidly either/or and most companies didn’t see the value in setting aside money for something not perceived to be their focus area. Eventually, the budget year ended and the money set aside for the Danish Expo 2020 was used elsewhere.

It basically meant that Lund’s team, through their contacts in Denmark and network in Dubai, were left to compose the pavilion from the ground up.

Lund hasn’t approached the new Mette Frederiksen-led government yet, rather waiting for the right time and moment through political channels in

Denmark and the UAE. And ultimately Lund doesn’t need them anymore, although the government would be welcomed with open arms.

Diplomatic determination THE UAE Ambassador to Denmark, Fatema Al-Mazrouei, has also played a significant role in promoting the event, particularly by informing companies, public authorities, politicians, educational institutions, municipalities and others in Denmark about Expo 2020’s exceptional opportunities for Danish stakeholders.

“Expo 2020 will bring togeth-

THREE CORE EXPO 2020 THEMES

Sustainability – The need to live in balance with the world we inhabit has never been more critical Opportunity – "We all have the power to shape the future", and Expo 2020 aims to unlock this potential in multiple ways Mobility – "When we enable smarter movement of knowledge, ideas and goods, a new world of possibilities unfolds"

12 EXPO 2020

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

er participants for six months to celebrate successes, showcase achievements, share knowledge, inspire ideas and discuss innovative solutions,” Al-Mazrouei told CPH POST. “With the ‘World’s Greatest Show’ taking place in the UAE, a Danish presence at Expo 2020 has been one of my main priorities since I was appointed UAE Ambassador to the Kingdom of Denmark in 2017.”

Al-Mazrouei believes that the Danish business community is aware of the importance of being present at Expo 2020, which connects people, political and business leaders from all over the world – particularly given that sustainability is one of the cornerstones of the event.

A grateful ally THE AMBASSADOR hails Denmark’s ambitions in terms of lowering CO2 emissions by 2030, as well as the country’s leading global position in areas such as green energy, water technologies, food and agriculture, and Smart Cities.

“This makes Expo 2020 an ideal forum for Danish companies that are a part of the Danish Business Pavilion to showcase their innovations to the rest of the world, whilst learning from others and connecting with partners from all over the world,” said Al-Mazrouei.

Lund is immensely grateful for Al-Mazrouei’s support, and likewise the backing from Dubai, the UAE and the Expo 2020

organisers in general – without the support of which the Danish Business Pavilion would not exist.

“We are very grateful for that support because we know they have to allocate time and resources in order to get it done,” said Lund.

“And we are also grateful to the Foreign Ministry in Denmark because they understand

Ambassador Fatema Al-Mazrouei has been a significant ally

the value and it’s essential to have the government help push the agenda.”

Partners in time LUND AND the Danish Business Pavilion’s success in attracting Danish entrepreneurs has reverberated in business circles, and it has begun to gather real momentum.

Around 50 companies have already signed up, and Lund expects another 50 to join during the first quarter of 2020 – including some of the biggest firms Denmark has to offer.

Lund wasn’t at liberty to disclose many big names as of yet, but there are several top dogs in Denmark, including Carlsberg and Rockwool, which have indicated an intention to participate.

And while Lund is pleased that the big companies have started to take notice, the main challenge at this juncture is time.

Another interesting possibility is whether the confederation

for Danish industry, Dansk Industri (DI), gets involved again after pulling out earlier due to the previously-mentioned funding dilemmas.

Won't roll over and DI EJVIND Vøgg, a head consultant with DI, told CPH POST that the confederation

was involved over a year ago, but pulled out after it became clear there wasn’t a high level of interest from its members.

However, DI and other potent Danish business advocacy groups could reconsider their positions in the wake of the pavilion’s recent successes. Lund said he was unsure whether DI would join

CSR: 100 PERCENT SUSTAINABLE - The Danish Business Pavilion is scheduled to be completely reused once the exhibition finishes. It will become a nursery with the capability to offer special needs tuition to children.

- It will be a space for kids after school to enjoy both the indoor and outdoor facilities. The Danish Business Pavilion has secured an Expression of Interest from plot owners in Dubai, who for a five-year period will provide their land for free, against taking over the building thereafter, and offer it for rent to the nursery operator.

- The operational partner of the nursery will be selected by the Danish Business Council Dubai who, along with other stakeholders in the building, will be able to use the nursery facilities after its closure, where it will showcase its products and solutions.

- The building will become the official Danish Culture House in Dubai.

EXPO 2020

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

the fray again, after already trying twice in vain last year with the previous government.

“Many Danish companies, even though they are global, are so mostly in respect to the US, Europe and elements of Asia.

They are not globally-reaching into other areas of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. And I feel like a lot of companies look to Germany, Scandinavia and the UK as their prime markets,” said Lund.

This led to the Danish Business Pavilion shifting its focus to the smaller companies – en-

EXPO 2020 IN NUMBERS - 192 participating countries - 25 million visitors, including 15 million unique visitors - 70 percent international and 30 percent local visitors to Expo 2020 - USD 33.3 billion – expected boost to local economy - 300,000 – expected number of served meals every day - 600 football pitches – the size of the site - 4 times bigger – than Milano 2015

trepreneurial firms within the realm of development, innovation and design that can see the value in embracing markets in the UAE and the region.

Adap(a)ting well ONE SUCH company that has jumped at the opportunity to be part of the Danish Business Pavilion is Adapa, an Aalborg-based industrial equipment supplier that will play a major role in Dubai.

The pavilion will consist of a modular construction that will allow it to be taken apart and rebuilt in a sustainable manner.

Adapa, which has an extensive business portfolio in the UAE, has assumed the responsibility of decorating the pavilion.

“It comes naturally to us to become a partner of the Danish Business Pavilion in Dubai, as many of our adaptive moulds are in good use in the UAE – in application materials such as concrete, composites and thermoplastic,” said John Sohn, the

head of sales for Adapa.

“We take part in building some of the region’s finest architectural constructions and look forward to being a partner in exposing the competence of Denmark to the world.”

Danish at its core THE DANISH Business Pavilion will be constructed solely using Danish materials, products and machinery, as will all interior design.

The Danish Business Pavilion area is set to be 1,860 sqm in size: a 1,200 sqm primary building with 600 sqm of expansion possibilities. It will have a maximum height of 15 metres, and the deadline for its disassembly, transit and re-erection (in keeping with its sustainability goals) has been set at 1 September 2021.

There are four categories of partnership that companies can choose from: Founding, Enterprise, Product and Support. There will be space for about 25 companies across the 173 days the Danish

Business Pavilion is in operation.

Founding partners have a seat at the decision-making table and access to meetings and official receptions.

And sustainability really is the name of the game for the Danish Business Pavilion, as well as being one of the three underpinning subthemes of Expo 2020 itself – the other two being Opportunity and Mobility.

An ode to Danish nature and culture and drawing inspiration

13

from the rolling waves of Kattegat and Skagerrak, the Danish Business Pavilion is planned to be 100 percent recycled and is planned to be turned into a kindergarten, leisure centre and a home for the Danish Business Council in Dubai when Expo 2020 ends.

Vikings in the sand ANOTHER interesting feature of the Danish effort at Expo 2020 will be a full scale

Jens Lund is spearheading the Danish Business Pavilion

14 EXPO 2020

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

A LITTLE HISTORY - The EXPO world fair traces its origins way back to the Great Exhibition, which was held in Hyde Park, London back in 1851 – a vision of Albert, Prince Consort. The theme was ‘Industry of Nations’ and over 6 million people visited the exhibition, which ran from May 1-October 15 - Since hosting EXPO a second time in 1862, the UK has not hosted again. The US has hosted the most times with 13, followed by France (9), Belgium and Italy (both 7) and Japan and Spain (both 4). Paris is the city that has hosted the most times, including four out of the first nine - Denmark has never hosted the World Fair. Sweden and Finland are the only Nordic countries to have done so: Sweden three times (1936, 1949 and 1955) and Finland once in 1938 fully-functional Viking ship that will be constructed over the course of the 173 days that the pavilion will be open.

The inclusion is thanks to a partnership with the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, which will provide the vessel.

The ship, the ‘Helge Ask’, is a reconstruction of the 1,000-yearold original Viking ship ‘Skuldelev 5’, and it is 17 metres long and has 26 oars and shields.

Visitors will also be treated to other Viking artefacts as part of an informative exhibition about

the skilled seafarers, and their lives and culture.

Global event, global reach THE FINANCES have been secured for the core shell of the main building, and it is expected to be finished within a few months. Onsite progress will be seen at the end of this year and the start of 2020.

Lund concurs that business between Denmark and the UAE has blossomed in recent years, but he underlined that Expo 2020 should be viewed as a busi-

ness gateway to the entire region.

He expects that there will be a lot more awareness raised about Expo 2020 in Denmark in the coming months. Whereas Chinese mainlanders accounted for 99 percent of the visitors to Expo 2010 in Shanghai, Expo 2020 is looking at only about 15 percent being local.

“The real focus of Expo 2020 will be business: 80 percent in my opinion. Yes, there will be great shows, big names and entertainment, but the real essence of this is business,” said Lund.

“A lot of people think it’s a local focus, so they might be under the impression that if they go there and invest all this money, effort and time into this, well then it’s just for Dubai. Whereas our focus is Denmark meets the world in Dubai. So it will be truly international.”

Read more about the Danish Business Pavilion at expo2020. dk or check for updates on its Facebook page at facebook.com/ Expo2020.dk.

- No fair was held between 1939 and 1947 due to World War II Among the more peculiar hosts over the years is Haiti in 194950, while the Bulgarian city of Plovdiv has hosted it three times.

Astana in Kazakhstan hosted the most recent world fair, EXPO 2017. Over 3.8 million people visited. The next two EXPOs will be 2023 Buenos Aires and 2025 Osaka - Never has a city in Russia or the Soviet Union hosted a World Fair – although Yekaterinburg has bid twice recently - Expo 1961 in Turin, Italy was the first time that the word ‘Expo’ was used to describe the World Fair - Exhibitions usually last from three to six months - In 1936 in Stockholm the first Specialised Expo was held, which focused on aviation. Since then, there have been more Specialised Expos held than World Expos. However, Expo 2020 in Dubai is a World Expo - The iconic Seattle Space Needle was a theme building of the Seattle World's Fair in 1962 - The China pavilion from Expo 2010 in Shanghai remains the largest display in the history of the World Expo - Premier League side Crystal Palace FC got its name from the Crystal Palace structure that was built for the Great Exhibition in 1851. It was later destroyed in a fire in 1936

BUSINESS OPINION

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

THOMAS N HORSTED STARTUP COMMUNITY Thomas (@thomas_hors) is the former co-founder of Startup Guide – The Entrepreneur’s Handbook and a former startup scout for IKEA Bootcamp. He is currently the COO for Tiimo, a Danish startup delivering an assistive app to kids with ADHD, autism and brain damage. He is also a limited partner and investor in The Nordic Web Ventures, which invests in early-stage Nordic startups.

Olympic startup athletes WHAT DO athletes and business founders have in common?

It’s simple: they work every given minute to achieve success.

For an athlete it might be to set a new world record and win a gold medal at the Olympics. For

STEEN VIVE UNION VIEWS Steen is senior advisor at Djøf, the Danish Association of Lawyers and Economists. He is a blogger and manager of various projects aimed at generating jobs in the private sector. In this column he writes about trends and tendencies in the labour market. Follow him on Twitter @SteenVive.

NEXT ISSUE

Fit For Business

Give Yourself a Chance

Let’s begin with alcohol THE DANES’ reputation for being a boozy bunch is well earned.

So, even though the Christmas staff party is a company event, the alcohol will be flowing freely.

But that doesn’t mean you will be expected to partake – and IN 2 ISSUES

Check in with yourself DO A DAILY ‘check-in’ with yourself. Ask how you are doing and answer honestly. Are you stressed? Sad? Concerned? Is it related to your personal life or work? Write down and accept these feelings, and then come up with a couple of action points.

if you don’t, remember that you won’t be alone.

frokost is not your opportunity to critique the new corporate strategy, to complain about your co-workers or to ask for a pay rise. Save those discussions for the office.

Just not too much DANISH workplaces are generally informal and during the ‘julefrokost’ people are even more relaxed.

Letting loose is one thing, but – and this applied even before #metoo – be careful not to take it too far.

Yes, the Christmas staff party is a chance to make merry with your co-workers, but remember: they are still your co-workers and your workplace rules still apply.

Partying with your boss THIS DOESN’T need to be as awkward as it sounds, so long as you remember that this is an entirely social occasion.

Just remember that the juleIN 3 ISSUES

Mind over Managing

The Valley of Life

UK-DK Trade

Danish Capital in 2019

Transparency with investors RAISING capital from investors can leave founders feeling indebted to the people who financed their vision. Feeling the need to always show your best side and results is common, but remember: you are partners now.

Be transparent early on about how you are doing – as a founder and a person. It will build trust.

Build a support team YOU CAN’T always be the hero. Building a support community around you is critical.

Mandatory matters?

THE ANSWER depends on when your company chooses to hold it. An after-hours julefrokost is not mandatory. If you attend, you don’t get paid overtime and you can’t count it as work hours.

If your company holds the julefrokost during work hours, you’ll normally be expected to attend.

If you don’t want to go and if your boss excuses you, you’ll normally be expected to work while everyone is partying.

'Couldn't be more different'

Maintaining relationships with friends and family who love and support you will give you energy and a sense of belonging when the going gets tough.

Exercise – lots of it!

YOU HAVE heard this one before, I know. But it is really important. Exercise is proven to improve mental health by reducing anxiety, depression and negative mood, while stimulating cognitive function. Just do it, okay?

PIXABAY

D

ENMARK’S workplace Christmas parties are good fun. Being aware of the unwritten rules helps keep them that way.

In Denmark, the Christmas staff party – the ‘julefrokost’ – takes the form of an annual party. For employees and their managers, it is an occasion to meet and ‘hygge’.

However, there are some dos and don’ts that first-time julefrokost attendees will want to keep in mind (and that even veterans need to be reminded of ).

a founder it is to solve a problem and scale an innovative solution to millions, if not billions, of people, while creating a financially sustainable company.

What is the difference?

Olympic athletes have a support system and a community that wants them to succeed and stay healthy – both mentally and physically. Founders don’t.

Why is that? The science is clear: maintaining health and balance in a startup is vital for prosperity. We need to challenge the status quo and take a systemic approach to creating a work-life balance that is smart and sustainable, and that protects our greatest asset: our health.

Of course, systemic change doesn’t happen overnight, so start off by taking care of yourself! If you are struggling, here is some advice to help navigate the downward spirals.

FERNANDO FRAZÃO/AGÊNCIA BRASIL

S

LEEPLESS nights, overpacked schedules and an addiction to hustle – focus, hard work, drive and innovation in the pursuit of success. Entrepreneurs like this are ‘heroes’ if you listen to some sections of society.

However, the pressure of racking up 60+ hours per week trying to keep your business afloat often leads to worry, stress, anxiety, burn out and depression.

The World Health Organization predicts that stress will be the number one cause of illness in society by 2020. And it shouldn’t be like that.

15

Pull crackers, not the boss

socialise with your co-workers. It is also a way for you to meet people in other departments.

So even if you aren’t into partying, the holiday hygge makes it a great opportunity to do some networking.

Good for networking THE CHRISTMAS staff party is first and foremost a good chance to

Happy hacking!

WITH THESE five julefrokost hacks in mind I hope the Christmas lunch at your workplace will be both enjoyable and fun.

Merry Christmas!

IN 4 ISSUES

IN 5 ISSUES

We're Welcome – Honest!

Economics Explained

Global Denmark

16 OPINION

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

Order, order, order

A

Dropped a brick FIRSTLY, her promise of a reform of the early retirement law was a vote winner. But can she deliver? For decades, people have assumed that to qualify you had to be worn-out physically – bricklayers, for example – and be able to demonstrate your state of disrepair. But Frederiksen sees early retirement as a legal right.

It will take some time and deliberation to define ‘worn out’, and many politicians are expecting fallout. It may have helped her win the 2019 election, but it could end up becoming a brick wall at the next election.

Climate clanger?

SECONDLY, Frederiksen has taken on the climate fight, even though there are no obvious ways using existing technology, to achieve her ambitious 70/30 declaration. And the funding isn’t there in the budget. So will the future be kind to her?

Her saviour might be the Danish people, who are radically altering their behaviour. They are reducing their air travel and meat consumption, whilst embracing electric transport and generally trying to raise their awareness. Young people are the voters who will be

Living Faith

around the longest and more Greta Thurnbergs are inevitable.

Governmental crime?

THIRDLY, there is crime and the feeling that the government’s hardline stance on immigration and continued border controls could come back to haunt Frederiksen.

The controls are wasting police resources to the extent that people are increasingly turning to private policing. After all, a burgled home is of little interest to the police.

They rarely show up at the scene and are prone to dismissing the case after less than a week.

Incompetent at the core FOURTHLY, there is corruption – and there’s nothing the general public dislikes more than a scandal in public administration.

Somebody working for the Danish Defence authority responsible for buildings and facilities managed to get a home extension worth 1.7 million kroner, the Britta Nielsen trial continues to rumbles on with over 100 million kroner unlikely to resurface, and don’t forget the billions swindled in the share dividend tax refund scandal – the common thread is incompetence among public employees.

Factor in the failure of the health service to adapt a uniform IT system and the general disarray facing a national tax office that needed to start from scratch, and the public have a lot to grumble about.

No wonder the PM started her government with a declaration that there was a need for trust.

Yes, there are no doubts: 2020 could be a testing year.

In the meantime, let us wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! (ES)

A

Born in India, adopted by Britain, Smitha (chaplain@ st-albans.dk) is the new chaplain of St Alban’s Church.

In the UK, along with being a Church of England priest, she travelled Europe working as an English teacher, trainer and examiner. Smitha continues to work in an advisory and advocacy capacity at a national level on matters of liturgy and social justice.

PIXABAY

LL THAT fascinating live TV from the House of Commons in the UK is coming to an end now. Boris Johnson has a strong majority and, being a man of action, he will use it. The opposition is in ruins, so no point tuning in for another five years.

In Denmark there is probably more than three years until the next general election. What can we expect to see? Certainly, PM Mette Frederiksen is facing challenges.

REVD SMITHA PRASADAM

T CHRISTMAS we stand on the threshold of great promise. It is promise of what is yet to be – a new ordering for us and our world.

God anew AS THE prophet Isaiah foretold: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace.” It is a new era of peace, good news and salvation in which God comforts his people and the ends of the Earth see the salvation of God in life-giving ways. The old order is ending. A new age has dawned (I’m writing just before the time of the UK General Election!).

Christmas offers a time to recalibrate life’s compass in the light of the coming of the Prince of Peace. It is a day and a season to wonder and respect a new reality when God's newness can be given to us – God, in Christ, born in a smelly stable with the power to dispel darkness and overcome the power of death.

The story around which people gather is a story of transforming hope for new life. The scriptures set for the season invite and permit us to make a new beginning. When that happens, heaven and earth ‘sing’, and there is ‘joy to the world’. In an age when communication is key, we express joy as we send cards, exchange gifts and make merry!

God the word BUT HOW does God communicate? Sure, God spoke to people in many and various ways in the past: sometimes quite dramatically through fire, floods, thunderbolts and lightning, and to mostly biblical giants like

Mary's boy child Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day

Abraham, Moses and Noah.

But at Christmas, God speaks to every one of us through his son, Jesus Christ.

God does so through prophecy, prayer and the circumstances of our lives: prosperity, redundancy, pregnancy, asylum – even death! Moreover, God speaks to us musically through the Bible, heard over and over again in Handel’s 'Messiah' or Bach’s 'Christmas Oratorio', which are being performed all over the city.

It is the word of God. Rightly, the church has been keen to consider the printed word of God. Wrongly, all too often it has succumbed to text alone to tell of the mighty acts of God. We often use music and poetry to unravel mystery. And the poetic opening to St John’s Gospel, a highlight among our Christmas readings, asserts this: “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God ... In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines

in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.”

God the baby GOD COMES not as a mighty king, warrior or politician but as a little baby – tiny, vulnerable and one whom we instinctively want to protect. Contrary to all expectation, God comes not like some great floodlight, but like a candle flame offering light but also tenderness, warmth and love.

Much as we may want to freeze-frame the moment, the message of Christmas does not stop on December 25. The gospel records how the many who received him called upon his name to give them the power to become children of God. Whatever our circumstances, Christ the child, the baby of Bethlehem, reaches out to us.

Dare we receive him into our hearts, our homes and our lives?

In the name of Emmanuel – God with us – I wish you all a Happy Christmas and blessed 2020.

OPINION

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

IAN BURNS

NEXT ISSUE

An Actor’s Life

The Road Less Taken JESSICA ALEXANDER

A resident here since 1990, Ian Burns is the artistic director at That Theatre Company and very possibly Copenhagen’s best known English language actor thanks to roles as diverse as Casanova, Shakespeare and Tony Hancock.

MRUTYUANJAI MISHRA FLICKR/CLATHAM HOUSE

P

No man is an island THE UK, contrary to popular belief, is not an island. It is, in fact, made up of over 6,000 islands.

Shakespeare summed up its landscape best when John of Gaunt – given the usurping nature of his progeny, a David Cameron-like character if you like (more about him later) – uttered these lines in Richard II. “This scepter'd isle, this earth of majesty, this seat of Mars, this

Mishra’s Mishmash IN 2 ISSUES

ICTURE yourself flying through thick clouds. The visibility is zero. You can just about make out the flashing red lights at the end of the wing. In these situations pilots trust their navigation systems and people on the ground and we, in turn, trust them to land us safely so we can continue our lives.

Storm clouds ahead THIS IS how I feel every time I travel from Denmark to the UK. But the clouds I refer to are metaphorical.

Whilst clarity is in the air in Denmark following the election of a left-wing government in June, and we can more or less anticipate every single move they’re going to make – more welfare, higher corporation taxes, reversals of most hardline policies brought in by the previous lot – the same can’t be said of one of Denmark’s oldest allies and biggest trading partners.

Does anyone reading this really truly feel that Boris Johnson is in control of Britain’s national aeroplane? Writing this just days before the UK General Election, it feels like Britain is sitting aboard one of its famous Lancaster bombers – at any moment, it could be blown out of the sky.

17

Englishman in Nyhavn JACK GARDNER

Green Spotlight SIBYLLE DE VALENCE IN 3 ISSUES

Crazier than Christmas VIVIENNE MCKEE We're sure Boris is truly sorry for being such a rascal, Ian

other Eden, demi-paradise, this fortress built by nature for herself.

Against infection and the hand of war, this happy breed of men, this little world, this precious stone set in the silver sea.”

Remember that the engelsk – as the Danes so like to call the Brits – are not the entire nation.

And I feel that a disconnected Englishman like Johnson is not the man to rebuild our collection of islands after 10 years of neglect and austerity caused in the main by the political party he is the leader of.

Smash and grab ISLAND retreats are a welcome refuge from the pressures of the world, but they are increasingly being bought up by the insanely rich for their own devices – the likes of Anders Holch Povlsen and Richard Branson, for example.

Nothing new in that, but when do the ‘No-entry’ or the ‘Private Property’ signs become the norm, and roads and paths once open to the public become no-go areas and start to rankle?

Imagine corporations and billionaires salivating at the thought of becoming even richer

as they see a weakened Britain open to plunder. Johnson seems content to let this happen for some bizarre reason. Sadly, despite his own claims, he is no Winston Churchill.

Can Johnson with all his bluster really reunite the UK with whatever natural beauty that can be salvaged, or is absolutely everything in Discount Britain up for grabs? Can anyone with money just turn up and do what they like? We will soon know.

Lessons from Jura THE PERILS and mediocrity of cheap consumerism were highlighted and written about by George Orwell on a little Hebridean island called Jura, and let’s face it: the writing was on the wall during David Cameron’s reign of austerity.

Curiously, perhaps, but the island of Jura is where Cameron’s wife’s rather rich family have property. You might have heard of them: the Astors? I’m sure they’ve got plenty stored away to see out the storm. The rest of us will have to just close our eyes and hope as we come in to land in the darkness.

Straight, No Chaser STEPHEN GADD

Straight Up

IN 4 ISSUES

ZACH KHADUDU

A Dane Abroad KIRSTEN LOUISE PEDERSEN

Early Rejser

IN 5 ISSUES

ADAM WELLS

Mackindergarten ADRIAN MACKINDER

Join the chat WWW.CPHPOST.DK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/COPENHAGENPOST WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM/CPHPOST WWW.TWITTER.COM/CPHPOST

18 COMMUNITY

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

ABOUT TOWN

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

PHOTOS BY HASSE FERROLD

The diplomatic corps were out in force at the celebration of the Romanian national day at Nimb restaurant in Tivoli on December 2.

Among those in attendance were (left-right) Brazilian ambassador Carlos Paranhos, Georgian ambassador Gigi Gigiadze, Austrian ambassador Maria Rotheiser-Scotti, Bulgarian ambassador Svetlan Stoev, Romanian ambassador Mihai-Alexandru Gradinar, Nigerian ambassador Amadou Tcheko, Vietnamese ambassador Pham Thanh Dung, Saudi ambassador Fahad Alruwaily, South Korean ambassador Sang-jin Park and Lithuanian ambassador Ginte Damusis

Few can resist the charm of a Santa Lucia celebration, and on December 13 the Swedish Embassy did not disappoint with an all-white candlelight procession and rendition of the famous song. Among the dignitaries in attendance were (left-right) Luxembourg’s ambassador Janine Finck, Italian ambassador Luigi Ferrari, Japanese ambassador Manabu Miyagawa, French ambassador Caroline Ferrari, Swedish ambassador Frederik Jörgensen, the wife of the Japanese ambassador, US ambassador Carla Sands, Hungarian ambassador Kristof Altusz, Serbian ambassador Jasmina Maric, Irish ambassador Adrian McDaid and Croatian ambassador Tina Krce

Hans Hermansen (centre right), the CEO of CPH POST, and Nepalese ambassador Yuba Nath Lamsal (right) were among the guests of Thai ambassador Vichit Chitvimarn (centre left) and his wife at Hotel d’Angleterre for a celebration of his country’s national day on December 4

Czech ambassador Radek Pech (centre) celebrated his country’s national day at his embassy. Among his guests were Slovakian ambassador Miroslav Wlachovsky (centre right) and Kaj Larssen (right), the president of KUKS

Irish ambassador Adrian McDaid was introduced to the city’s Irish community at a special reception at Bygningskulturens Hus on November 5, along with his deputy, Emily McCormack

The agrée ambassador of Greece is Nikolaos Kotrokois. Parakalo!

FOOD & DRINK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

19

Where strangers gather for festive fare and leave as friends Østerbrogade 79, Cph Ø, Mon-Sat 17:30 to 00:00 Sun 5:30-23:00; Julefrokost 650kr, Newyear menu 1200kr ROSELYNE MIN

I

T WOULD be hard to forgive the gloomy winter in Copenhagen without the Christmas lights, scent of gløgg, and tipsy Danes giggling and cheering.

The star of the show is the ‘Julefrokost’, a year-end party with endless bottoms-up of schnapps, and dining chain Madklubben has geared up its party room in Østerbro for the special occasion.

In Wes Andersen’s brain WHEN WE visited, the palatial banquet room was adorned with glossy Jerusalem cherries, holly and classics from the beloved Danish furniture designer Børge Mogensen. With a colour palette reminiscent of the Grand Budapest Hotel and a dazzling array of exquisite glasses and plates, the setting was an unimpeachably perfect fit for sumptuous dining.

I must confess that I was expecting some awkward eye contact when guided to a seat between two groups, but the people present gladly engaged us in conversation.

The anticipation was palpable, as was the hunger and thirst, and when the venue manager Emma Hind raised a glass of champagne and thanked everyone for coming, the night erupted in the jingle of 50 glasses clinking.

Happy as Harry COMMUNAL dining, akin to the feasts enjoyed in Hogwarts’ Great Hall, can be often seen in the Nordic region – a throwback to their agrarian society and continued trust in the ‘kommune’.

Denmark has its ‘folkekøkkener’ (community kitchen), and there are Swedish (sittning) and Finnish (yhteisöllinen) equivalents. All of them involve shared toasts as tipsy jokes and plates of food are shared by strangers.

Most julefrokoster tend to be

ROSELYNE MIN

MADKLUBBEN

private, which makes Madklubben’s social version all the more appealing. Madklubben communications manager Stephen Haar explained that the restaurant chain wants to encapsulate the beauty of socialising, collectiveness and sharing experiences.

Authentically Danish THE SIX-COURSE menu heralded a long night ahead, and the evening duly began with smørrebrød served with all manner of toppings. The highlight was the sophisticated combination of marinated herring with capers, fresh red onions and dill, paired with a serving of sauvignon blanc.

As the courses continued, I was overwhelmed by how versatile Danish cuisine can be. The flæskesteg was both juicy and tend while crisp to the bite – an almost playful texture. And the duck confit with potatoes left me feeling all warm inside.

One of the guests, Alexander Knuthsen, testified to the authenticity of the cuisine. “This is really Danish and we would have the same dishes at home at Christmas,” he told me between mouthfuls.

Reunions and rejoicing IT WAS certainly a mixed crowd, with plenty of Asians interspersed among the Europeans. Sitting nearby, a Danish man and his Vietnamese in-laws smiled contentedly, while Søs Asmussen and her pals were having the most jolly of reunions. Later those two groups merged over the winter berries, and we had a group of CBS students, out celebrating the completion of their exams, to thank for encouraging the rest of us to keep toasting.

“I’d say it’s a pretty Danish thing, although we are quite known for being distant. You can come by yourself but sit next to someone – because it’s all about hygge,” revealed one of the students, Sebastian Poulsen. “We had no idea who these people are, but we all cheered together.

Everybody came for the same

Cheers! Like that PS Krøyer painting, but at Xmas

reason: to have a good time.”

His French-Danish friend Niels Derouin was also impressed. “I like the Danish aspect of celebrating for such a long time, from November to January, although I prefer French food (don’t tell anyone!),” he confessed with a chuckle. “Out of courtesy I’m tasting everything, and I’m finding it quite good – although maybe some of the fish dishes are a bit too strong for me.”

The lucky winner is …

AS THE risalamande dessert was served, the Danes resembled artisans, expertly scattering cinnamon powder over the sweet, rice porridge, before dripping warm cherry sauce on top.

But their eating was more agricultural, as they dug deep into their bowls, hoping to find the

pearl in the shell – the magical almond that earns you a present.

The night’s winners received a gift card amounting to 800 kroner – and the recipients were familiar faces!

“I’m the actual winner,” contended Poulsen. “When I found it, I left it on the table and my friend Asger just took it from me, stood up on the chair and gave a speech so everyone thought he was the winner.”

In fact, Asger was so loud that I didn’t realise that Philip Bünning, who was sitting right next to me, had also found one.

He later proudly showed me his prize.

“I didn’t expect it since we are 50 or 60 people. With the prize, I will take my girlfriend to a Madklubben restaurant and

have a lovely dinner,” he said.

Continuing into 2020 ALTOGETHER, the diversity of the guests generated different vibes and varied anecdotes, whilst the strong Danish traditions also played their part. As long as there is schnapps, warm Christmas food and a small kernel waiting at the bottom of a dessert, an enchanting night will be had by all.

If you are looking for the ultimate Danish Christmas experience, immerse yourself into this exceptional julefrokost.

Although most companies have had their official parties by now, the restaurant will be welcoming private parties and catering upon demand until January. That’s right, why not welcome in 2020 with a 'Social New Year'.

20 FASHION Staying warm and stylish in the Copenhagen winter THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

COPENHAGENFASHIONWEEK.COM

YULIYA KURYAN

A

T THE END of October, the clocks in Denmark turn back 60 minutes.

The days officially get shorter, and the nights longer. It’s the season of 'hygge' – a word loved by Danes, and one of the first that expats learn.

If you try and have a native Danish speaker explain the word to you, you will find they have a hard time. They will tell you that it is something you can only feel. The concept of 'hygge' has recently become so popular that, in 2017, Oxford Dictionary adopted the word from the Danish language: “Hygge is a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being.”

Personally, the winter season of 2019/20 will be my fourth in Denmark.

Looking back at my first winter, I remember myself wondering: “How do these people look so good, when it is so cold?!” And thus began my quest to learn their secrets. I have since discovered that striking a balance of comfort, coziness and health is crucial to Danes when selecting their winter outfits. Or ... if you like ... introducing hygge to your wardrobe!

It will take you about five minutes to read this article, as I attempt to help you buy a winter wardrobe that will carry you through the cold months. So make yourself a cup of tea and let’s dig in.

COPENHAGENFASHIONWEEK.COM

TIP #1 PLAY WITH LAYERS Undoubtedly, Danes are masters of layering garments. The winters here are long, very cold, windy and mostly cloudy, while temperatures rise and fall frequently. Only by dressing like a 'cabbage' will it be easy to take 'a leaf' off or on as the weather changes.

Start out by choosing one of these two layer bases: a T-shirt or a turtleneck sweater. Getting them slim and tight fitting will allow you to use any bigger piece on top – perhaps an oversized sweater, cardigan, hoodie or a shirt for a business casual look. All you need to remember is that the sleeves of these garments should not be too short. They have to cover your wrists while standing straight.

AIAYU.COM

TIP #2 INVEST IN HIGHQUALITY FABRICS Choosing high-quality fabrics is important for your look, skin and, believe it or not, also for your wallet. Good fabric will last significantly longer and will serve you for more than one or two cold seasons.

Cotton is the most popular one. If you are looking for the most sustainable cotton, select a recycled option. Recycled or upcycled cotton is made using post-industrial and post-consumer cotton waste. Another sustainable alternative to conventional cotton is organic cotton. It has been booming in the last few years, as it aims to minimise the environmental impact of cotton production by removing harmful chemicals from the process.

Considering the sustainability aspect of your fabrics can turn your wardrobe into an eco-friendly space. It's a real win-win scenario: for the planet and for your skin’s health.

“Always choose pure, natural fibres – they feel better on the skin, don’t create annoying static like synthetic fibres do, and they are more sustainable. A simple straight-cut turtleneck is a timeless investment piece. Also remember to buy sustainably and ethically-made sweaters – this will make you feel just a little bit warmer. At Aiayu we recommend llama wool. Llama wool fibres are long and hollow, making them warmer than most other fibres. They are very resistant to pilling so they hold their look and shape for long.”

JUNE BASAR, PR & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR AT AIAYU

FASHION

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020 HENRIKVIBSKOVBOUTIQUE.COM

21

TIP #3 PRIORITISE NEUTRAL TONES Usually three colours and one statement piece per outfit are enough. If you prioritise neutral tones such as beige, ivory, black, white and grey, it will be easier to mix and match different pieces as fast as necessary on a hectic Monday morning.

As you find confidence in your basics, you can begin to accentuate your personal style by adding brighter colours to it. Gain some inspiration from Danish designer Henrik Vibskov, who has created a standout pair of boots (pictured on the left) and more for this winter season, taking functionality into account.

“This season I did a collaboration with the American company Columbia, which works a lot with outdoor gear. We made a colourful city hiking object, which works both for the city and the countryside. I understand that, when the darkness and rain hit Scandinavia, it is hard to find footwear that fits these conditions. I had the same problem. A perfect pair of winter boots for life in Denmark should work with and without rain and be ready to handle a bit of snow as well.”

HENRIK VIBSKOV, FASHION DESIGNER WOODWOOD.COM

TIP #4 PURCHASE A LONGLASTING COAT Forget all about fast-fashion trends, especially when it comes to outer garments. Purchase one quality jacket or coat that will keep its colour and shape after several dry cleanings. In this regard, there are some incredible fabrics to choose from. For example, wool and faux fur are planet-friendly materials that are lightweight yet strong, which makes them durable and long-lasting.

“The ideal winter coat for the Danish weather should be both versatile and timeless. I prefer outerwear that cuts just past the waist and sits just above the knees; this is, of course, because of the cycling. Bonded or waxed cotton, melton wools and performance fabrics such as Gore-Tex are my material of choice solely because of their weatherproofing properties and durability. Winter coats don’t need to be changed often. Instead, one should own a coat long enough to appreciate it as an extension of one’s being. This, of course, requires a greater initial investment, but good coats last a long time!”

KEVIN KAFESU, PR & MARKETING MANAGER AT WOOD WOOD

COPENHAGENFASHIONWEEK.COM

TIP #5 FAVOUR SIMPLICITY WITH STRIKING ACCESSORIES The devil is in the details, as they say. To stay warm, you should own a fair amount of knitted accessories, including a hat, a scarf and, most importantly for cyclists, a pair of gloves. Gloves made of high-quality cashmere or leather will become your best friend during the winter. Yes, real leather.

This material can be eco-friendly when tanned naturally with no chemicals involved. Certainly, gloves made of artificial material will be cheaper but they will also wear out more quickly.

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EVENTS

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020

Foodsharing Xmas Edition Dec 24, 12:00-14:00; Osramhuset, Valhalsgade 4, Cph N; free adm Sharing is caring and Foodsharing Copenhagen knows how to do that best and unconditionally!

For the fourth consecutive year, it is sharing food at Christmas time – this time approximately 400 tonnes that was going to waste. So what’s stopping you: pack some bags and come and pick up free rescued food and distribute it to your friends, family and the less fortunate members of society. (VG)

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.

24 Secrets ongoing, ends Dec 24; Øresundsvej 4, Cph S; 40-125kr; zebu.nu Together with Children’s Culture House Ama’r, ZeBU is opening its doors to offer kids and adults a Christmas experience beyond the ordinary.

Walk through the city’s biggest Christmas calendar – a theatre installation consisting of 24 rooms that offer the audience an aesthetic and sensual experience.More than 30 artists have filled the rooms with Christmas spirit.

The Nutcracker ongoing, ends Dec 22; Kongens Nytorv 9, Cph K; 105-775kr, kglteater.dk We doubt anything could be more Christmassy in Copenhagen than watching George Balanchine’s version of the classic ballet The Nutcracker. This ultimate Christmas experience is a perfect fit for a family night out in December. Allow yourself to rediscover the ‘carefree wonder of childhood’ through Clara’s dream, as she falls asleep on Christmas Eve in the 1800s. (RM)

The Three Brexiteers ongoing, ends Jan 11; Glassalen, Tivoli; 160-415kr, teaterbilletter.dk & billetlugen.dk; londontoast.dk The Crazy Christmas Cabaret is back! Every year when the bells start jingling, the satirical theatre team at London Toast theatre group steam into the Glassalen theatre in Tivoli to present slapstick, topical gags, musical numbers and all-round festive cheer. This year director Vivienne McKee is tackling Brexit and BoJo. Check out our four-star review at cphpost.dk. (RM)

Ballet de Luxe Jan 12-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)

The Snow Queen ongoing, ends Dec 29; The Tivoli Concert Hall, Vesterbrogade 3, Cph V; 220-280kr, billetter.tivoli.dk With over 40 dancers and live music, enjoy this poetic tale for the whole family, presented here as a ballet. The queen herself has designed the costumes and decorations, and Danish pop icon Oh Land has created new music. The performance is recommended for an international audience.

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)

Christmas Ballet Show Dec 20, 17:00; Universal Dance School, Nørre Allé 51, Cph N; 50kr, pay via MobilePlay It wouldn’t be Christmas without some classical dancing.

Students past and present at Universal Dance, a Russian ballet school, present variations on a line-up of world-famous ballets, including The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, La Bayadere, Don Quixote, Sleeping Beauty and Corsair. (VG)

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Dec 20, 19:30-21:00; Copenhagen Cathedral, Nørregade 8, Cph K; 80-375kr, copenhagenphil.billetten.dk Copenhagen Philharmonic joins Copenhagen’s Boy Choir to inject us all with the perfect Christmas mood. Rejoice as cheering choruses, serious hymns, and beautiful and gripping arias are merged in Bach’s melody, as we relive the story of the birth of Jesus. (RM)

Paul Potts Dec 19-20, 20:00; Bellevue Teatret, Strandvejen 451, Hellerup; 430kr, bellevueteatret.dk World-famous British tenor Paul Potts is visiting Bellevue for two nights. Yes, the view is good!

Creative workshop Dec 19, 19:00; KraftWerket, Valgårdsvej 2; Valby; 150kr, place2book.com Learn how to make classic gift cards: from painting ‘blomsterkrans’ to mastering calligraphy.

Heart Rock at Drop Inn Jan 11, 22:00; Drop Inn, Rådhuspladsen; 60kr, place2book.com Heart Rock plays everything from AC/DC and Kim Larsen to recent artists such as Avicii and Adam Lambert. (VG)

Globe Pub Quiz Dec 19, 19:30; The Globe, Nørregade 43, Cph K; 30kr each; five PT The Globe winners get 1,000 kroner, and who knows what else might be in the pot for their Christmas edition.

Party like Gatsby Dec 31, 21:00; Vega, Enghavevej 40, Cph V; 345kr, partylikegatsby.eu Jay Gatsby invites you to a lavish affair that will take you into the secret world of prohibition for one night only. (RM)

Xmas Rockabilly Dec 20, 19:00; Kennedy’s Irish Bar, Gammel Kongvej 23, Cph V; free adm Kennedy’s, the authentic Irish pub at the Vesterbro end of the Lakes, are pulling out all the stops for their rockabilly night.

Christmas at Tivoli ongoing, ends Jan 5; Vesterbrogade 3; 130kr, tivoligardens.com Christmas is just around the corner, meaning Tivoli will be open again. Santa and reindeer are ready to meet young souls under the dazzling festive lights. (RM)

Moët x Petri’sTea Wonderland ends Dec 21, daily 14:00-17:00; St Petri Restaurant; Krystalgade 22, Cph K; 325kr, dinnerbooking.com Be seduced by hot cups of tea, small delicate sandwiches, butter scones and jam, French macarons, and a glass of Moët. (VG)

Croquis & champagne Dec 20, 18:00-20:00; Kester Thomas, Studiestræde 9, Cph K; 349kr, billetto.dk Try nude drawing accompanied by a glass of champagne at this ARTNSIPS event at an exclusive cocktail bar. (RM)

Coca-Cola Xmas truck visit Dec 20, 13:00-19:00; Englandsvej 28, Cph S; free adm The Coca-Cola Christmas truck is on the way to Kvickly Sundby with Santa on board! Get your photo taken and check out the life-sized snow globe. (RM)

ENGLISH JOB DENMARK Recruitment Announcements Part of The Welcome Group EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT FOR CEO IN ISSUER & ESECURITY SERVICES, Nets, Ballerup Deadline: ASAP www.nets.eu/careers

Deadline: ASAP email: WorkWithUs@skywaystechnics.com

COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT & COMMUNICATIONS INTERN, Last Mile P/S, Kongens Lyngby 2 vacant positions!

Deadline: 15 January 2020 email: cf@last-mile.dk

TECHNICAL WRITER + 4 STUDENT POSITIONS, Unity, Copenhagen Deadline: ASAP www.unity.com

SENIOR FRONTEND DEVELOPER, Monsido, Ballerup Deadline: ASAP email: jha@monsido.com

SENIOR VAT ADVISOR WITH A GLOBAL OUTLOOK, Ørsted, Gentofte Deadline: 10 January 2020 https://orsted.com/en/Careers

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

ENGINEERS WITH EASA PART 66 B1 AML FOR BASE MAINTENANCE, Skyways Technics A/S , Sønderborg

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATE, WeWork, Copenhagen Deadline: ASAP https://careers.wework.com/

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCT MANAGEMENT - GLOBAL PATHOLOGY MARKETING , Agilent, Glostrup

Deadline: ASAP email: cesar.lecomte@non.agilent.com

FINANCE DIRECTOR - HVAC OEM, Grundfos Holding A/S, Bjerringbro

Deadline: 31 December 2019 https://www.grundfos.com/aboutus/career.html

GLOBAL MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, Universal Robots A/S, Odense

BUSINESS CONTROLLER, Danfoss, Silkeborg

Deadline: ASAP https://www.danfoss.com/da-dk/ about-danfoss/careers/

SERVICE ENGINEER, Gram Equipment A/S, Kolding Deadline: ASAP www.gram-equipment.com

CLOUD SOFTWARE SPECIALIST, Motorola, Glostrup

Deadline: ASAP https://www.motorolasolutions.com/ en_us/about/careers.html

New Year - New You! EMPLOYABLE SKILLS 5-DAY COURSE

Dates: 13-17 January 2020 The Employability 5-day Course is designed to give you an in-depth understanding and practical advice of what is needed to be employed in Denmark.

For more information: https://twg-academy.com/

Deadline: ASAP HR Service, Tel: +45 89938989

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE MANAGER, Leo Pharma, Ballerup

Deadline: 5 January 2020 https://www.leo-pharma.com/yourcareer/jobs

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.

24

THE COPENHAGEN POST | CPHPOST.DK

Danish is not a piece of cake

Language learning made yummy Learning a new language can be quite a mouthful. But don’t lose your appetite just yet. When it comes to language teaching, Studieskolen is the crème de la crème. We know how to serve it.

Enjoy our full assortment of classes at studieskolen.dk Check out what’s cooking at Studieskolen

18 December 2019 - 16 January 2020