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June Issue - 2015
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ALTHOUGH I HAVEN’T BEEN DOGMATIC ABOUT IT, I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE THIS PARTICULAR CAREER Ambassador’s View p. 4
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Contents
DK Diplomat Magazine Year 1, No. 4, May 2015
Page 04 Ambassador’s View H.E. Mr Jiří Brodský
Publisher DK Diplomat Editor-In-Chief Jonathan S. Niyonkuru Contributors Sharmi Albrechtsen Charlie Petersen Art Direction Jayden Designs Eman Hussein Suwadi Frederik Isak Petersen Communications Manager Susan Søbye info@dkdiplomat.dk Sales for advertising sales, please contact: annonce@dkdiplomat.dk DK Diplomat Magazine is the first and only magazine in Denmark dedicated to employees attached to an embassy or international organizations.
Page 07 Focus on Denmark Welfare & Education Page 09 Focus on Denmark National Flag Page 10 World Mobility Immigration Page 12 Focus on Denmark Traditions in Denmark
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Page 18 Upcoming National Day: June Page 21 Pictures From Events Page 27 Back to basic Page 29 Expat Tales Interview with a Diplomat Page 31 Seminar 16th june
The online versions of the magazine can be found for free at www.dkdiplomat.dk The editors do their best to ensure the accuracy of all information in this magazine. However mistakes and omissions are, regrettably possible. We are Not Responsible For and Do Not Necessarily Hold the Opinions Expressed by Our Content Contributors. DK Diplomat Magazine Kongelundsvej 292, 2770 Kastrup www.dkdiplomat.dk info@dkdiplomat.dk
DK Diplomat Online www.dkdiplomat.dk /dkdiplomatcopenhagen /DKDiplomat
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Interview with Jiří Brodský, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Denmark
AMBASSADOR’S VIEW DK Diplomat: It is a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Ambassador, and thank you for taking your time for this interview. Can you, please, tell us what influenced you to pursue a diplomatic career? Ambassador: It was the conversation that I had with my grandfather when I was 16 years old, and I think it is a conversation every grand/father should have with his grand/ son. DK: Can you tell us about the contents of the conversation, if it’s not too private? A: We were brainstorming on what I would like to do, what my personal strengths were, and I think it led directly to a conclusion that a diplomatic career could be the right path. Although I haven’t been dogmatic about it, I have been very fortunate to be able to pursue this particular career. DK: Do you have any family members who were involved in diplomacy/politics before and might also have inspired you? A: Not really, I am the only one in our family, but thanks to this career I met my wife who is a diplomat too. DK: What were some of the challenges that you had to overcome? A: The main challenge was to resist the temptation turn to a different direction.
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DK: Was it hard for you? A: When I first applied for my studies at the London School of Economics, for example, I got accepted but I didn’t get any funding for my studies abroad. My feeling was that those who got funding for their studies already had some professional experience. I therefore did not give up and went to gain some professional experience after my bachelor degree and in three years’ time I re-applied for the London school of Economics again, telling them that my priorities have not changed after three years. They offered me admission again, this time with a generous scholarship. DK: You used to teach at the University of Economics in Prague? A: That is correct but it was my extracurricular activity after work. DK: I can imagine that you have acquired some tools when you were teaching that you can use as an ambassador. Which tools did that experience give you? A: I was very fortunate to win competition for a job in the President’s office, that was the most excellent prerequisite for becoming ambassador in terms of experience and tools, as you described them. I have recently done some statistics: 89 visits abroad with the President, to 44 countries. No university can give you such experience. It was very unique and I think this experience provided a very good toolset for ambassadorship. What I am enjoying greatly is the fact that now, with my current job, I can focus on bilateral relations with one country only. DK: Can you tell us a bit about the medals and awards you have received for our readers who might not know? A: I received them very humbly, I must say, it was recognition from my colleagues who were with the security service of the President and the military office. As they saw it, I was doing much more than just my job, I was helping them with their job in some situations and helping them to assure that their work went smoothly and that’s
why they chose to award me with these medals. The third silver medal is a personal recognition from the President of the Czech Republic. DK: I read that you have an interest in cycling, what do you think about the cycling culture here in Denmark? A: The first week I came to Copenhagen, I bought myself a bike and I’m not an ambassador who will only use his car. I tend to take a bike for meetings at times. It’s very comfortable, the landscape here is very flat. I could not imagine riding my bike up the hill to the Prague Castle from the Wenceslas square, for example. DK: What are the most pressing elements of an ambassador’s job in 2014/15? A: I think the biggest challenge for any ambassador not only this year but very generally, is to disprove General De Gaulle’s line that „diplomats are good only in good weather, as soon as it starts raining, they drown in every drop”. DK: What did he mean by that? A: He thought that diplomats make sweet talks and give things a nice wrapping, but as soon as some serious security issues needs to be tackled, the usability of diplomats is low. DK: Do you experience that many heads of state and other ambassadors share the same thoughts as De Gaulle? A: I don’t think so. I think it’s very difficult, for example, when faced with such security dilemmas we are faced with right now in Ukraine (note: the interview took place in September 2014), it is difficult to find diplomatic tools to solve that situation. Yet, I think this is the moment for diplomacy, we should redouble our efforts to find a diplomatic solution. That is a point I feel very strongly about. DK: Tell us a bit about the work of the embassy. What services do you provide for your citizens living in Denmark besides the consular service? A: We financially support organizations of Czech
ALTHOUGH I HAVEN’T BEEN DOGMATIC ABOUT IT, I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO PURSUE THIS PARTICULAR CAREER
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citizens living in Denmark, so that they can have different events and we try to cooperate with them in that sense as well. The dominant bulk of our work, however, and the reason I am here, is the Danish partners, to be able to meet with them and explain our arguments and to be attentive to what they have to say, and to promote the bilateral relations. DK: Which partner do you mean? A: I mean every Dane I meet and every Danish citizen who is or could be somehow involved in the Czech-Danish bilateral relations, across different spheres. I meet with business people in order to strengthen both Czech exports to Denmark but also give further incentives to Danish investments to the Czech Republic. Economic diplomacy is crucial to really open up contacts between the two countries. A: If we have anything in common with the Danes, it is that we love good humor and good culture, so I see great synergies between the economic and public diplomacy. And I’m trying to take advantage of them.
that in order for it to be acceptable for the people in the region, and to be long-lasting, then such solution should come primarily from bilateral talks between the sides involved in the dispute and it should come primarily from within the region itself; if at all possible, in an ideal case, without the need for international mediation. Of course, I am aware the disputes can’t always be settled without international mediation, I do not want to downplay the role of international mediation, but really, our experience with the break-up of Czechoslovakia, is that we negotiated it ourselves, we found a solution ourselves without international mediation and it proved to be right. We have the best possible relationship with the Slovaks. It is like in a marriage when you reach a point where one wants to divorce and you reach a point where divorce is the only reasonable solution. It was that kind of divorce, when you have the best relationship possible afterwards with your former wife or husband. You are able to go out for dinner and be very understandable of each other.
DK: The Czech Republic is ranked as the 9th most peaceful country in the world, is it something that reflects in your diplomacy? A: Yes, it is reflected in the way we pursue our foreign policy. This goes back to our humanistic traditions, to our first Czechoslovak president, but even farther back in history. Let me give you one example of how peaceful solution is in our mindset when finding a solution to international dispute or conflict. It was during the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992, it was done in a way that is called a velvet way, very peacefully.
DK: Do you have a presence on social media as an ambassador? A: Yes, but it’s only complementary to my work. For me the message will always be more important than the medium, and I’m somebody who strictly adheres to classical diplomacy. I don’t want to downplay their role, social media are important and their pros and cons are not black and white, it’s more complex than Rubik’s cube. I do not do diplomacy from behind my desk. The social media do not substitute meeting people, talking to them personally. That is what is dominant in my work and not presence on social media. I strictly make sure that there is this proportion.
This experience very strongly resonates in our foreign policy thinking. If a solution should be found to an international dispute, our experience tells us,
DK: Excellency, thank you very much for taking your time to answer our questions, it has been an honor.
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FOCUS ON DENMARK
WELFARE & EDUCATION
WELFARE The basic principle of the Danish welfare system, often referred to as the Scandinavian welfare model, is that all citizens have equal rights to social security. Within the Danish welfare system, a number of services are available to citizens, free of charge. This means that for instance the Danish health and educational systems are free. The Danish welfare model is subsidised by the state, and as a result Denmark has one of the highest taxation levels in the world.
EDUCATION FOR ALL High quality education at all levels is essential to ensure competitiveness in today’s globalised world. This is why education is a key priority in Denmark. With their high academic standards combined with innovative learning approaches, the Danish institutions are preparing their students to play an active role in a globalised, knowledgebased society.
Education for all In Denmark, basic education is compulsory. The general upper secondary school primarily prepares the young people for higher education, while vocational education and training primarily aims to prepare students for a career in trade or industry. In Denmark more than 50% of a year group enter higher education.
Higher education Danish higher education has a long tradition of combining academic excellence with innovative research and teaching. High academic standards, interdisciplinary studies and project‐based activities ensure active and motivating learning environments. Most Danish higher education institutions benefit from their co‐operation with business, industry and
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research institutes, creating an enriching and vibrant learning environment for their students. Danish higher education institutions offer a range of opportunities for international students. The institutions are highly international and offer a large number of programmes taught in English. A recent survey with responses from more than 3,500 international students studying in Denmark showed that 78% of the students would recommend Denmark as a study destination and 93% consider Denmark to be a safe country to live in. Other characteristic features of the Danish education system. High Standards The quality of Danish education is assured in many ways. It is mainly regulated and financed by the state, and all public educational institutions are approved and evaluated on an ongoing basis. Lifelong learning There is a strong tradition of lifelong learning in Denmark. Many Danes participate in adult education to improve their knowledge and skills in order to advance professionally or change career. The workforce is thus constantly upgraded to meet the needs of the labour market. Active participation Students at Danish institutions are encouraged to play an active role in their learning process and take responsibility for carrying out projects independently or in small groups. In addition to attending classes, students are expected to participate in discussions and continuously develop their critical and analytical skills. FLEXICURITY When people talk about the Danish labour market they often use the term “flexicurity” to describe the model which is successfully managing the challenges of globalisation and securing steady economic growth and employment.
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Studies show that Danes are positive about globalisation and do not fear losing their jobs. Rather they seek opportunities for new and better jobs. This is partly ascribed to the flexicurity model which promotes adaptability of employees and enterprises. A Golden Triangle Flexicurity is a compound of flexibility and security. The Danish model has a third element - active labour market policy - and together these elements comprise the golden triangle of flexicurity. One side of the triangle is flexible rules for hiring and firing, which make it easy for the employers to dismiss employees during downturns and hire new staff when things improve. About 25% of Danish private sector workers change jobs each year. The second side of the triangle is unemployment security in the form of a guarantee for a legally specified unemployment benefit at a relatively high level - up to 90% for the lowest paid workers. The third side of the triangle is the active labour market policy. An effective system is in place to offer guidance, a job or education to all unemployed. Denmark spends approx. 1.5% of its GDP on active labour market policy. Dual advantages The aim of flexicurity is to promote employment security over job security. The model has the dual advan-
tages of ensuring employers a flexible labour force while employees enjoy the safety net of an unemployment benefit system and an active employment policy. The Danish flexicurity model rests on a century-long tradition of social dialogue and negotiation among the social partners. The development of the labour market owes much to the Danish collective bargaining model, which has ensured extensive worker protection while taking changing production and market conditions into account. The organisation rate for workers in Denmark is approx. 75%. The Danish model is supported by the social partners headed by the two main organisations - The Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and The Confederation of Danish Employers (DA). The organisations - in cooperation with the Ministry of Employment have also jointly contributed to the development of common principles of flexicurity in the EU, resulting in the presentation of the communication “Towards common principles of flexicurity” by the European Commission in mid-2007. Inspiring the EU The European Council subsequently adopted a set of Council Conclusions on flexicurity in December 2007, by which the common principles of flexicurity will guide EU member states when implementing reforms in order to meet the aims of the Lisbon Strategy of Growth and Jobs.
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FOCUS ON DENMARK
NATIONAL FLAG
The name of the Danish flag, the Dannebrog, meaning ‘the flag of the Danes’ or ‘the red flag’, is first encountered in a Danish text from 1478 and in a Dutch text from 100 years before that. THE HISTORY AND LEGEND The name of the Danish flag, the Dannebrog, meaning ‘the flag of the Danes’ or ‘the red flag’, is first encountered in a Danish text from 1478 and in a Netherlandish text from 100 years before that.
In a song from the campaign of 1500 the banner charged with the cross is associated with the Roman Emperor Constantine’s dream of the cross in 312 before the battle in which he became absolute monarch in the Roman Empire and according to tradition was converted to Christianity.
In a Netherlandish armorial (Gelre) from 1370-1386 a red banner with a white cross is annexed to the coat of arms of Valdemar IV Atterdag.
This vision of the cross, to which are linked the words in hoc signo vinces (‘under this sign you shall be victorious’) is the prototype of the miracles in the shape of crosses in the sky, which particularly in the Iberian Peninsula were connected with battles between Christians and infidels.
According to legend, the Dannebrog fell from heaven during a battle in Estonia; this legend is mentioned in Christiern Pedersen’s Danish Chronicle from the beginning of the 1520s and by the Franciscan monk Peder Olsen c. 1527. This latter relates the event to a battle in 1219, and tradition has maintained that the flag appeared at Lyndanisse on 15 June 1219. The legend presumably came into being around 1500 on the basis of the idea that the royal banner which King Hans lost at his defeat in the Ditmarshes in Northern Germany in 1500 was the Dannebrog that had fallen from heaven. In 1559 Frederik II recaptured the banner and had it hung in Schleswig Cathedral in present-day northern Germany.
THE CROSS OF THE DANNEBROG A white cross formy with a red bordure was used by the Portuguese Order of Christ that was founded in 1318 during a crusade against the Moors. The Portuguese gold coin, the portugalese or português, reproduced the Cross of Christ and the words in hoc signo vinces. From 1591 Christian IV struck Danish coins with a similar cross which quickly became associated with the cross of the Dannebrog. 1603 saw the addition of Constantine’s apophthegm, which Arild Huitfeldt had quoted in his Chronicle where Constantine’s vision and the legend of the Dannebrog falling from heaven are also compared.
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Sponsored article
World Mobility
Immigration
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Understanding why the sands have shifted is key to managing these new requirements. It’s impossible to pinpoint one specific motive for this shift, but it is clear that for some governments the economic landscape of the past couple of decades has forced a protectionist approach to controlling the influx of skilled or non-skilled labor. For others, the drivers have been more political in nature: preservation of national heritage or, at the opposite end of the scale, fear of terrorist attacks and infiltration by terror organizations. A third reason is the generational differences in the approach to integration versus intolerance. Who would have ever thought that an increasing focus on immigration compliance in global mobility would include assessing our assignees’ cultural knowledge and language skills? It is an interesting shift, and the
following points should be borne in mind: »» Linguistic skills and language requirements have become key components of a number of countries’ immigration and integration policies. »» There is a growing tendency among many countries to make the issuance of work visas conditional upon language proficiency. »» Changes to recent immigration regulations have forced us to look at immigration and employee competencies together as inter-related factors. »» Governments have added linguistic skills or cultural knowledge as immigration requirements and placed responsibility for compliance upon both the employee and the employer. »» Motivating factors for this shift have encompassed changes in political landscapes, economic downturns and generational perspectives to integration versus intolerance.
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Linguistic skills and language requirements have become key components of a number of countries’ immigration and integration policies.
This article was authored by Jo Danehl, Global Practice Leader, Intercultural and Language Services & Partner Support and Said Boskovic, Director of Immigration, of Crown World Mobility.
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FOCUS ON DENMARK
TRADITIONS IN DENMARK
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May/June PENTECOST/WHITSUN Pentecost is a Church festival celebrated to mark the advent of the Holy Spirit and the founding of the Church. The Christian Pentecost is also associated with the awakening of nature at Whitsun. It falls 50 days after Easter, i.e. at the earliest on 11 May and at the latest on 14 June. Although it is actually on Easter Morning that the sun dances with joy at Christ’s resurrection, it is Whitsunday morning which – probably because of the Danish climate – has come to prevail as the morning when the Danes go to see the sun dance. Since the mid 19th century, it has been a widespread custom either not to go to bed after the festivities on Whit Saturday and night or to get up early to drink morning coffee and perhaps a glass of aquavit and bitters (‘Gammel Dansk’) near the places where the sun can be seen. Whitsun has also been used for picnics in the woods and other outings, especially by the urban workers who went out into nature to experience the arrival of summer. In the country, the buildings had to be white-washed before Whitsun and in some places Whitsun ‘summercomes-to-town’ festivals were held. For the last couple of decades, there has been a Whitsun Carnival in Copenhagen, where costumed processions dance through the city to samba rhythms to gather in one of the city parks. 5 JUNE - CONSTITUTION DAY 5 June is the anniversary of the coming in force of the first Danish Constitution, the June Constitution of 1849. The day, which in many places is a full or half holiday, is celebrated around the country with political rallies, which especially formerly were in the nature of popular festivals, for instance on the popular nature spots Himmelbjerget and Skamlingsbanken in Jutland. It
is also Father’s Day, which was introduced from the USA in 1935. 15 JUNE - VALDEMAR’S DAY According to the legend, the Danish flag, Dannebrog, on this day fell from the sky by Lyndanise in Estonia, where King Valdemar II the Victorious was crusading in 1219. Since 1913, the day has been a national flag day when little Danish flags are sold. Until 1948, the day was a school holiday and it was celebrated with Valdemar Festivals around the country. 23 JUNE - ST. JOHN’S EVE The evening before Midsummer Day, which is the birthday of John the Baptist, has become one of the popular red letter days in the calendar. The Danes often meet with family and friends to have dinner together. If the weather is good, they then proceed to a local bonfire venue. Here the bonfire with the witch on top is lit around 10 pm. Beforehand, a bonfire speech is often made, at large events normally by a well-known person. After the speech, the attendees sing Holger Drachmann’s ‘Midsommervise’ (Midsummer Song) (1885), which is the epitome of the light northern summer night and a National-Romantic idyllic view of the peasant culture. Even though the summer solstice is on 21 June, St John’s Eve is regarded as the actual Midsummer Eve and therefore the shortest night of the entire year. According to popular belief, it was therefore charged with a special power where evil forces were also at work. People believed that the witches flew past on their broomsticks on their way to the Brocken. To keep the evil forces away, the bonfires were usually lit on high ground. Placing a witch – made of old clothes stuffed with hay – on the bonfire is a tradition which did not become common until the 20th century.
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November ALL SAINT’S DAY All Saints’ Day, which is celebrated on the first Sunday in November, was originally a commemoration day for the dead saints held on 1 November. The day survived the Reformation, but the Protestants combined it with All Souls’ Day, which was on 2 November. The day was abolished as a church festival in 1770, but is celebrated by the church on the first Sunday in November. In recent years, it has become common in many churches to commemorate those dead during the year on the day itself. The tradition of placing candles on the graves the evening before All Saints’ Eve is becoming more common. So is the American Hallow-
een where the children dress up as ghosts etc and go around ringing door bells like at Shrovetide. When the door is opened, they say ‘trick or treat’ (in English). If they are not given a cookie or money, they make trouble – like at Shrovetide. 10 NOVEMBER - MARTINMAS EVE Martinmas Eve is the evening before St Martin’s Day. Many Danes eat roast duck or goose on this evening. According to the legend, Martin was revealed by some geese when he modestly hid to avoid becoming a bishop. He therefore decided that every year on this day, 11 November, the geese must lose their lives to be eaten.
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December THE CHRISTMAS MONTH The whole month of December is dominated by Christmas. In most towns, the main shopping streets are decorated with fir garlands and lights. In squares and gardens, there are Christmas trees with fairy lights, a custom dating back to 1914, when the first Christmas tree was lit on the Town Hall Square in Copenhagen. In recent years, it has also become common to cover many other trees or objects with fairy lights. Most Danish homes take part in the countdown to Christmas Eve, partly by lighting a calendar candle every day and partly by lighting the Advent wreath on the last four Sundays before Christmas. The calendar candle is a Danish tradition which was first suggested as something to make at home with the children in 1935, but since 1942 has been produced industrially. The Advent wreath became really widespread after it had been the motif on the 1946 Christmas seal, the special stamp issued for Christmas every year. With its four candles, the Advent wreath marks the four Sundays in the Christian Advent, which is the New Year period of the Church. The Church year begins on the first Sunday in Advent, which falls on one of the seven dates between 27 November and 3 December. Apart from the calendar candle, the children have one or more Advent calendars, which may either have 24 flaps to be opened one a day or 24 small wrapped-up presents. LUCIA DAY 13 December, Lucia Day, is celebrated around the country in nursing homes and hospitals as well as many schools and daycare institutions. A small group, mostly girls,
processes along the corridors while singing the Santa Lucia song. The girls are dressed in white and the Lucia Bride, who leads the procession, carries a wreath with candles. The custom, which is of Swedish origin, was introduced in Denmark by ‘Foreningen Norden’ (The Norden Association) in 1944. CHRISTMAS LUNCHES AND OTHER CHRISTMAS PARTIES For most people, Christmas itself is a family event, but in addition the Christmas Month, as it is called, is also characterised by various kinds of parties, of which the most common is the annual Christmas lunch which has been held in most workplaces since the 1940s. Here the staff eat a typical Danish lunch, which on this occasion should preferably consist of special Danish dishes some of which derive from old regional dishes. The Christmas lunch is accompanied by beer and schnapps or wine. For Christmas, the breweries produce various types of Christmas brew, which is stronger than ordinary beer. At the Christmas lunch, where a lot of alcohol is usually consumed, people traditionally let their hair down and without risk suspend some of everyday boundaries, both in relation to the social hierarchy and generally accepted social conventions. In many different contexts, people meet in a less formal way to drink mulled wine and eat apple dumplings. While the mulled wine is of Swedish origin, the apple dumpling is one of the oldest kinds of pastry known in Denmark, where it has formed part of ordinary party fare at least since the 17th century. Many families and friends set out together to cut down their Christmas tree on one of
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the last Sundays before Christmas and afterwards often gather around such a repast. The Danish Society for Nature Conservation has provided 10 tips for a sustainable Christmas, so you can celebrate Christmas with a green conscience, without cutting back too much on tradition. CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Most private homes are decorated with various kinds of Christmas decorations. If there are children, there are typically many (cut-out) pixies, but otherwise fir and candles incorporated in various types of Christmas decorations are most common. The Christmas tree, which is one of the most important symbols of the secular Christmas, is decorated either on the day before Christmas Eve or during the day on Christmas Eve itself. The trimmings are usually baubles, paper hearts and cornets, tinsel, garlands of Danish flags and especially candles, which may be either real wax candles or chains of electric candles. In connection with the wars against Germany and the awakening national consciousness in the 19th century, the decorations became dominated by the national colours, red and white. As far as we know, the first Christmas tree in Denmark was lit in 1808 and within a century the Christmas tree custom had spread to most Danish homes. By reading the Hans Christian Andersen tales that include Christmas trees in chronological order, it is possible to trace the dissemination of the custom in Denmark. They are ‘Hyldemor’ (The
Elder-Tree Mother) (1842), ‘Grantræet’ (The Fir Tree) (1846), ‘Den lille pige med svovlstikkerne’ (The Little Match Girl) (1848), ‘Tolv med posten’ (Twelve by the Mail-Coach) (1861) and ‘Krøblingen’ (The Cripple) (1872). The Christmas preparations also include the baking of various traditional cookies associated with Christmas and the making of various types of confectionery. The so-called pepper nuts can be traced further back than any other cookie. THE CHRISTMAS DAYS Christmas, or the Christmas Days, are 24 December, Christmas Eve, as well as Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25 and 26 December). On these days, most shops are closed. An opinion poll undertaken in 1998 showed that spending time with the family over Christmas was important to 78% of those questioned. But for many people it is also customary to attend the daytime Christmas church service on Christmas Eve. This is so to speak the start of the Christmas festival and one of the few days in the year when the churches are packed. In most homes, Christmas Eve starts with Christmas dinner, where the main course is roast goose, duck or pork with sour-sweet red cabbage and caramelised potatoes. The other important item is the Christmas rice pudding, which is either served warm as a starter or cold as rice à l’impératrice with cherry sauce
DK DIPLOMAT MAGAZINE as a dessert. In this connection, it is important that there is one whole almond in either the warm or cold pudding. The person who gets the almond receives the so-called almond present, which traditionally was a marzipan pig. With their dinner, most people today drink red wine with the main course and a dessert wine with the dessert. The warm rice pudding is sometimes accompanied by sweet light beer, also called Yule brew. The second highlight of the evening starts with the lighting of the Christmas tree candles, whereupon people ‘dance around the Christmas tree’, which means that they walk around the tree holding hands while singing Christmas hymns and songs. Underneath the Christmas tree are the Christmas presents, which are then distributed. In homes with children, it may be Father Christmas in the form of a dressed-up member of the family, who brings the presents. In Denmark, the presents were originally brought by the pixie, the old farm leprechaun or household god, who dates back to the pre-Christian era, but was associated with Christmas in the 19th century. Father Christmas arrived in Denmark in the late 19th century, literally on the postcards sent home from America by Danish emigrants and others. He gradually took over the pixie’s old role as present-bringer. During the Christmas Days, Christmas lunches are held, usually for the family. They include the same dishes as the other Christmas lunches in December, although the regional dishes are more prominent here. They may include cabbage or kale served in various ways and the associated meat dishes. These mainly consist of various kinds of pork. Formerly Christmas began on the day before Christmas Eve and continued until Candle-
mas (2 February) and the widespread Christmas open house made the period a time of much festivity. Today, Christmas largely ends after the Christmas Days. The many different social activities associated with Christmas take place earlier in December instead. 31 DECEMBER - NEW YEAR Unlike Christmas, which most people spend with their family, New Year is celebrated with the friends. New Year’s Eve is framed by two important items broadcast on television and radio, viz. respectively the monarch’s New Year Speech at 6pm and the striking of midnight by the Town Hall Clock in Copenhagen, which marks the start of the new year. The monarch’s New Year Speech has virtually become a national rallying point since it was first made in 1942 during the German Occupation, when the King called for national unity. Many Danes party with various kinds of good food followed by champagne and marzipan ring cake at midnight. The New Year is greeted with fireworks after midnight; they include both noisy bangs and rockets, etc which light up the night sky in many different colours. In many parts of the country, the traditional New Year’s Eve menu is boiled cod, the so-called New Year’s cod, or stewed kale and cured saddle of pork. It is characteristic of both dishes that they are less fattening than the calorie-rich Christmas dishes. The high jinks traditionally associated with a transition, such as the start of a new year, have almost disappeared along with the close relationship with the neighbours. The last trace of the dressing up associated with some of the high jinks is found in the paper hats which together with streamers and balloons constitute the traditional New Year’s decorations.
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UPCOMING NATIONAL DAY
JUNE 1 June: Samoa - Independence Day (1962) Capital: Warsaw
• L anguage: Polish (official) 96.2%, Polish and non-Polish 2%, non-Polish 0.5%, unspecified 1.3% (2011 est.) • Natural resources: coal, sulfur, copper, natural gas, silver, lead, salt, amber, arable land. • Major trading partners: Germany, France, UK, Italy, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Russia, China.
2 June: Italy Capital: Rome
• L anguage: Italian (official); German-, French-, and Slovene-speaking minorities • Natural resources: coal, mercury, zinc, potash, marble, barite, asbestos, pumice, fluorospar, feldspar, pyrite (sulfur), natural gas and crude oil reserves, fish, arable land. • Major trading partners: Germany, France, U.S., Spain, UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, China.
5 June: Denmark - Constitution Day Capital: Copenhagen
• L anguage: Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (Inuit dialect), German; English is the predominant second language • Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, fish, salt, limestone, stone, gravel and sand. • Major trading partners: Germany, Sweden, UK, U.S., Netherlands, Norway, China
6 June: Sweden Capital: Stockholm
• Language: Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities • Natural resources: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydropower. • Major trading partners: U.S., Germany, Norway, UK, Denmark, Finland, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Russia, China
10 June: Portugal - Day of Portugal, of the poet Luís de Camões, and of the Portuguese Communities Capital: Lisbon
• L anguage: Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used) • Natural resources: fish, forests (cork), iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum, salt, arable land, hydropower. • Major trading partners: Spain, France, Germany, Angola, UK, Italy, Netherlands
12 June: Philippines - Independence Day (1898) Capital: Manila
• Language: Filipino (based on Tagalog), English (both official); eight major dialects: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense • Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper. • Major trading partners: Japan, U.S., Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand
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12 June: Russian Federation - Adoption of Declaration on State Sovereignty Capital: Moscow
• Language: Russian (official) 96.3%, Dolgang 5.3%, German 1.5%, Chechen 1%, Tatar 3%, other 10.3% • Natural resources: wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many strategic minerals, reserves of rare earth elements, timber; note: formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation of natural resources. • Major trading partners: Netherlands, Germany, Ukraine, Italy, China, Belarus, U.S., Switzerland, Turkey, Japan, France
17 June: Iceland - Republic Day (1944) Capital: Reykjavik
• L anguage: Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken • Natural resources: fish, hydropower, geothermal power, diatomite. • Major trading partners: UK, Germany, Netherlands, U.S., China, Denmark, Norway, France
18 June: Seychelles - Constitution Day Capital: Victoria
• L anguage: Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% • Natural resources: fish, copra, cinnamon trees. • Major trading partners: UK, France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Saudi Arabia
23 June: Luxembourg Capital: Luxembourg
• Language: Luxermbourgish (national) French, German (both administrative) • Natural resources: iron ore (no longer exploited), arable land. • Major trading partners: Germany, France, Belgium, UK, Italy, Netherlands, China, U.S., Switzerland
25 June: Croatia Capital: Zagreb
• L anguage: Croatian (official) 95.6%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3% (including Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Albanian), unspecified 0.2% • Natural resources: oil, some coal, bauxite, low-grade iron ore, calcium, natural asphalt, silica, mica, clays, salt, hydropower. • Major trading partners: Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Russia.
25 June: Mozambique - Independence Day Capital: Maputo
• Language: Emakhuwa 25.3%, Portuguese (official) 10.7%, Xichangana 10.3%, Cisena 7.5%, Elomwe 7%, Echuwabo 5.1%, other Mozambican languages 30.1%, other 4% • Natural resources: coal, titanium, natural gas, hydropower, tantalum, graphite. • Major trading partners: Belgium, South Africa, Italy, Spain, China, India, U.S., Australia, Portugal.
25 June: Slovenia Capital: Ljubljana
• Language: Slovenian 91.1%, Serbo-Croatian 4.5%, other or unspecified 4.4% • Natural resources: lignite coal, lead, zinc, building stone, hydropower, forests. • Major trading partners: Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Croatia, Russia, Hungary
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26 June: Madagascar - Independence Day Capital: Antananarivo
• L anguage: Malagasy and French (both official), English • Natural resources: graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower. • Major trading partners: U.S., France, Germany, China, Kuwait, India, Bahrain, Mauritius, Singapore, Indonesia, South Africa, Canada
27 June: Djibouti Capital: Djibouti
• L anguage: French and Arabic (both official), Somali, Afar • Natural resources: geothermal areas, gold, clay, granite, limestone, marble, salt, diatomite, gypsum, pumice, petroleum. • Major trading partners: Somalia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, India, China, Indonesia, UAE
30 June: Congo (Democratic Republic of) -Independence Day (1960) Capital: Brazzaville
• Language: French (official), Lingala, Monokutuba, Kikongo, many local languages and dialects • Natural resources: petroleum, timber, potash, lead, zinc, uranium, copper, phosphates, natural gas, hydropower. • Major trading partners: China, U.S., France, Belgium, India, Australia, Spain, Italy, Netherlands
30 June: Sudan - Rev. for National Salvation Day (1989) Capital: Khartoum
• Language: Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur • Natural resources: petroleum; small reserves of iron ore, copper, chromium ore, zinc, tungsten, mica, silver, gold, hydropower. • Major trading partners: Macau, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, India, Germany, Ethiopia
The right wine? No wine? Small The right wine? No wine? Small things like what to order when things like what to order when dining with guests can quickly dining with guests can quickly undermine your confidence in undermine your confidence in another country. another country. Assignees who take Crown’s Assignees who take Crown’s intercultural training are quicker intercultural training are quicker to crack open the secrets of other to crack open the secrets of other cultures and get on. They are cultures and get on. They are proven to perform better, free from proven to perform better, free from the often crippling effect of culture the often crippling effect of culture shock when working abroad. shock when working abroad.
Ice Ice breaker breaker or or insult? insult?
How How the the world world works works better better www.crownworldmobility.com www.crownworldmobility.com
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EVENT GALLERY ISRAEL’S 67TH INDEPENDENCE DAY
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EVENT GALLERY 70TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WWII IN EUROPE AT RUSSIAN EMBASSY
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EVENT GALLERY DANISH BAND ANTI SOCIAL MEDIA AT AUSTRIAN RESIDENCE
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EVENT GALLERY FREEDOM DAY RECEPTION AT SOUTH AFRICAN AMBASSADOR RESIDENCE
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EVENT GALLERY MEXICO CIRCA 2000 EXHIBITION
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EVENT GALLERY RECEPTION FOR UN USG MR. KANDEH K. YUMKELLA AT AUSTRIAN RESIDENCE
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BACK TO BASICS
LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS VARIANT FORMS OF WORDS
In Danish, as in English, the forms of some words will vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Who—whose—whom or marry—marries— married are examples of words in English with variant forms. The endings of a word in a document may differ from those in this list, for example:
Mand Kone Manden Konen Mænd Koner Mænderne Konerne
man wife the man the wife men wives the men the wives
SPELLING
Spelling rules were not standardized in earlier centuries. The following spelling variations are common. aa used for å b used for p c used for k d used for t fi used for v g used for k i used for j x used for ks
q used for k w used for v e used for æ ö used for ø u used for v ch used for k tj used for ki
EXAMPLES:
skov spelled as schov kvinde spelled as qvinde Århus spelled as Aarhus
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KEY WORDS English banns births burials census child christenings confirmations deaths father female husband index male marriages military mother moving in moving out name, given name, surname parents parish vaccinations wife year
Danish trolovede, trolovelse, forlovelse fødte, født begravede, begravelse, jordet folketælling barn døpte, døbt, daab konfirmerede døde, død fader, far kvindekjøn (køn), pige mand, husbonde, husfader register mandkjøn (køn), drenge copulerede, vielse, ægteviede, bryllup militær moder, mor tilgangsliste, inflytning avgangsliste, udflytning navne efternavne forældre sogn vaccinerede hustru, husmoder, kone, kvinde år, anno
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EXPAT TALES INTERVIEW WITH A DIPLOMAT 1. Where are you originally from? I was born in Kyiv, which is a capital city of Ukraine 2.How long have you lived here and how long are you planning to stay? It have been exciting 2,5 years for me in Denmark and I look forward to another year and a half 3. Did you bring family with you? I live here without my family, which stays in Ukraine 4. How are you finding the transition to living in a foreign country? The transition is not that noticeable for me whereas people here have a common European mentality, traditions of doing business, share practically the same gourmet preferences and sense of humor as they are basically in Ukraine 5. Was it easy making friends and meeting people or do you mainly socialise with colleagues? The cautiosness towards foreigners, which is rather common among younger generation of Danes, is a natural reaction to something new and is easily dispersed since you have found joint interests to discuss
The transition is not that noticeable for me whereas people here have a common European mentality, traditions of doing business, share practically the same gourmet preferences and sense of humor as they are basically in Ukraine
6. What are the best things to do in Denmark anything to recommend to future diplomats? For those diplomats who originate from landlocked countries I’d recommend to enjoy the sea as much as it is possible – fishing tours, cruise ship tours, sunbaths etc. For others - to absorb the same love for casual sports activities Danes have. 7. How does the cost of living compare to home? If using services like haircut, tire balancing, car-renting, cleandry etc. it may be very expensive especially when you visit popular service-providers. In other cases, like buying groceries, going to cinema or even to a restaurant the expenses are not that far away from my native city in Ukraine.
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8. What negatives, if any, are there to living here? I wish there were more markets with local farm-made products or fisheries near my district. 9. If you could pick one piece of advice to anyone moving here, what would it be? A sensible sense of humor paves the way to people’s minds and hearts everywhere on the planet. 10. What has been the hardest aspect to your expat experience so far? None that I could remember. 11. What are your top 5 tips for anyone following in your footsteps? »» Be open, committed, precise and humorous when communicating. »» Enjoy sports and the sea »» Visit Jutland »» Study local culture and traditions »» Don’t forget buying a ticket on public transportation.
DK Diplomat Seminar Seminar On family reunification and residence permits
16.06.2015 Program 14.00 – Welcome drinks and snacks 14.30 - 15.30 – Presentation by The Danish Immigration Service 15.30 Questions & networking FREE to attend if attached to an embassy or international organization RSVP by 12.06.2015 by sending your name to info@dkdiplomat.dk. Tel: +45 52 88 73 92
Gothersgade 115, 1123 Copenhagen Venue : Europa-Huset (near Nørreport station)
14.00 – 16.00
Tue 16.06.2015