Last Week in Denmark (12.05-19.05) Episode 17 Year 4
War against screens; Positive economic growth; Citizen journalism
Editor HQ
State of Denmark
“A united Nordic region and a strong Germany are crucial for the whole of Europe.” - Mette Frederiksen
Denmark has played an incredible role so far as the dynamo that generates global support for Ukraine, always taking the first step towards increased financial and military support, and encouraging other NATO countries to do the same. Despite its size, Denmark is leading the Nordic region and is able to influence bigger countries, like Germany and USA.
And the Prime Minister is not only focused on the global stage but also here at home, where the enemy is “screens.” A new report made by Børns Vilkår has ignited the issue, with their finding that 63% of children under 10 and 74% of children under 14 spend their after-school time on the phone. Several ministers declared that a tougher attitude towards tech giants needs to be employed; however, they stopped short of any concrete initiatives.
Clearly, the debate on our time spent in front of the screens is far from over. Expect multiple initiatives in the coming months, coupled with massive campaigns against “screens.” To succeed, a culture change is needed, and it starts with all of us. We need to radically decrease the time we use scrolling aimlessly on social media.
If you have an interesting project/idea for internationals, contact me on Linkedin. We can meet in Aarhus (May 21 after 18.30 or May 22 in the morning), Kolding (May 22 evening) or Esbjerg at this event on May 25, 11:00.
Thank you for sharing Last Week in Denmark! And remember, you can listen to our podcast #VOTEHOME (two new episodes added).
Word of the Week
Borgerforslag = Citizen proposal. Danish citizens have the right to submit proposals for new laws or law changes to be discussed in Parliament. A minimum of three people need to co-author the proposal, while 50,000 have to sign it before it is taken into consideration.
Quiz
Danish Politics HQ
Weekly political overview
The prime minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, met with the leaders of the Nordic states and Germany to discuss the risk of Russian hybrid warfare. Misinformation, disinformation, propaganda, cyberattacks, and espionage are all tricks used in hybrid warfare. The five Nordic states signed a security policy declaration on the defense industry and Ukraine.
The Nye Borgerlige (far-right) saga continues. The new party leadership decided to report their founder, Pernille Vermund, to the police for illegally abolishing the parliamentary group and dissolving the party.
The fusion of the Vegan Party and Alternativet (Greens) in 2022 came with consequences. A group of members wanted the party to only buy vegan food in the future. The proposal failed in a close vote, creating turmoil in the party.
Focus
Deepfake videos in Danish politics: After DF (nationalist conservative) and Liberal Alliance (liberal conservative) used artificial intelligence (AI) technology to create deepfake videos of Mette Frederiksen, a debate started in Parliament regarding the use of this technology in political communication.
A deepfake can be a manipulated image, a fake video, an audio recording, or other digital representations created using AI. It is an advanced form of digital forgery, and often consists of fake audio recordings of politicians and other famous people.
The Presidium of the Parliament wants to create an AI codex that should regulate the use of AI technology by political parties in communication.
The Minister of Culture calls the deepfake videos “an expression of theft of another person's identity and voice” and is looking to see if such videos can be banned.
Reform of museum subsidies: A majority in Parliament agreed to change the funding mechanism for museums, providing an extra 75 million DKK a year. The 95 state-recognized museums receive almost half a billion DKK a year in subsidies.
The new funding mechanism is built upon three pillars - a) basic grant based on the value of the collection; b) extra grant based on the number of visitors, business model, programs for children and research; c) priority subsidy decided by the political agenda.
Most of the extra millions will benefit museums in Central Denmark, Capital Region and South Denmark.
Danish Economics HQ
2.7% economic growth in 2024: The government presented the first economic report for this year and it looks very positive. The talk about economic decline has been replaced by optimism, as we’re outpacing last year’s predictions of 1.4% economic growth in 2024. The growth is no longer solely dependent on the pharma industry (read: Novo Nordisk), as the other economic sectors have started to pull their weight.
There will be two more economic reports, in August and December.
The prices on the housing market are expected to rise by 3.2% this year.
A real wage increase of 1.9% is expected this year, meaning people in Denmark will have a larger disposable income.
Top 10 municipalities with the highest employment growth in 2023: Copenhagen (10,000 newly employed); Gladsaxe (3,900); Aarhus (3,500); Aalborg (1,800); Høje-Taastrup (1,100); Lolland (1,000); Kalundborg (1,000); Ballerup (1,000); Gentofte (900) and Lyngby-Taarbæk (900).
The 10 municipalities together represent 81% of the entire new employment in Denmark.
20% of the new private sector employees in 2023 work for Novo Nordisk: The company hired 6,000 people last year, making up a fifth of the entire increase in private sector employment.
The Danish Krone banknotes will look different from 2028: You can vote until June 2 on the Danish National Bank’s website about what should be on the two sides of the banknotes.
For one side, you can choose between “the sea,” “flowers” and “everyday life,” while for the other side, there are 8 personalities - Inge Lehmann (mother of modern geophysics), Tycho Brache (astronomer), Arnarulunnguaq (Greenlandic polar researcher), Marie Krogh (diabetes researcher), Arne Jacobsen (designer), Tove Ditlevsen (author), HC Andersen (fairy tale writer), or Benny Andersen (children’s book author).
The last time banknotes changed was 2009. The reason for changing is to upgrade security and reduce the possibility of counterfeiting.
Entrepreneur’s corner
Business development workshops around the country: Join the free workshops in Aarhus on pitching (May 21, 17:00); in Kolding on business modeling (May 22, 18:30); in Esbjerg on starting a food-based company (May 24, 18:00); and online on intellectual property rights (May 26, 13:30).
Free start-up school for female entrepreneurs provided by Even Founders, an initiative by Ana Andonovska. You can sign up now for the autumn 8-week school that runs from September 23 to November 17.
Daily Life in Denmark HQ
Insights into the Danish way of life
On Monday, May 20, we will be celebrating the national holiday of Pinse (Pentecost or Whit Monday). The date is held 50 days after Easter, when Christians remember that the Holy Spirit came to Jesus’ disciples and enabled them to speak “all tongues.” For both religious and non-religious Danes, this holiday typically also speaks the language of… warmth. Historically, it has marked the intersection between winter and summer, and the weather forecast tells us this year will be no exception.
Back in the day, Danes would go on a “Pentecost forest trip,” a tradition that consisted of tasty food and getting new summer clothes. If you still haven’t done your closet change over, the time is now. Put the winter things away and get your swim suits ready. Although the famous summer bonfires take place during Sankt Hans (mid-June), it used to be common to also see many fires lit on this day.
Today, the holiday of Pentecost is the annual date for the Royal Run, a race where civilians get to run with members of the royal family. Fitting with Denmark’s low-profile customs, there is nothing like meeting your king in running shoes. This year will be HM Frederik X’s first Royal Run as head of State, and the organizing cities will be Brønderslev, Aarhus, Fredericia, Kalundborg and Copenhagen/Frederiksberg. Click on the names to take a look at the routes. As a participant, you can choose to walk or run the three distances: one mile (1.6km), 5km or 10km.
Last but not least, Aalborg Carnival will take place on Saturday, May 25. The festivity dates back to 1983 and is one of Denmark’s largest cultural events, with up to 60,000 participants in the Grand Parade and more than 100,000 spectators alongside the parade route. This year, the theme will be “Fantastic Creatures.”
Call to Action
Citizen journalism: We invite you to co-create content for internationals living in Denmark. How? Write about a situation, story, idea, person, location that could benefit our audience, and send it to lastweekdk@gmail.com. We will curate your article, publish it on our website, lwid.dk and mention it in the newsletter. You can write in English, Romanian, Polish, Spanish or Turkish.
Writing isn’t your forte? No worries. You can submit short videos where you can talk about situations, stories, ideas, people and locations, which we can publish on our social media channels (Instagram, Facebook and Linkedin).
Weekly overview
KL (the association of municipalities in Denmark) proposed tobacco and nicotine-free workplaces for public employees in the municipalities. 75% of municipalities already have tobacco-free workplaces, while Aarhus, Odense, Tårnby, Hørsholm and Tønder, already taken the next step to nicotine-free workplaces. Several private companies, like Salling Group and Normal, have also introduced nicotine-free workplaces where “snus” and e-cigarettes are banned.
If your children spend too much time in front of a screen, you can reach out to a psychologist for help. Dansk Behandling for Computerspil - og Onlineafhængighed (Danish Treatment for Computer Game and Online Addiction) is an organization you can contact. A new report from the Børns Vilkår shows that children under 13 years old prefer spending time on social media over spending time with other children.
Time to harvest wild plants for your dinner: You can go foraging in nature for ramps, onion cress, sorrel and many more edible plants. You may collect anywhere in publicly accessible forests and natural areas. In privately owned forests and natural areas, you must gather what you can reach from the road and path. Also, remember to be moderate in your foraging :)
Completely shut down your heating system and save 1,600 DKK: The Danish Energy Agency recommends that you switch off the heating system properly until October. You can see here a guide on how to do it.
Good news for Aalborg and the North Denmark region: A majority in Parliament approved a four-lane motorway over Egholm in Aalborg Vest. This will be the third connection across Limfjord near Aalborg and it should benefit the currently challenged traffic on the other two. The construction work should take ten years and generate thousands of new jobs in Aalborg.
European Union HQ
Europe This Week
Robert Fico was shot several times after a government meeting. Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico, known for his skepticism of EU policies on Russia and Ukraine, has been shot and is in critical condition. The motive is unclear, but experts speculate it’s political. Despite initial concerns, Fico hasn't obstructed major EU decisions since his re-election.
Court upholds AfD extremism monitoring ahead of EU elections. A German Supreme Court ruling, just before the EU elections, confirms that the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) can be monitored by intelligence for extremism. This decision allows the recruitment of informants and may impact AfD's electoral prospects, as the party is accused of undermining democracy and human dignity. The decision, which is politically explosive, sparks debates about whether banning or electoral defeat is the better course of action.
EU mandate requires hotels to offer lower prices on their own websites. Under the EU's Digital Markets Act, Booking.com is designated a gatekeeper, prohibiting it from enforcing price parity clauses. This mandates hotels to offer lower prices on their websites than on Booking.com, benefiting consumers with cheaper rates and hotels with commission savings.
EU plastic ban on produce could increase food waste. New EU rules will ban plastic packaging for fruit and vegetables by 2030 to reduce plastic use and promote recycling. However, experts warn this may lead to more food waste, negating environmental benefits. Items like salad and berries, which spoil quickly, are particularly at risk.
Rights
Exchange of driving license for EU citizens in Denmark: If you move from another EU country, you don't have to exchange your driving license for a local one. However, you can voluntarily exchange it for an equivalent one in your new country of residence if you wish.
You must exchange your driving license if it is lost, stolen, damaged, or if you commit a traffic offense.
For more information, read the European Directive on driving licenses.
Opportunities
Free trip to Molfetta (Italy): Join a seminar on exploring the new trends of communication. October 6-12. Deadline! May 31. Sign up here.
Free trip to Hălăucești, Iași (Romania): Join the second edition of the “European Rural Youth Summit.” July 23-27. Deadline! May 31. Sign up here.
Free trip to Tunisia: Join the training course on the possibilities that Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges have to offer for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. September 23-27. Deadline! June 1. Sign up here.
Free trip to Iceland: Join the conference “18th International Tool Fair - Tech-tonic Motions in Learning.” November 4-8. Deadline! June 2. Sign up here.
*To join the training courses, you need to be a member of an association. If you are not, you can always join AMIS.
Announcement Board
Copenhagen, May 23, 18:00 - 22:00: Join the opening party for the Art Matter Festival, which kicks off with an intense programme, offering dance choreographed by Lotte Sigh, a performance free-fall by Miriam Kongstad and music by abolish i, who both operates the DJ desk and plays live at the Lower Gallery.
Art Matter Festival 2024 takes place from May 23 - June 1 in Copenhagen and Malmø. The festival is created in collaboration with more than 50 exhibition venues, from the area’s most prestigious art museums, such as Louisiana and SMK (The Danish Museum for Art) to art galleries and experimental artist-run project spaces.
Aarhus, May 24, 17:00-19:00: Would you like to learn more about the different personal banking products and services in Denmark? Then don’t miss out on this opportunity to be introduced to the Danish banking system. Sign up here.
Esbjerg, May 26, 14:00-16:00: Walk in Esbjerg for newcomers. The walk takes two hours and will give you an overview of the inner city, cultural venues and some of the history and development of Esbjerg. Sign up in advance.
Divercity Festival in Esbjerg on June 8. If you like to investigate ephemeral rangoli DIY sand art, the art of greeting, Brazil flower deco, Indonesian batik, and other cultural art forms, make music in new ways with recycled materials, be transformed with fashion and jewelry from places you might never have visited, and enjoy samples of food and drinks from around the world, you should visit Esbjerg on June 8 from 10 to 4 PM, as the Main Square in Esbjerg will be transformed when we kick off the new event Divercity.
Last Week in Denmark’s Universe
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