Danish Cultural Conference, Menucha Center, Corbett, Oregon, June 22-24, 2007

Danish Foreign Policy, Jesper Sørenson, Minister-Counselor for Political Affairs, Royal Danish Embassy, Washington DC

(the views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Danish Embassy)

Denmark is a blend of capitalist economics and social ideals of Europe: “The Flexicurity model.” The labor market is very flexible, plus total energy independence. Main issues—high dependence on larger European countries (e.g., Germany and France), social values of the European Union and NATO.

In 1970, Denmark was a “consumer” (i.e., reacting) to the issues of the day from Europe and the United States. In 1990, with the collapse of the Soviet Empire, Denmark became more proactive, more influential in the enlargement processes of the European Union and NATO, and took on more international engagements.

Current challenges—Kosovo conflict, future direction of the European Union, terrorism, proliferation of extreme Islamic ideology, global warming/climate change, and energy consumption/production (dynamic stability). Denmark wants to focus on a few areas.

Priorities—Kosovo, European Union, Sudan, Afghanistan (650 Danish troops), and balancing energy use/production vs. climate change. Denmark wants to see a simultaneous effort of military-societal-economic development in the developing world and war-torn regions.

Denmark has always been a strong ally of the Unites States. Recent legal/political events raises questionable issues—secret CIA prisons in central Europe, the “Gitmo” detention camp (in Cuba), questioning the application of the Geneva Convention, and the subsequent undermining of legal and moral authority of the United States and western Europe. We need more multi-lateralism and cooperation. The Unites States could use its power to reform and reshape the United Nations, International Monetary Fund, etc. for a greater world good. The Tran-Atlantic tie is the backbone of international cooperation.

The “cartoon” controversy of February 2006 has caused a deeper reflection within Danish society of Danish-Islamic relations. Unemployment in Denmark (general population) is 4% where it is 50% with the Danish-Muslim population.

Germany and France strongly oppose Turkey from becoming a member of the European Union, whereas Denmark (officially) supports Turkey’s application for membership. Denmark should support democratic societies, even the very few in the Middle East and elsewhere. Denying Turkey’s membership may hurt European credibility in the Middle East.

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Climate Change in Denmark and Greenland: Past-Present-Future, Kyle Dittmer, Hydrologist-Meteorologist, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, Portland, Oregon

The following is part of a visit to the Danish Climate Center, in Copenhagen <http://www.dmi.dk/dmi/index/> in June 2006. Some of this material comes from the book that Kyle received: “Climate Change Research – Danish Contributions,” summarizing climate change research by Denmark.

The Medieval Warm Period (900-1400 A.D.) began 100 years after the start of the Viking Age. Greenland really was green during that time. Viking settlements flourished. The Little Ice Age (1450-1850 A.D.) ended Viking expansion in the New World.

Current climate change issues for Denmark include agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and coastlines. Increased temperature and carbon dioxide levels will benefit Danish agriculture with a net crop yield increase of 7% to 9% expected by 2050. A fledging wine industry is poised to boom. The Norway Spruce tree is in rapid decline. Denmark is planting more climatically robust trees, such as Beech, Oak, and Douglas Fir. Fisheries will see an increase in productivity with benefits to cod and plaice. Rising sea-levels may be a problem in north Zealand and western Jutland. A 33-46 cm rise is expected by 2100.

The changes in Greenland have been dramatic. In recent years, cattle and dairy farms have started. The Inuit Natives have started a microbrewery using glacial melt water. Greenland’s future will see much warmer winters, more rain and fog and stormy weather.

The future suggests that the warming trend will continue and accelerate. Denmark’s temperatures could climb 1 to 4 degC by 2100 and winter precipitation increase by 20%.

One possible outcome is abrupt climate change. With all the Arctic sea-ice and glaciers on Greenland melting so fast, that freshwater discharge could disrupt and shut down the Gulf Stream, which conveys much warm water to the far north, and helps keep the climate of Scandinavia relatively moderate. If the Gulf Stream shuts down in the north Atlantic, then it is possible that the lands of the north Atlantic, including Scandinavia, could see an abrupt cooling. The Gulf Stream has already slowed 30% since 1992. Danish climate researchers feel that this “Tipping Point” event could happen but not until 2100. Much more flexibility and adaptability needs to be built into our societies to insure against climate change and variability and “Tipping Point.” Greenhouse gas emissions need to be reduced and energy conservation, plus alternative energy, promoted. It is not too late to prevent a “Tipping Point” event, so let’s do our part to save the Earth and us.

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Art Projects, Anni Holm, Artist, Chicago, Illinois

Anni grew up as a farm girl, attended public schools (K-9), then went to private school by 10^th grade onward. High schools in Denmark are now very specialty focused. She worked many jobs and met many people of differing levels of society. Anni spent 11 years learning English and didn’t think she would ever use the language skill.

A great job opportunity opened up for an English speaking Au-Pair (nanny) position in Scotland and Chicago, U.S. She chose Chicago. The cultural diversity of Chicago was a shock. Her first year in college was 2001. Anni’s works include acrylics and wood slabs. She noticed that her Danish identity strengthened in the U.S., as she saw more contrast between American values and Danish values.

Anni’s works include the “Immigration Project.” She took the fingerprints of her foreign student subjects, scanned each set, then rebuilt their face photo based entirely as a mosaic of those scanned black and white fingerprints. The end results were amazing.

That project was followed by the “Passport Project.” Anni told a story, using a passport background and format. Such stories were told in a humorous light.

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Networking, Anni Holm, Artist, Chicago, Illinois

Anni’s next project started as a humble attempt to get her name out in the world, given the great competition for new and emerging artists. So, her “Getting My Name Out” Project started with Anni standing in a public place, with a sign saying “Anni Holm”, and letting people passing by to ignore her or ask her what the sign meant. This approach started to draw more attention when she stood at key locations (i.e., in front of art museums). Her friends started to hold up an “Anni Holm” in different parts of the world, take a photo, and email the photo to her. The growing project was picked up by a newspaper in Aarhus. Now, many folks, even total strangers, are picking up this idea, and sending their photos to Anni, for posting on her web-blog: www.anniholm.blogspot.com. Folks are welcome to submit a photo with an “Anni Holm” sign. In fact, most Danish Cultural Conference participants stood in a group photo, with a big “Anni Holm” banner, just to prove she was there.

Anni’s latest work, the “Knitting Network,” give a new spin on an old idea. She builds red yarn strips and connects the pieces, and encourages others to join in knitting the yarn network. The Project has been shown in art museums in Chicago, Waterloo Iowa, Minneapolis, and Denmark.

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History of the Columbia River Gorge, Aaron Pedersen, USDA Forest Service, Cascade Locks, Oregon

Aaron briefly introduced his background. His parents came from Denmark but he never learned the language. He is the manager of the Multnomah Falls Visitors Center.

The Gorge developed from many lava flows millions of years ago. The Lake Missoula glacial floods scoured the Gorge. The process helped create 77 waterfalls in the Gorge.

Aaron’s co-worker, Greg, an enrolled member of the Grand Ronde Tribes, gave the Native-Tribal perspective. He opened up his remarks with his soft-spoken Native language—very different than any European language. Native peoples thrived on salmon fishing. Seven major tribes lived in the Willamette Valley. Tribal resources included cedar, camas plants, lamprey eels, hazel tree, hazel nuts, and cattails. Disease brought by explorers and settlers killed many tribal members. Treaty ratification was soon followed by settlement on reservation lands, then persistent missionary efforts to convert and assimilate. The Grand Ronde Tribe was officially terminated in the 1950s, as was the case for other tribes during that time. Their land base shrunk to five acres. The tribe has been working to restore their land base, which increased to 10,000 acres and now 70,000 acres. In 1983, the Grand Ronde Tribe was re-recognized. Now, their Spirit Mountain Casino is among the most popular tourist attractions in Oregon.

Aaron continued the history tour. The reports from the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1805 help lure more explorers out through the Gorge, which attracted more settlers. The railroad was eventually built and then the Old Historic Highway in 1915. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is the management agency for the Gorge.

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Songs of Denmark, Joy Ibsen, Minister, Trout Creek, Michigan

In 2005, Joy compiled a book of 48 Danish songs, bi-lingual, and costs $10. Books with CDs cost $39.95 (ISBN 0-89579-5868). It took three years to write the book. The title is “Sange for Danskere – Songs of Denmark – Songs to Live By.” The songbook features 42 colored photographs of Denmark by National Geographic (Danish) photographer, Sisse Brimberg and a 70 minute CD in Danish and English by the Grand View Choir. The website for the songbook is www.danamerica.com.

Many of these songs were inspired by N.F.S. Grundtvig (1783-1852). He wrote 1500+ hymms and Norse mythology. Grundtvig saw himself as a “skjald” – a seer and poet. The Principals of “Grundtvigianism”: (1) Affirmation of Life, (2) Stay close to Nature, (3) Goodness and Beauty of Ordinary Life, and (4) Life-long Learning and Education.

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Wind Is Free, Jens Søby, President, Vestas—Americas, Portland, Oregon

Wind power can compete with convention energy sources like coal, gas and oil, and reduce dependence on imported energy. Additionally, it helps lower greenhouse gas emissions. Vestas can establish a wind farm in six months and be very cost competitive. The US installed ~2400 Megawatts of wind energy capability in 2006 alone. In the 1970s, Vestas was among four wind power companies in Denmark, now they are the only one, and has stayed wind focused. One new V90-3.0 MW turbine can produce energy for 1000 U.S. homes (or 3000 European homes). The logistical challenges of such large (i.e. V90) turbines increase as the turbines get larger. Trains (vs. trucks) are six times cheaper to transport components.

Vestas is present all over the world and different turbine parts are made in many countries. Under construction are Research and Development Centers in Aarhus, Denmark, and Singapore. New blade factories are in Spain and Colorado. Vestas has 14,000 staff, of which close to 700 in North America.

The U.S. has the most wind energy potential, especially in the Pacific Northwest, east slope Rocky Mountains, and upper Midwest. In 2005-2006, Vestas held 27% of the market growth in wind energy, with more than 3000 turbines introduced in the U.S.

In 2002, Vestas moved its North American corporate office from Palm Springs to Portland, Oregon. On June 14, 2007, Vestas had a ground-breaking ceremony for its first factory in the U.S., in Winsor, Colorado, at $66 million investment. About a third of all wind turbines installed in the world are from Vestas. Wind energy is a preferred alternative energy resource for Native-Tribes. The turbines have a 20-year lifespan. A minimal wind speed of only 4 mph is needed for turbine operation to start.

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The Art of H.C. Andersen, Jan K. Nielsen, Visiting Danish Lecturer, Department of Scandinavian Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Topics: (1) Basics of HCA, (2) Fairy Tales – Translations and Disneyfication, and (3) Visual Art – Paper Cuts. Jan presents a scholarly view of the Danish Storyteller.

The “Fairy Tale of my Life” (1855) was the third autobiography. The “Ugly Duckling” story was a reflection of his life. The mother stimulated the boy’s interest and curiosity. The father was a paper-cutter and died when the boy was 11 years old. HCA left Odense, on Funen, for Copenhagen at the age of 15. He wanted to work at the Royal Theatre and was very persistent in seeking opportunities. He tried dancing, singing, acting. He was eventually fired by the Royal Theatre. Several plays were submitted. The King granted funds for HCA to go to school. “Young Andersen” (2005) and “Hans Christian Andersen and the Long Shadow” (1998, adult animation) were Danish films, that mixed biographic in with fairy tales (with the “Ugly Duckling” in particular).

Tiny Nunnally’s translation of HCA’s work has been published by Penguin Classics -30 fairy tales. The “Little Mermaid” is a good example of a bad translation by Disney (lacks the original spiritual overtones). Another example is “The Little Match Girl.”

HCA excelled at “paper-poetry.” Paper cuts allowed a child to express creativity and curiosity. Some paper-cuts had poems on the bottom. He was ahead of his time in doing collage work. HCA made 16 paper-cuts books. Some paper-cuts were frightening and scary, but done so to add balance of life. About 1000 paper-cuts are preserved. He would act out his stories and paper-cuts. He did make a few three-dimensional paper-cuts, such as a complex Christmas tree (complete with animals and trolls) and a rocking chair that could stand on its rockers. HCA also made the Christmas Hearts. He may have invented the Christmas Heart—the oldest one that is preserved is from the 1860s.

Note-taker: Kyle Dittmer, NWDF