Danish Cultural Conference, Menucha Center,
Corbett, Oregon,
June 20-22, 2008
Denmark
in the Global Arena, Peter Lehman Nielsen, First Secretary, Political
Affairs, Royal Danish Embassy, Washington
DC
(views expressed here do not
necessarily reflect the views of the Danish Embassy)
Foreign policy considers
values (democratic and human rights), national interests (stability and
terrorism are top concern), commitment to a multilateral framework, and
enhances U.S.
ties. Denmark is a small state that seeks
“to punch above its weight” in the world.
How to best use the European Union as a tool is often discussed. Denmark seeks diplomacy,
engagement, dialogue, bridge-building, and branding, as it is highly dependent
on the actions of other countries.
New challenges –
climate change and Greenland melt, energy consumption, energy dependence on the
Middle East (Denmark
is 98% energy independent), globalization (economic competition vs.
protectionism), reaction to modernism (Islamic extremism), and terrorism (sense
of vulnerability and insecurity). Danish
values are at the forefront: democracy, rule of law, human rights, and freedom. How does Demark confront the new
challenges? New ideas – international
cooperation, international institutions (EU, UN, NATO), and a balance of “soft
power” (diplomacy) with “hard power” (military). An ambitious foreign policy is actively
debated in Denmark
today.
U.S.-Danish
relations are close, no matter the American administration. President Bill Clinton visited Denmark in July
1997. President George W. Bush visited
in July 2005. Prime Minister Rasmussen
came to Crawford Texas
in February 2008, of which Mr. Nielsen played a major role. Economics are the strongest tie. The U.S.
is Denmark’s third largest
export market and second largest investor in Denmark. There is more U.S. investment in Denmark
than India.
New opportunities include renewable
technology.
Trans-Atlantic
issues include NATO, Afghanistan,
global partnerships, relations with Russia, missile defense, future
NATO enlargement (membership issues). Denmark’s strong commitment to development in
the Third World, as the fifth largest donor country, also includes poverty
reduction, refugees, environment, and focus on Africa. Adapt the military (Folketinget)
for global crisis management and missions, balance military and civilian needs
(long-term peace), withdraw from Iraq and redeploy in Afghanistan, Kosovo,
Lebanon, and the Horn of Africa. Priorities—comprehensive
balances solutions, Afghanistan,
climate change (2009 Summit in Copehagen), Africa, adapting to globalism, combating
terrorism, public diplomacy, and marketing Denmark overseas.
Assimilating
differences is an active debate in Denmark now, due to high impacts
from recent immigration. If high
expectations are dashed, then how does one fit into society? How do you then contribute to society? Denmark is now setting a high
demand for new immigrants to receive society benefits.
************************
Designing for Play,
Helle Burlingame, Director, Kompan
Play Institute, Denmark
Kompan
is a private Danish company, located in Ringe, Funen and its American headquarters in Tacoma, Washington. The KPI uses child participation in the
design of products, along with outreach education and research. Prototypes are tested– strengths and
weaknesses. Kompan
generated over 1-billion DKK (or $200 million USD) in 2007.
Studies show that
play-time is needed for a child’s healthy mental and physical development. How do children learn? They watch and copy adults and each
other. Such a child-centered focus means
that children are outside 80% of the time.
Kirsten Bjerre, Director, Four-Seasons
Kindergarten, says, “There is no such
thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing!”
The state of play has
trended toward electronic babysitters – TV, video games, etc. There is less Physical Education in the
schools, less play time, fewer playmates, and fewer play spaces. We use to walk 12 miles a day to seek
food. The brain uses the most energy
when in motion. Play equipment
encourages playful behavior, enhancing strength and flexibility, while fighting
obesity, and setting up an active lifestyle for life.
The environment has
a great impact on a child’s behavior.
Toddlers (1-3 years old) are exploring, choose objects to play,
stubborn, not likely to share.
Preschoolers (4-5 years old) engage in pretend and social play,
physically more competent, and do more play than exploration. Golden Age (6-18 years old) children are
increasingly independent, rather “hang out” than play, practice and perfecting
skills, group games, rule oriented, and prone to peer thinking.
Obesity impacts 25
million children and costs $14 billion in health care. Over 32% of American children are overweight (Neuroscientist
Randy Seeley, associate director of the Obesity Research
Center at the University
of Cincinnati Medical School, 2008). The
Lancet Study (2006) concludes, “We don’t need children to go to the gyms – we
need to get them to play.” Obesity is
increasing affecting Danish children, as more processed food enters into the
diet. More food is readily available
which encourage more eating and less exercise.
Children are
creative and innovators. We desire to
translate need to form. Motor skills
include climbing, jumping, running, balancing, turning, bending, stretching,
twisting, and landing. Sadly, some U.S. schools
are spooked by liability issues and playgrounds. However, no play is a long-term
liability.
American children
are very obsessed with competition (“being the best”). Danish children are more concerned with
cooperation and having fun.
A complex and novel play-ground
environment, with many choices, creates healthy brains. Outdoor play must be attractive to lure
children away from indoor activity of videogames. Regular play opportunities create resilient
and happy kids. Goal – movement and
interaction, burn off food energy, and keep heart rate up. Ironically, some American companies are
trying to copy Kompan designs. So, copyright infringement is a problem. Motto: “Let’s keep no child inside!” Kompan’s mission is
to keep designing play equipment that are more fun than ever so kids just
cannot resist going out to play. For
more information: <www.generationplay.com> and <www.kopman.com>
************************
Scandinavia’s Role in
World Politics, Robert Delong, Graduate student, UW – Department of
Scandinavian Studies, Seattle, Washington
Nordic countries
have a big impact on global politics. Scandinavia “punches above its weight” and is not
passive. Nordic peoples model good
international behavior, power exercised with reason, and advocates basic
rights/freedoms. Images from World War
II are compelling, such as the Danes helping the Jews to escape (hence, moral
authority).
Agenda: (1)
Peacemaking and conflict resolution. Norway
pioneered the Nobel Prize. (2)
Environment. (3) Poverty reduction and
elimination. Middle
East talks are often brokered by Scandinavian diplomats. Sweden feared that Swedish
environmental standards would be lowered if European Union (EU) standards were
accepted. Instead, the Swedish standards
helped raise the standards in the rest of Europe. Poverty has been eliminated in the
Scandinavian countries.
Why is Scandinavia so influential? The cultural factors include rural values
(industry came later than the rest of Europe),
religion (emphasizing social justice), and law-abiding (code of conduct came
from Viking Era, 793 A.D.). Nordic
citizens do love to pay taxes, but they have high expectations on how that
money is spent on social services.
Future challenges:
immigration, social diversity (anti-immigration policies are on the rise), and
the Iraq War (Denmark
is the only Nordic country to commit troops).
Denmark
forced the EU to deal with democratic deficits and member states. Some EU regulations are intruding on member
states’ sovereignty and trade agreements.
***************************
Immigration: Conflicts
between Work and Family, Line Mørkbak, Consultant,
Eugene, Oregon
Change in international
mobility is increasing. Why are Danes
are moving abroad? How do Danes face
such change? What support is
available? This is no longer an
immigration issue but global mobility. International
commerce has expanded into global trade, outsourcing, and rise in global
exports ($1.5 billion, 1970; $7.8 billion, 2007). Globalism links the world’s people as though
as if one society. Free movement
liberates human mobility and changes the sense of national identity. Technology can overcome time zone
issues.
Human capital is now
a commodity. So, relocation is improving
and more short-term international assignments are rising, especially with
mid-to-low level technical and clerical staff.
Denmark
is more competitive, more export oriented, stress life-long learning, flexible
and adaptable to change. This new
reality means that firms are better able to partner research and the business
sector. In 1980, 18,000 Danes worked
abroad and increased to 27,000 Danes in 2006.
Those Danes surveyed
say 42% want to use their higher education skills abroad, 81% want
international experience, and 64% want contact with another culture. Those results come from 90% males and 10%
females. She published, along with
co-author Lena Lauridsen, a book “Verden
Kalder – Inspiration til en
global hverdag” (translated: The World is Calling –
Inspiration to a Global Everyday Life).
This book gives the summary of interviews of 103 Danes living abroad say
their family is in a transition in settling in a new culture, their situation
is inspiring to other Danish families living abroad. The book offers tools on how to face challenges
and difficult periods overseas.
Why are Danes going
abroad? They need a break, something
different, an alternative to the stress of Danish work-family-life balance,
opportunity for a child to learn a different culture, learn a new language, and
a longing for adventure. An
international move is a way to keep exercising one’s mind, enhance flexibility,
the change stimulates growth, and sense of control and being in charge is
increased with a move. Some seek to be a
“whole human-being” with international work.
There is growth potential for the whole family. Global company support may include: active
dialogue, survey family needs, take culture/language classes, use knowledgeable
support staff, support for the spouse, draft a relocation plan (psychological
contact with company and family), and support for the family when they return
to Denmark. More Danish children will have inter-cultural
experience. For more info: <www.culturecrossing.dk>
and <www.VerdenKalder.dk>
**************************
Urban Sustainability:
Lessons from Denmark, Jayson
Antonoff, City of Seattle
(views expressed here do not
necessarily reflect the views of the City of Seattle)
What can we learn
from Denmark’s
energy crisis? ISS is bringing leaders
from Denmark to the U.S. Sustainability includes issues of energy,
waste management, transportation, urban planning, public spaces, social
justice, elected representatives, and public offices. Seattle and Copenhagen are very
similar in geography (physical and human), similar standards of living, and
environmental ethic.
During the 1973 oil
crisis, Denmark imported 98%
of its energy from Middle East oil. At that time, Denmark made a fundamental shift in
its energy strategy. The U.S.
energy consumption is industry 38%, transportation 27%, commercial 16%, and
residential 19%.
Denmark has increased bike usage,
public transportation, and prioritized traffic planning – all with a
“carrot-and-stick” approach (e.g., most convenient). Information technology is used on buses (GPS
tracking) and LCD light displays (bus route).
Making car parking more scarce and expense is another tactic. High tax (180%) on new cars is effective. The new Danish Metro has 118,000 daily riders
and 257,000 expected by 2010. The trains
run every 3-6 minutes. Bike routes are
urban and rural. In 1975, there were
5000 bike riders in Copenhagen,
now up to 20,000 in 2005. Transportation
in Seattle sees
70% by car, 17% by bus, and 8% by bike. Copenhagen sees 30% car,
20% bus, 13% train, and 37% bikes.
There are car-free
areas in Copenhagen
and many can live without cars. Copenhagen’s road network
is the same size as it was in 1920 but have six times more car-free space as
compared with 1962 data. The Strøget near
downtown Copenhagen was Europe’s
first pedestrian-only zone in 1968.
Industrial: the
eco-cycle model is in use and reuses all components. Waste is converted to energy (only 10% goes
to landfills, compared to 50% in Seattle)
and lower emissions are the end result. Recycling
efficiency: 64% Denmark, 31%
Sweden, and 43% Seattle. Buildings use 75% less energy for cooling and
35% redistributed for heating. The DR Byen Danish Broadcasting Complex, “Glass Cube”, Nykredit uses active blind
controls. Danish energy performance
cards show heat, electric, and water rating, consumption, and carbon
impact. Thermal energy from waste is a
marketable commodity, which can help to reduce air pollution and carbon
emission, if properly regulated.
Denmark has 15
power stations, with 415 decentralized power plants. Wind power capacity is at 3135 megawatts,
which is 20% of the total supply in 2007.
Bio-fuels give 5-10% of Denmark’s
energy portfolio. In 1993, that combined
total was only 3%. Denmark is
targeting 50% renewable energy by 2050. Since
1970, Denmark
now has 98% energy independence. About 40% of the world’s wind energy comes
from Denmark
and employs 23,000 people. Sustainable
energy can be an economic driver. Denmark’s Gross
National Product has increased but their energy consumption rise is nearly
flat. Energy efficiency is not an
alternative to growth – it is a precondition!
For more information: <www.i-sustain.com>
****************************
Views of Denmark in
the Viking and Early Christian Period, Terje Leiren, Chairman, UW – Department of Scandinavian Studies,
Seattle, Washington
Adam of Bremen (Germany) lived
and died in the 10th Century (Viking Period 793-1066 A.D.) and knew
many Vikings. Ansgar
(801-865 A.D.), the “Apostle of the North”, is best known for introducing and converting
the people of Scandinavia to
Christianity. Scandinavia
was under barrage by the Catholic Church.
The 1090s saw the decline of northern Germany. Saxo Grammaticus
(Danish) recorded the geography and customs.
Adam notes that there were few folks on Jutland
(mostly bogs and marshland) in the Viking Age, compared to the islands. The Cistercian Monks help to drain the swamps
and marshlands in the 12th Century and bring agriculture to Denmark.
The Eider River,
in Schleswig-Holstein, has been the traditional border between Denmark and Germany. Eastern Denmark (Skane)
was known as the “bread-basket” before being lost to Sweden in 1658. Småland (in north Sweden)
was the last holdout to Christian conversion in 1120 A.D.
The first archbishop
in Scandinavia was sent to Denmark
in 1103 A.D. Folklore was a major part
of the culture but had to be submerged to accommodate Christianity. Hence, the Norse gods were unspoken but
there. Denmark
connected closer to the rest of Europe via the
church – Bishop Absalon and King Valdemar. Adam focused on the local – the Archbishop,
the Monks, etc. Saxo
was highly influential, well schooled in Latin, had a broad audience, and
intelligent (“Renaissance of the 12th Century”). Saxo recorded
attitudes – king, common people. At the
time, it was a disgrace to be ruled by women (which differed than the Viking
Era), rebellions had to be crushed, murders and robbers were hanged, and incest
was punished by stoning. Suicide was
common during famine. Denmark became
a country based on the rule of law.
************************************************
Genealogy Course 101,
Carol Steele, Scandinavian Genealogical Society, Portland
Start a chart and
interview relatives, to begin. Methods –
(1) Have fun, (2) You know more than you think, (3) You know less than you
think, (4) Organize your paperwork, (5) Photocopy or scan your documents, (6) Research
Internet sites, (7) Garbage on some internet sites (non-verifiable information,
questionable data and records), (8) Seek out siblings, (9) Document “wild goose
chases” and dead-ends (so not to repeat), (10) Start with the Present and work
back into the Past. Resources – birth
records, death records, Mormon (LDS) library sites, U.S. Census data. Check records in Scandinavia
(government offices, churches) as they are very good and detailed. Do your U.S. research first, before
tackling your European roots. Later
immigrants (1900 onward) had more questions to answer. ID theft and privacy are major issues these
days. Only half of the Danish archives
are now online. The rest of the
Scandinavian archives are online.
*********************************
Steppeulvene: The Hip
Runs of Danish Rock, Jan K. Nielsen, Visiting Danish Lecturer, Department
of Scandinavian Studies, University of
Washington, Seattle, Washington
Jan picked 10-15
bands. Students were assigned one song,
do research, and give a talk about the chosen song – appeal of the music,
lyrics and the meaning. Steppeulvene was
the first rock band to sing in Danish in 1967 and paved the way for other
bands, like Gasolin’.
Eik Skaløe was the
lead singer and wrote the lyrics. Only
200-700 records were sold in the early years, then up to 25,000 by 1988. American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was an
inspiration to their music.
*********************************
Nordic Heritage
Museum Information, Eric Nelson,
Executive Director NHM, Seattle,
Washington
From 8000 B.C., when
the Ice Age glaciers retreated, Nordic peoples moved into the Scandinavia Peninsula. The Nordic people have many shared traits:
live with respect to the environment, community over individualism, long
history of democratic values, value of conserving, and global commitment to
peace-keeping and humanitarian efforts.
Selfishness was punished. Modern
Scandinavian values include form, function, and affordability.
Over 130 years ago,
the immigration out of Scandinavia included 10% from Denmark
and 25% from Sweden. Nordic-Americans and Nordic-Europeans evolved
independently. Each Nordic immigrant
brought his/her characteristic: the Danes were skilled farmers (dairy, etc.),
the Norwegians were fishers, the Icelanders were farmers, the
Finns knew logging and mining, the Swedes excelled in commerce.
Today, the Danes are
considered to be “Happy,” the Finns excel in high technology and education, the
Icelanders boost education, the Norwegians pride themselves on a great natural
environment, and the Swedes offer engineering and education. Times do change.
In 1910, 1/3 of Seattle identified as
Nordic. The Ballard (north of downtown)
neighborhood was 90% Nordic. The next
immigration wave was post-WWII, which benefited the fishing industry. In 1962, the World’s Fair in Seattle had a huge Nordic presence, which
spun off the annual Nordic Festival in August (boat races and parades).
There was momentum
building in 1975 and 1976 to open some type of Nordic Museum. The Bi-Centennial of 1976 was a big boost to
a Nordic cultural reawakening. The
Nordic Museum opened in 1980. The Museum
leased the Daniel
Webster School
Building. Marianne Forssblad
was the first Executive Director.
Fundraising efforts continue - Seattle and Washington gave
donations.
The firm Mithan was hired
to search for a new Nordic
Museum location, with a
sustainable design, working with a Nordic team. Over 5000 new condos units were
built in Ballard in recent years.
The new theme:
partial K-12 education, Nordic school, local business, local and regional
Nordic organizations, art, music, performances, and maritime fishing industry. The new core exhibition space will showcase
the Nordic and Nordic-American experience, with the “Nordic” as the common
thread.
About $60 million is
needed for the new museum to be done.
The old building had 49,000 sq-feet and the new space offers 55,000
sq-feet. For more information:
<www.nordicmuseum.org>
*********************************
The Future of DCC:
Discussion and Evaluation, Erik D. Laursen, DCC
2008 Chairman, Seattle, Washington
Conference
participants were asked to discuss and offer suggestions on five topics. Summary of the discussions:
1. Timing of the conference.
Most said it was “just right” although some suggested it could be
expanded to three full days. Need better
coordination with other events to avoid conflicts (such as the SHF Midsummer
Festival, Skt. Hans Fest, etc.). Group activities could be offered, such as a
discussion on a particular guest lecture.
2. Speakers. Using
international visitors coming here, in any event for other business, would be
nice if we could “borrow” them for part of the conference, such as artists,
etc. Have the Himmelbjerget (Danish) Camp children come join us for meals – why
Sunday lunch only? More language classes
could be offered with differing levels.
More singing and a song leader would be desirable.
3. Location. Most are very happy with the Menucha Retreat Center
– that “rustic” look is quite nice. We
could make better use of the facilities – tennis court, field, and swimming
pool – especially for young people. Keep
the drive time to a four-hour maximum.
4. Cost. Price is
fair but higher would be painful for most folks.
5. Advertising. A
better marketing slant might be “Conference-Retreat”. Just the word “conference” conjures up images
of long boring lectures and no fun. Need
to use local Danish organizations (no one from Portland
comes anymore?), national newspapers (such as Bien), Solvang, Elk Horn Iowa - Danish
Immigrant Museum,
and Scandinavian stores (such as Scandia Imports and IKEA in Portland).
Strategies: year-round advertising, word-of-mouth, and a website (linked
to the NWDF website).
Note-taker: Kyle Dittmer, Master of Ceremonies, DCC-2008, NWDF