Every year just before Mid-summer tens of thousands of Danes gather for a long weekend to parley, debate, listen, discuss, enlighten, participate and play on the tiny Baltic island of Bornholm. Its a massive democratic recharging of our mental batteries to last us an entire year!
At the far end of the main street Danish vets, wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan, challenge a former US-ambassador to Denmark along with Jacob Bundsgaard, mayor of Denmark’s second largest city, Aarhus, in Wheelchair Rugby. The two dignitaries did well - and got up and walked away after the match, the veterans could not; wheelchairs are their way of moving about.
Wheelchair Rugby with Vets. Fm US-ambassador Rufus Gifford is in blue, wearing shades © Mette Holm
The match was but one of thousands of activities at Denmark’s annual Folkemøde, People’s Meeting – a political dialogue meeting which attracts tens of thousands of people a week before midsummer in Allinge on the small Baltic island of Bornholm. Allinge, one of the twin villages of Allinge-Sandvig, with a total population of 1500 people, swells to 20 times its normal population with people staying in hotels, guesthouses, private homes and camping sites in and around Allinge, and all over the island. On the last morning we found two people crashing in the garden of our hotel. They obviously didn’t find a place to stay the night before.
Folkemødet at Allinge is the place to go and recharge when you’re losing faith in humanity’s ability to solve its own problems, man made and otherwise. Participation is open and free, no registration needed. All you have to do is show up. It’s the grand get-together of all the political parties, politicians, activists, institutions and associations like the Ombudsman, National Court’s Administration, the police, psychiatric patients, peaceniks, NGOs of every opinion, shape, colour and focus, the nurses, the doctors, you name them; and most importantly this indescribable group of wonderful folks; so-called normal people who want to meet and debate with their politicians, get in touch with various organisations or simply be inspired.
Info on responsible consumption and waste management
Most people return home mentally recharged after the three days of massive democratic bombardment with any and every political conviction, music, debates ad lib – and fun! People are crisscrossing the area, not really big, but crammed with tents and stalls, happenings and exhibitions.
During a debate on the perspectives of the new French president and his En Marche-movement, the French ambassador to Denmark, Francois Zimeray, poetically described Folkemødet as ‘an extraordinary moment of democracy! You (the Danes) should be proud!’ And we are.
The Folkemøde is democracy at its finest; there are political debates with decision makers, opinion makers, ‘ordinary’ people (for lack of a better word), this year sustainability was high on the agenda. Everyone wants to make sure to pass on a liveable planet to coming generations.
Debate on ‘red’ majorities in the Danish Parliament
All the major Danish media, and a lot of smaller ones set up shop and broadcast, publish or whatever in Allinge during Folkemødet’s three hectic days. One political podcast, Kestler’s Kaffeklub is recorded in the small room that the host, Amalie Kestler shares with a colleague; the colleague had to get up and leave the room cum recording studio even before brushing her teeth.
❝ The US, of course, doesn’t even have an ambassador to Denmark yet❞
Some 3200 events over three days, with some 100,000 participants (people are counted by the day, i.e. one person attending for three days is counted three times). There were competitions on how to safeguard our planet, lots of young engineers presenting new ideas, drones, robots; you cold taste the food of the future, crunchy insects and more, lots of organic food, a wonderful mixture of solutions and fun. The Association of electric car users, driverless vehicles, solar cells, there were orc-like creatures warning of threats to our common future. At one point they were dancing cheek to cheek with some very elderly and energetic peaceniks.
‘We Shall Overcome ...’
Several ambassadors came to listen and observe their host country and her people, and to explain and promote their own countries in debates. The US, of course, doesn’t even have an ambassador to Denmark yet, and the chargé d’affaires was overworked and had a hard time explaining her country’s and in particular her president’s course. This was much easier for the former ambassador, Rufus Gifford, whose tenure ended along with President Obama’s. The British ambassador also had quite some explaining to do regarding Brexit and the recent election in the UK.
Two fm Danish Foreign Ministers and one (fm) for Development competing in quiz on the Sustainable Development Goals
Denmark faces the same threats as other European countries, and police presence during the Folkemøde is massive and security tight, not least because all major politicians turn up, from the Prime Minister, most of the government, and lots and lots of MPs and MEPs.
❝ The Danish police truly demonstrate the difference between a police service and a police force❞
This year the police didn’t carry submachine guns, only handguns. They participate in the fun, smile, look you in the eye; here the Danish police truly demonstrate the difference between a police service and a police force. They signal that they are around to protect democracy, not undermine or threaten it. When they do ask people to e.g. get off their bike on a pedestrian street, it is with a smile while waving a plastic water bottle. They are here to protect the people, not frighten us.
Two years ago, and as far as I remember last year as well, they carried submachine guns, in 2015 because the extreme right wing and national politician from the Netherlands, Geert Wilders was there, and his mere presence calls for extra protection. He is not popular in Denmark, but naturally he has the same right to protection as everyone else. Having lived in New York and also had the privilege to be protected by both NYPD and UN security, I can safely say that police in Denmark are able to protect without being the least bit menacing – when they want to. In the cities, they don’t always exude that same kind of comforting and confidence building solidarity as they do at Folkemødet. But we love them when they do.
This year’s Folkemøde was the seventh of its kind. The concept originates in Sweden, where the Alemdals Week has taken place for 40 consecutive years.
Saturday night fireworks; the Sun hardly sets during Scandinavia’s short summer nights