NordenBladet – His Royal Highness The Crown Prince visits Finland in the fall together with a large Danish business delegation. The visit, which is a business and culture promotional campaign, takes place 13-14 September 2018 and will focus on the maritime industry, urban solutions and Nordic cuisine.
The visit will be carried out as part of the activities marking and celebrating the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Finland and Denmark. At the same time, the visit is aimed at strengthening the commercial co-operation between the two countries.
The first part of the visit will take place in the capital Helsinki, where The Crown Prince will, among other things, participate in events about urban development at the company Rambøll and the Finnish firm Stora Enso, with a focus on collaboration between the Danish and Finnish companies on green, innovative city solutions.
Nordic gastronomy will be presented at an event at which Danish food products enter into a Finnish context.
The second part of the visit takes place in the city Turku on Finland’s west coast, which is a stronghold for the maritime industry. Here, there will be a visit at the Meyer Turku shipyard, where some of the world’s largest cruise ships are produced. In addition to that, a matchmaking event will be held for Danish sub-contractors to the maritime industry in Finland.
NordenBladet – Today, the annual report on the Royal Danish House’s activities in 2017 is released.
As is shown by the annual report, there was a deficit of 2.8 million DKK in 2017. The result is carried over to net capital. The shortfall can be attributed to the extraordinary expenses the Royal Danish House incurred during the past year.
The annual report describes the official activities and doings of HM The Queen and the royal family and gives an account of the Royal Danish House’s finances in 2017. In the past year, the royal family participated in more than 700 official events in the areas of business and culture, humanitarian and social initiatives, sport and health, the defence, research and education, and foundation and award distributions.
The royal family was also active outside of Denmark. In 2017, The Queen carried out her 53rd outward-bound state visit with a trip to Ghana. TRH The Crown Prince and The Crown Princess led Danish business and culture promotional campaigns in Sweden and Japan. HRH Prince Joachim travelled with CARE Danmark to Nepal, and HRH Princess Marie visited Greenland with Autism Denmark. In India, HRH Princess Benedikte took part in the international conference of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
In seven theme articles, it is also possible to delve into a selection of the royal family’s engagements. One can read about Aarhus as European Capital of Culture, The Crown Prince’s role in the IOC, The Mary Foundation’s 10th anniversary, Prince Joachim’s journey to Nepal, Princess Marie’s fight against food waste and Princess Benedikte’s engagement in the Scouting movement.
NordenBladet — The conflict in Syria has recently entered its eight year, and, according to the UN, more than 12 million people have been forced to flee, either internally or to the neighboring countries. The need for humanitarian aid and assistance in Syria and the neighboring region is enormous.
Today, Minister of Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs announces a historically large contribution of DKK 730m to the crisis. This happens at an international conference hosted by the UN and the EU in Brussels. Minister of Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs says, “It is hard to comprehend the unbelievable suffering that the Syrian civilian population goes through. The conflict has now entered its eight year, and the number of people affected continues to rise. Consequently, the government proceeds to prioritize assistance to one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises – both in Syria and the neighboring countries.”
Ulla Tørnæs continues, “Meanwhile, we must remember that the development in Syria directly impacts Denmark. Therefore, it is exceptionally important that we assist as much as possible in the neighboring region; the sizeable refugee flows, from the crisis and towards Europe within recent years, attest to this. Half of the DKK 730m is allocated to the neighboring region, in order to focus on sustainable strengthening of resilience and local development among refugees and local communities in Lebanon and Jordan.”
Among other things, Denmark provides DKK 140m in acute humanitarian assistance dispersed with DKK 50m for UN’s humanitarian country funds for Syria ensuring coordination and emergency aid, DKK 35m for UNHCR and the ICRC respectively, as well as DKK 20m to UNRWA’s work for Palestinian refugees in Syria and Lebanon. This is in addition to the DKK 61m that has already been granted to Danish humanitarian organizations’ work in and around Syria, just as additional DKK 149m is allocated for humanitarian efforts later this year.
Finally, DKK 380m is allocated for development and stabilization efforts in the neighboring countries. The crisis in Syria is one of the worst humanitarian crises faced by the international community today. The conflict escalated during the first months of 2018 severely worsening the humanitarian situation. Among other things, there has been a significant rise in the number of internally displaced persons. More than 700.000 have been forced to flee in 2018. Currently, it is estimated that there are up to 7 million internally displaced persons in the country. At the same time, more than 5.5 million people have fled Syria – the vast majority to the neighboring countries.
NordenBladet — The ambitious new agreement, which is the first of its kind between the World Economic Forum (WEF) and any European country, will be signed on 24 April by Denmark’s Tech Ambassador and the newly established WEF Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution in San Francisco. The Center was established last year to specifically advance the WEF’s vision to create impact through public private partnerships.
The WEF-Denmark partnership is aimed at forging new global alliances between a multitude of stakeholders including the private sector incl. technology companies, governments & civil society to help shape and develop the state-of-the-art approaches, policies and regulations of tomorrow in order to utilize opportunities occurring in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
As a small and advanced country Denmark is already one of the most digitalised societies in the world. Nonetheless the Danish Government has as its clear aim to continue preparing Denmark for the multitude of opportunities as well as challenges arising from digitalisation and the fast pace of new technologies being developed in the 21st Century. The agreement in San Francisco follows a broader memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed at the 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, in the presence of WEF Founder Dr. Klaus Schwab, Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen & WEF President Borge Brende.
“Our mission is to shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution so that it benefits the society. Denmark has committed to be a leader and pilot innovative frameworks and policies being co-designed at the Center. We look forward to a strong collaboration and sharing findings throughout our Network,” says Murat Sonmez, Head of the World Economic Forum Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Together with a selection of leading private sector partners, WEF and the Government of Denmark will cooperate on four concrete areas where new technology will potentially redefine many aspects the daily lives of global citizens and create challenges for traditional governance.
“This partnership is based on a fundamental belief that technology in general will be a positive game-changer for the world. Like previous industrial revolutions, our time and age will grow the economy, lift people out of poverty, deliver unprecedented healthcare, develop sustainability across the board and build a new generation of start-ups. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and Internet of Things bring huge opportunities for a small, open and highly digitalized country like Denmark. But it requires the right combination of skills, policies, and regulations to maximize opportunities while at the same time minimizing the risks, that it is also critical we do not lose sight of. Our partnership with WEF in San Francisco will be an important step in that direction”, says Denmark’s Foreign Minister, Mr. Anders Samuelsen, who earlier last year appointed the world’s first and so far only Tech Ambassador, thereby elevating technological diplomacy (TechPlomacy) to a crosscutting priority in Danish foreign policy. Based in Silicon Valley but with a global mandate and team located also in Copenhagen and Beijing, the Tech Ambassador is spearheading the new WEF-partnership on behalf of the Danish Government.
WEF and Denmark will collaborate on identifying and driving a number of pilot projects in Denmark, which has the potential to scale internationally. The ambition is to help shape and operationalize agile regulation based on a principle of “light but right touch”, which on the one hand keeps up and enables the pace of new technology, and on the other ensures that basic principles of governance as well as core values will continue to flourish.
The WEF-Denmark partnership will specifically pursue initiatives aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as a recognition that SDGs represent market opportunities for 12 trillion USD annually, which the private sector and other actors can tap into while contributing to a more sustainable world.Denmark will partner with the WEF Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s Internet of Things (IoT) and Connected Devices project to pilot initiatives in Denmark specifically benefitting from advancements in accurate satellite positioning and geo-data. Denmark has one of the highest deployments of IoT in the world. Analysis suggests that an estimated 84% of IoT deployments are currently addressing, or have the potential to advance SDGs. This underlies that there is still massive potential connected with IoT yet to be unleashed.In addition, WEF and Denmark will leverage their network to gain unique insights on how emerging technologies, such as precision medicine, will transform the healthcare sector in the coming years, and how countries like Denmark could adapt accordingly in favor of patients and business. A dynamic environment for digital innovation is also key to success in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. WEF and Denmark will identify best practices from the unique innovation-ecosystem in Silicon Valley to benefit Danish and European corporates, start-ups, academia, students and other actors in new ways, with a special focus on artificial intelligence, big data analytics and internet of things.
Lastly, the partnership will explore new approaches for agile governance to promote human-centred, inclusive and sustainable policy-making in the future.As part the agreement, a Government Fellow from the Danish Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate will be seconded to the WEF Center in San Francisco to spearhead specific cooperation activities. In addition, the Danish Ministry of Industry, Business, and Financial Affairs, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will regularly work and engage with the Forum’s extensive network of experts and private sector partners in San Francisco.The project will initially run for one year with the possibility for extension.
NordenBladet – Her Majesty’s sepulchral monument is now set up and stands in Saint Bridget’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral. Here, The Queen will be laid to rest alongside nearly 40 Danish kings and queens from the early Middle Ages until today.
The preparation of the monument has been underway since 2003, when the sculptor, professor Bjørn Nørgaard, was commissioned to create a modern sepulchral monument that can be incorporated into the large number of royal grave monuments at Roskilde Cathedral. From the project’s beginning, Bjørn Nørgaard was in close dialogue with The Queen and Prince Henrik about the idea and the design of the work “Sarcophagus”.
The artwork represents The Queen and Prince Henrik’s joint efforts through 50 years, and The Prince’s decision to not be entombed at Roskilde Cathedral has not brought about changes in the artwork. The base is crafted in sandstone from France, and the three pillars supporting the sarcophagus are of Danish granite, Faroese basalt and Greenlandic marble, respectively. The elephant heads on the pillars are cast in silver. The sarcophagus itself is of cast glass, and, in a hollow space in the glass, two figures representing The Queen and Prince Henrik are sand-blasted on the inner side. Allegories, heraldry and symbols in gilded bronze are found on the top. The Queen will be laid to rest in a crypt under the sepulchral monument.
As the sepulchral monument will first be displayed to the public after The Queen’s death, a covering has been prepared so that visitors to the Cathedral will have a chance to visit the chapel, even though the sepulchral monument has been set up. Both the sepulchral monument and the covering are by Bjørn Nørgaard, and a 1:10 copy of the monument is exhibited in Roskilde Cathedral, where visitors can follow the crafting of a modern sepulchral monument through information boards and a coming exhibition, which is expected to be opened at the end of June.
The work and the costs of the monument have been held within the Danish Parliament’s stipulated appropriation under the Budget Act.
Since the 1400s, Roskilde Cathedral has served as the burial place for the Danish Royal House. The sepulchral monument enters into a long tradition of inscribing an epitaph in Roskilde Cathedral to the sovereign’s life and deeds.
NordenBladet — Digital technology is a decisive medium in order to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals. For this reason, the collaboration between Denmark and The World Bank within digitization and development is being enhanced.
Minister for Development Ulla Tørnæs and Vice President in the World Bank Laura Tuck have signed an agreement on Denmark’s entry in the “Digital Development Partnership”, which helps developing countries reap the benefits of digitization.
Minister for Development Ulla Tørnæs says: “By strengthening the partnership with The World Bank on the digital agenda, we get a really strong partner in the effort of creating development through data and digital technology. The technological improvements give developing countries new opportunities to solve their challenges within sectors such as energy, education and health. We want to take part in ensuring that new digital solutions can be brought into play in the developing countries. Simultaneously, it is crucial that the digitization becomes inclusive, not leaving certain sections of the population behind”.
With the agreement, Denmark contributes 15 mio. DKK to The World Bank’s “Digital Development Partnership”. Through the partnership, the World Bank cooperates with ministries in developing countries in order to formulate digital strategies and make digital solutions accessible within areas such as digital economy, internet access for all, eGovernment and cyber security. Current contributors are other donors (Finland, Japan and Korea), and private companies (Microsoft and GSMA).
The agreement on Denmark’s contribution to the “Digital Development Partnership” was signed during The World Bank’s Spring Meetings in Washington. The collaboration with The World Bank on the digital agenda is a part of the Danish Techvelopment-effort, which is a part of the government’s overall TechPlomacy-initiative.
NordenBladet – His Royal Highness The Crown Prince visits China’s capital Beijing the days of 26-28 September 2018. The Crown Prince will take part in the opening of Denmark’s exhibition at Beijing Design Week, which is being carried out as part of Copenhagen’s partnership with Beijing.
Denmark’s exhibition at Beijing Design Week will focus on Danish lifestyle and will include the participation of leading Danish companies. The themes span from health, food and design to green construction.
Copenhagen is the guest city for Beijing Design Week 2018, which is one of the largest events of its type in Asia. The exhibition is arranged by the City of Copenhagen in cooperation with the Confederation of Danish Industry and the Danish embassy in Beijing. In addition to the exhibition, Copenhagen’s collaboration with Beijing includes a large urban renewal project in the centre of Beijing, where Danish green building solutions are brought into play.
During the visit, The Crown Prince will also take part in a number of business and cultural activities that have the objective of strengthening the relations between Denmark and China. Among other things, these will include The Danish Cultural Centre in Beijing, which also carries out a number of activities during Beijing Design Week.
NordenBladet — As a response towards the Syrian regimes’ use of chemical weapons in Douma on April 7, USA, France and the UK launched an attack on installations in Syria in the early morning of April 14. Ahead of this, on April 10, Russia used its veto in the UN Security Council to prevent the adoption of an American draft resolution, which would have established and independent UN-mechanism to investigate the chemical attack in Douma. Denmark co-sponsored the American draft resolution.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs says: “The tragic pictures we have seen from the chemical attack on Douma last Saturday underline the Assad regime’s deep contempt for human life. Such acts must have consequences. It is unacceptable that Russia, on Tuesday again prevented the Security Council from fulfilling its responsibility in Syria. Therefore, Denmark unconditionally supports the response toward the Syrian atrocities from our allies. We must send a clear signal that the international society does not stand idly by when a brutal regime uses chemical weapons against its own population”.
NordenBladet — The Danish Government sends DKK 10 million to the displaced people and refugees of the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Democratic Republic of Congo faces a worsening humanitarian crisis as a result of the increasing violent conflict.
“More than 2 million people have been forced to flee in 2017 alone – on average, this corresponds to 50 families fleeing every hour, which is disastrous. Over the last year, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has exacerbated greatly. The development in the country has resulted in a deepening humanitarian crisis. Therefore, Denmark contributes with DKK 10 million to help the civil population and the displaced people in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the refugees in the neighbouring areas of the conflict,” says Minister of Development Cooperation, Ulla Tørnæs.
The Danish funding contribution of DKK 10 million will be used by the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees to help the internally displaced people and refugees in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and across the region. The Danish funds will among other things contribute to general protection measures for the affected people.
NordenBladet — Together with Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg and Great Britain, Denmark belongs to an exclusive group of countries that meet the UN target to provide 0,7 percent of GNI in official development assistance.
This is evident in the western countries’ economic cooperation organization, the OECD’s, preliminary reporting for 2017 that was published recently.
Here, Denmark’s official development assistance for 2017 is determined to be 0,72 percent of GNI as measured in disbursements.
“We should be proud that we once again meet the UN target for official development assistance. Through our development cooperation, we improve living conditions, growth and jobs in some of the world’s poorest countries. Thereby we also prevent migration flows. When we, in places such as Africa or the Middle East, help people to attain a better life at home, we also help ourselves,” says the Minister for Development Cooperation Ulla Tørnæs.
It is the government’s target to provide 0,7 percent of GNI in official development assistance. The final statement for the OECD member state’s official development assistance will be published by the end of this year.
