Three inspiring days in Folkemødet
It’s not called “Sunshine Island” for nothing. Bathed in sunshine but with a pleasantly cool breeze, this year’s Folkemøde in Allinge on Bornholm more than lived up to its reputation as a ‘hyggelig’ meeting place for Danish politicians, opinion leaders, students and everyone interested in politics and democracy engage in a range of issues.
speaking and listening
The US Embassy in Copenhagen visited Folkemødet with a delegation that included Ambassador Leventhal and members of the Embassy’s Political, Trade, Defense and Public Diplomacy departments. The Ambassador and the other members of the delegation attended or attended events throughout the week. Ambassador Leventhal had a busy schedule of presentations on topics such as the green transition, Russia’s war in Ukraine, common defense and security, the Arctic, democratic engagement, US-Denmark trade relations, and the role of diplomacy in our changing world.
Ambassador Leventhal and the team not only delivered speeches on several panel discussions, but also listened to several other speakers, exchanged ideas with people, met existing contacts and made new ones during the three days.
Collaboration is key
In his talks, Ambassador Leventhal focused on why it is so important that the US, Denmark and other allies and partners work together. Cooperation is key to help Ukraine win the war Russia started. Collaboration is key to making the green transition a success for the whole world. Working together is key to keeping tensions low in the Arctic. And cooperation is key in NATO. Everyone is doing their part to ensure our common security in the years to come.
During the discussions, it became clear that the challenges we face are beyond the scope of any single government or country and that it is only through cooperation between governments and with the private sector that we can successfully grope our way to today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
What Folkemødet does best
Folkemødet has done what it does best. Providing a venue and an unparalleled atmosphere to discuss the important issues of the day with a diverse group of people and provide food for thought for all attendees. As the event drew to a close, Ambassador Leventhal reflected on the event and stressed how great it was to see so many young people present and actively engaged, noting that democracy in Denmark is in excellent condition state be!
