Innovative Denmark: Embassy showcases Danish solutions, dishes

Stalls highlighted businesses and aid agency efforts as Danish band performed on stage

ISLAMABAD: Danish track record of innovation was on display on Thursday evening at ‘Innovative Denmark,’ organised by the Danish Embassy.

The event showcased many innovative solutions in areas such as green growth, development, peace and stabilisation, and ‘smart city’ planning, all of which Denmark is globally recognised for.

Local partners of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) also showcased their work and contribution in Pakistan, which primarily focused on promoting gender equality, democracy, human rights and art and culture. Many of the Danish companies operating in Pakistan also showed their contributions to the country by showcasing wind energy, water management, healthcare, and textile solutions.

Most popular were the stalls selling handicrafts and clothing, although, given the heat, the gelato stall also proved to be quite popular.

UNODC and UNWOMEN had stalls outlining their programmes, and in the case of the latter, explaining issues for women in disasters areas and the victims of violence.

There was also a stall promoting the Lahore Children’s Film Festival, and a Human Rights Commission of Pakistan with anti-death penalty literature.

Danish Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Helle Nielsen said, “We Danes like to believe we are one of the world’s most innovative countries,” and that “Innovative Denmark” was not only meant to showcase some of the most innovative solutions that Denmark has produced, but also to celebrate the strong relations and partnership between Denmark and Pakistan.

The event was attended by hundreds of people, who in addition to the learning about the many areas of Danish expertise, also enjoyed hors d’oeuvres modelled on traditional Danish dishes and music performances by Danish folk music duo Elof & Wamberg, who came from Denmark to perform at the event.

The duo mesmerised the audience with their performances on the ukulele and contrabass.

The duo has played over 100 concerts in England, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Sweden, but this was their first performance in Pakistan.

Earlier, a Baloch duo, each equipped with a saroz, played folk music, which the Danish musicians Tobias Elof and Nikolaj Wamberg especially seemed to appreciate.

A Pakistani attendee said she appreciated the initiative and enjoyed sampling the Danish food, especially the cheeses, while German Embassy Press and Cultural Affairs First Secretary Dan Tidten said it was good that the embassy was giving Pakistanis an opportunity to get a taste Danish culture.

A number of guests also had a sombre moment when they saw a plaque on a wall in remembrance of those killed in the deadly bombing at the embassy in June 2008.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2016.