The aim of the event is to strengthen democracy and political dialogue in Denmark. At the festival, citizens, businessmen and interest organizations have an option to meet and discuss politics with representatives of the state, regions and cities. The festival program also incorporates film screenings, performances, workshops and seminars. This year’s event was attended, among others, by Prime Minister H. Thorning-Schmidt, Minister for Gender Equality and Ecclesiastical Affairs M. Sareen, Minister of Health A. Krag and other members of the Danish Parliament, Folketinget.

Prime Minister H. Thorning-Schmidt

The People’s Meeting, inspired by a similar event on the Swedish island Gotland, took place for the first time in 2011 following a proposal from Danish political veteran, former minister and member of the European Parliament and currently the first Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, B. Haarder.

First Deputy Speaker of the Danish Parliament B. Haarder.

This year the festival was attended by approximately 60 000 people.

The Czech Embassy was represented at the festival for the second time. Last year the Embassy arranged screening of the documentary movie Citizen Havel and presented the exhibition Václav Havel 1968-2003 by three Czech photographers: Oldřich Škácha, Karel Cudlín and Alan Pajer. This year the Embassy participated in a Czech Evening, which featured a presentation of the Czech Republic by Chargé d´affaires a.i. J. Borcel. Furthermore, representatives of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports L. Bánovec (Director of the Department for the International Relations) and K. Gondtková (Director of the Department for the Universities) informed about the possibilities of reciprocal education exchange. Also representatives of the Danish Agency for Universities and Internationalization participated in the discussion.

From the left: L. Bánovec, K. Gondtková, J. Borcel

The embassy also arranged two exhibitions to be featured during and after the festival (until 14 July): Queen Dagmar, Czech Princess (in Nexø and then Rønne) and 100 Czech Best (Rønne and then Nexø).