Report on the 2005 EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges
Message for the 2005 EU-Japan Year Outline of the EU-Japan Year Calendar of Events List of Participating Organizations Back to the Report

Outline of the EU-Japan Year

Outline of the EU-Japan Year > Denmark

Denmark

In Denmark, the Promotion Committee for the 2005 EU-Japan Year of People-to-People Exchanges was set up, comprised of members of the Embassy of Japan, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arts Agency, as well as Japan-related organizations and businesses, which called upon a wide range of organizations to cooperate and participate in the Year of Exchanges.

The Year of People-to-People Exchanges started with a spectacular opening event "Happy DJ 2005," which was held in the Queen’s Hall of the Royal Library in Copenhagen. The event was graced with the presence of Her Royal Highness, Princess Elizabeth, Honorary President of the Denmark-Japan Society as well as Grethe Rostbøll, former Minister of Culture, among other participants. The event was broadcast as a 30 minute program on Danish television and attracted significant attention.

The Year of Exchanges was a great triumph, with a total of 54 different events taking place over the course of a year, covering such diverse areas as culture, arts, music, science, and sports. These included a Japanese Taiko (drum) concert performed by Danish children who are learning karate, a Japanese Culture Day at Egeskov Castle organized by the Japanese Association in Denmark, a Japan-EU Seminar at Aarhus University, a Development Assistance Seminar at the Danish Institute of International Studies, an Edo Exhibition at Koldinghus Museum introducing the culture and art of the Edo Period, and Aikido in Denmark organized by the Danish Aikido Federation. On December 7, approximately 700 people from Japan and Denmark gathered in the Main Hall of Copenhagen City Hall to take part in the MATSURI, which brought an end to the Year of Exchanges. This event was held with the participation and cooperation of the various Japan-related organizations which had been involved with the Year of Exchanges activities during the year.

Through the various events, the Year of People-to-People Exchanges in Denmark has succeeded in not only strengthening the activities of organizations which have links with Japan, but also in establishing and strengthening a cooperative structure among various organizations at the grassroots level. Through the active promotion of exchanges of people across a broad range of areas, friendly relations between the two nations of Japan and Denmark have grown even stronger.

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