Denmark, Democracy and the Free Press

Ask some Danes in the street of Copenhagen,				5 million inhabitants in Denmark through the tax
the capital of Denmark, about what is important				system. Formally the project was funded under
to them. Many will answer you that it is important				the agency DANCED, later under DANIDA, and
that we have a country that is safe, that all				the project had very strong democratic aspects
people get their basic supply of food, have a				build in.
decent place to live and have free access to the				For Danes it is difficult to separate the importance
hospital and to education. Many will formulate that				of democracy from the long term caring for the
it is important to them as Danes that we have a				environment in Denmark and world wide. Back in
well-functioning democracy without corruption.				the late 1960s the environmental movement in
If you talk more with people they would possibly				Denmark would never have had that important
argue, that they appreciate a free press.				impact without the free press in Denmark. All
Everybody should be allowed to speak up and				Danish newspapers are independent of the
give their opinion on all kinds of issues in the				government and most are more or less
community, including on religion. In fact in most				independent of political parties, too. But of cause
cases religion isn't a big issue for modern Danes				they have their different basic attitudes that for
and in Denmark people have a right to practice				each newspaper will be closer to some political
their own religion.				parties than to others.
As a very small country Danes are aware that				The environmental movement in Denmark was
we are just a small sand corn in the global sea of				for years in strong opposition to the government
sand. But due to the focus on democracy and				and to the establishment of business. But with the
how to improve equality globally Denmark has for				critical attitude to community issues we love the
many years been keen on developmental aid. The				newspapers for keeping the public debate going.
later years this has ceased a little but still it is a				In the case of environmental matters it sparked a
fundamental thing among Danes to try to make				strong environmental priority among some political
the world a little bit better.				parties and in the government as such at that
As an example I can mention that I was assigned				time. Effects of that are still highly viable:
to be a part of an effort of the Ministry of				Denmark is regarded as the 'windmill hub' of the
Thailand to 'Strengthening Environmental Education				world, and we escaped from having nuclear
in Thailand' (The SEET Project). This 4 years				power plans in our small country.
work was initiated by the host country, Thailand,				That would never have happened without
and partly funded by 0.80 USD from each of the				democracy and a free press in Denmark.