Your Majesties; Mr. Ambassador; Distinguished guests,
It is a great privilege to welcome you all to the opening of the Denmark Pavilion.
I would like to start by extending a warm thank-you to The Danish National Girl’s Choir for setting the tone for this very special moment.
And this IS a special moment.
We have finally arrived… in Paris. One of the most beautiful cities in the world.
A city where most of us - at some point - have been a guest. A visitor - or A tourist.
This place holds memories. Or as they say in French ‘a Souvenir’.
For me a very particular one. Being born on Bastille Day – Fete Nationale – I celebrated my 18th birthday here.
And that is a night I will never forget…
Just as I believe, the thousands of athletes will never forget the fact, that they got to be part of this celebration of sport and life. The 33rd Olympic Games.
Of course, the Olympics is about winning and about medals.
Of course, the Olympics is about winning and about medals.
But added a little time and perspective, it is about much more than that.
It is about participating.
About contributing – and in that sense taking part in creating something bigger.
When I look at The Denmark pavilion, I really believe that this is what we are striving to do here.
Share stories about all those who contribute to the Danish way of living and help bring to life the ideas that make our small nation bigger.
Here at the pavilion, we tell you stories about global market-leaders within playful innovation – like LEGO GROUP or GN Group.
And we bring you stories about dedicated Danes who come up with the next big idea – or the idea that will literally make someone’s life better.
Just like Biking without age - or the girl who started her own football-club. - some of the unique persons you will meet on the screens here.
Our intension is to provide our visitors with a piece of Danish Culture at its best.
Like the Danish National Girl’s Choir, we’ve just heard - and examples of Danish artists that are right now taking the international stage and giving us new ways to approach the world.
Like Lydmor or Teitur who will also perform live in the pavilion during the coming weeks.
Denmark is a small country with room for big ideas. It’s a nation of innovative thinkers dedicated to make a difference – big and small.
We celebrate the ideas that inspire and contribute to create a better way of living - and community driven change has been part of the Danish DNA for centuries.
We are built on communities - from the local sports-club to some of the largest Danish export companies that are still owned by cooperatives.
Tomorrow the Olympic flame will be lit here in Paris as a symbol of connection and coherence. And I believe, we are both.
The connection makes us strong; the coherence makes us agile.
At The Denmark pavilion there is connection between business, culture and innovation. And there is coherence in development and realization.
This makes the ideas accessible and easy to share - for the benefit of more people around the world.
Throughout the Olympics – while athletes are performing their absolute best – you can drop by here at the Denmark Pavilion and meet some of those dedicated people. Explore their ideas – and maybe even contribute with your own.
You can listen to concerts, learn about sustainable ideas, attend talks with leaders and inventors to get an insight into what drives innovation – or just hang out, get a drink, take a break and meet new people.
At the end of the day, that’s where most ideas come from.
We have taken, what we believe to be a concentrate of Denmark and brought it right here into the heart of Paris.
To Maison du Danemark in historic surroundings - with Champs-Élysée on one side and Frederikskirken on the other - it could not be more perfect.
It is our hope to see visitors from all over the world and share thoughts, ideas, insights and performances over the coming weeks.
Thank you for being here and sharing this moment with us.
