Ladies and gentlemen, dear Goodwill Ambassadors,

It is great to see you all again on Danish ground, and I hope you are all well.

Thank you for taking the time to come here. It is fantastic that you chose to spend your precious holidays under the shelter of an umbrella rather than under the shadow of a palm tree… So we chose to abuse of your patriotism to make you work while you are here…  thus renewing your commitment to promote and strengthen our small, but after all, great country.

It is with curiosity and fondness that I look forward to hearing your inputs and experiences as well as your dedication to Denmark and Copenhagen despite living far away. Many of you tell me that you do this because you want to pay back in appreciation of what you have been given by the old country. That sense of pride and obligation is part of what makes YOU special, and what makes others think of our country as special.

I meet people from all walks of life, both here and abroad. And I am immensely proud to see the way most Danes carry themselves and represent Denmark and Danish values when living outside our borders. Whether we’re talking corporate, cultural, educational etc, or whether it be short-term, long-term or permanent. Each and every one represents what he or she feels is appropriate with the right balance and blend of what the new home adds to his or her life.

That is also how we try to entice our Youth Goodwill Ambassadors to be and to become. Some will settle here, others are merely passing through – but having added their flavor to Danish society, once back home they will add Danish flavor to their original sphere. That is priceless branding – just like YOU do!

Your contribution to Wonderful Copenhagen and Copenhagen Capacity supports, strengthens and makes the capital city grow. Calculations illustrate that the socio-economic benefit of a highly-educated foreigner coming here to work is a whopping 720,000 DKK on public finances. If it is a family, the figure rises to 2,2 million DKK. Denmark needs talents – and that won’t stop tomorrow. Foreign companies and talents are a key part of our survival kit – and with such numbers, it should sweep away any counter-arguments. We must engage and embrace the world.

Your efforts do not go unnoticed. Last year as we celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Goodwill Ambassadors at Amalienborg, I congratulated 4 ambassadors who have been with us since the very beginning: Per Troen, Peder Holm, Jørgen Guldborg Rasmussen and Jens Olesen. With the risk of starting a tradition, I take this opportunity to thank two ambassadors with a 20-year anniversary this year:

Anders Fisker

• Based in Ontario, Canada
• Not only does his license plate in Canada say ‘CPH GWA’, he also carries it out in actions
• Latest connecting the Toronto Foundation Chairman with a visitor program to Copenhagen through Copenhagen Capacity’s One-Point-Entry service
• I hereby hand you this diploma as a token of appreciation for your 20 years of faithful service

Kirsten Hetland Brault

• Based in Paris, France
• Kirsten has over the years contributed with many different projects and initiatives within different areas such as cultural events, tourist attraction, sustainable initiatives
• For many years Kirsten has been opening doors for Scandinavian companies in France
• I hereby hand you this diploma as a token of appreciation for your 20 years of faithful service

I would like to conclude by thanking each of our 62 ambassadors and spouses. Despite moving into our 21st year of networking, it feels as if we are an ever stronger, rejuvenated and energized 21-year old organisation.

Thank you  -  cheers!