At NYC Event, PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen Celebrates Denmark’s Leadership Role in the SDGs
Denmark’s excellence in tackling the Sustainable Development Goals was on high display Monday night as the Consulate General of Denmark in New York hosted Her Royal Highness Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark and Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen for its annual marquee event on the side-lines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The event — headlined Denmark: It’s more than a small country. It’s a BIG idea! and co-hosted with SAP Next-Gen and Dansk Industri — celebrated nine Danish companies for their work in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, including Carlsberg, whose recently launched “Snap Pack” eliminates the need for environmentally damaging plastic packaging; Novozymes, whose innovative use of biological solutions in industrial products reveals new ways towards saving energy, water and raw materials, while reducing waste and emissions; and Rambøll, whose holistic approach to urban planning is paving the way to more liveable, cost-efficient and healthier cities.
Pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, manufacturer Danfoss, Henning Larsen Architects, cBrain and Rockwool also participated in the event unveiling displays that highlighted their critical achievements in areas such as sustainable urban solutions and delivering solutions for contemporary health crises.
Addressing a packed room at SAP Next-Gen’s offices, headquartered in the futuristic 10 Hudson Yards, the Prime Minister explained that the “Sustainable Development Goals truly are envisioned across the spectrum of Danish businesses” and added that the fundamental values behind the SDGs remained embedded in the Danish social fabric.
“In Denmark, we have built a strong culture founded on values: equality, fairness, trust, community. Working in a sustainable manner for a greener, healthier tomorrow,” he declared.
“These values are not just Danish — they are cornerstones of what the world has come to know as the Sustainable Development Goals. But, I dare to say that Denmark has a unique tradition of turning these values into big results.”
The Prime Minister’s remarks underscored the evening’s theme — that the longstanding Danish values of sustainability, gender equity, and tolerance are, in many ways, the forerunners of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Consul General of Denmark in New York Anne Dorte Riggelsen agreed.
“We recognize that these values transcend national boundaries,” Consul General Riggelsen noted. “That is why we are celebrating the global impact that Denmark is making towards achieving the sustainable development goals, both at home and abroad. And we are thrilled that we can honor both the Danish public and private sectors for maintaining this strong Danish tradition.”
To cap the evening-long celebration of Danish distinction, the event also saw Her Royal Highness Mary, the Crown Princess of Denmark present the 2018 Danish Export Prize to Lines of Denmark for its “exceptional” work in securing the success of the Danish brand Ilse Jacobsen in the US.
Against that backdrop, a spotlight was also cast upon local partners in New York who reflect Denmark’s much vaunted ‘global-local’ approach to establishing partnerships.
The Brownsville Community Culinary Center — a non-profit launched by Danish chef and entrepreneur Claus Meyer in Brownsville, Brooklyn to train neighbourhood residents for careers in the food-service industry — was on hand with a cooking station to display the healthy, accessible cuisine they offer to Brownsvillians. Meanwhile, other non-profit partners of Denmark present at the event included the youth services provider Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement and the Copenhagen-based Art2030 which leverages art in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.
