It’s officially Christmas season in Denmark! On Friday, November 1, the Christmas beer was launched in bars around the country with a lot of festivities. Gradually, we are going to see more and more Christmas lights and decorations on the streets, stores, and homes. Invitations to Christmas parties (Julefrokost) have already started to trickle in, as the battle for the few weekends left until Christmas Day started.
While getting in the festive mood, the discussions around the dinner table have been more serious than ever. Three main stories caught the attention of the people this week. First, the whole debacle with adoptions from abroad. Second, the apology from Sweden for the acts of their youth in Denmark, and last, the discussion of when you should have “the talk” about death.
The majority of the parliamentary parties want to reopen the possibility of adopting from abroad. This week, Denmark’s only international adoption agency (DIA) was closed, and the task was taken over by the state. Denmark went from 600 international adoptions per year (a couple decades ago) to zero this year. So what happened? It seems that in multiple cases, the biological parents of the children never gave their consent for the adoption. An investigation is on the way, and hundreds of adoptees are waiting for more information on their own adoption. The story is far from over, and most likely there will be no international adoptions until that is clarified and better systems are put in place.
Moving on to the problem with the young guns for hire from Sweden. The number of violent cases in the last year has increased significantly, and for most, it was young people from Sweden. The Swedish prime minister Ulf Kristersson visited Denmark this week and said, “Sweden has a responsibility. A big responsibility. And we will take responsibility”. There will be closer cooperation between the police and the intelligence services in Denmark and Sweden. Similar visits have been held in Norway and Finland, as they have the same problem.
And lastly, the talk about death. Several municipalities across the country are focusing on helping more of us talk to each other about our last wishes. Since 2017, the project “Ready for the Conversation” has been implemented in more than 15 municipalities to provide tools for this special talk. How to prepare? Talk to relatives about your last wishes (hospital/home; funeral; social media); talk to your doctor if you want to be revived; create a treatment will; and establish a future power of attorney.
Thank you for reading and sharing Last Week in Denmark!
