EXPERIENCE DENMARK
During the World Council you will have several opportunities to experience the warmth and the culture of our host country, Denmark.
There are a number of important elements in the Danish cultural activities on offer at World Council. These include:
● Aarhus walking tours in the afternoon of Sunday 3 July
● A ‘Welcome to Aarhus’ event at the 12th Century Cathedral in the middle of Aarhus on Sunday 3 July at 20:00
● A fantastic selection of Excursions on Monday 4 July
● A Danish cultural evening (with dinner) in the Old Town of Aarhus on Wednesday 6 July
● The option of ‘Dinner-with-a-Dane’ on Thursday 7 July
● The Danish area in the foyer of the Music House, which you van visit during breaks
● ... and try and take yourself to see some of the tourism highlights of this beautiful country.
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AARHUS WALKING TOURS
Sunday afternoon you have the possibility to go on a guided walking tour with a local YMCA-YWCA volunteer. Aarhus is a wonderful ‘big’ city and has many charming places. You can choose between two different routes where you can either see the city or explore activities of the Aarhus YMCA-YWCA.
WELCOME TO AARHUS
On Sunday night, the Danish YMCA-YWCA invites you for an hour’s ‘Welcome to Aarhus’ event. We will welcome you in the cathedral at Store Torv in the very centre of Aarhus, where you will be introduced to elements of Danish cultural identity, as well as the YMCA-YWCA of Denmark.
We will sing together, which is a big tradition in the YMCA-YWCA in Denmark. There will also be musical performances by Ukrainian musicians, who will sing some traditional Ukrainian folk songs. Others will share Danish culture.
We will revisit our shared YMCA identity by reading our foundational document, the Paris Basis.
At the end there will be a short prayer and blessing.
EXCURSIONS
Every trip will bring you closer to the work of the YMCA-YWCA of Denmark, and closer to one of the four YMCA Vision 2030 themes.
DANISH CULTURAL EVENING
‘A walk through time, culture and the Danish YMCA-YWCA’.
Come and spend a cozy evening walking through the rich culture and living history of Denmark.
Travel back in time through the streets of the Open Air Museum of urban history and culture - The Old Town in Aarhus - to witness the cobblestone covered paths and original buildings made with half-timbering. In more modern times, in the ‘1974’ neighbourhood you will get an authentic experience of life in various Danish homes and shops.
Dinner will be served in the Danish way, under the bright warm summer sky inside the Old Town. On your way to the Old Town, you will explore the present work of the Danish YMCA-YWCA.
Discovering the body, mind, spirit philosophy through the eyes of the central figure of the Danish YMCA-YWCA: the volunteer.
The evening begins and ends with a real keystone to Danish culture, as we will sing together with a YMCA choir of 1200 people!
credit: Den Gamle By
- The option of ‘Dinner-with-a-Dane’ on Thursday 7 July
Visit a Danish family for dinner to experience Danish culture and hospitality and try the local Danish food tradition. In groups of 4-8 people, you will go to local families in Aarhus. Inviting family and friends to your home is a great part of Danish culture and social life.
By participating in ‘Dinner with a Dane’, you get a unique opportunity to have a look into local Danish culture and meet local citizens around Aarhus. Furthermore, it will give you a space of intimacy, 'hygge' and feeling at home within a busy World Council week.
DANISH AREA
In the lunch break and in the late afternoon you can drop by at the Danish Area in th foyer of the Music House, where some of our Danish YMCA-YWCA activities are being presented - for instance our YMCA-YWCA choir, Fællesklang. Come by for a chat and for some inspiration.
YMCA-YWCA IN AARHUS
Visit the YMCA Denmark World Council 2022 website, and get the flavour of YMCA Denmark’s work in this short video.