CULTURE BRINGS
NEW ENCOUNTERS
Opening a new center for cultural exchange between
Denmark and India
“It has to be recognized that the Indians seldom fall ill;
that violent passions are unknown among them; and that
at all times they are good-natured and glad to work, in
contrast to us Europeans, whose indulgence in immoderate
or unseasonable eating and drinking not only makes us
ill-disposed to work, but often causes us illnesses and
even death.” Carsten Niebuhr wrote these observations in
1764 while visiting Mumbai as part of a Danish expedition.
While he serves as an exemplary visitor, he was also
a distant observer – matter-of-factly stating what he
saw, representing the scientific spirit of The European
Enlightenment. – we are opening the doors to the Danish Cultural Institute
in India. We will formally open in early 2019, but we are
already here starting our work out of our home in South
Delhi from where we will cover all of India.
Mutual benefits
Things have changed since then: Once we were onlookers,
now we come to engage - and this is exactly the foundation
of the new Danish Cultural Institute in India. Danes and
Indians have more in common than one might think. Despite
vast differences in size, historical experience and geography
we share common values and we work on many of the
same agendas and ponder on a lot of the same questions:
What can be done to create inclusive societies with equal
opportunities for all? How do we fight the consequences of
global warming that are felt in equal measure in Bornholm
and Bengaluru and what does it take to make our cities
liveable - making them cities for people? A cultural approach can
help bridge differences
as door openers for
businesses that are
increasingly dependent
on the Indian market and
on a seamless Indo-Danish
working culture.
Culture as a driving force
With so many pressing agendas it is the time to engage
in closer cultural collaboration between people from
our countries, much closer than Niebuhr could have ever
imagined possible. By working with larger agendas, with a
definite sense of urgency and a firm belief in reciprocity –
that we all need to learn and cooperate to gain real insight
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SDG’s and culture
Our aim is to introduce Danish art and artist, scientists
and thinkers to Indian audiences, to partner with Indian
organisations and likeminded to exchange and collaborate
on projects that often will evolve around UN’s Sustainability
Goals, the SDGs. We also see a role for us when it comes to
promoting Indian culture in Denmark – the more interest
we can raise there, the more attention we are likely to get
here, in India.
The business of culture
Partnering with businesses is an area that we also want
to pursue. A cultural approach can help bridge differences
as door openers for businesses that are increasingly
dependent on the Indian market and on a seamless Indo-
Danish working culture. Including a cultural aspect in the
business world is a way of getting messages and insights
across barriers with greater impact.