Danish Ambassador to Vietnam and Laos Kim Højlund Christensen
Ambassador Kim Højlund Christensen shared: “Hue is one of Denmark's closest partners in development cooperation programs, especially in the field of art and culture. Certainly, the development will reach new heights in the future”.
Why did the Embassy choose Hue and not other places?
I am very happy to know that there are many places and audiences in Vietnam who would like the Danish Film Week to be shown in their area. This shows that Denmark and Danish cinema are welcomed in Vietnam.
However, for us, Hue is not a normal city like other cities. In the past 20 years, Hue has been one of Denmark's closest partners in the development cooperation program, especially in the field of art and culture.
For example, our cultural cooperation program has supported a lot of contemporary art projects and artists in Hue. Danish bands are regular guests at Hue Festivals.
Denmark and Hue also have very successful trade and investment partnerships. Hue is a city in which one of Denmark's largest multinational companies, Carlsberg Beer, has chosen to build a factory. A few days ago, I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Both of us agreed that the cooperation project between Hue and Carlsberg could be considered as one of the most successful cooperation projects, not only for Hue but also for Vietnam.
In this film week, there will be 6 excellent films of Danish cinema to be screened. Why have these 6 films been chosen, and what is the message that the organizers wish to send to viewers in Hue?
We have selected 6 films "Land of Mine", "Long Story Short", "Key House Mirror", "The Hunt", "Across the Waters" and "A Hijacking" to be shown at the Danish Film Week 2019 because they represent high quality Danish cinema in recent years.
The number of international awards and nominations received by these films is a clear guarantee of their quality. We also selected these films because they are the best examples of films that are both entertaining and thought-provoking.
We hope Hue audiences will have an interesting journey to Denmark post-World War II and present-day Denmark; to learn more about the Danes and the values we worship and strive for, for example: a harmonious and good welfare society where everyone from different classes and generations can live peacefully and happily. The Danes love freedom, have a complete trust in others, have compassion and are not judgmental towards other people...
What kinds of cooperation and support has Denmark provided for Hue in development and in culture, sir?
In the past 20 years, Hue has been one of our closest partners in development cooperation programs. However, Vietnam now is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and has become a low-middle income country. Denmark and Vietnam are moving from pure partnership based on the traditional development cooperation program to a full and comprehensive partnership with a focus on trade and investment cooperation, high-level political dialogues as well as promoting cooperation key areas, such as culture, green growth, energy, health, etc.
I see many opportunities to cooperate with Hue in this new partnership model, especially in the field of art and culture, because promoting cultural exchange and strengthening exchanges between the people of the two countries continue to be an important part of the close cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark.
By bringing the Danish cinema to Hue, what do you wish to "receive in return"?
Cinema is one of the best and most direct ways to satisfy this desire as well as to help connect people. All 6 films shown in the Danish Film Week 2019 are all about Denmark and the country but I believe that these films also contain a lot of issues that Vietnamese audiences can relate to and contemplate upon.
I hope that the Danish Film Week 2019 will be an opportunity through which art is used to promote Hue and Vietnamese people’s understanding about Denmark, about the society as well as the current life of Denmark’s people.
The Danish Film Week 2019 will screen 6 high quality films, representing the Danish cinema. Photo: The Embassy of Denmark
Have you ever been to Hue and what are your opinions about this land?
This is my first visit to Hue but I can say immediately that it is definitely not my last visit. I believe that there will be many occasions for business trips in Hue, such as joining the Hue Festival next year, visiting cooperation projects between Denmark and Hue ...
I will also return to Hue as a traveling individual. Hue has many beautiful landscapes and I want to come back here with my family to visit those landscapes. I also hope to learn a little bit more about the daily life of this beautiful city and the surrounding area, of course including experiencing and enjoying some Hue food.
If there is a cultural event, would Hue still be on the "map" of the Embassy's chosen destinations, sir?
Hue will surely continue to be on the Danish cultural "map", especially in 2021 when Denmark and Vietnam will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.
I really hope the Danish Embassy will continue to receive the valuable help of the Provincial People's Committee, the provincial agencies as well as Hue people in organizing a number of meaningful cultural and art events to celebrate this important milestone.
By PHAN THANH