Scan Magazine | Issue 35 | November 2011

JUSSI ADLER-OLSEN TAKES ON THE THRILLERDANISH EDUCATION: LEARNING FOR LIFEHELSINKI – WHERE EAST MEETS WESTNORTHERN NORWAY CREATES MEMORIES FOR LIFE PROMOTINGBRANDSC

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Scan Magazine | Contents

Contents

REGULARS & COLUMNS11 Competition | 14 We Love This | 15 Fashion Diary | 57 Attractions of the Month60 Hotels of the Month | 64 Restaurants of the Month66 Humour | 77 Scan News | 79 Music & Culture | 85 Culture Calendar

COVER FEATURE8 Jussi Adler-Olsen

After Marklund, Mankell, Larsson, Nesbø andThe Killing comes Jussi Adler-Olsen. With theUK release of Mercy, his first novel in the De-partment Q series, Danish Adler-Olsen takeson the thriller genre, with a good dose of darkand bitter characters, a twisted crime case anda pinch of humour.

FEATURE12 The Scandinavia Show 2011

The Scandinavia Show 2011 took place on the 8-9 October at Earl’s Court. After last year’s suc-cess, it was interesting to see what the turnoutwas going to be like, as this time around, we hadboth a bigger venue and more exhibitors show-casing their products; and, of course, an excit-ing entertainment programme to boot.

DESIGN FEATURE16 London Fashion Week

Held twice a year at Somerset House, this eventbrings the best of fashion to London. We took aclose look at the Scandinavian designers andwhat to expect for Spring/Summer 2012.

SPECIAL THEME18 Education in Denmark & Sweden

In this issue, Scan Magazine has taken a closerlook at different types of schools in Denmark, in-cluding the characteristically Danish folk highschool and efterskole. Also included: a short in-troduction to Swedish education.

TRAVEL THEMES37 Helsinki

Throughout its over 460-year history, the mar-itime city of Helsinki has swung between thecurrents of eastern and western influences. Thelifestyle in this northernmost of all the EuropeanUnion capitals is full of contrasts and fascinat-ing culture.

45 Northern NorwayNorthern Norway is the perfect destination toexperience the natural phenomenon that is thenorthern lights. More than a third of the countryis above the Arctic Circle, and its latitude makesNorway one of the best spots in the world to wit-ness the aurora borealis.

Scan BusinessBUSINESS FEATURE

71 City Moving & StorageOften listed among the most stress-inducing lifeevents, moving house can be everything but en-joyable. Add to that the complications of relo-cating to a different country, and you can seehow hair would shift to grey at the sheer sight ofcardboard boxes. Thankfully, it does not have tobe like that.

REGULARS & COLUMNS69 Out of love for design

Key Note by Anna Yates, Director, KarlssonScandinavian Design.

70 Swiss account holders– the UK tax net is closing inTax column by Helena Whitmore

72 Conferences of the MonthThe best conference venues, events and con-gresses of the month.

75 Chamber NewsNews from the Swedish, Norwegian, Finnishand Danish Chambers of Commerce for the UK.

77 The Power of Practice!Column by Rasmus Ankersen

Scan Magazine | Editor’s Note

Dear Reader,

SCANM A G A Z I N E

Scan Magazine

Issue 35 | November 2011

Published 08.11.2011

ISSN 1757-9589

Published by

Scan Magazine Limited

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Sven Riis Houston

Stian Sangvig

Karin Modig

Magnus Nygren Syversen

Mette Lisby

Maria Smedstad

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Anna Lindgren

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This magazine containsadvertorials/promotional articles

4 | Issue 35 | November 2011

Even with 18 degrees outside at the mo-ment of writing, I think it’s safe to say thatwinter is on its way; I’ve heard the firstChristmas song of the season and boughta new jacket to prepare for my trip to Fin-land in January (hoping that it’s not goingto be around -20 degrees again). But evenas I complain about the cold months

ahead of us, it’s still a cosy feeling to sit at home with thickwoollen socks on and a mug of mulled wine in hand (or glögi, aswe would say) or to daydream about the expected thick layers ofsnow back home in Scandinavia.

If you are looking for that unique “winter wonderland” experiencethis year, then Northern Norway, home to the Sami peoples, isdefinitely among the best places to visit for something authen-tic and exciting. From northern lights to wildlife safaris, there areplenty of adventures to discover.

With the recent inauguration of the Helsinki Music Centre(Musiikkitalo), we thought it was also appropriate to have a closerlook at all the attractions that the Finnish capital has to offer, andnot just in wintertime.

On top of our travel themes, we’ve also continued with our reporton educational institutions in Scandinavia; this time, we’ve con-centrated on schools in Denmark and education in Sweden. WithScandinavian education known worldwide for its high standardsand innovative spirit, it’s definitely an aspect of which all Scan-dies can be proud.

Featured on our cover this month is Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen, who is following in the footsteps of Jo Nesbø and StiegLarsson, by introducing his Department Q thriller series to UKreaders for the very first time.

I hope you enjoy our November issue, and remember to wrap upwarm!

Nia KajastieEditor

Nia Kajastie (Editor) was bornand raised inHelsinki, Finland,and moved to London in 2005to study writing. With a BA inJournalism & Creative Writ-ing, she nowdescribes herselfas a full-time writer andgrammar stickler.

Emelie Krugly Hill hasworked on a number ofSwedish newspapers. Aftertravelling extensively, she hasbeen based in London since2006. Her particular interestsare news and current affairs

within Sweden and the export of Scandinavianculture to the UK.

Mette Lisby is Denmark’sleading female comedian.She invites you to laugh alongwith her monthly humourcolumns. Since her stand-updebut in 1992, Mette hashosted the Danish versions

of “Have I Got News For You” and “Room 101”.

Julie Guldbrandsen is ScanMagazine’s fashion and de-sign expert; she has workedin the fashion industry formore than 10 years, and ad-vised various Scandinaviandesign and fashion compa-

nies. Besides, Julie has a BA in business andphilosophy and has lived in Copenhagen, Singa-pore and Beijing before settling down in London.

Sven Riis Houston has livedin Edinburgh for six years,having graduated from Edin-burghNapier University with aBA in Journalism in 2009. Hecurrently works as a freelancewriter and media researcher,

and has an unhealthy interest in football.

Charlotte Kany is back inCopenhagen, Denmark, afterliving in London formore thana year. Shehas anMA inCom-munication & Rhetoric fromtheUniversity of Copenhagen.She has gained years of expe-

rience within themedia industry working in PR&communication. She loves to travel all around theworld plus keeping updated on all things cultural.

Swedish Sara Schedin haslived in London for fouryears. She is currently study-ing Journalism in her thirdyear at City University and iscovering Scandinavian cul-ture in the UK.

Maria Smedstad moved tothe UK from Sweden in 1994.She received a degree in Il-lustration in 2001, beforesettling in the capital as afreelance cartoonist, creat-ing the autobiographical car-

toon Em. She writes a column on the trials andtribulations of life as a Swede in the UK.

Karl Batterbee is devoted toScandinavian music andknows exactly what is com-ing up in the UK. Apart fromwriting a monthly music up-date for Scan Magazine Karlhas also started the Scan-

dipop Club Night and its corresponding web-site: www.scandipop.co.uk.

Danish Yane Christensenhas lived in London half herlife. She's a designer, illus-trator and mother of twingirls. She also has an on-lineshop www.fleamarketfloo-zy.com and writes to exerciseher brain.

Norwegian Karin Modig haslived in London since 1998:she arrived with the inten-tion of staying just fourmonths. She currently worksas a freelance journalist andPR consultant, and is a keenhandball player.

LinneaDunne has been writ-ing professionally for over 10years. Having started out ona local paper in Sweden, sheis passionate about Scandi-navian music and culture,and currently works in Lon-don as a full-time writer andtranslator.

Inna Allen is a freelancewriter, translator and pho-tographer whose passionslie in all things art and de-sign. She moved to the UKfrom her native Finland in2001 and has since devel-

oped a chronic yearning for sauna.

Having travelled much of theworld, Signe Hansen, MAgraduate in Journalism andprevious editor at Scan Mag-azine, is now back freelanc-ing in London, where shewrites on everything Scandi-

navian and her main passions: culture, traveland health.

LykkeFabriciusPort is aDan-ish journalist, who lost herheart to London while finish-ing her degree at City Univer-sity. Now she is a proud Scan-dinavian expat working as afreelance journalist, when

she’s not busy blogging, cooking or experiment-ing with her camera.

Anna Lindgren is a free-lance writer, actress and di-rector with her roots firmlyplanted in Gotland, Sweden.Travel and new challengesare high on Anna’s list in life,and she writes about any-

thing and everything from volunteering inGuatemala to taking part in Triathlons.

Christina Cadogan is an An-glo-Swede based in London.A Cambridge art historygraduate, she worked forseveral years in the auctionbusiness. She now works asan art consultant, runs cul-

tural tours in Sweden and writes on art forScan Magazine.

Andrew Mellor writes aboutopera, classical music andNordic culture and travel fora variety of magazines,newspapers and websites inthe UK and Scandinavia. Heis Reviews Editor at Gramo-

phonemagazine and a founder editor of Nordicreview website Moose Report.


Regular Contributors

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With Scandinavian crime stories, both onpaper and on the screen, still attractingthe world’s attention, Jussi Adler-Olsen’sfirst novel published in English could notcome at a more opportune time. How-ever, it is not just sheer luck or a savvypublisher that has opened these doors forhim, as his books have already been im-mense hits in Denmark and Germany. Healso took home the Glass Key award in2010 (among other accolades), which haspreviously been awarded to the afore-mentioned Jo Nesbø, Stieg Larsson andHenning Mankell.

Adler-Olsen tells us how he did not inten-tionally seek out a popular genre or a wayto gain fame, nor did he set out to writecrime stories either. “When I started writ-ing, I was more or less financially inde-pendent, so instead of writing for themoney, I started writing for the reader.”

Jussi Adler-Olsen has indeed already dab-bled in many a career line, including as acomic book shop owner, magazine editorand publisher, so life experiences andfunds are not necessarily in short supply.And his current occupation certainly suitshis lifestyle: “What other job can you do inyour pyjamas from your own home?” helaughs. “It’s a free form of living that suits

me. After working extremely hard in myjob as a publisher, I’m happy to stay homeand see my son grow up. My father toldme that I have so many talents, and Ishould make use of them all on my ownterms. He was so right.”

Lessons in human nature

Born in 1950, as the youngest of four chil-dren, Jussi Adler-Olsen was introduced

to the many sides of the human psychefrom a very young age on, as he grew upon the grounds of different Danish mentalinstitutions, where his father worked as apsychiatrist. He was in direct contact withsome of the patients and witnessed boththe good and evil in them, grasping thatevery human is capable of both.

Even as a young boy, Adler-Olsen showedan avid skill for storytelling. “As a boyscout, a friend and I once spent a week ina lookout tower, and to pass the time wewould tell each other stories. While hetold me stories by Edgar Allan Poe, I madeup my own. I knew how to make himscared as well as feel empathy by tellingstories that could happen in real life,” hesays.

He went on to study medicine, sociology,politics and film. “While studying film atuniversity, I learnt a lot about point of view,suspense and all the elements of an ex-citing story.” Even though Adler-Olsendid not return to the “storytelling” untillater in his life, he was still conscious ofthe fact that he could write. At 30 years-old, he spent some time in the Nether-lands with his wife and wrote his firstnovel, which was, however, never pub-lished. But Adler-Olsen had found out

Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Jussi Adler-Olsen

A Danish take on the thrillerAfter Marklund, Mankell, Larsson, Nesbø and The Killing comes Jussi Adler-Olsen. With the UK release of Mercy,his first novel in the Department Q series, Danish Adler-Olsen takes on the thriller genre, with a good dose of darkand bitter characters, a twisted crime case and a pinch of humour.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Phillip Drago Jørgensen


Scan Magazine | Cover Feature | Jussi Adler-Olsen

what he needed to: whenever he wasready, he would be able to settle down asa writer.

Taking on the thriller

Although now listed among famous Scan-dinavian crime writers, it was not JussiAdler-Olsen’s intention to become one.“Thriller stories and movies interest me alot, as well as classical stories like TheCount of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Du-mas. I think the thriller has a lot in com-mon with the classical, international, po-litical, big and exciting stories. It doesn’tnecessarily have to be crime,” he explains.His first novels were in fact more straight-forward thrillers, whereas the DepartmentQ series, which currently consists of fournovels, has taken himmore into the crimeterritory.

In the first book in the series, Mercy, Adler-Olsen introduces us to his anti-hero CarlMørck, a defeated, disillusioned and un-stable homicide detective, who is strug-gling to cope with a shooting incident thatleft one of his colleagues dead and theother one paralysed. He is relegated to thebasement to take care of Department Q,which is supposed to handle “cases of spe-cial focus”. Together with his enthusiasticassistant Assad, Mørck stumbles upon thecase of missing politician Merete Lyng-gaard, which puts them on the track of atwisted criminal with a gruesome plan.

Although the premise is dark with an air ofdespair, Adler-Olsen has still managed toinfuse humour into his story, for example,through Mørck’s “sidekick” Assad. “With-out humour, there is no story for me,”Adler-Olsen asserts. Assad also acts as acatalyst for Mørck’s character, who needssomeone to keep him going, as he has al-most given up on life. As the series contin-ues, Mørck gains a second assistant inRose, who will in turn helpmove along therelationship between Mørck and Assad.

With four books already out, Adler-Olsenstill has many a story to tell about De-partment Q. “I have to finish Carl, Assadand Rose’s stories, maybe in 9, 10 or 11books. Perhaps 10.5,” he laughs. “But Icould fill 20 books with all the cases I

have for Department Q.” So it remains tosee howmany stories readers can actuallystill await.

And for those interested in seeing CarlMørck on the big or small screen, Adler-Olsen says there are three different treat-ments in talks: firstly, one movie for eachbook similar to the Swedish adaptations ofStieg Larsson’s novels; secondly, a localGerman version; and thirdly, an Ameri-can TV series.

For more information, please visit:www.jussiadlerolsen.dk

Department Q series in English:

Mercy by Jussi Adler-Olsen12 May 2011, Michael Joseph

Disgrace by Jussi Adler-Olsen21 June 2012, Michael Joseph

Jussi Adler-Olsen’s first novels were more straightforward thrillers, whereas the Department Qseries has taken him into the crime territory. Photo: Claus Helveg

Scan Magazine | Competition | 95% Danish

Competition: Win a TrashMe lamp from&Tradition!We must receive your answer by1st December 2011.The winner will becontacted directly.

* By entering this competition, all entrants consent tothe use of their personal data a) for the purposes ofthe administration of this competition and b) formarketing purposes by 95%Ltd. Any personal datarelating to participants will be used solely inaccordance with current UK data protection legislationand will not be disclosed to a third party without theindividual’s prior consent.

Please email [email protected] for fullcompetition rules.

95%Danish are presenting a supercool TrashMe lamp design by Victor Vetterlein for&Tradition as this month’s competition prize.

Through globalisation and the constantexpansion of opportunity via the Internet,people are on the move and their interest in allthings is short-lived.

The concept behind the Trash Me lampdesign is transient. The lamp is made of paperpulp spread over a mould and left to dry, paperbeing in itself a transient material. It is onlyfitting that the name is Trash Me, meaning“please recycle me when no longer useful ordesired”.

The Trash Me lamp can be quicklydisassembled and the parts reused or recycledback into the trash to be born again assomething new.

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Why not "like" us on Facebook to be kept up to datewith all our other beautiful Danish products.www.facebook.com/95Danish

Scan the QR-code andlearn more (to scan thecode download theScanlife app for free atApp store or Androidmarket).

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Scan Magazine | Feature | The Scandinavia Show 2011

Stepping into Brompton Hall on Saturdaymorning, with all the exhibitors busy put-ting the final touches to their stands, itwas great to notice the difference fromlast year’s setup: so much more spaceavailable for visitors to roam around in,and, of course, a lot more stands to dis-cover. The first ever Scandinavia Show wasa great success, but we immediately knewthat this year we had to step up a notch onall fronts, and it definitely paid off.

This year, the show was able to offer a lotmore shopping opportunities, great showoffers as well as wonderful entertainment,ranging from lovable huskies (a huge hit

with children and adults alike), coura-geous Vikings, cooking demonstrationsand music performances, to the star-studded highlight: an informal and hu-morous question and answer session withDanish actors Sofie Gråbøl and SørenMalling hosted by BBC’s Lars Tharp. Long

before Gråbøl and Malling actually madeit to the stage, the area was alreadypacked with people eager to see them;and the excitement and laughter, oncethey finally made their appearance, filledthe whole exhibition space.

“How thrilling, as a self-confessed addictof the Danish thriller Forbrydelsen (akaThe Killing) to share the stage with itsstars, hotfoot from their winning of theInternational TV Dagger and Best ActressDagger (2011 Crime Thriller Awards) ear-lier in the week. We had great questionsfrom the floor, heaving with highly atten-tive fans,” says Tharp.

The Scandinavia Show 2011makes “a killing”The Scandinavia Show 2011 took place on the 8-9 October at Earl’s Court. After last year’s success, it was interesting to see whatthe turnout was going to be like, as this time around, we had both a bigger venue andmore exhibitors showcasing their products;and, of course, an exciting entertainment programme to boot, which included a Q&Awith the stars of Danish hit thriller The Killing.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Monica Takvam

Photo:ChryssaPanoussiadou


Scan Magazine | Feature | The Scandinavia Show 2011

He adds regarding the atmosphere of thewhole show: “A Viking Feast - no pillaging,just gentle seduction, and packed with:blue-eyed huskies; food stalls selling saltyliquorice, herring and akvavit; the tower-ing rocks behind the Faroese touristboard; the ‘hygge’ of iconic Scandinavianfurniture, silver and glassware. This iswhere Volvos collide with Bang & Olufsen;it could only happen at The ScandinaviaShow.”

Indeed the show was an eclectic mixtureof Scandinavian brands, goods and per-formances, but in the end it worked, and

people were left wanting even more. Thedesign & lifestyle, food and travel sec-tions were all equally popular, andwhether visitors were there to samplesome Finlandia vodka and delicious foodfromMadsen and North Road, or to checkout the design stands, they were stilltempted to walk around the whole area,just in case they might have missed someof the exciting exhibitors.

With expats mingling with the British,Irish, French, Spanish, Polish, SouthAfricans... the list goes on, and a very highsatisfaction rate according to the polls,

we could not have hoped for a betterturnout. And just as important as thehappiness of the visitors is, of course, theopinion of the exhibitors themselves.

“We were delighted to exhibit at The Scan-dinavia Show 2011 and were thrilled bythe eager and enthusiastic crowds of dis-cerning shoppers. Highlight of the show(aside from the appearance of stars fromThe Killing) was the high level of organi-zation involved, ensuring that our timeand energy could be focused on the mostimportant part of the show – the visitors,”explains Mel Stoddart, a sales managerfor HAUS, representing SCANPAN.

The consensus from visitors at the end ofthe weekend was: lovely exhibition, we willbe back next year, and can we have more.Certainly they can – see you next year!

For more information, please visit:www.scandinaviashow.co.uk


Scan Magazine | Design | We Love This

We love this...This month we have stumbled upon and hopelessly fallen for a mixture of design treasures with a very familiarScandinavian connection. Inspirational sources include Scandi sweater patterns, tiles and landscapes.

By Julie Guldbrandsen. Email: [email protected]

Wallpaper by Nordic Style,inspired by the flowerpatterns on paintedSwedish tiles.£48 per metre.www.nordicstyle.com

A chunky hand-knittedcushion in wool byLinum; it complementsand adds warmth tothe Scandi winterhome. £53.www.scandiliving.com

The loveliest handcraftedporcelain knobs by AnneBlack. They will lighten

up any cupboard.£8.75 per knob.

www.95percentshop.co.uk

Soft wool throw by Hay, inspired by the look of “Mariusgenser”– a sweater with a traditional Norwegian pattern. £229.www.scp.co.uk

Cork dinner mats by fermLIVING. A practical yetstylish solution for thedinner table. £19 for a

package of two.www.scandiliving.com

Pouffe from by nordCopenhagen with agorgeous photo printreminiscent of anIcelandic lake. £395.www.nordicelements.com

Unique handmade jigsaw letters spell out your baby’s namein colourful, natural New Zealand pine. Available at Danishfounded Poppypants. A special gift for all new arrivals.Appr. £4.50 per letter. www.poppypants.com


Scan Magazine | Design | Fashion Diary

Fashion Diary...Update your autumn wardrobe with a cool statement necklace, corduroy jeans, flashes of emerald green andburgundy, and a winter-white palette. Dare to work the snowy palette from head to toe – such a great, and veryScandi-chic, look this season. By Julie Guldbrandsen. Email: [email protected]

Swap your denim for a pair of skinnycorduroy trousers this season. This pairby Vero Moda comes in an on-trendburgundy colour. £40.www.asos.com

Exude coolness in this luxe cardigan inmerino wool and leather by Dagmar.£319. www.harrods.com

Channel the ladylike trend with a bitof edge in this cream-coloured silkshirt with stars by Baum undPferdgarten. £159.www.wild-swans.com

These green fur-lined wedge boots byGanni are super cute and a great heightfor days on the run. £180.www.wild-swans.com

A classic and super-chic wool coatin emerald green – one of thisseason’s favourite colours – byDesigners Remix. £350.www.designersremix.com

A statement necklace like this oneby Day Birger Et Mikkelsen will addgreat impact to an otherwiseunderstated outfit. £79.www.my-wardrobe.com


Scan Magazine | Design | London Fashion Week

It was time again to show off some edgytrends at British Fashion Council’s head-quarters at Somerset House, situatedright in the heart of London. London fash-ion week is the biggest fashion event inBritain, famous around the world, follow-ing on from New York fashion week andimmediately prior to Milan. London de-signers are known for being more exper-imental and daring. For instance, theirmore varied palettes in particular reflectthis. This season included a palette ofpales in pink, lemon, mint and lilac, and arange of prints such as floral, digitals andAfrican inspired.

Scandinavian designer duo AminakaWilmont, a husband and wife team, havebeen designing together for five yearsnow. Their spring/summer 2012 catwalkshow caused a stir as always. Their col-lection named “Changeling” drew inspi-

ration from the depiction of elves in Scan-dinavian folklore, which are swapped withhuman babies and left to grow up in aworld in which they don’t belong. Elf-likemodels with long blonde hair wore digitalprints and the softest of pastel paletteswith sheer, sheath-like dresses, accom-panied by soft-washed leather jackets inearthy tones with ribbon-like waist tie de-tails. An impressive collection, AminakaWilmont describes her ‘girl’ as delicateand pretty, but with an edge.

Danish menswear designer Astrid Ander-sen experienced fame overnight, and thisyear was showing off her second impres-sive collection, an amalgamation of streetwear and delicate lace only she could getaway with.

Peter Jensen, known for always centringhis collections on a famous female muse,

focused on the troubled jazz singer NinaSimone in this year’s collection, utilisingsafari animal printed suits and floral tulledresses, rounded off with the cute anklesocks and bohemian turbans on the cat-walk.

Swedish fashion phenomenon Acne,founded in 1996, made an appearance,and this year was all about the over-sizedand functional, a trademark of theirs; a la-bel whose heart lies in the wearable andcovetable, but is also feminine and deco-rative.

Inspired absurdly by "God, spaghetti anddelusions", Swedish designer Ann-SofieBack presented her 'holy aesthetic' gar-ments on the catwalk. A collection for thecool, sophisticated and discerning woman,giving us 12 sophisticated looks suitablefor any woman’s wardrobe.

Scandinavian design in the spotlight atLondon fashion weekFocused on promoting UK’s fashion talent to the world, London fashion week presents a huge programmewith an impressive ar-ray of exhibitions, catwalks and after parties. Held twice a year at Somerset House, the event brings the best of fashion to Lon-don. We took a close look at the Scandinavian designers and what to expect for Spring/Summer 2012.

By Emelie Krugly Hill | Press Photos

Scandinavian designer duo Aminaka Wilmont’s impressive collection “Changeling”.


Scan Magazine | Design | London Fashion Week

At the exhibition, we also bumped intoDanish womenswear designer CharlotteSparre. During a 15-year career of designand production, Charlotte has developed avast collection of scarves. These includecotton scarves, crochet shawls, suedeshawls, woollen shawls and delicateevening shawls with subtle detailing.

Swedish jewellery designer Linnéa Göt-stav, the brains behind the success storyof Renaissance Life, was another Scandiwe met in the exhibition hall. All of Lin-néa’s luxurious and beautiful jewellerypieces have a special meaning and theirown story. She set up the business in 2009and has already established the brand in100 selected concept and departmentstores in the UK, Sweden, France, Aus-

tralia, Dubai, Canada and Hong Kong, toname a few. Among these is the Harrodsdepartment store and Fortnum &Mason.“Jewellery is more intimate and personalthan trends that come and go. It shouldbecome a part of you. It is not just some-thing you wear. It gives you a certain en-ergy for the day,” says Götstav. Her inspi-

ration comes from magic, dreams,illusions and our endless potential.

Icelandic women’s wear designer OstwaldHelgason, known for his modern shapesin texture and print, is another force tolook out for. His inspiration for thespring/summer was, in his own words,“sixties Californian photography and mu-

sic, old work wear and Alexander VanHumboldt and his botanical specimens”.

Finally and before leaving LFW this year,we discovered Danish footwear designerCamilla Skovgaard’s stand. This success-ful Dane has enchanted the UK and inparticular London. Her shoes are gaining

much recognitionfor their aestheticfluid-edged stylecombinedwithhigh-quality shoemak-ing. “An Intelligentfashionista, thinkArne Jacobsen incouture,” said ajournalist from TheTimes.

Speaking of foot-wear, a definitetrend that we no-ticed at this sea-son’s fashion weekwas chunky, clunkystraight-heeledplatform boots. Inother words, it’stime to dust off theold shoe collection!

www.londonfashionweek.co.uk

Danish designer Astrid Andersen’s collection. Swedish designer Ann-Sofie Back presented her 'holy aesthetic' garments on the catwalk.

Photo:ChristopherMoore/catwalking.com

Charlotte Sparre’s scarf collection Linnéa Götstav and her Renaissance Life

Photo:ChristopherMoore/catwalking.com


It is exactly the same with the Danish folkhigh school. Basically it is impossible toexplain what a folk high school is. To un-derstand the Danish folk high schoolproperly, explanation is not enough – it issomething that has to be experienced.

There are about 70 folk high schoolsspread right across the country, most ofthem in rural areas or smaller towns. Themost important thing about a folk highschool, though, is not its appearance butthe atmosphere. The task of the acade-mies, as one teacher once said, is to cre-ate “a climate where culture is a reality”.

All the folk high schools are residential.They becomemicrocosmic societies, withstudents and staff living, eating, and shar-

ing the same daily routines together forthe duration of the course. Most schoolsrun long courses of four to eight monthsduring the winter, and shorter courses ofone to two weeks during the summer.

The varied ranges of subjects they coverare much the same as would be foundanywhere else in the Danish educationalsystem: literature, history, psychology,ecology, IT, communication, education,music, drama, sport, outdoor pursuits,dance, art appreciation, photography, pot-tery, dressmaking, drawing, developmentstudies, international politics and so on.

The folk high school is an educational in-stitution, a school, and this must influ-ence the daily life. But the difference be-

tween this type of school and schoolswithin the school system is that the folkhigh school has the freedom to select itsown subjects, methods of teaching andtypes of classes. Each school can do soaccording to its own philosophy and con-victions. But the difference is, first andforemost, reflected in the variation in con-tent. Ideally, existence itself – one’s life inconnection with others – should be thecore of all subjects.

Learning for life“Love is inexplicable!” So said the great Danish philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. It is impossible, he believed, to convey throughwords what love actually is. For on reflection, there are really only two kinds of people: those who have experienced love and thosewho have not – or at least, not yet! And the first need no explanation, because they already know what it is, while the others willnever understand the phenomenon of love, no matter how often you try to explain – so why waste time trying?

Text and photo: The Association of Folk High Schools in Denmark

For more information, please visit:www.hojskolerne.dkwww.ffd.dk

SPECIAL

THEME:

EDUCATION

INDENM

ARK


Each efterskole is a self-governing inde-pendent institution, and they all deal withboth the educational and personal devel-opment of the students. They embrace acommon educational focus on enlighten-ment for life, general education and dem-ocratic citizenship.

The first efterskoler were founded about150 years ago. The schools were closelyrelated to the Danish folk high school andthe educational ideas of N.F.S. Grundtvig(1789-1872), who wanted schools to pro-vide enlightenment for life rather than for-mal vocational training.

Compared to public schools the efterskolehas substantial freedom in terms of, forexample, choice of subjects, teachingmethods and educational approach.These vary in accordance with the school’s

political, religious or pedagogical orienta-tion.

One of the things that is unique about theefterskole is the teacher-student rela-tionship. The teacher is responsible forboth teaching and supervision outside ofschool hours. This means that teachersand students are together all day fromthe time the students wake up until theygo to bed. This often engenders a close,personal and non-formal relationship be-tween students and teachers.

Most efterskoler offer the same subjectsand final examinations as the publicschools, but many focus on special sub-jects like physical education, music ortheatre, or offer various kinds of specialeducation.

Today, the efterskole is one of the fastestgrowing educational enterprises in Den-mark, filling the gap between primary andsecondary educational institutions and -more importantly - giving young peopleof 14-18 a chance to grow and develop ina residential school setting.

Embrace growth and developmentThe efterskole is a unique Danish residential school, where students from the age of 14 to 18 can choose to spend one, two or threeyears to finish their primary education. Presently some 28,500 students attend the approximately 260 schools throughout Denmark.

Text: Efterskoleforeningen/www.efterskole.dk | Photos: Faaborg Egnens Efterskole

For more information, please visit:www.efterskole.dk


That there is more than one kind of in-telligence was established many yearsago. Still, many schools teach all stu-dents the same way, but not Hørby Ung-domsskole in Frederikshavn, Denmark.The school, which focuses on drama,mu-sic and sport, follows the principles ofHoward Gardner’s educational theory onmultiple intelligences.

Established in the early 1970s, the schoolhas approximately 150 9th and 10th gradestudents. The fact that the students notonly study but also live and spendmuch oftheir free time at the school creates aspecial environment ideal for the imple-mentation of Gardner’s philosophy. “Whenyou work with the concept of learning theway we do, school does not end when youleave the class room,” says school princi-pal Mogens Vestergård.

Gardner’s philosophy parts with the

notion that intelligence can be measuredsolely through mathematical and linguis-tic tests and extends the term intelligenceto include, for instance, musical intelli-gence, interpersonal intelligence and bodykinaesthetic intelligence. “We all have dif-ferent ways of learning, and the traditionalmethod is actually only optimal for aboutone third of students; we aim to heightenthe overall level of competence by allow-ing students to learn in a way thatmatches their educational needs and typeof intelligences,” explains Vestergård.

There are threemain study programmesat Hørby Ungdomsskole, but students neednot, as inmany other places, fix themselveson one subject but canmix the creative sub-jects, music and drama, with sports.

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Education in Denmark

Himmerlands Ungdomsskole is aGrundtvigian school with 120 studentsaged 15-17. It follows the curriculum forDanish school year 9-10, where English,Maths and Danish are obligatory sub-jects. In addition to these, the school of-fers a huge selection of extra-curricularsubjects, such as music, theatre, cook-ing, design and sport (see website formore details).

The school’s aim is to create a communitywith committed, caring members; a com-munity, where freedom and responsibilitygo hand in hand, and where there is roomfor individuality. Students are encouragedto creatively develop their skills - both so-cial and professional skills. They learn totake responsibility for their actions and torespect others and accept their differ-ences. They should emerge from theschool, not just wiser, but also more con-fident, open and accepting.

The school is situated in the north ofJutland, amidst stunning countryside,

where there are plenty of opportunities toenjoy the outdoors. In fact, the school hasa strong focus on health, with plenty ofphysical activity and nutritious home-cooked food. Students are invited to stayduring weekends, when there is an arrayof activities available. Often a whole week-end will be dominated by a specific funtheme, such as karaoke or the outdoors.There are also plenty of activities on offerin the evenings, when the students arenot allowed to leave the premises.

Anyone considering applying for aplace at Himmerlands Ungdomskoleshould check out the YouTube links on theschool's website directing to videos ofdaily school life and special events. Thereyou will see just how much fun awaitsstudents at Himmerlands Ungdomskole!

Himmerlands Ungdomsskole: a fun place to learnBy Yane Christensen | Photos: Himmerlands Ungdomsskole

For more information, please visit:www.himmerlands-ungdomsskole.dk

Learning through the principles of Howard GardnerBy Signe Hansen | Photos: Hørby Ungdomsskole

For more information, please visit:www.horbyungdomsskole.dk


At Sansestormerne, students from allover Denmark meet to learn about theworld, design, nourishment and exer-cise. Though located just ten minutesfrom the centre of Aarhus, the school hasgreen surroundings, and the sea is justaround the corner.

Sansestormerne has functioned as aboarding school for adult home econom-ics students for more than 100 years.Seven years ago, it opened up to teen-agers as well, and next year it is expand-ing with a new efterskole.

“We see the expansion as a naturaldevelopment, but one of the reasons weare transforming the schools is the pos-sibility to create different course pro-grammes,” says headmaster Inge-DorteWandall.

The new efterskole will offer five pro-grammes: food and gastronomy, basket-ball, design and stuff, sports and outdoor

activities, and the international pro-gramme. “We have always been very fo-cused on the necessity for youngsters touse their bodies and senses, and we arevery eager to start an international line aswell,” explains Wandall.

With the new expansion, Sanses-tormerne will house around 120 students.The students share rooms with privatebathrooms two and two and are offered awide range of activities in their spare time.But one hour is put aside for doing theirhomework every day. Wandall stresses:“We put a lot of focus on doing home-work, because our students have to de-liver on tests, and it is very important to usthat they develop the tools they comewith.”


Sowing the seeds for a healthy lifeBy Signe Hansen | Photos: Sansestormerne

For more information, please visit:www.sansestormerne.dk

When it comes to creativity and innova-tion, Dronninglund Efterskole is notafraid to get ahead of the crowd. A class-room furnished with bean bags, barstools, hammocks andmultimedia tech-nology is part of the school’s highly pop-ular new innovation course for tenthgraders.

“Our main goal is to make sure that ourstudents have fun and learn at the sametime. Tenth Innovation is an attempt toshake them out of their old habits andmake use of the unexpected,” explainsheadmaster Asbjørn Ramlov.

The innovation course integrates sub-jects like maths and English in group proj-ects so that students are prepared for ex-ams but at the same time feel that theirwork has a practical purpose.“The overallidea with 10th Innovation is that everyproject should make sense and benefit

someone concretely.That’s why a lot ofthe projects will becarried out in coop-eration with compa-nies, institutions orindividuals outsidethe school,” explainsRamlov. “Most peo-ple agree that Den-mark has to be inno-vative and creative to have a competitiveedge in the future, and the schools need topickupon that andget out of their setways!”

Dronninglund has 100 students fol-lowing its art, adventure, music, fitness orsports programmes. The sports pro-gramme is mainly focused on ball gamessuch as handball taught by professionalhandball player Jan Lennartson.

Besides the 10th Innovation course,there is also a 10th International course

focused on culture and languages, in-cluding Spanish, which is one of four sub-jects students can, thanks to a unique co-operation with Dronninglund Gymnasium,study at C level.

Putting innovation and creativity on the agendaBy Signe Hansen | Photos: Dronninglund Efterskole

For more information, please visit:www.dronninglundefterskole.dk

Students in 10th Innovation use their classroom’sbeanbags for both work and relaxation.



Lynghøj Efterskole provides a completeand challenging international educationfor students aged between13 and 18, whowish to increase their language skills inboth English and Danish, and to achieveintercultural understanding throughglobal cooperation and trips abroad.

If you have lived abroad for a number ofyears, are bilingual or just have a generalcuriosity for the world we are living in,and want to improve your linguistic skills,then Lynghøj Efterskole might be some-thing for you.

Situated near the town of Støvring, inthe Jutland peninsula known as Himmer-land, you will find a boarding school thatemphasises the global challenges andpossibilities of modern society, and offersan international class where the majorityof subjects are taught in English.

“A stay at Lynghøj Efterskole can bethe perfect induction for further education

in Denmark if you have lived abroad be-cause of your parents’ job situation; cur-rently, we have pupils from faraway coun-tries like China and Namibia. We want toencourage young people’s internationaland intercultural understanding, and rightnow, we are preparing an upcoming col-laboration with schools in Austria and

Sicily,” says the principal Jens Borup.Lynghøj Efterskole is a part of the EU’s

Lifelong Learning Programme, Comenius,which aims to help young people and edu-cational staff better understand the range ofEuropean cultures, languages and values.

Furthermore, Lynghøj Efterskole offersthe renowned Cambridge IGCSE courses,and if you want to develop a particular in-terest, the school has a large variety ofminor subjects ranging from music tooutdoor activities.

One of the highlights of the year is thecompulsory trip to either England or Scot-land, where educational and cultural ex-change goes hand in hand with sociableactivities.

By Lykke Fabricius Port | Photos: Lynghøj Efterskole

Attending a year at Thorsgaard Efter-skole ensures that, alongside great com-radeship, pupils have the skills and self-assurance to commit to the followingupper secondary education. The schooloffers a strong academic approach with arange of opportunities to gain new in-sight in a friendly atmosphere, wherestudents as well as teachers take part asone big family. With approximately only100 students each year, the emphasis ison contentment and unity for all.

This school might be short in pupils com-pared with many other independentboarding schools, but it sure does not lackthe ambition or possibilities to explore aworld of new knowledge and establishinglifelong friendships. One of the main prin-ciples of this school is to encourage all totake part in the democratic process. “Ouraim is to give our students a strong dem-ocratic sense and inspire them to takepart in the surrounding world,” explains

principal Morten Budde.With its specific approach, the school is

also well known for offering a wide cata-logue of courses covering performance,arts and production as well as the thrill of

outdoor life. With a scenic location over-looking the beautiful Mariager Fjord, thegrassy areas play an important part ofeveryday life at the school. The closestlarge town is only three kilometres away,with all the amenities that most young-sters could wish for, such as a cinema,pizzerias and shops, among other things.Thorsgaard Efterskole is an inspirationalschool with a twist of perspective and em-phasis on solidarity in a superb location.

Wide perspectives and close unity

For more information, please visit:www.thorsgaardefterskole.dk

A global perspective from the top of Denmark

For more information, please visit:www.lynghoj-efterskole.dk

By Charlotte Kany

Photos: Thorsgaard Efterskole


At Balle Musik- & Idrætsefterskole inDenmark, teachers and students are asintegrated as a family, and the studentsleave the place matured and educated.

It requires both drive and commitment tobe a part of “the Balle family”. BalleMusik- & Idrætsefterskole is a privateschool for students in the 9th and 10thgrade, offering a choice between two pro-file subjects: music and sports.

“We do not have a specific skills re-quirement, but you need to be enthusias-tic about your profile subject of choice. Inaddition to these profile subjects, all thestudents must also attend classes in theusual academic subjects and make an ef-fort all around,” says Jan Fredsted.

Jan Fredsted is the present – andproud – school principal at Balle Musik- &Idrætsefterskole, which was originallyfounded in 1866 as a Danish friskole, anindependent primary school. In 1962, the

efterskole part was born, and today, thetwo departments are combined at Balle.

An efterskole is a unique Danish residen-tial school, where the students live to-gether at the school for a year or two atthe end of their primary education. Today,Balle houses 160 students.

“Only very few efterskoler have unisexhouses for their students, but we intro-duced those years ago. It gives the stu-dents a better understanding and respectfor each other, and in a way, they helpraise each other,” says Fredsted.

Respect is a key word for the school ingeneral, he explains. All teachers and stu-dents at Balle also get to know each otherfor better or worse – and the studentsleave the school ready for a future of edu-cation and personal challenges.


In Ubby onSealand liesUbby Fri- og Efter-skole (UFE), which accommodates around200 local pupils in the friskole (a privateschool) and 94 pupils living at the efter-skole (a residential school) for one year.

Even though the school was foundedmorethan 130 years ago, based on the thoughtsof Grundtvig and Kold, it keeps on evolv-ing, and apart from the regular schoolsubjects, UFE offers teaching in a lot ofdifferent sports activities.

At the efterskole, the main focus is onsports and music. Here, the pupils get tochoose two out of the five special interestsubjects: rhythm gymnastics and dance,gymnastics, handball, football (boys) andmusic. In addition, the school offers sub-jects that relate to the special interestsubjects.

“Being a pupil at Ubby Efterskole is away of living that goes beyond the class-room,” stresses the school principal Helle

Grevit. “Here, the pupils undertake per-sonal as well as educational development.They live at the efterskole from mid-Au-gust to the end of June in their 9th or 10thschool year, so the school becomes theirhome, where they will learn to understandthe individual with respect for the interestof the whole.”

To support the special unity betweenthe pupils at UFE, the school has a widerange of activities besides normal school-ing: a ski trip once a year and the verypopular musical production, among oth-ers. Because, as Helle Grevit conludes:“A year at UFE offers you some of thebiggest andmost challenging experiencesof your life.”

By Kirstine TrauelsenPhotos: Martin Holm Hørbye

Ubby Efterskole is much more than just a school

For more information, please visit:www.ubby.dk

Balle: a school that educates for lifeBy Katrine Kirch Kirkegaard | Photos: Balle Efterskole

For more information, please visit:www.balle-efterskole.dk



“All our students take part in a weeklyrun, and every year, more than half of ourstudents participate in a half marathon.One of our slogans is: a year of running -a school that never stands still,” saysheadmaster Anders Bøje Jørgensen.

Royal connections

Just two years ago, Næsgaard Efterskolechanged its name from Ørslev Ung-domsskole and moved to its current loca-tion at the former Næsgaard AgriculturalSchool. “Næsgaard Efterskole is only in itssecond year, but we bring 130 years ofexperience,” explains Jørgensen.

The old agricultural school functioned formore than 200 years and included PrinceJoachim of Denmark among its students.When it closed, Jørgensen and his col-leagues seized the opportunity to expandandbought thebuilding from theClassenskeFideicommis fund,whosepatron is theDan-ish Queen; today, the beautiful yellow build-ings are home to around 135 teenagers.

Næsgaard Vikings

Surrounded by sea and forests, the schoolprovides spectacular settings for natureactivities, and housing, sports and artsfacilities are also first class. “Our art stu-dents have their own atelier; the music

students have a new music building withtheir own audio studio; and sports andnature students have an impressive sportshall and new football field plus a beauti-ful forest house located just off the beach,which they can use as a base for outdooractivities like kayaking, adventure racesand mountain biking,” says Jørgensen.

Every year, a few students earn the title ofNæsgaard Vikings; to do this they have torun to the beach everymorning, plunge in,run back and be ready for breakfast at 7am.Only the students who complete the run allyear round can call themselves Vikings andare rewarded with a set of Viking horns!

Encouraging differences and unityOften referred to as Denmark’s most beautiful school, Næsgaard Efterskole on Falster attracts Danish youngsters from all parts ofthe world. But while diversity is greatly appreciated and encouraged by the school, all students do have two things in common: theylike to move, and they are dedicated to one of the school’s four programme courses, namely sports, nature, art/design or music.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Næsgaard Efterskole

For more information, please visit:www.naesgaard.dk

Contact details:Næsgaard EfterskoleBringserevej 2, 4850 StubbekøbingTlf.: 54868030 | [email protected]


Idrætshøjskolen Aarhus (IHÅ) is mostlyabout sports and primarily known for itssoccer, handball, sailing and outdoor ac-tivities; butmusic is highly prioritised tooand an important part of the school’s pro-file. “Spot the talent,” they say, applyingto both music and sports.

Being a højskole, IHÅ is a non-formal res-idential school with no academic admis-sion requirements. The best qualificationsare physical energy and a passion forsports – and an age between 18 and 24.The typical IHÅ student is 20 to 21 years ofage and ‘in between schools’, i.e. they havejust left upper secondary school and havenot yet started their further education.

IHÅ has 100-130 students at a time;most of them are fromDenmark, but about25% come from other parts of the world.This term, the school’s international linehas students from 19 different countries.

You can sign up for one or two terms:fall covers August to December, whilespring covers January to June. Both termsinclude two sport-related trips, and thespring term ends with a four-week sum-mer school of sailing, surfing, tennis, golfand beach volley. IHÅ makes good use ofits location by the sea.

Not everything is about sports, though.Music is important, too, and the musicenvironment is thriving. The schoolteaches both guitar and choir, and quite afew talents have been spotted over theyears – and quite a few bands formed.

Sports and music make great com-

panions, and together they create an ex-cellent basis for productive results andcross-cultural friendships.


Den Rytmiske Efterskole i Baaring(DREiB) on Funen is all about living out alove for music and language.

Every year, 130 pupils complete their 9thor 10th school year at the efterskole,which since 2009 has offered young peo-ple with a passion for music and languagea year of extraordinary experiences andchallenges, while living at the school.

DREiB is open to everyone, and the phi-losophy is: music combined with languageevolves, educates and motivates.

Coming to DREiB, the pupils choose amain subject from one of the four mainlines: rhythmical or classical music,singing or sound engineering. Each pupilhas a solo instrument and a weekly hourof personal instrumental teaching, whenthey are given feedback from theirteacher.

For the pupils at DREiB every daymeans new challenges and experiences

combined with daily routines, like the com-mon morning gathering and the mealsthat all teachers and pupils take together.

In order to improve their language andsocial skills, the pupils at DREiB are giventhe chance to go on study trips abroad.

Along with the yearly ski trip for thewhole school, the celebration of the end-ing of the school year, a music festival,where all the school bands play for fam-ily and friends, is a popular event for thepupils.

“No matter what subjects the pupilschoose at DREiB, they are guaranteed tobe part of a challenging musical environ-ment, where they can be sure to excel anddevelop both as musicians and as humanbeings,” says the principal at DREiB, JensHorn.

A year of musical experiences By Kirstine Trauelsen | Photos: Alberte Karlshøj Radoor

For more information, please visit:www.rytmiskefterskole.dk

Spot the talent – sports and music go well togetherByMargrete Dybbroe | Photos: Idrætshøjskolen Aarhus

For more information, please visit:www.ihaarhus.dk



The International People’s College (IPC),Den Internationale Højskole in Danish, islocated in Elsinore (the city made famousby Shakespeare’s Hamlet). It is a Danishfolk high school that offers non-formaleducation on global issues, such as pol-itics, culture, religion, economy and theenvironment. Young people from all cor-ners of the world gather at the school toshare knowledge and to learn new per-spectives on life.

Founded after the First World War, theschool’s objective was to bring people ofdifferent cultures and nationalities to-gether. “It was meant to be a place whereprevious enemies would come togetherand discover that peaceful coexistence ispossible after all. They should learn howto see things from each other’s perspec-tives. And today, this is still pretty muchour purpose”, says principal Søren Laun-bjerg. “We facilitate a cultural meetingbetween students who come here to learnmore about the world and themselves.And this ambition goes perfectly with the

non-formal concept of a folk high school.”Just like all folk high schools, IPC doesnot have any exams or give out grades; itis more about the joy of learning. Stu-dents learn skills for life and can clarifytheir plans for future careers, as theschool provides a unique opportunity forpersonal development in a social andfriendly atmosphere.

IPC offers five different categories ofclasses: global perspectives, regionalstudies, personal and professional skills,music and creativity, and languages (Eng-lish & Danish). You can freely pick andmix your classes from all five categories,and halfway through the term you canchoose classes all over again. The au-tumn term lasts 18 weeks, while thespring term is 24 weeks long.

“However, what you learn outside of theclasses is of equal importance,” saysLaunbjerg. “Both staff and students liveon campus, so there is buzzing social andcultural interaction around the clock; add

to this a great selection of culturalevenings, performance nights, concertsand different types of excursions, and youhave the recipe for a stay that will changeyour life”

During one term, there are normally 60-70students as well as 20 people working atthe school in different positions; and usu-ally all continents are represented amongthe students, whose average age isaround 23 years. There are no educationalrequirements to enlist at the school, butyou have to speak a minimum of English,as it is the official language of communi-cation at IPC.

“Our wish is that people will engage witheach other at the school, and then go outthere andmake a difference in the world,”concludes Launbjerg.

For more information, please visit:www.ipc.dk

World Class:Embrace new perspectives and rediscoverthe joy of learning

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: IPC



Take your average educational institution,remove the exams, remove the grades,and then add projects where teachers andstudents work together, a canteen servingup healthy food from its own garden andfruit orchard, and plenty of time for re-flection. What you get is VallekildeHøjskole, a so-called folk high schoolwhere studying is a process as opposed toa means to an end.

“The lack of exams and tests makes for anextremely fun, creative andmotivating en-vironment, for students as well as teach-ers,” says headmaster Torben SmidtHansen, who has spent years in variousroles at the very top of the Danish Broad-casting Corporation.

The school, which offers courses in jour-nalism, literature and writing, game de-velopment, event design, music, and de-sign and creative campaigning, sees itselfas an integral part of society. “We are juststarting up a project to implement perva-sive gaming and game theory in publicschools, and we work to motivate youngmothers in the area and help them planand complete an education,” SmidtHansen explains.

As such, Vallekilde Højskole still verymuch lives and breathes the original vi-sion of Ernst Trier, who founded the insti-tution in 1865 to educate rural citizens. Aheavy focus on communication enablesthe students to collaborate with and learnfrom each other, in order to be able toprocure change in their own lives and thelives of others.

With the forthcoming Danish EU chair-manship, this is an exciting time to be astudent at Vallekilde Højskole. The his-toric buildings are filling up with modernequipment like touch screens and QRcodes, and one group of students is busyplanning a trip to Istanbul, where they willmeet with like-minded students. But per-haps best of all: the freedom and spaceseems to pay off, as former folk highschool students tend to do much better intheir future studies. You could call it awin-win situation.

Motivating and fun,and curious since 1865Be the change you want to see in the world, said Mahatma Gandhi. Be curious, cre-ative and open, adds Vallekilde Højskole, an adult education institution with an urgetomake students think about their place in society and explore new fields of interest.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Jonas Pryner (www.jonaspryner.com)

For more information, please visit:vallekilde.dk

“The lack of examsand tests makes for an

extremely fun, creative andmotivating environment,for students as well as

teachers.”



“In today’s society, you’ll often find thatyou are pushed to go faster, further andquicker,” says Jakob Mejlhede Nielsen,headmaster at the school. “More andmore, we need a break, an opportunity todo the things we might never do at anyother time in our lives.” He is talking notonly about creative hobbies like music andphotography, but also about more philo-sophical subjects and pure life under-standing.

The folk high school tradition is distinctivein many ways, but perhaps mainly be-cause of its lack of exams andmarks. “Noone ever became good at something theydidn’t care about, but we want the stu-dents to learn for their own sake, and notbecause of the pressure of an exam,” saysMejlhede Nielsen.

As the folk high school closest to Copen-hagen, Grundtvigs Højskole gets a lot of

high-profile guest lecturers, as it is easilyaccessible to authors, politicians andother interesting professionals. This alsomeans that it is the ideal place for stu-dents who want to prepare for studies inthe capital, and this is one of the manyreasons why students come here: to im-prove their portfolios or figure out whatthey want to study next.

While the week-long summer courses insubjects like painting, politics and litera-ture attract participants of 40 years andolder, the longer term-time courses have

amajority of students between the ages of18 and 23, and you have to be at least 17.5to apply. These programmes make theperfect opportunity for young people whohave grown up with Danish parentsabroad to come and improve their Danishlanguage skills while also specialising ina range of other subjects like journalismor songwriting.

As the oldest still existing folk high schoolon Sealand, founded in 1856, GrundtvigsHøjskole offers an opportunity to immerseoneself in Danish language, culture andcurrent debates. And the time to pause fora while and reflect on life, of course.

Pause and reflect– and study for your own sakeThe past five years have seen a trend emerging in the educational landscape of Denmark. Every year, more and more people de-cide to take a course at a so-called folk high school, currently as many as eight per cent of the Danish youth population. Of thearound 70 institutions, it is the old, classic colleges that are the most popular. Grundtvigs Højskole is one of them.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Henning Hjorth

For more information, please visit:grundtvigs.dk

“More and more,we need a break: an

opportunity to do the thingswe might never do at anyother time in our lives.”

Photo:DasBüro



Discover your personal potential andmeet people from all over the world atthe Danish folk high school NordfynsFolkehøjskole, which focuses on inter-cultural understanding, self-develop-ment and has a modern take on the tra-ditional Grundtvigian thought aboutenlightenment – all without the stressfulpresence of marks and exams.

When new students enter through thedoors of Nordfyns Folkehøjskole in thetiny but idyllic village of Harritslev, theyare often at a crossroads in their life anda bit unsure about which direction theyare going to take. They come from a largevariety of backgrounds and often from dif-ferent parts of the world, but all have acommon desire to learn.

“My main role is to help these peopleunderstand that they have a voice in thisworld that is worth listening to, and thatthey must learn to bear with the differ-

ences of others. Without being religious,it’s all a question about seeing yourself asa whole, where the personal, the spiri-tual, the global and the cultural all cometogether and create who you are as a hu-

man being,” says Mette Højland, who isthe founder of Nordfyn Folkehøjskole’s in-ternational course Take the Future, whichvaries from 12-24 weeks.

The focal point of the course is globalcitizenship, where short lectures are thestepping stones to creative group work,discussions and workshops on hot topicslike global warming, sustainability or Mil-lennium Development Goals.

It is not unusual to find people fromUganda, Japan and Estonia in the sameclassroom, and they all share the sameroof, the samemeals and experience eachother’s ups and downs. Nordfyns Folke-højskole does not issue any academic de-grees, but gives you the freedom to learnin your own way and thereby gain morecommitment for your future.

Nordfyns Folkehøjskole: Your future is in your handsBy Lykke Fabricius Port | Photos: Nordfyns Folkehøjskole

For more information, please visit:www.nfhs.dk/english

Sønderborg International School was es-tablished on 15 August 2011 in order tooffer the area, located in the region ofsouthern Denmark, a truly internationaleducation option and to help createglobal citizens of tomorrow.

The Sønderborg area is known as a hubfor the mechatronics industry, thus alsoboasting one of the largest concentrationsof engineers outside of Copenhagen. Withmajor local employer Danfoss, amongother companies, bringing employees toSønderborg from all over the world, andlocal parents eager to ensure high-qual-ity schooling for their children, Sønder-borg International School can finally offerinternational education to pupils betweenthe ages of 5 and 16. With a kindergartenin the works as well, the community isclearly embracing its international sta-tus.

Sønderborg Kommune also launchedthe International Baccalaureate in 2011,emphasising its commitment to support-ing international education.

“We offer a broad, balanced and aca-demically challenging curriculum, whichis personalized as far as possible to meetthe diverse range of aptitudes and abilitiesof our students. We are a Cambridge Cer-tified Centre, offering International Gen-eral Certificates of Education (IGCSE) inEnglish language, English literature,mathematics, global perspectives, his-

tory, integrated science (combining chem-istry, biology and physics), Spanish andGerman,” explains head teacher HelenBecker.

With students from all over world, in-cluding Denmark, Holland, Scotland, Eng-land, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan and soforth, and an equally diverse school staffto boot, Sønderborg International Schoolaims to teach the children to become bi-lingual or multi-lingual global citizens,equipped with a great amount of self-worth, empathy and self-confidence.

“It is our intention when students leaveat the end of their school career they areequipped to enter a Danish gymnasium orto follow an international syllabus which istaught in English,” concludes Becker.

Creating global citizens of tomorrowBy Nia Kajastie | Photo: Sønderborg International School

For more information, please visit:www.sonderborginternationalschool.dk



At Skipper Clement International Schoolin Aalborg, Denmark, students canchoose to be taught in either Danish orEnglish, depending on which of theschool’s two departments they join. Otherlanguages taught at the school includeGerman, French, Spanish and Chinese.

The school has 620 students and is a reg-istered CIE centre offering exams in nineIGCSE subjects as well as Danish FSAand FS10 exams.

Multiculturalism

The International department has 130students from all over the world. Many oftheir parents work at Aalborg University orAalborg Hospital.

“I find it immensely inspiring to walk intoone of our classrooms and ask the chil-dren where they come from and whichlanguages they speak. After a year with

us, even the smallest of children can com-municate in three or four languages, in-cluding English and Danish, in addition totheir mother tongues,” says head of de-partment Jenny Rohd-Thomsen. “In thiskind of environment, it is essential to valueinternationalism and to teach children torespect and value not only others but alsotheir own mixed cultural heritage. It re-minds me of a quote from SalmanRushdie’s Midnight’s Children: ‘To under-stand just one life you have to swallowthe world.’ Every child in an internationalschool has his or her own unique blend ofculture and experiences; this is wherenew ground is formed.”

Hard work

Since its foundation in 2001, the interna-tional department has grown to compriseeight classes, but unfortunately there isno room for further growth. While theschool is working hard to find solutions to

over-crowding problems, it has found itdifficult to move forward without spon-sorship.

“Unfortunately these are difficult times,and we haven’t found any company able toback us yet. Without this support, it is un-likely we can take on a new building, andwithout a new building, it will be impossi-ble for the International department togrow to a full line of 11 single year groupclasses,” says school leader Per Lyngberg-Andersen. “It would be a shame to losethis development at this stage. There is noother international school in NorthernJutland, and international schools do notgrow on trees. Getting this far has beenten years of hard work.”

Aalborg’s international students learnto value their multicultural heritagesBy Signe Hansen | Photos: The Skipper Clement International School

For more information, please visit:www.aais.dkwww.skipper-clement-skolen.dk



The municipality is capable of welcominga foreign workforce and families into aninternationally-minded community thatoffers the best jobs and high-quality edu-cation.

ISIB

The International School Ikast-Brandewas established in August 2009 and hasalready managed to put its stamp on thearea. “We started out with 12 pupils, andnow we have 87, plus 16 in the Early YearsFoundation Stage. We have grown mas-sively since our launch,” says headteacher Helen Pearson, who believes thatinternational education coupled with greatwork opportunities will put Ikast-Brandeon the map. “We have children from allover the world: Mexico, India, Sudan anda lot of countries in Europe.”

The school teaches children between theages of 3 and 16 and utilises the renownedCambridge International Curriculum. “Weput an emphasis on individual teaching,taking into account the needs of everychild. We try to cover all the learningstyles, including visual, auditory and tac-tile, as people learn in different ways,” ex-plains Pearson. “Our sponsors, who in-clude local investors, enable us to have agreat learning environment. We have in-teractive whiteboards in all classrooms,and we can teach in smaller groups.”

Ikast-Brande GymnasiumISIB and Ikast-Brande Gymnasium aretwo separate educational institutions thatwork closely together, collaborating on asmany levels as possible. The head teacherat the gymnasium also works as the in-spector for ISIB, which helps keep thestandard of education very high. The gym-nasium began its IB programme this Au-gust, and it is off to a great start.

“Our Pre-IB Programme currently has 60students while the IB Diploma Pro-gramme has 30 students, which are prettygood numbers for our first year,” says IBcoordinator Gitte Pilley. “We’ve received alot of backing from the parents, and thestudents are very eager to join in on ex-tracurricular activities and to engage inthe curriculum. The success of the IB pro-gramme is not least due to the pro-gramme’s high academic standards,which are also recognised by Danish uni-versities as well as top international uni-versities. Our IB students are very wellprepared for success in the 21st centurydue to the knowledge, skills and attitudesfostered by the IB programme.”

Ikast-Brande formsa hub for forward-thinkinginternational educationThe municipality of Ikast-Brande, located in mid-Jutland, is home to many large in-ternational companies, such as Siemens and Bestseller, and is now also one of thefirst areas, outside of Copenhagen, to provide education in English for students be-tween the ages of 3 and 19.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: ISIB & Ikast-Brande Gymnasium

For more information, please visit:www.isib.dkwww.ikast-gym.dk

Above: The International School Ikast-BrandeBelow: Ikast-Brande Gymnasium



Nordsjællands Grundskole og Gymna-sium samt HF and International Depart-ment (NGG) is not only a large school interms of student numbers. In total, thereare 1,400 students at NGG, which makesit the largest independent private schoolin Denmark, but it also includes severaldifferent types of schools. This means thatyou can attend the school from the age of4 to the age of 17 – an unusual charac-teristic for the Danish school system.

But one thing that really separates NGGfrom other Danish schools is its interna-tional department. 243 students from 21countries attend this department, buttheir school life has changed a bit thisyear.

“We wanted to get more flexibility thanthe old curriculum system could offer. Sosince August of this year, we have intro-duced two new curriculums, the IPC (In-ternational Primary Curriculum) for the

youngest students and the CIE (Cam-bridge International Exams) for the oldeststudents,” says Jan Thrane, principal atNGG.

He is confident that the new systems willbe at least as successful as the old one.“So far everyone has welcomed the newsystems, and the parents are pleased aswell,” he adds.

Cultural understandingIn addition to strong academic skills, thestudents at NGG are introduced to a worldof different people from very different cul-tures.

“All the students benefit from the culturalmix of the school. The Danish studentslearn from the international, and the in-ternational students learn from the Dan-ish – they see how Denmark works as asociety and culture,” says Jan Thrane.

The multicultural interaction also resultsin many social activities all year long. Al-most every week, the students can meeteach other at different social gatherings –from Halloween and Christmas to con-certs and sports events.

For more information, please visit:www.ngg.dk

NGG: a fully international school inDenmarkMore than 20 different nationalities aremixed and integrated at the international department of NGG, Nordsjællands Grundskoleog Gymnasium samt HF. And this year, they have adopted a brand new curriculum.

By Katrine Kirch Kirkegaard | Photos: Nordsjællands Grundskole og Gymnasium samt HF



If you want your kids to learn and grow inan international environment with highacademic standards, the InternationalSchool of Aarhus is the ideal choice. TheISA is part of the Danish private schoolInterskolen, which has 460 students; 85of them attend the school’s InternationalDepartment where classes are taughtprimarily in English.

The International Department has justbeen certified by Cambridge Universityand now offers the Cambridge Curriculumto all its students. All classes are taughtby native English speakers, and studentshave the possibility to take IGCSE exams,which provide access to educational insti-tutions all over the world.

Creating a safe base

The International Department offers tu-ition from reception class to year 9 andwelcomes students from all over theworld. School principal Thomas Kilsmarkexplains: “Typically our students’ parents

work for international companies andhave been relocated to Denmark.” Thismeans that many of the International De-partment’s students are only at the schoolfor a limited period of time and it is there-fore important to make them feel at homeright away. “Our teachers have many les-sons in the same class, and they are veryfocused on providing a safe, secure andchallenging environment for our students.They know that many of our students areonly here for a short while, so they makesure that they are integrated quickly intothe class and build up a good social net-work,” says Kilsmark.

Concentrating on learning

One of ISA’s top priorities is to ensure highacademic standards. “We strive to meetthe needs of each student within a richlearning environment. We believe in a goodclassroom environment where learningcan take place - the students are here tolearn,” stresses Kilsmark. ”Wemight havea slightly different approach to this than

most Danish schools, but we know thatthis is something that parents from abroadappreciate.” Although international stu-dents are taught in separate classes fromthe school’s Danish students, they aregiven the opportunity to embrace the Dan-ish language andDanish traditions throughthree weekly Danish language classes.Through scheduled common activities andtheme weeks, the students also have theopportunity to collaborate and cooperatewith their Danish counterparts.

Learn, grow and feel at home at theInternational School of AarhusBy Signe Hansen | Photos: The International School of Aarhus

For more information, please visit:www.isaa.dk or www.interskolen.dk

Chemistry class – almost all classes are taught in English Young students at the International School of Aarhus enjoy an hour ofstorytelling

Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Education in Sweden

Starting with preschool and continuingall the way to higher education, Swedishschools are known for encouraging inde-pendent thinking and an openness be-tween students and teachers.

Sweden, and Scandinavia as a whole, hasa school system that promotes equal op-portunities as well as emphasising ademocratic way of thinking. According tolaw, all children should have access toeducation, regardless of gender, locationor socioeconomic factors.

Education in Sweden is compulsory forall children between the ages of sevenand 16, after which they can continue on-wards to upper secondary school and fi-nally go on to higher education. All stagesof schooling boast high standards of edu-cation, and this in turn can be witnessedin the general innovative spirit of the

Swedish populace. Sweden is well knownaround the world for its achievements intechnological advancement as well as sci-entific research.

With students’ academic and social de-velopment as well as their capacity forcritical thinking at the very forefront ofthe Swedish educational system, it equipsthem with valuable tools for both their

further education and career. They caneasily continue their education anywherein the world, as they have been given thetools to adapt to new surroundings andsituations.

Grennaskolan -an international boarding schoolalso o�ering summer courses in Swedish, English and Con�rmation.Tel +46 (0)390 561 50 · www.grennaskolan.se m.grennaskolan.se

Swedish education promotesindependent thinking and openness

By Nia KajastiePhoto: Lena Granefelt/imagebank.sweden.se

For more information, please visit:www.sweden.sewww.studyinsweden.se


Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Education in Sweden

When you think about how best to giveyour children the gift of a bright future,you might not think that the secret is in agood maths education. Staffan Hörnberg,who has worked with some of the mostsuccessful business men and academicsin the world, begs to differ. “We’ve mademaths what we call a key confidence sub-ject. Once the students feel that they reallyunderstand maths, the rest follows natu-rally: their confidence grows and they per-form better across the board.”

Lundsbergs having one of the highest per-forming secondary school science pro-grammes in the country, he seems tohave a point. And students agree. Havingcome from other schools to this hub ofhand-picked teachers, many students feelthat they are truly acknowledged for thefirst time. “They come here and realise:‘The teacher sees me! The teacher hastime!’” says Hörnberg.

Founded in 1896, the renowned boardingschool is steeped in a rich heritage. Royalsand hugely successful Swedes have stud-ied here, and this is something that hasshaped the school. Students leave Lunds-bergs with plenty of valuable contacts andsocial as well as academic confidence.

At the same time, the institution is for-ward-thinking and prides itself on world-class equipment and modern, comfort-able student halls. Interactive smartboards mean that students can return to

lecture notes to review them after class,while a high-tech intranet system allowsboth students and their parents to keep aneye on their progress and any upcomingactivities.

“It’s a complete solution,” says Hörnberg,as he talks about the effort that is put intoextra-curricular activities like sports andarts. “We want the students to enjoythemselves – that’s how we can really de-velop their talents and maximise their in-dividual potential.” Daily, timetabledevening revision with teacher support, astrong rowing tradition, world-class mu-sic teachers and a wide range of grantsavailable to students from all back-grounds – what more could you ask for?

Where a rich heritagemeets a bright futureMens sana in corpore sano – a soundmind in a sound body. With one foot in a rich, historical heritage and the other in a high-tech-nological, innovative future, Lundsbergs Skola embodies thatmotto. “Our students should feel seen, develop and enjoy themselvesin order to maximise their full potential,” says headmaster Staffan Hörnberg.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Brynje Lindström

“We want the students toenjoy themselves – that’show we can really developtheir talents and maximisetheir individual potential.”

For more information, please visit:www.lundsbergsskola.se

Photo:M

alcolm

Hanes

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Homesick?


Helsinki’s hundreds of little islands makeup a fascinating archipelago, and as thesea surrounds the city from the South,East and West, it connects Helsinki tomany other cities along the coast of theBaltic Sea.

One of the most popular sights in Finlandis the Suomenlinnamaritime fortress thatis located off the coast of Helsinki. It isalso a garrison town and a base for the ar-chipelago navy. The construction of thefortress began in 1748. Today, Suomen-linna is included in UNESCO's list of WorldHeritage sites.

Helsinki, theWorld Design Capital 2012, isthe perfect city for both design shopping

and discovering Finland’s unique designculture. Minimalistic, functional and cleanFinnish design has enjoyed an enviable in-ternational reputation for decades. Helsinkieven has its very own Design District, anarea that is home to a wide range of de-signer shops, interior decorating studios,clothing and jewellery boutiques, galleries,museums, restaurants and lots more.

Helsinki offers a wide-ranging variety ofrestaurants. The HelsinkiMenu restau-rants introduce you to special, seasonaldishes at around 20 different restaurantsthroughout the city. The menu varies ac-cording to the restaurant. The recipes in-terpret Finnish food traditions and ingre-dients in new and exciting ways.

The latest trend is for young chefs to starttheir own small and unique gourmetrestaurants. The city also offers world-class restaurants that have earnedMiche-lin stars. Finnish home cooking traditionscan be enjoyed in cosy local restaurantsthat have built their reputations on suchdishes as fried herring and mashed pota-toes.

Helsinki is well known for the quality andvariety of its cultural life and events. Wel-come to discover the city’s fascinatingofferings!

Helsinki – where East meets WestThroughout its over 460-year history, the maritime city of Helsinki has swung between the currents of eastern and western in-fluences. The lifestyle in this northernmost of all the European Union capitals is full of contrasts and fascinating culture. Influencesfrom both the East andWest are visible in the city’s architecture, culinary culture, events, traditions andmany other elements thatare unique to the way of life in Helsinki.

Text and Photo: City of Helsinki Tourist & Convention Bureau

For more information, please visit:www.visithelsinki.fi

SPECIAL THEME:

HELSINKI

Island restaurants NJK and Klippan on an autumn day. Photo: Niklas Sjöblom


Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Helsinki

But there has been a problem. Back inHelsinki, you couldn’t hear a good or-chestra play. It wasn’t the fault of the or-chestras themselves; the Helsinki Phil-harmonic and Finnish Radio Symphonyhave long been among the best. The trou-ble was, you literally couldn’t hear them:the acoustics at the Finlandia concert hallwere so bad.

It took a typical dose of Finnish pragma-tism to call time on Finlandia Hall – froma musical point of view – nearly twodecades ago. Alvar Aalto’s building re-mains intensely beautiful; its radiant whitemarble still says asmuch about the noble,egalitarian aspirations of Finland asSibelius’s music does. That made the

commissioning of a replacement venueeven more difficult. Pressure abounded,and the first thing the design-conscious“helsinkiläiset” (Helsinkians) did was lam-baste the chosen plan as “too conserva-tive”.

What most of those critics didn’t considerwas the nature of the troublesome, ma-ligned plot of land sandwiched between

the imposing Eduskuntatalo (Finland’sParliament House) and the playful Kiasma(its museum of modern art). As much asthe acoustic and functional briefs,Helsinki’s new Musiikkitalo (Helsinki Mu-sic Centre) had to somehow reconcilethese two strange neighbours, to createharmony between them.

In that sense, the new building is a re-sounding success. Architect MarkoKivistö, working with his team from Laiho-Pulkkinen-Raunio, has spawned a struc-ture that opts not to compete with the ex-ternal beauty of the Finandia Hall butinstead settles down in a mezzo voce, a“quiet voice”, encouraging a dialogue be-tween its neighbours.

Helsinki gets its Music CentreModest Finland, with its population of five million, is a big hitter in the classical music world. It has been for decades, ever sinceFinnish conductors started their quiet revolution, taking over orchestras in Europe and America, reinforcing the brilliance of themusic created in their country and making its arts education the envy of the world.

By Andrew Mellor | Photos: Helsinki Music Centre / Arno de la Chapelle



Inside, though, it is rather louder. The foy-ers are bold and striking and have an in-tense, sleek luxury that links bars, cafes,performance and exhibition spaces, thebox office, cloakroom and a CD shop. Thetall main auditorium extends the “vine-yard-gone-crazy” designs already un-veiled in Copenhagen and Hamburg; hererows of seats are pitched at slight, subtleangles inspired by logging formations inFinnish rivers. Daylight invades the black-ened birch of the auditorium through hugemid-height windows.

That daylight can be controlled, as I dis-covered at the Musiikkitalo’s opening con-cert on the last day of August. Seconds be-fore a joint orchestra formed frommembers of the Helsinki Philharmonic andFinnish Radio Symphony began to play,electronic blinds covered the windows in agraceful, slow tempo. It added to the at-mosphere of what was an extraordinaryevent, as 1,703 people sat in the main au-ditoriumwaiting to hearmusic – waiting todiscover, in fact, if they could hear it at all.

The good news is that we could heareverything – clearly and brightly. We

heard, in fact, a little too much: musiciansturning pages, keys tapping on woodwindinstruments. That will fade as musiciansget used to playing here, and the acoustic,too, will blossom and flower as the or-chestras get to know how to use it. Butthey are already impressive. “It’s like sud-denly having clean air to breathe,” saidSakari Oramo, chief conductor of theFinnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, thefollowing day. “There is an aura to thesound, which not all modern hallsachieve.”

So Helsinki at last has an acoustic worthyof its two fine symphony orchestras. TheSibelius Academy – Finland’s “universityof music” – has moved in, too; an injectionof youth which is sure to up the tempo ofthe mezzo voce to something of a buzz.The management are determined to cre-ate an open building where people cancome all day to eat, drink, socialise andthink as well as hear performances. Butthey will come to see the structure, too. AsHelsinki prepares for its year as WorldDesign Capital in 2012, the Musiikkitalo isbeautiful, unique and bold enough to at-tract legions of design tourists.

But performances are what this buildingis all about – however tempting the otherfacilities. There are six auditoria in all (in-cluding a lecture theatre), spaces for per-formance of all kinds. The two orchestrasat the opening concerts sounded electri-fying. Already the Finnish media are call-ing for the utmost openness and versatil-ity for the building and for ticket prices tobe kept low; more lessons for the rest ofEurope to take from this distinctly Nordicattitude to the performing arts.

Perhaps the start of the Helsinki Philhar-monic’s season says most about that. Theorchestra begins not with a “standard”performance of Brahms or Mahler, butwith a family concert for parents and chil-dren. And that is precisely why Finland islikely to remain at the top of the classicalmusic heap: there is every chance a childin that audience will go on to conduct theBoston Symphony Orchestra or the BerlinPhilharmonic.

For more information, please visit:www.musiikkitalo.fi



Just next to Helsinki’s central railwaystation, there is a historical art decobuilding that used to serve as a deliverywarehouse for the Finnish State Railwaysand later as Finnair's city terminal. Todaythis charming building is home to thebiggest Czech restaurant in the country.

“Finns like to drink beer; we are one ofthe top beer consumers in the world,”says Juha Hauta, manager of Vltava. “TheCzechs have 500 years of experience inbeer brewing, and that is why you cantaste a strong feeling in Czech lagers.”Hence also the decision to open a Czech-style restaurant in the capital of Finland;Vltava serves 14 different types of Czechlager on tap. The house brand lager,brewed in the Czech Republic especiallyfor Vltava restaurant, varies according tothe season: dark in winter time, wheatlager in summer.

A living room for locals and a popular

after work get-together venue, Vltava is agreat place to meet people. Whether youchoose to have a chat over a pint of lager,to listen to some live music or to have afull course dinner, Vltava has it all. Thebuilding is divided into different areas,each of them with its own character. Onthe top floor, there is a private lounge forcompany meetings or private parties; thethird floor has a bistro with an à la cartemenu and a homely living roomwith com-fortable sofas. The street level containstwo bars dedicated to joyful meetings,

music and lager with warm Czech-stylesnacks like Vltava’s own sausages. On theground floor, there is also an outdoor ter-race, open all year round.

Scan magazine recommends: Mar-lenka, Czech honey and caramel cake withvanilla ice cream, and Glywein (to be en-joyed in winter time, outside on the heatedterrace, surrounded by snow banks).

A tasty haven in the heart of Helsinki

For more information, please visit:www.vltava.fi

An atmospheric new addition toHelsinki’s culinary scene, restaurantShanghai Cowboy opened its doors thissummer and has quickly established it-self as the place to eat, drink and beseen. As its name implies, ShanghaiCowboymixes South American and Asiancuisines together and adds a hint ofScandinavia to the blend.

The restaurant is located in the beautifulKaartinkaupunki neighbourhood, in thesouthern part of Helsinki. A short walkfrom the harbour and the market square,its location is centralized yet quiet. With 32seats, the restaurant is small and cosy. Itsinterior is clad in wood and sheet-metal,creating an industrial yet warm atmos-phere. You can almost forget you are inFinland, as the energetic hustle and bus-tle brings to mind the cool hangout eater-ies of London and New York.

Lunch contains a combination of dif-

ferent salads and soup or stew. Flavoursand ingredients are changed on a dailybasis to provide variety for both regularsand newcomers. “The evening menu isMexican-inspired, but with a modern

twist,” says restaurant owner and man-ager Iman Gharagozlu. Mixing Scandina-vian produce with spicy Southern influ-ences, the restaurant serves dishes suchas reindeer carpaccio with peppers andcinnamon, and marinated salmon withtequila and jalapeno mayonnaise.

Along with fresh and tasty food, Shang-hai Cowboy specializes in tempting cock-tails and good music. Visiting DJs playanything from pop and house to electroand Latin tunes. And with darker wintertimes ahead, the place promises to holdthemed disco nights and even bingoevenings for added entertainment.

An urban infusion By Inna Allen | Photos: Ezra Gould at Cocoa Helsinki

For more information, please visit:www.shanghaicowboy.fi

Address:Shanghai Cowboy, Unioninkatu 18,Helsinki, Finland

By Aija SalovaaraPhotos: Restaurant Vltava



Located within 10 minutes' walk from theSouth Harbour of Helsinki, the museum iseasily accessible and open from Tuesdayto Sunday. Kumbukumbu’s collectionscontain over 7,000 ethnographic artefactsfrom more than 20 countries – anythingfrom photographs and works of art to sci-entific specimens and manuscripts in thelocal languages.

Treasures from Africa and imperial China

Kumbukumbu’s main exhibition presentsthe traditions of the Ovambo peoples ofsouth-western Africa in Namibia and An-gola, and the imperial Chinese culture dur-ing the last years of the Qing dynasty in theearly 20th century. Thesewere the first des-tinations of the Finnish missionaries, andsome items date back to as early as 1870.

“The Ovambo collections present the lifeand culture of Namibian and southern An-golan people,” says museum director RailiHuopainen. “They contain cult artefacts,healers' instruments, traditional weapons,

jewellery and musical instruments, aswell as articles associated with agricul-ture, hunting and fishing.” In addition toNamibia and Angola, the museum housesethnographic material from Botswana,Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Senegal.

Most of the Chinese exhibits were col-lected by Finnishmissionaries in the yearsbetween 1902 and 1950 from the province

of Hunan. Some precious items were pre-sented as gifts. The collections includearticles such as dresses and ornaments,bronzes from different periods, silk em-broidery and painting scrolls, jade arte-facts, and writing and painting equipment.The museum’s porcelain collection in-cludes treasures from the Ming period.

Kumbukumbu also holds an extensivecollection of historical photographs fromthese regions. A large part of the originalsis deposited in the photo archives of theNational Board of Antiquities. Along withthe main exhibition, the museum alsopresents temporary themed exhibitionsthroughout the year.

A voyage into ethnic culturesFounded in 1931 by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission, Kumbukumbu is an ethnographic museum that exhibits culturaland religious traditions of different cultures. Themuseum’s collections have been purchased by Finnishmissionariesmainly fromAfrica and Asia. They illustrate the encounter between Finnish Christians and natives of other cultures.

By Inna Allen | Photos: Kumbukumbu Museum

For more information, please visit:www.mission.fi/kumbukumbu

Address:Kumbukumbu, Tähtitorninkatu 18,00141 Helsinki, Finland


Located right in the city centre, the Radis-son Blu Royal Hotel is convenient for bothleisure and business travellers. It is situ-ated directly opposite of bus and metrostations, as well as close to a tram lineand the Kamppi shopping and entertain-ment centre.

With 262 rooms, including 40 businessclass rooms and 9 suites, the hotel offersa great selection of different types of ac-commodation. The luxurious suites comein four different sizes, ranging from 40 to130 square metres. Naturally all roomsare tastefully decorated in a Scandinavianminimalistic style, including rockingchairs by famous Finnish designer YrjöKukkapuro, and all come with free wire-less Internet.

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel can truly saythat it is one of the best conference hotelsin Helsinki, as it was chosen as the BestMeeting Experience at the Best of HelsinkiAwards 2010. Offering 13 conferencerooms, the hotel can easily set up a meet-

ing for 6 participants or a conference for300 people. With state-of-the-art techni-cal equipment and an exceedingly flexibleapproach to arranging events, RadissonBlu Royal Hotel is a great choice for aconference or any other special occasion.

The Grill it! restaurant is another sourceof pride for the hotel, as the innovativecooking style has received a Michelin re-commendation, and even the locals love it.The restaurant as well as the hotel’s barand outdoor terrace are all great places torelax and take in the international atmos-phere. For a midnight snack, you can takeadvantage of the 24/7 Coffee Bar. In themorning, you can find 150 different prod-

ucts, including organic food, at the hotel’sSuper Breakfast buffet.

And, of course, it would not be a Finnishhotel without a sauna, which is free of usefor all hotel guests, but there is also alarger VIP sauna with a roof terrace, whichcan be booked for a fun sauna eveningaccompanied by amazing views ofHelsinki.

“On top of the ideal location, beautiful ar-chitecture and designs, great facilities andan international atmosphere, we also havea highly professional staff. It is somethingwe constantly get positive feedback on.We always take customers’ individualneeds into consideration, whether theyare travelling for leisure or business,” ex-plains Rooms Division Manager JaanaMatikainen.

Radisson Blu Royal Hotel, Helsinki,celebrates 20 years of great service and standoutScandinavian design By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Radisson Blu Royal Hotel

A landmark of modern Finnish architecture, the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel building is today still as striking and sleek as back in1991, when its construction was concluded. The first hotel in Finland to be part of an international brand and chain, it continuesto stand for first-class customer service, stylish and comfortable rooms, as well as some of the best conference facilities in Helsinki.

For more information, please visit:www.radissonblu.com/royalhotel-helsinki


Hellsten Hotel Apartments, owned bySweden-based Hellsten Hotel Group, pro-mote a unique concept that sits comfort-ably somewhere between corporate hous-ing and traditional hotels. While HellstenHotel Apartments own three differentunits, it is still one of their distinguishingfeatures to have the apartments underone roof in each specific location.

“We’re as close to a hotel as possible,without actually being one,” explainscountry manager Patrik Etelävuori. “Youare given more room and freedom than inhotels, which is ideal, for example, forbusiness clients looking for long or short-term accommodation, and who are tiredof depending on hotel services. It is alsoan easy option for foreign clients comingfrom afar, who would find a standalonecorporate apartment a bit too unfamiliarand secluded.”

Hellsten Hotel Apartments’ three differentunits include Hellsten Helsinki Parlia-ment, situated in Töölö in the city centre in

a quiet residential area; Hellsten HelsinkiSenate, located in the exclusive Kata-janokka neighbourhood with beautiful Ju-gendstil architecture; and Hellsten Espooin Leppävaara, a suburb with excellenttransport connections to Helsinki and theairport, boasting one of Finland’s biggestshopping centres, Sello.

All three operate according to the sameprinciples and include similar facilities, in-cluding well-equipped kitchenettes, bath-rooms with showers, televisions and freeInternet (either wireless or wired). How-ever, the Espoo building was originally con-structed to be used as an apartment hotel,while the Helsinki sites include buildingsfrom the early 20th century. The averagesize of the apartments is around 30 squaremetres, ranging from studio to two-bed-room accommodation, depending on thelocation. Hellsten Helsinki Senate also of-fers 160-square-metre penthouse suiteperfect for conferences and special events;all units also include saunas in some oftheir apartments.

In Hellsten Espoo, you can also enjoybreakfast, lunch and dinner in the restau-rant on the hotel premises. For a shortstay of one to four nights, the breakfast isincluded in the rate. The Hellsten HelsinkiParliament front desk serves customerson weekdays from 8am until 8pm (includ-ing guests fromHellsten Helsinki Senate),whereas the 24-hour reception in Espoo of-fers support for the rest of the time. “We’realways there to help,” adds Etelävuori.

For more information, please visit:www.hellstenhotels.fi

Find them on facebook:www.facebook.com/hellstenhotelapartments

For more room, freedom and comfortchoose Hellsten Hotel ApartmentsHellsten Hotel Apartments offer furnished apartments for short or long-term stays at three different central locations within theHelsinki metropolitan area. Withmore room, freedom and comfort available than in regular hotel accommodation, the apartmentsare a great choice for business travellers as well as holidaymakers looking for a vacation home with a difference.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Hellsten Hotel Apartments

From top left, clockwise: Hellsten Espoo, Hellsten Helsinki Parliament, Hellsten Helsinki Senate. Bottom picture: Hellsten Espoo lobby


TheMilitary Museum, founded in 1929, isthe central museum of the Finnish De-fence Forces. Themuseum collects, pre-serves, researches and displays arte-facts and other heritage related to themilitary history of Finland.

The Military Museum holds exhibitions intwo prominent locations in Helsinki: onein the Kruununhaka area, a short walkfrom the Market Square, and two on theSuomenlinna Sea Fortress. As the na-tional special museum of military history,exhibitions display actual wartime itemsand attract thousands of visitors everyyear.

Containing over 200,000 artefacts, thecollections of the Military Museum consistof colours, orders of merit, arms, uni-forms, equipment and military art, withthe main focus on the 20th century. “Cur-rent exhibition The Winter War depicts thewar of 1939-40 against the Soviet Unionthrough numerous military items, such

as uniforms, light weapons, photographsand maps,” says exhibition curator LauriHaavisto. “The exhibition also displays thepre-war era and covers the entire war pe-riod up until the Moscow peace treaty.” Inaddition, the museum holds a photographarchive for exhibition, research and pub-

lishing purposes, and collects literaturerelated to military history.

The Manege and Submarine Vesikkoexhibitions at Suomenlinna are only openduring the summer months, but the Kru-ununhaka museum is open throughoutthe year from Tuesdays to Sundays. Themuseum will be undergoing a vast reno-vation in 2013 and promises to open evenbigger and better exhibitions by 2015.

By Inna Allen | Photos: The Military Museum

A journey through Finland’s military history

For more information, please visit:www.sotamuseo.fi


Northern Norway is the perfect destina-tion to experience the natural phenome-non that is the northern lights. More thana third of the country is above the ArcticCircle, and its latitude makes Norwayone of the best spots in the world to wit-ness the aurora borealis – and it is justover three hours away from the UK. Thecloser you get to the North Pole, the big-ger your chance of seeing the magnifi-cent display in the sky.

At the very top of Norway, you will find thecounty of Finnmark, steeped in traditionand home to the Sami, Norway’s indige-nous people. If you are lucky, you will alsosee hundreds of reindeer roaming in thewild.

With a host of places to visit, includingAlta, Kirkenes and Karasjok, Finnmarkhas something to offer for everyone. Aswell as the northern lights, there aremagical adventures, such as the romanticSorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta and Kirkenes

Snowhotel, dog sledding in the Pasvik Val-ley and a visit to Europe’s most northerlypoint, the North Cape at 71° north, as wellas the chance to hear the tales of Sami lifearound the crackling fire in their lavvu.

Finnmark is on the same latitude asSiberia, Greenland and Alaska, but thanksto the Gulf Stream, the harbours alongthe coast do not freeze over, and the areaenjoys relatively mild winters. You cantherefore take part in a thrilling king crabsafari in the middle of winter in placeslike Kirkenes, or go in search of the north-ern lights along the coast on Hurtigruten,the magnificent coastal voyage.

Travel independently or let a trusted UKtour operator, such as Taber Holidays orSpecialised Tours, create a memorableitinerary for you. A visit to Northern Nor-way will create memories for life and leaveyou spellbound.

www.visitnorway.com

SPECIAL THEME:

NORTHERN NORWAY

Northern Norway–memories for lifeBy Innovation Norway | Photos: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta


Situated in the northernmost part of Nor-way, Finnmark borders on Finland andRussia as well as the Arctic and AtlanticOceans. With 73,000 inhabitants acrossan area as big as Denmark, it is best de-scribed as a gigantic village – a villagecharacterised by hospitality, opennessand an admirable urge to keep the localculture going strong.

“That’s why there are somany activities, tokeep people sticking together,” says KatjaPetersen who works with marketing forthe region. “Tourism isn’t that widespreadhere, so you get a much more personal,warm service than in many other areas.”

Contrary to popular belief, this is a multi-cultural area. The indigenous Sami peoplelive side by side with Norwegians, Finnishimmigrants who came during the 1800s,Swedes who venture across the borderfor the well-paid work, Russians, and

many others. Alongside Norwegian andSami, the ancient Finnish language Kvenis an official language, and the result is acommunity of open-mindedness and tol-erance.

Spoil your senses

While it is mainly the visual sense that iscatered for by marketing materials for theregion, with awe-inspiring images offjords, the Finnmark plateau and thenorthern lights, it is perhaps the ears thatwill be spoilt the most. Visit one of thetwo Sami settlements, and you will be in-vited to take part in the culture and historyby listening to stories and joiks, traditional

Sami chants, all with the sound of acrackling fire in the background. “Itmeans a lot to the people who come herethat they are able to experience this close-ness with the people,” says Petersen.

An integral part of the culture is its culi-nary heritage, and the idea that visitorsget to taste the flavours of Finnmark isquite a literal one. “The food is somethingelse,” Petersen enthuses. “You really getto taste Finnmark: salmon from the rivers,local reindeer, locally-sourced king craband other delicacies.”

Exciting outdoor activities

Famous above all for North Cape, Finn-mark offers all the panoramic views andextreme landscapes one could hope for,and with that, of course, comes a widerange of exciting outdoor activities.Among the most popular is dog sledding.Driving your own team of dogs is both

Awarmwelcome at the very north of EuropeMany places boast of top-of-the-range hospitality and friendly locals. Many again offer stunning scenery and nice hotels. Few des-tinations, however, manage to combine all of the above with endless fun activities and cultural heritage, and only one does so whilebeing located as far north as you can possibly get on mainland Europe. Find out why Finnmark is everything but cold, and mostdefinitely worth a visit.

By Linnea Dunne | Photos: Terje Rakke/Nordic Life

“Whether in searchof the northern lightsor the midnight sun, you

can find it here.”

Photo:BeateJuliussen


Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Northern Norway

surprisingly easy and open to visitors of allages, and no better place to try it than inthe area that is home to the world’s north-ernmost sledge dog race, Finnmark-slöpet. This annual event offers two races,500 and 1,000 kilometres respectively,both through rugged landscapes andtough conditions.

Take it one step further and go reindeersledding, or learn how to throw a lasso theSami way. Venture across the plains withthe snowmobile or snowshoes, and if youfeel right at home, a night in the snowhotel in Kirkenes or the ice hotel in Altamight be just the thing for you. Finally,perfect your exploration of Norwegian La-pland with a trip to North Cape, and takein the breathtaking views from a cliff 307metres above sea level, as far north as itis possible to get on mainland Europe,only just over 2,000 kilometres away fromthe north pole.

Peaceful and challenging – with a magictouch

A trip to Finnmark can be relaxing andexciting, peaceful and challenging, all atonce. You can get all the outdoor kicksyou want, yet at the end of the day, thereare plenty of comfortable, modern hotelsfor you to rest in. But what adds that littletouch of magic is something that cannotbe arranged, a phenomenon far fromman-made: the light.

Whether in search of the northern lightsor the midnight sun, you can find it here.“No other place in the world offers agreater chance to experience the northernlights,” Petersen says proudly. “But youmay have to set off on a safari to look forthem. You might be lucky and find it rightaway, or it could take hours.” Where willyou go: off to the shoreline or inlandacross the plains? Either way, you can besure that the northern lights will not dis-appoint you.

And, as we have already discovered, nei-ther will the hospitality, the stories, thefood or the nature. It is fair to say thatFinnmark is everything but mediocre: anenvironment of beautiful crispness, butwith a warm, welcoming heart.

For more information, please visit:www.regionarctica.com

Photo:GOFOTO

Photo:KatyaRykova



Being the world’smost northern dog sledrace, Finnmarksløpet based in Alta, Nor-way, can offer a variety of adventures andexperiences in astonishing surroundingsalong with its main attraction: the race.

The race that starts and finishes in Alta,the largest town in Finnmark, will takethe competitors on a 500 or a 1,000-kilo-metre journey through the spectacularscenery of the north, where the longestrun will last for about seven days, with itsparticipants having to cross most of Finn-mark county to Kirkenes in the east, be-fore finishing in Alta.

“This is an incredible cultural arrange-ment,” says Trond Anton Andersen, head ofpublic relations and media contact forFinnmarksløpet. “This is a race with non-stop action all the way; everyone who doesdog sled racing knows how big this race is.”

Including the race itself, which startson 10 March in 2012, Finnmarksløpet alsohas its very own cultural programme, and

is, along with kulturreisen.no, providingmusical and other cultural experiencesthroughout the entire Finnmark county.

Andersen tells of how they prepare toexpand this offer in the coming years: “Weplan to advertise extensive tours to Finn-mark with the race being a red threadthroughout the programme.”

“The dog sled race, which in 2012 willbe held for the 32nd time, is run by manyvolunteers, and competing in Finnmark-sløpet the upcoming year are participantsfrom all over Europe, including England,Scotland and Wales,” Andersen states.

By DidrikOttesen | Photo: Anita B. Svaler

Extravagant racing in exclusive surroundings

For more information, please visit:www.finnmarkslopet.no

By Sven Riis Houston

Photos: Holmen Hundesenter

Holmen Hundesenter, located in thetown of Alta, is home to over 80 speciallybred Alaskan husky dogs. Led by ownerEirik Nilsen, they offer visitors a chanceto command their own dog sledding unitout into the vast terrain of Altadalen andFinnmarksvidda.

Holmen Hundesenter was established byNilsen in 1994 as a result of a dog sled-ding career that now spans nearly 30years. He is a three-time winner of Eu-rope’s longest race, having participatedon 13 occasions.

The centre offers two types of excur-sions, the first being a two-hour trip suit-able for the entire family. Visitors will bepicked up at their hotels and provided witha full kit of winter clothing before spend-ing two hours in the terrain with a guide,enabling them to take in the surroundings

while personally steering the dogs.The day concludes with some coffee

and cake inside the glowing warmth ofthe Hundesenter’s lavvo tent.

A more extensive and adventurousfive-day tour is also available. The guidewill take you from cabin to cabin with allequipment, clothing, accommodation andmeals provided.

“The five-day adventure runs fromMarch to May when the temperature is

comfortable and the sun is out, and it is ajourney that anyone can complete,” Nilsenexplains.

A cat and dog hotel is also available,catering for up to 50 dogs and 12 cats. Thehotel, along with all other services, isopen all year round.

Husky sledding for all in the northern wilderness

For more information, please visit:www.holmenhundesenter.no

Alaskan husky dog Dog sledding in Finnmarksvidda

Photo: Jørn Losvar



If you want to experience theArtic sceneries of NorthernNorway during the winter froma sleigh pulled by husky dogs,look to Northern Lights Husky.

They are able to help, if youwant to enjoy an excursion dur-ing the exotic lights of the win-ter day or the majestic northernlights at night. The latter areonly visible north of the ArcticCircle. Customers are expectedto participate actively in prepar-ing for the experience in orderto learn more about and form arelationship with the dogs. The companyhas 30 dogs and can accommodate up to200 tourists at a time.

In 2007, the company’s owner and man-ager Trine Lyrek formed Northern Lights

Husky in order to combine passion withbusiness. The company is based near atown in Finnmark called Alta. Finnmark isNorway’s largest, north-easternmostcounty. Alta’s airport is served by Norwe-gian and SAS, and both airlines offer

flights from Europe via Oslo.Lyrek has raced with huskiessince the early 1990s, at timesalso competitively. In 2012, thecompany will receive full envi-ronmental certification by theNorwegian government for of-fering tourism activities in har-mony with the environment.

The season lasts frommid-December to early May, with2.5-hour excursions scheduledtwice a day. All-day and all-night excursions are availableon request. These packagesinclude meals by camp fire in

the Arctic wilderness.

By Stian Sangvig | Photos: Northern Lights Husky

Northern Lights Husky offers views ofarctic scenery with a difference

For more information, please visit:www.northernlightshusky.com

Each year at Easter, Karasjok, the Samicapital in the heart of Norwegian Lap-land, hosts The Karasjok Easter Festi-val, a modern festival with roots in Samitraditions and way of life.

Traditionally, Easter was when the semi-nomadic Sami population returned home,and thus a time for family gatherings,weddings and christenings. Over time, thistradition has evolved into a modern Easterfestival.

“As a festival, we are fairly young,” saysfestival director Randi Olstad, “but the tra-ditions it builds on go back a long time. Itis a Sami festival first and foremost, butwe aim to be an all-inclusive event.”

The festival programme is varied, fea-turing music, fashion, art, culture and lit-erature, as well as many outdoor activi-ties, like reindeer races, a cross-countryskiing competition and snowmobile rac-ing.

Beginning on the day after Palm Sun-day, the festival runs until April 24. “Westart the week with Sami literature, in-cluding interviews with authors and per-formances for children,” says Olstad.

“Towards the weekend, there is moreof a focus on music, with both small inti-mate concerts and larger ones.” The mu-sical programme promises traditionalSami joik and modern Sami music, aswell as mainstream Norwegian artists.

Thursday and Friday’s programme isaimed at adults and families, whereasSaturday is aimed at teenagers and youngadults, with both up-and-coming and es-tablished artists set to perform.

With the light starting to return afterthe long, dark winter months, Easter is agreat time to experience Karasjok. Add tothis a festival steeped in Sami traditions,and anyone making the journey to thenorth of Norway is in for an Easter expe-rience with a difference.

A festival steeped in Sami traditions

For more information, please visit:http://festival.karport.no

Concert by the band rOlfFa.Photo: Ken A.Brox, Finnmark Dagblad

"Catwalk" 2011.Anna Fenger Lynneshows a dressdesigned byTonje Plur.Photo: Randi Olstad.

By Karin Modig



Hammerfest has been a hub for fishermenand Arctic explorers for centuries, and withgood reason. Its location, right at the tip ofNorway, means it is officially recognised asthe northernmost city in the world. Notonly is it blessed with beautiful surround-ings, but it also plays host to some trulymesmerising natural phenomena. The so-called polar days, during which the town isengulfed in 24 hours of daylight during thesummer months, mean visitors can en-gage in otherwise unimaginable midnightactivities such as a round of golf or acoastal sightseeing tour.

“In a way we have four months of extremeand contrasting natural conditions. Wehave the two months of constant daylightfrom May to July, before we get the com-plete darkness between November and

January,” explains Knut Arne Iversen atHammerfest Tourism AS.

Rich history

The summer period is a particularly busytime for the city, but it remains an ap-pealing destination all-year round thanksto a multitude of museums and exhibi-tions, which pay homage to the region’scolourful past. Top of the list is the Mu-seum of Reconstruction which, as its titlesuggests, serves to preserve the memoryof a particularly traumatic event duringthe Second World War.

In 1944, the city’s inhabitants were forciblyevacuated by German soldiers, before thelatter proceeded to burn the city to theground. The sheer magnitude of the firewas devastating and just one solitary

building survived the blaze: a graveyardchapel. Erected in 1937, it still standsproudly today with the title of Hammer-fest’s oldest structure.

“Our city was completely burned to theground during the war, and the Museumof Reconstruction has several artefactsand tells the story of how everything wasrebuilt. This, of course, after two thirds ofthe city was destroyed by a fire in 1890,”said Iversen.

Another notable historical aspect is thecity’s Arctic traditions, which are proudlytreasured by the Royal and Ancient PolarBear Society. It was set up to preserveHammerfest’s status as an Arctic city, andits visitor centre is open to the public all-year round.

From midnight sun to northern lights:

The city that has it allIn 1891, Hammerfest became the first town in northern Europe to install electric street lamps. Fittingly, perhaps, for a region famedfor its spell-binding northern lights andmidnight sun, yet there is far more to Hammerfest thanmeets the eye. Its intriguing his-tory, complete with devastating fires and Nazi occupation, combined with its cherished Arctic heritage, makes it an idealdestination all year round.

By Sven Riis Houston | Photos: Hammerfest Touristinformation AS



The city takes great pride in being the north-ernmost in theworld, and its unique locationhas attracted pioneering adventurers forcenturies. This is particularly evident whentaking in the sight of the Meridian Column,a large statue erected in 1853 inmemory ofthe first international measurement of theearth’s circumference. It is a marvellousstructure, somethingwhich is reflected in itsstatus as a UNESCOWorld Heritage site.

Northern lights

Modern-day Hammerfest is a thriving citywith plenty to offer in terms of activitiesand culinary experiences. Guided coastalboat tours, ample hiking terrain and citytours all form part of a lengthy list of out-door offerings. The city tour is a bus triparound the city, featuring a stop at the in-teractive energy exhibition centre, whichpays tribute to the region’s growing statuswithin the renewable energy sector.

Those keen to sample some of the localculinary delights face no shortage of op-tions. Andwhile there are plenty of eateries,one in particular stands out from the crowd.

Mikkelgammen is a Sámi restaurant which,with its quaint grass-covered exterior,bares a hefty resemblance to an ancientViking house or even a hobbit’s home fromthe Lord of the Rings films. Famed for itsexquisite food and idyllic location, it hasalso proved to be an ideal spot in which toobserve the awe-inspiring northern lights.“Catching the northern lights from withinthe comforts of Mikkelgammen is a mag-ical experience, and well worth the visit.The lights can be seen from around themiddle of October toMarch and early April,and on a clear night, they are just im-mensely beautiful,” says Iversen.

In terms of accommodation, the city offersa variety of hotels as well as camping sitesduring the summermonths. Regular ferryservices make it easily accessible, whilethe city airport has frequent flight con-nections to Tromsø.

The Arctic city is also home to numerousfestivals throughout the year, details ofwhich can be found on the HammerfestTourism Association’s website.

For more information, please visit:www.hammerfest-turist.no

Mikkelgammen restaurant with northern lights.Photo: Lars Anders Mathisen

Meridian Column at night.



Organised by local women’s art collectivePikene på Broen, or the Girls on theBridge, it will be held for the ninth year in2012, and the programme will centrearound the theme DARE TO SHARE.

“We think of Barents Spektakel as a uniquewinter adventure, and a festival that pushesthe boundaries in terms of content,” saysInger Blix Kvammen, local artist and cura-tor, and one of the organisers.

The Barents region is a meeting point be-tween East and West, and Kirkenes hasgone from being a town on the border ofthe iron curtain to becoming a creativehub where different cultures meet.

The DARE TO SHARE slogan is basedaround that notion, and during the festivalthere will be debates and commentary onthe issues facing this region, as well asmusic, performances and art inspired and

influenced by these issues. Set to appearare politicians, business leaders and sci-entists, alongside architects, musiciansand artists.

“What we are trying to do is to create afestival that can be experienced from dif-ferent points of view. Generally peoplecome both to have lots of fun and to learnsomething new,” says artistic directorLuba Kuzovnikova.

Many unique productions are being madeespecially for the festival. There will bemusic from Russia, Norway and Finland,creating an informal atmosphere.

“The idea behind our theme is that if youwant to make something happen in theareas around the borders, you have to co-operate with your neighbouring coun-tries,” says Kuzovnikova.

The official festival runs from Wednesdaythe 8th of February till Sunday the 12th,with plenty of events in the week leadingup to it. Around 15,000 people from sev-eral countries are expected to attend.

A northern spectacleFebruary 2012 sees the return of the annual Barents Spektakel. A forum as much as a festival, Barents Spektakel is a meeting

place for people interested in contemporary art, culture and politics. From political debates to the launch of a computer game,

this festival seemingly has it all. By Karin Modig

For more information and ticketbooking, please visit:www.barentsspektakel.no

Opening show of the Barents Spektakel 2010: “Il Corso” by Pan. Optikum Theatre. Photo: Sergey Pribylsky

Performance “There Are Places In Our HeadsOne Can Travel To”. Barents Spektakel 2011.Photo: Stefan Daub



The family-run business is a labour oflove, set up by husband and wife Frankand Regine Juhls. Truly a one-of-a-kind,the building is a work of art in itself. Orig-inally built in the 1950s, it has had onenew room added per decade and deco-rated accordingly. Anyone visiting is in-vited in to marvel at the building and theart on display.

Regine and daughter Sunniva Juhls de-sign the jewellery, while father Frankmakes striking, colourful paintings.

“My parents came to Finnmark in the1950s from Denmark and Germany, andworked very hard to set up this business,”says Sunniva. “It was by no means plainsailing, but they made it a success.”

Their foray into the jewellery business wasborn out of Frank’s fascination with theancient trade routes used by the Samipopulation, who used jewellery, but hadno tradition of making it. He decided totrain as a silversmith, first and foremostwith the intention of learning to repairitems. “My mother had no choice but tohelp, and soon realised that making jew-ellery was her calling,” says Sunniva.

Regine is inspired by the vast plains inFinnmark, the tundra, which she hasnamed her collection after. “We are so farnorth, right in the middle of the Arctic,where plants only grow for four months ofthe year,” says Sunniva. “Mymother’s col-lection is influenced by this fact, with largeand organic pieces.”

Sunniva, on the other hand, is inspired bysnow, winter and frost. “My pieces tend tobe smaller and more discreet, but stillwith plenty of character and referencesto nature,” she says.

Today, Juhls Silvergallery is one of Nor-way’s largest silversmith workshops, andthey produce modern, timeless pieces.Unusual for this day and age, every singlepiece is made in their workshop, a factthey are very proud of.

Juhls Silvergallery produces three jew-ellery collections, Tundra, New Collectionand a Traditional Jewellery line for Samicostumes, as well as a collection ofFrank’s paintings. All lines are available tobuy online through their website.

For further information, and to buytheir lines online, please visit:www.juhls.no

A thriving business bornout of hard work and creativityAside from producing extraordinary silver jewellery inspired by northern Norwegian nature, Juhls Silvergallery in Kautokeino is

also worth a visit for its history, architecture and interior. By Karin Modig | Photos: Juhls Silvergallery

Winter at Juhls Silvergallery. The architecture of the house has developed over 50 years. It is in one with the landscape and is inspired by theformation of the snow.

"Magic ball" - A historicalpiece of jewellery originallyfrom the south of Norway.

Earrings, Tundra designDesigned by Sunniva Juhls,this set reflects the snow, iceand Arctic light in the north.

Bracelet from the Tundrarange by Regine Juhls.A modern classic.

Juhls Silvergallery is about atwo-hour drive from Alta, and is openyear-round.



Whether you prefer the view through acamera lens or a set of binoculars, thewonderful Varanger fjord in the farnorth-eastern reaches of Norway offersan Arctic bird scene unlike anywhere elsein the world.

Surrounded by the rugged, yet colourful,wilderness that defines this region, theVaranger fjord opens up into the cold Arc-tic waters of the Barents Sea. This is theonly fjord in Norway facing east, and itssecluded location and large areas of un-touched nature provide the perfect habitatfor a rich variety of Arctic bird specieslooking for a place to nest.

Each year an abundance of bothseabirds and mountain birds migrate tothe shores of the Varanger fjord. Here,where the great open plains meet thecalm waters of the fjord, they can spendthe winter protected from the harsh cli-mate further north. Species like the

Steller's Eider, King Eider, Common Ei-der, Long-tailed Skua and the character-istic Puffin make this area a birdwatcher's paradise.

“In February and March, when the day-light returns, Varanger turns into an ElDorado for bird photographers,” says KateUtsi, general manager of DestinationVaranger. Longer hours of daylight peek-ing over the low horizon create a uniquecanvas and colour spectrum for photog-raphers looking to capture that “once in alife time” motif.

“You are also guaranteed a beautifulplay of colours when the sun sets, and

the northern lights come to life and lightup the night sky,” adds Utsi.

An Arctic photography adventure

For more information, please visit:www.varanger.com

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By Magnus Nygren SyversenPhotos: Tormod Amundsen


Kirkenes, in the extreme north-easternpart of Norway, is the perfect location for afestival exploring languages, situated, as itis, close to both Russia and Finland, and inan area with a large Sami population.

“As this is the only festival of its kind inFinnmark, we decided to hold it in a differ-ent place each time, enabling us to reachas wide an audience as possible,” saysStine Qvigstad Jenvin, festival coordinator.

“What we want to do is to create a placewhere people can meet and talk about lit-erature, without limitations,” says QvigstadJenvin. “There will be meetings with au-thors, a poetry slam, discussions and sev-eral lectures by academics and others.”

The festival looks to cover several issueswithin its theme, linking the topics to thearea of Finnmark. Both factual writingand fiction will be represented, and so willchildren’s literature.

Events will be spread throughout Kirkenesand nearby areas, and the festival is co-operating with kindergartens, schools,youth clubs and libraries, with an ex-pressed aim of reaching as many peopleas possible.

A strong line-up of authors is already con-firmed, both Norwegian and international.Much-loved Norwegian author Tor ÅgeBringsværd will be appearing, alongsidelocal historian and author Aina Basso, Ice-landic Gyrðir Elíasson, Finnish Kerttu Vuo-lab and Swedish Anna Fiske, to name buta few.

“Our aim is to have a mixture of interna-tional authors, and we are very proud ofthe ones taking part. In terms of the gen-res represented, there is a wide spectrum;all bring something different to the table,meaning a greater opportunity for morepeople to find something that excitesthem,” says Qvigstad Jenvin. “We will havea poetry evening for children, and we arealso creating a programme aimed specif-ically at young people.”

The first festival was a great success, witharound 2,500 visitors. Building on thatsuccess, and extending the festival to in-clude the weekend, the 2012 festivalpromises to be a treat.

ANordic literary extravaganza in FinnmarkFollowing the success of the first festival in Alta in 2010, Finnmark International Literature Festival returns in 2012. This time, itis moving to Kirkenes and promises an interesting programme of events centred on the theme of languages.

By Karin Modig

Finnmark International LiteratureFestival runs from February 29 toMarch 4, 2012.

For more information, please visit:www.finnlitt.org

Tor Åge BringsværdPhoto: Roger Pihl

Aina BassoPhoto: Tove K. Breistein

Anna FiskePhoto: June Witzøe

Gyrðir ElíassonPhoto: Einar F. Ingolfsson

Kerttu VuolabPhoto: Common Cash/D. Girji

Gapahuken Restaurant. Photo: Geir Moen/GoFoto Kirkenes

Lisa AisatoPhoto: Einar Børresen

Music by Niko Valkeapää during the festival openingin Alta 2010. Photo: Sonja Siltala


The spectacular mountain plateau ofFinnmarksvidda covers a vast areaacross the county of Finnmark. A populardestination with locals and tourists alike,a great way to experience the scenery isfrom a husky dog sled.

Easily accessible by car from Kirkenes andVadsø is the beautiful Tana Valley, home toTana Husky, a small business specializingin intimate and personal husky rides, com-bining nature, quietness and culture. Here,owner and competitive husky rider DagBroch and his 15 huskies welcome visitorsfor year-round husky rides.

The highlight of their offerings is afour-day, intimate husky ride for one ortwo people. “It is a very exclusive trip,”says Broch, “ideal for anyone really want-ing to get away and immerse themselvesin nature for a few days.”

During the first evening and followingmorning, visitors get to know both Brochand the dogs. “The visitors will be the

ones taking care of the dogs throughoutthe trip, with me supervising, so there is afocus on safety, andmaking sure the dogsare equipped correctly,” he says.

The following days are spent in thewilderness, staying either in a tent or atraditional Sami cabin with meals, includ-ing reindeer meat.

The beauty of the surrounding naturemeans the trip is guaranteed to be a once

in a lifetime experience. You may get tosee the phenomenal northern lights, andboth moose and reindeer sightings arecommon.

The trip can be anything up to around100 kilometres, and should the stillnessbe too deafening, Broch is also amusicianwho promises to bring his guitar with himon all trips.

A husky ride into the wilderness

For more information, please visit:www.tanahusky.no

Photo:ReiulfGrønnevik

By Karin ModigPhoto: Dag Broch

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Old stucco ceilings; rock concerts; cham-ber music; young, innovative artists; ex-perimental productions - your first sightof Københavns Musikteater (Copen-hagen’s Music Theatre) might not give itaway, but it is all there. Tucked away in ahistoric townhouse on Copenhagen’s at-mospheric Kronprinsensgade, Køben-havns Musikteater prides itself on itswide reach, diverse audience and inno-vative productions.

“It is very important to us that we are amultifarious theatre. We are Copen-hagen’s Music Theatre, and we want toappeal to everybody in Copenhagen, notjust the traditional theatre goers,” saysadministrative director Anne Rasmussen.

Setting the scene

Københavns Musikteater was foundedthree years ago by its current artistic di-rector Allan Kile and spotting coordinatorMikala Bjarnov Lage; and soon after, AnneRasmussen joined. Located in an oldFreemasons’ Lodge, the theatre’s interi-

ors still carry marks from its past such asthe Freemasons’ characteristic white andblack tile patterns. “The atmosphere hereis really that of an old-fashioned Copen-hagener flat, and guests are often reallyamazed when they see our main theatrehall, because they don’t expect to findsuch a great hall inside the old city cen-tre,” explains Rasmussen. The theatrehall seats 150 spectators; a smaller hallfor around 40 people is used for more in-timate performances.

New ideas

Every year 12-15 musical drama produc-tions and 20-25 concerts are presented atKøbenhavns Musikteater. Some are pro-duced by the theatre; others are set up byindependent artists or theatre groups.Among the independent groups are thosecreated through the theatre’s spottingprocess, for which individual artists canapply to develop ideas through workshopsand network forums. “Many groups havereally good ideas but don’t have a scene;we try to accommodate as many as pos-

sible, the only restriction is, of course,that it has to involve music,” explains Ras-mussen. “Our goal is to broaden and de-velop the concept of musical drama –most often we think of operas or musicalswhen we think of musical drama, but it isa lot more. It’s a genre that needs to bedeveloped, and because we are a small,new theatre, we can do a lot of originalperformances with new music and inno-vative ideas, which huge theatres simplycan’t do.”

Formore information, please visit:www.kobenhavnsmusikteater.dk

Attraction of the Month, Denmark

Musical theatre for everyoneBy Signe Hansen | Photos: Sven Berggreen

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Denmark

Stina Nilsson, Spotting 2010

Morten Lutzhøft and the cast from the performance “Jeger drömmenes Labyrint” (I am the Labyrinth of Dreams).


Harpa, Reykjavik’s concert hall and con-ference centre, which opened its doors tothe public in May 2011, has been a longtime in the making. The country’s brandnew cultural centre is set to host a widearray of word-class concerts, from clas-sical to contemporary, as well as largeinternational conferences and otherprestigious events.

Harpa forms a striking new addition toIceland’s cultural scene, finally offering ahome to the Iceland Symphony Orchestraas well as the Icelandic Opera. The coun-try has never before had its own musichall and had to wait almost a hundredyears before Harpa was established, andeven this turned out to be a rocky road af-fected by the financial crisis. Nonethelessthe city of Reykjavik and the Icelandicstate decided to take over the manage-ment and financing of the whole project,and it has certainly paid off.

“Since its opening in May, more than

350,000 people have attended the hall al-ready, which is more than the whole pop-ulation of Iceland, so it is fair to say that ithas been very successful,” explains mu-sical director Steinunn Birna Ragnars-dóttir.

Formore information, please visit:en.harpa.is

Event highlights:The Iceland Symphony Orchestraperforms weekly concerts.21 November 2011: Elvis CostelloUntil 25 November 2011:The Magic Flute, The Icelandic Opera19-20 January 2012:The music of James Bond,The Iceland Symphony Orchestra16-17 February 2012:The Lord of the Rings Symphony,The Iceland Symphony Orchestra

Attraction of the Month, Iceland

Iceland’s new and dynamiccultural centreBy Nia Kajastie | Photo: Hördur Sveinsson

Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Iceland

Harpa is easily one of Iceland’s most im-portant cultural hubs and architecturallandmarks, combining designs byrenowned visual artist Olafur Eliasson aswell as Henning Larsen Architects andBatteríið Architects. Bringing new life anda dynamic energy to Reykjavik’s centralharbour and waterfront area, Harpa is aworld-class venue that has already at-tracted big names from different musicgenres as well as international busi-nesses in search of a state-of-the-artconference centre.

Performers so far have included pop sen-sation Jamie Cullum, tenor Jonas Kauf-mann, pianist Maria João Pires, violinistand conductor Maxim Vengerov, conduc-tor Gustavo Dudamel and clarinettist Mar-tin Fröst. Among the international con-ferences that have already taken place atHarpa are EUWIN 2011 and EABCT 2011.

“Icelandic music has been a strong factorin introducing Iceland to the world,through artists like Björk, who broughther Biophilia live show to Harpa in Octo-ber and early November, and the myriadof artists performing at Iceland Airwaves.This building now puts a strong emphasison the importance of music, from classi-cal to rock, as Iceland‘s focus is set onculture during the recovery from the fi-nancial crisis that is happening slowly butsurely,” concludes music director Stein-unn Birna

Photo:BáraKristinsdóttir


Scan Magazine | Attraction of the Month | Norway

The semi-nomadic Sami did not use kilo-metres or miles to tell the distance, in-stead judging the length of a journey byhowmany coffee breaks it included. Thisold tradition provides the framework ofan innovative active holiday in Finnmark,the Sami heartland.

De Syv Kaffekok can be loosely translatedas The Seven Coffee Stops, and is a jour-ney in the footsteps of the indigenousSami of Northern Norway. It is a co-oper-ation between 14 different businesses,providers of accommodation and activi-ties. All in all, there are seven coffee stops,each representing a different part of Samiculture, tradition, history and way of life.

The brains behind this trip is Esther Utsi,owner of guesthouse Polmakmoen Gjest-gård and the lighthouse and guesthouse

Kjølnes Fyr in Berlevåg. “I started workingon the concept of De Syv Kaffekok as aholiday experience about ten years ago,”she says. “I divided the area up into sevenstops, and invited local businesses to par-ticipate.”

Utsi’s family were reindeer herders, andthe journey follows the route her fatherand his reindeer made every year, from in-land Finnmark to the coast. The area isnotable for the frequent northern lightsduring the darker months, whilst thesummer months present plenty of oppor-tunities for bird watching.

The journey starts at PolmakmoenGjestegård in Tana, on the border withFinland, where Utsi dishes up locally pro-duced food and gives you the history of thearea. “From there, the journey goes north

Polmakmoen Gjestegård is easilyaccessible from Kirkenes Airport.

For more information, please visit:www.polmakmoen-gjestegard.no/NOR/de7kaffekok.html

Attraction of the Month, Norway

A journey in the footsteps ofthe Sami populationBy Karin Modig | Photos: De Syv Kaffekok

through Finnmark, ending up in Berlevågright on the northern coast,” she says.“During the journey, we will see a cross-section of Finnmark, where every placerepresents a different part of our culture.”

The journey covers most aspects of Samiculture, frommysticism and magic to thewomen’s place. “What is important to meis to show that our culture is so muchmore than just tents and reindeer,” Utsisays passionately.

It is around 150 kilometres from the firstto the last stop. You can make the trip bycar in a day, or you can do it on foot, tak-ing days soaking up the history and na-ture. Throughout, there are masses of op-portunities for activities to take part in,including salmon fishing, bird safaris andsnow mobile rides, to mention a few.


Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Finland

Sokos Hotels is the largest hotel chain inFinland. With a wide selection of hotels inFinland, Tallinn and St. Petersburg, thechain is well known for offering conven-ient amenities and excellent locations.Whether in city centres or at holiday re-sorts, all hotels are easily reachable andwithin good traffic connections. In additionto accommodation, Sokos Hotels includea wide range of restaurant and meetingservices, conveniently all under one roof.

For business and leisure

Sokos Hotel Flamingo is located in thecity of Vantaa, in the Helsinki Metropolitan

Area, and only a few kilometres from theairport. Built in 2008, the hotel is part ofthe Flamingo entertainment complex,which also houses the popular Jumboshopping centre. The biggest entertain-ment centre in Scandinavia, Flamingo in-cludes a wide variety of spa facilities, well-ness services and a water park, as well asshops, bowling alleys, a cinema and an ar-ray of restaurants. Open all year round,the complex brings some serious fun to itsvisitors.

“We have 309 comfortable high-qualityrooms here at Sokos Hotel Flamingo,”

says hotel manager Päivi Holappa. “Allrooms are non-smoking and have an ad-justable room-based air-conditioning sys-tem and Wi-Fi internet access.” The ho-tel’s restaurant Amarillo provides tastyfood, good beverages and a laid-back so-ciable atmosphere. Famous for its Mexi-can-themed menu, Amarillo welcomesguests to eat, drink and have fun. There isalso a private restaurant in the hotel,which is ideal for organizing various typesof events, accommodating up to 300guests. “Our superb banqueting facilities,available on request, have proven highlypopular,” Holappa continues.

Hotel of the Month, Finland

A hotel and so much moreSokos Hotel Flamingo is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the countless pampering experiences on offer. Along withbeing perfect for leisure breaks, it provides versatile business facilities and excellent meeting premises. So whetheryou are after a relaxing business stay or some action-packed leisure time, or vice versa, this hotel caters for all yourneeds.

By Inna Allen | Photos: Sokos Hotel Flamingo


Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Finland

In addition to all the leisure amenities,Sokos Hotel Flamingo also boasts excel-lent conference facilities. There are 12meeting rooms varying in sizes, accom-modating anything from 12 to 140 people.The hotel is easily accessible by publictransport, and a taxi rank is located rightoutside the main entrance. There are also800 free parking spaces in the Flamingocar park.

Abundance of wellness andentertainment

Flamingo offers a unique spa experiencewith a blend of quiet chill-out relaxationfor adults and energising fun for the fam-ily. The luxurious Spa &Wellness world isideal for winding down in quiet surround-ings, while the Water Park keeps childrenand adults alike entertained for hours withits five different pools and slides. Guestscan also make use of the comprehensivegym centre, and there is, of course, aproper Finnish sauna.

From bowling and billiards to glow golfand cinema, Flamingo’s leisure world of-fers so much to choose from that youmight need a few visits to experienceeverything. Become a golf expert at thestate-of-the-art golf simulator, or try put-ting a ball into a shark’s mouth at Eu-rope’s first glow mini-golf course.Flamingo’s super-modern cinema com-plex is equipped with world-class screen-ing technology, while the bowling centreboasts 20 bowling alleys and 8 pool tables.

A taste for good food and shopping

Flamingo houses a variety of specialistshops and boutiques, open seven days aweek. In addition, the Jumbo shopping

centre, the largest in the region, is only ashort walk away across the indoor pas-sage. Along with over a hundred stores,the complex is bursting with differentrestaurants and cafés to keep all theshoppers energised. From breakfast to a

For more information, pleasevisit: www.sokoshotels.fi andwww.flamingo.fi

Sokos Hotel FlamingoTasetie 8, 01510 Vantaa, FinlandDistance to Helsinki-Vantaaairport is 3.2 km and 15 km toHelsinki city centre.

night snack and from pizzas to sushi, theeateries cater for many needs, while pubsprovide sociable fun if you feel like party-ing. With so much to see and do, this ho-tel complex really delivers all services un-der one big roof.

The Mexican-themed Amarillo restaurant


Situated in a beautifully maintained park,every room in Comwell Borupgaard has aview over either the park or the lake. Thelines between the inside and the outsideare deliberately blurred: the panoramicwindows bring nature inside, and the na-ture is also reflected in the décor whichmainly consists of materials with an or-ganic origin. The hotel has 149 rooms,newly renovated to a high standard, in-cluding four suites and four rooms forguests with disabilities. All rooms haveInternet connection, a flat-screen televi-sion, mini bar, large work desk, spaciousbathroom and, of course, views of thebeautiful park or lake.

The surrounding area offers plenty of op-portunities to enjoy the outdoors. Thereare walking and cycling routes, tenniscourts, and golf courses, to name a few.The hotel is also within reach of severalpopular tourist attractions, such as Kron-borg Castle and Louisiana Museum ofModern Art.

Conferences and meetings

Comwell Borupgaard is a renowned con-ference centre, and it has recently wonthe prestigious MPI Meeting Venue of theYear 2011 award. The facilities includeseveral meeting rooms, seminar rooms,exhibition areas and an auditorium with a

capacity of up to 330 people. All venuesare equipped with modern AV equipmentand wireless Internet, and there is even acustomer centre, offering technical sup-port.

Professional conference coordinators areavailable to help you host a successfulevent, offering ideas and advice on how totailor-make your meetings to suit yourparticular needs. A popular option is com-bining meetings with spa activities. Theconference coordinators can suggest waysin which breaks can be used to re-ener-gise and spoil your conference partici-pants.

Hotel of the Month, Denmark

Indulge your senses at the old manor houseComwell Borupgaard is part of the renowned Comwell chain of 15 luxurious hotels and conference centres.Borupgaard was originally an old manor house, and the grandeur is still evident, blending seamlessly with themodern facilities. Borupgaard is located near the coastal town of Helsingør (Elsinore), in one of Denmark's mosthistoric regions, and amid the stunning nature of North Zealand. The hotel is just one hour's drive from CopenhagenAirport.

By Yane Christensen | Photos: Comwell Borupgaard


Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark

There is a range of professional meetingpackages available. These can be up-graded or adjusted to suit your prefer-ences, providing you with a perfect meet-ing package. There are plenty of outdoorfacilities at Borupgaard, which are suit-able for team building events. In collabo-ration with professional event bureaus andcourse organisers, they arrange a rangeof activities, including sailing and parkolympics.

A full-size spa with a unique philosophy

One of the biggest and best spas in Den-mark is located in the old manor building.Modern facilities have been added to cre-ate a delightful and extremely well-equipped spa. The spa's philosophy isbased on its so-called four cornerstones:Physical Flow (treatments), Mental Calm,Physical Activity and Comwell Care (acarefully devised combination of healthyeating, physical activity and pamperingfor body and mind).

The spa offers an array of treatments,beautifying as well as relaxing and

restorative. In the 15 treatment rooms,there are several types of massages avail-able, such as aromatherapy and hot stonemassage, classic Swedish massage, andalso body scrubs, deep-cleansing claytreatments and facials. Following yourtreatments, you can relax in the Silent Re-treat Room with guided meditation or inthe Relax Room, where healthy drinks andfruit are served. Throughout the spa,guests are surrounded by a warm andinviting atmosphere, complete with relax-ing spamusic. The spa extends to the out-doors, with yoga sessions in the park andoutdoor saunas and a Jacuzzi, both withpanoramic views of the lake.

The spa also offers various physical activ-ities, such as yoga and aqua gym, and alsothe Five Tibetan Rites, healing breathingexercises, and sauna treatments with es-sential oils. The unique AquaSpa offers alarge range of modern facilities such asthe Relax Sauna with scents, SteamSauna, Hot Sauna, and as the only spa inDenmark, a Salt Sauna, which strengthensyour immune system and skin.

Food also plays a huge part in the spaprogramme at Borupsgaard. Guests aretempted away from the traditional buffetand familiar choices, by some delicious,healthy and balanced options, such as asuper-healthy breakfast, especially de-veloped to set you up for the day. The foodserved at Borupgaard is generally basedon Nordic cooking, using high-quality pro-duce.

You do not have to be an overnight guest atBorupgaard to enjoy the spa facilities ei-ther; you can come as a DaySpa guesttoo. And with winter approaching, youshould consider booking yourself in foran immune system boosting session atthe spa. The signature treatment PureSpais designed to prepare you for the coldseason. Depending on which package youhave booked, you are guaranteed to leaveBorupgaard feeling renewed, relaxed orenergized.

Formore information, please visit:www.comwell.dk


Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

“Danish people are really fond of Italianfood, but they expect more than just a dishof pasta - they have high standards. To bea true Italian restaurant you need the Ital-ian atmosphere and you need Italianchefs, and I think that we are the onlyrestaurant in Aarhus that has that.”

Italian all the way through

While Valentin has a Danish manager tohelp him run the restaurant, he is keen tomake sure that the Italian atmosphere iswhat shines through. This is one of thereasons he has recently hired two Italianchefs, two of his own acquaintances from

Italy, who have just arrived in Denmark towork at the restaurant. The chefs prepareand cook the food in the restaurant’s char-acteristic open kitchen, which is part ofwhat creates Ristorante Aldente’s specialatmosphere. “The open kitchen allowspeople to see and hear what is going on.They can hear the chefs talking and call-ing out in Italian; I hadn’t thought about it,but a lot of guests have told us that theyactually find that quite charming,” ex-plains Valentin.

In the background, classical Italian musicis playing, so guests, who are seated

among rustic Italian furniture, wine bot-tles and old Italian paintings, should be inno doubt as to what kind of restaurantthey have entered. The food is served byValentin himself, his mother, the restau-rant’s two Italian waiters or the restaurantmanager.

Changing with the seasons

Together with his mother, Valentin, who ishalf Italian, took over Ristorante Aldentejust a month ago when the previous Ital-ian owner had to give up the business.“We are continuing the Italian concept,but we have made some improvements

Restaurant of the Month, Denmark

Take a bite of ItalyAvisit to Ristorante Aldente in the heart of Aarhus lets you experience not only the tastes and smells of Italy but alsoits sounds, sights and atmosphere. Owned, managed and waited by Italians, Aldente is really, says its new ownerValentin El-Mais, Aarhus’s only real Italian restaurant.

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Ristorante Aldente


Scan Magazine | Restaurant of the Month | Denmark

and changes. For instance, we are verykeen on always using fresh produce, sowe buy new ingredients every day,” ex-plains the restaurant owner. “And every-thing, like bread and pasta, is freshlymade in the restaurant’s kitchen.”

Ristorante Aldente changes their menuonce every three months, and the contin-ued renewal has many benefits; one isthat it allows ingredients that do not havetheir full flavour in that season to be re-placed by seasonal vegetables. “We adaptthe menu to the seasons here in Den-mark but also to match the Italian sea-sons, so our guests get the same experi-ence they would in Italy at that time ofyear,” says Valentin.

A hint of Danish Christmas

In the winter months, Ristorante Aldenteoffers a special winter menu of threecourses of typical Italian dishes. However,for Christmas, a special menu of four orfive courses, which Valentin has allowed tobe slightly influenced by the DanishChristmas traditions, is on offer. “We also

have a new very accomplished Danishchef, who, of course, has also left hismark on the menu. Obviously, our guestsare Danes, not Italians, so we have toadapt it a bit to their taste buds,” Valentinexplains. “What is most important to us isthat people walk out of here feeling thatthey had a great experience with goodfood and friendly service.”

Having a party?

With room for 150 guests and a charmingand warm atmosphere, RistoranteAldente is a popular venue for birthdayparties, baptisms and other festive occa-sions. The 150 seats are divided betweenthe ground floor and lower ground floor.On the lower ground floor, 80 people canbe seated in one room, and it is thereforeideal for large celebrations; and for biggerevents, the whole restaurant can berented for both lunch and dinner.

And, even though the atmosphere at therestaurant is relaxed and friendly, if youprefer to enjoy Ristorante Aldente’s deli-cious food in the comfort of your own

home or hotel room, that is no problem ei-ther. The restaurant offers a delicioustakeawaymenu just as they do catering forcompany events, parties and much more.

Ristorante Aldente is open Monday toSunday from 5pm to 10pm, but can bebooked in advance for parties and cateringoutside these hours as well.

Formore information, please visit:www.aldente-ristorante.dk


Scan Magazine | Columns | Humour

Mette Lisby is Denmark’s leading femalecomedian. She invites you to laugh alongwith her monthly humour columns. Sinceher stand-up debut in 1992, Mette hashosted the Danish versions of “Have I GotNews For You” and “Room 101”.

IS IT JUST ME... By Mette Lisby

Who feels it is a huge inconvenience that I have to actually leave my houseto exercise?

Moving countries halfway through myteenage years made me a very miserableimmigrant. I’d left all my friends behind,had a problem with blushing and was gen-erally depressed. To add to my misery, Ifound British boys HOT. Hot and unattain-able, to a glum, red-faced foreigner.

This resulted in me writing lots and lotsof fervent, angst-ridden poetry, scrawled inthe margins of my coursework. My English

teacher, towhom I’meternally grateful, no-ticed my tortured hobby and packed me offto attend poetry classes. Thesewere held atthe local posh school. The local posh schoolfor boys. Suddenly there I was, surroundedby hot British boys all into writing fervent,angst-ridden poetry. Not only that, buthalfway into the term,wewere all sent awayon aweek-long poetry writing course in thecountry.

My life at this point was at a sort of emo-tional pivotal peak. To make things evenmore tumultuous, it turned out that theteacherswho accompanied uswere the sortof teachers used to the sort of teenagerswho could be trusted with a little ale beforetheir 18th birthdays, and so happily allowedus to indulge. So there I foundmyself, awk-ward, awestruck and drunk in a barn in De-von, surrounded by everything that seemedto be of any importance in life. No miracleoccurred, I didn’t score or anything. But bythe end of the week I managed, in a croakylittle voice, to read out one of my poems to

the groupwithout dying ofmortification. I feltI had crossed a significant threshold.

Thanks to an attentive English teacher, abunch of posh boys,many bleak lines of (of-ten grammatically incorrect) prose and alittleWest Country cider, life in Englandwasdefinitely on the up from then on.

Maria Smedstad moved to the UK fromSweden in 1994. She received a degree inIllustration in 2001, before settling in thecapital as a freelance cartoonist, creatingthe autobiographical cartoon Em. Shewrites a column on the trials andtribulations of life as a Swede in the UK.

Poetry By Maria Smedstad

This to the extent that my husband and Irecently bought a cross-trainer. Now weonly have to go to our guest bedroom toget a good work out. Excellent! The pur-chase was a phenomenal success. Myhusband and I both worked out adamantlyevery day. We celebrated our brillianceand newly toned bodies, agreeing that thecross-trainer was “awesome” and theidea of having it in-house was “genius”.

Now, a few months down the line, Ifind myself slipping behind. I can nolonger muster the will, excitement or en-ergy to get on the cross-trainer and workout on a daily basis. The novelty – andwhat seems to have been a beginners’endorphin rush – has worn off and I amforced to face the sad fact: I am just notthe kind of person who works out to “feelbetter”. I work out with one sole, over-

shadowing purpose: to eat more cake.That’s me: efficient, result-oriented andfocused… on cake. I get confused mo-mentarily by crisps, but the main focus iscake. You got to have a vision! And thelargely accepted and highly praised “tofeel better about myself” is egocentricand lacks understanding of the biggerpicture. Cake and crisps help out theeconomy. Noble, right? Yes, but it doesn’tget me back on the cross-trainer. I havetried everything. Even the little dirty dis-illusion that most joggers turn to, to glo-rify their workout: “It feels good after-wards.” I cannot go through with this levelof self-deception. To me the concept of“feeling good afterwards” is much toovague.

It can be said about way too manythings: Libyans feel good AFTER Gadaffi

died, students feel better AFTER the mathexam, and last but not least, you do feel alot better AFTER you throw up. See? A lotof really horrible stuff feels good AFTER-WARDS. As in: “…when it’s finally over.”

Sorry, but if it doesn’t feel good WHILEit’s going on, it’s not my thing. Not even inmy own house.


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Scan Magazine seeksFreelance JournalistsWe are currently looking for qualified journalists ona freelance basis. We are looking for journalists withDanish, Swedish, Norwegian or Finnish background.You need to be confident in English as well as atleast one of the Nordic languages.

To apply, please email your CV to Nia Kajastie [email protected]


I love Scandinavian design. Actually, I lovegreat design, clever or amusing, from any-where. I appreciate the care and attentionto detail, and the designers’ understand-ing of the manufacturing process that hasgone into turning a sketch into somethingtruly wonderful. Great design transcendsdecades, never appears to age, and findsnew followers and devotees with everygeneration.

Wait until tomorrow for the thing you love,instead of buying an inferior item today. Apertinent thought considering the worldwe live in today, and yet a sentiment thatseems to fit more comfortably within theScandinavian ethos.

I am a demi-Swede, a strange place to be,stuck between two worlds. I started mybusiness to help combine them. Openingthe retail business five years ago gave mean opportunity to show many of the prod-ucts that I had been bringing back fromSweden for years. This included lighting,fabrics, glassware and homeware fromcompanies well known in their own andsurrounding countries, but not exactlyhousehold names here in the UK. Ourwebsite was launched in June this year asa new direction for the business.

Missing the wonderful interaction with

people has been the downside of beingpurely web based. On returning fromFormex in Stockholm, where I met sup-pliers and discovered new products, I re-ceived my new edition of Elle Decoration,and found with great delight the supple-ment about The Scandinavia Show. Aphone call later, I had the last stand. Youcan never underestimate the amount oforganisation and man hours that go intomaking such an event, or even one standhappen. The following months’ planninggave us exclusive show offers from Iittala,Gubi, Muuto and Design House Stock-holm.

At the show we were busy, very little timeleft for coffee. This was the first event ofthis size we have exhibited at, and manylessons have been learnt: better planning,bigger van, more staff on the stand andmore coffee.

I loved the eclectic range of businessesand services on offer at the show. Thisdrew visitors to walk around the entireevent for fear of missing something. As anexhibitor, we just wish we had had thetime to see it all.

For all of us who are part Scandinavian,married to one, love the place, spend timethere, speak the language or are generally

fascinated by the area, this show is thebest place to go for your fix, as well as toadd more items to your collection and togather knowledge. So much to see, somuch to learn, and as always, we all lefttalking about food.

Scan Business | Key Note | Karlsson Scandinavian Design

Scan BusinessTax Column: Swiss Account Holders 70 | Conferences of the Month 72 | The Scandinavian Chambers of Commerce 75

72 73 74

Out of love for design

For further information, please visit:www.karlssondesign.co.uk

By Anna Yates, Director, demi-Swede, design addict,Karlsson Scandinavian Design Ltd.

Anna Yates


Scan Business | Column | Tax

Over the past few years, the tax authori-ties around the world have increasedtheir focus on stamping out tax evasionthrough accounts held in other countries.

In the UK, various disclosure opportuni-ties have been announced, as well as newstrategies for collecting information andtaxes across national borders. Continuingthis trend, on 6 October 2011, a tax agree-ment was signed between the UK andSwitzerland, which is designed to ensurethat UK resident taxpayers cannot con-tinue to evade UK tax on bankable assetsheld in Switzerland. The agreement is ex-pected to come into force in 2013. Anyonewho has a Swiss account and who is res-ident in the UK, has a UK address or holdsa UK passport will need to consider theimpact of this agreement, even if their taxaffairs are in order.

The agreement provides for a one-off levyof between 19% and 34% to be deductedbased on the value of accounts held inSwitzerland on 31 December 2010. Thelevy is designed to settle income tax, cap-ital gains tax, inheritance tax and VAT lia-bilities in relation to the account. The rateof the deduction depends on the length oftime the account has been held and theactivity on the account. Going forward,there will also be a withholding tax leviedby Swiss paying agents, ranging from 27%on capital gains to 48% on interest andcertain other income. In order to avoid thelevy and withholding tax being applied,the taxpayer will need to authorise theSwiss bank to disclose the account to theUK tax authorities HM Revenue & Cus-toms (“HMRC”).

Affected assets in Switzerland includecash accounts, precious metal accounts,bankable assets held by Swiss payingagents, all forms of stocks, shares and

securities, options, debts and futures con-tracts as well as other structured prod-ucts traded by the banks, such as certifi-cates and convertibles. The contents ofsafe deposit boxes, real property, chat-tels and certain insurance contracts (butnot insurance wrappers) will be excluded.

Non-domiciled individuals who haveclaimed the remittance basis in 2010/11and/or 2011/12 can opt out of the one-offlevy to clear past tax liabilities. However,the Swiss paying agent may only acceptthat an individual is non-UK domiciled ifthey are provided with a certificate pro-duced by a lawyer, accountant or tax ad-viser confirming that the individual is non-UK domiciled and has claimed theremittance basis of taxation for the rele-vant tax years. Going forward, a declara-tion of intent to claim the remittance ba-sis for the next tax year needs to beproduced by 31 March before the begin-ning of the year, and confirmed by a cer-tificate that this has been done followingthe end of the tax year. If an individual hasmade a declaration of intent to claim theremittance basis, but this has not beencertified by the specified date, withholdingtax will be levied at increased rates rang-ing from 28% on capital gains to 50% oninterest income.

Those who may be tempted to transfertheir accounts elsewhere to avoid the taxdeductions should note that the agree-ment also provides for exchange of infor-mation. The Swiss authorities will be re-quired to report to HMRC to confirm the10 states to where persons who closetheir Swiss accounts have transferred thelargest volume of relevant assets, as wellas the number of persons concerned foreach state. This will give HMRC a strongpointer of where its next target should be.Taxpayers who have outstanding tax lia-

bilities should take advice on the mostappropriate way to put their affairs in or-der. The situation immediately becomesmore serious if HMRC raise an enquiryfirst, so if there is a problem it is importantto act quickly.

Swiss account holders– the UK tax net is closing inBy Helena Whitmore, McGuireWoods London LLP | Photo: Yiannis Katsaris

Helena WhitmoreMcGuireWoods London LLP([email protected]).

Further information is available onHMRC’s website www.hmrc.gov.uk,or by contacting the writer. This col-umn is intended to provide informa-tion of general interest to the publicand is not intended to offer legal ad-vice about specific situations orproblems.

Helena Whitmore

Often listed among the most stress-in-ducing life events, moving house can beeverything but enjoyable. Add to that thecomplications of relocating to a differentcountry, and you can see how hair wouldshift to grey at the sheer sight of card-board boxes. Thankfully, it does not haveto be like that.

For Alan Hovell, the man behind City Mov-ing & Storage, running a removal busi-ness is about much more than just boxes.“I really like people,” he explains. “I enjoyhelping people move and making surethat everything runs smoothly.”

Dating back to 1976, Hovell’s credentialsinclude the shipping of antiques and vin-tage cars worldwide. After ten years inthe industry, Hovell decided it was time to

start his own business, and this yearmarks its 25th birthday.

As Hovell reminisces about two decadesof working with Scandinavians, it is clearthat he is genuinely a people person.“Scandinavians have a lot of integrity, andI find them very easy to work with.”

As an established member of both FIDIand the British Association of Removers,industry bodies that regulate service stan-dards and provide financial protection, CityMoving & Storage offers an all-inclusiveservice of packing, shipping and unpack-ing, including packagingmaterials. With aminimum shipment of one cubic metre,posting Christmas presents for the lovedones back home is easy.

It seems perfectly clear that whateverstressful experiences life throws at you,relocating should not be one of them. En-joy making plans for your new life; thefriendly faces over at City Moving & Stor-age will deal with the rest.

“I made the most out of my inherited wealth by

securing my daily living expenses as well as

making my dream come true”

Stefan, 44, Sales Director,International Private Banking client

International Private Banking is a service for clients withhigh income or wealth, who have chosen to live outsidethe Nordic countries. You and your family are assigned anExecutive Wealth Manager – a financial specialist – whocan guide you on your overall private finances.

Your Executive Wealth Manager is available for meetingsoutside normal opening hours and can draw upon expertswithin the Group or our network of external specialists onareas such as domiciliation, insurances and audit.

We can tailor solutions to bridge your worlds, whereveryou are. We call this solutions beyond the ordinary.

To become an International Private Banking client, visit ourweb site www.danskebank.lu or call us in Luxembourg attelephone +352 46 12 751.

Needs beyond the ordinary?

Take the stress out of relocating andadd the human touchBy Linnea Dunne | Photo: City Moving & Storage

Scan Business | Feature | Relocation

Alan Hovell

For further information, please visit:www.citymoving.co.uk


Scan Magazine | Conference of the Month | Finland

Lahti’s congress and concert centre wascompleted in March 2000, merging to-gether old and new, as it was built on thesite of a steam sawmill that had beenthere since 1869. It was a natural pro-gression to choose wood as the main ma-terial, and it was also selected to be apart of a project that at the time was try-ing to seek out innovative wooden con-struction solutions.

Sibelius Hall was designed by architectsHannu Tikka and Kimmo Lintula, whodrew their main inspiration from themys-

tique of the Finnish forest. The sophisti-cated acoustic design was created by theUS-based Artec Consultants Inc, also pre-senting the Lahti Symphony Orchestrawith an ideal home concert hall and set-ting for the annual Sibelius Festival.Sibelius Hall is also host to more than140 concerts per year by artists from dif-ferent musical genres as well as variedentertainment events.

Set by the lake Vesijärvi and close to theLahti city centre, it truly shows off the bestsides of Finnish creativity and nature

Conference of the Month, Finland

A Finnish dream come trueTheSibelius Hall congress and concert centre, named, of course, after world-renownedFinnish composer Jean Sibelius, is located in the city of Lahti, less than an hour fromHelsinki. It is truly a Finnish dream come true: an impressive wooden building set idyl-lically by a lake, exuding Nordic cool.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Sibelius Hall

For further information, please visit:www.sibeliustalo.fi

through its architecture and location. Theinside of the building is equally impres-sive, offering 18 different spaces suitablefor conferences and events of all sizes,and, of course, a VIP sauna suite, perfectfor a meeting, a private dinner as well asa relaxed evening spent in the sauna itself.

“Whether you need an exhibition space, aparty venue or a room for a meeting, wecan handle it all,” says congress managerAnu Kärkkäinen. “There isn’t necessarilya readymade model for every client wehave; we do have conference packages,but we can tailor things according toclients’ needs as well. We want it to be aseasy as possible for them, so if they needa translator, a red carpet or anything else,we will do it or contact the right subcon-tractors for it. We get a lot of good feed-back especially for our flexibility and forfinding the best solutions at short notice.”

Lahti has been known as a winter sportcity, but on top of that, the compact areaalso offers professional and convenientwellbeing services and plenty of culturalhappenings. The countryside is also neverfar away, and with regular bus connec-tions to Helsinki Airport, great rail linksand free parking by Sibelius Hall, Lahti isan excellent choice for a conference des-tination.

The Sibelius Hall congress and concert centre

Congress ManagerAnu Kärkkäinen


Scan Magazine | Conference of the Month | Sweden

The premises that today house MalmöBörshus, a modern meeting place, dateback to 1877 and have previously beenused as a customs building, under thename of Malmö Tullhus. In the year 1879,Malmö Börsförening (stock exchange as-sociation) was formed, and they also op-erated from the building. In 1907, MalmöBörsförening moved to another part oftown, and in the 40s, the customs servicewas also relocated. Up until the 80s, therewas very little activity in the building andit fell into decay. It was finally rebuilt andextended in1985-1986, and given the newname of Malmö Börshus.

Today, the building includes nine meetingrooms suitable for any kind of conferenceor event, whether for business or pleas-ure, with a capacity ranging from 2-350participants. The venue’s professionalconference hosts will be able to tailor-make any event according to the clients’exact wishes, taking into account every-

thing from timings and meals to furnituresetup.

“We create the conferences or events justlike the clients want us to, as we have nopre-set packages for sale,” explains man-aging director Karin Fäldt. “The client candecide on every aspect, and we will alwayscreate the best event possible. We’ve hadmany clients show surprise at how ac-commodating and flexible we are, andthat’s very nice to hear.”

The technical equipment at Malmö Bör-shus is also first-class; they even have their

own technician in house, who can help withany sound, light or picture related issues.And if the needed equipment is not at handin the building, the conference hosts will beable to rent some for the clients.

The conference guests will not be lefthungry either, as Malmö Börshus workstogether with one of the best restaurantsin Malmö, namely Årstiderna, which isrun by Wilhelm Pieplow, one of Sweden’stop chefs.

Currently, Malmö Börshus has also gonethrough some changes, as their largestconference room has swapped its seatingstyle from cinema chairs to ones that caneasily be moved around, in order to affordfurther flexibility for conference and eventsetups.

For further information, please visit:www.malmoborshus.se

Conference of the Month, Sweden

Tailor-made conferences in the bestlocation in MalmöSet close to the sea and opposite the Malmö Central Station, Malmö Börshus offers an ideal location for your next event, confer-

ence or meeting, with plenty of parking, shops, restaurants and hotels to choose from in the surrounding area.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Malmö Börshus


Højstrupgård consists of a main buildingtogether with two additional structures,creating a small and intimate conferencecentre. The original building was built in1897 as a family holiday residence; how-ever, in 1957, it was bought by the DanishConfederation of Trade Unions and madeinto a conference venue for their mem-bers. In 1967, an extension with guest andmeeting rooms was erected, and the con-ference centre was made available foreveryone.

Today, after further additions in 1990 and2007, Højstrupgård, now an independentlyowned company, consists of 47 rooms, arestaurant, a modern kitchen known forits healthy and locally-sourced food,meeting rooms and a conference hall ac-commodating up to 90 participants, aswell as a 9-hole golf course.

On top of an idyllic location by the beachand close to nature, Højstrupgård will also

go the extra mile to offer the most ac-commodating service possible. “As asmall conference centre, we can be veryflexible,” explains general manager EvaHolten. “We can easily make changes toany plans, even if it means moving an in-side event outside or vice versa. We arehappy to cater to our guests’ wishes; andwith a small staff, you can ask anyone forhelp and they’ll be able to assist you.”

Eva Holten and her team seem to havefound a successful recipe (not only for

their creative cooking), as around 50 ofthe largest companies in Denmark areamong Højstrupgård’s clients, and it isalso an immensely popular weddingvenue.

So choose Højstrupgård for a conferenceexperience consisting of a beautiful loca-tion; energising snacks; great opportuni-ties for exploring the close-by forest andbeach; an inspiring round of golf, possi-bly in the company of an experienced in-structor; some relaxation indoors in thefireplace lounge or sauna; and, of course,a productive meeting in a modern con-ference facility. With easy access to theairport by train and a ferry service to Swe-den, as well as free parking, Højstrupgårdoffers the perfect package.

For further information, please visit:www.hoejstrupgaard.dk

Conference of the Month, Denmark

Feel inspired in style and comfortHøjstrupgård, located three kilometres fromElsinore and just a stone’s throw from the Sound (Øresund), offers a beautiful and tran-

quil setting for conferences, courses and special events. Here, you can let your mind wander, as there are both inspiring and re-

laxing activities on offer, as well as plenty of room to make those big decisions.

By Nia Kajastie | Photos: Højstrupgård


Scan Business | News | Chambers of Commerce

THE FREE ZONE– Discover the Danish Spark

By Henrik Kahn, Director, International Busi-ness Tourism, VisitDenmark

VisitDenmark and TV2 are proud to pres-ent the Free Zone, which will be thelargest and most spectacular UK show-case of all the best Denmark has to offer.

Set in the heart of London, with easy ac-cess to the Olympic Village and other at-tractions, St. Katherine’s Dock provides aunique and outstanding united marketingplatform to promote the Danish lifestyleand Danish products.

VisitDenmark is in this regard pleased towork with DUCC, which because of itsstrong network of Danish companies inBritain will ensure the above-mentioned

intention to create a united and broadmarketing platform for Denmark.

The Free Zone will involve the guest as anactive part in communicating Danish val-ues, lifestyle and culture. The guest is

therefore not to be seen as a passive ob-server, but instead as an integrated part ofthe event as well as a co-creator of valuein The Free Zone. In short, it is about in-dividual freedom to experience, interactand to be inspired.

UPCOMING EVENTS 2011

2 Nov The Future of the Forestry/Paper Industry

24 Nov Nordic Thursday Drinks atScandinavian Kitchen

6 Dec Offshore Wind in the UK 20119 Dec Annual Christmas Lunch

As we approach Christmas,the planningfor next year’s business networking activ-ities is already well under way. RadissonBLU Portman Hotel in Central London willhost the first monthly Joint-Nordic Thurs-day drink of 2012 on 26 January. Thedrinks are a great opportunity to meetover 100 business people from Norway,Britain, Denmark and Finland for an in-formal drink after work. If you have no

prior experience with the NorwegianChamber, it is a great way to get familiarwith the Chamber and its activities.

Maritime and Shipping Seminar

For those of you who have an interest inthe Maritime and Shipping industry, thereis a topical seminar planned in the firstquarter. More information about the sem-inar will be available on the NBCC websitein January.

Nordic Career Forum 2012

The annual Nordic Career Forum in con-junction with the Danish, Swedish andFinnish chambers of commerce in Londonhas been scheduled for March/April 2012.There was a large turnout at last year’sCareer Forum, and the Norwegian Cham-ber would therefore like to encouragecompanies who wish to be represented

with an exhibition stand to get in touchearly on [email protected] in order toavoid disappointment.

Over two hundred people attended theNordic Career Forum last year, and the2012 Career Forum is scheduled to be-come even bigger.


10 Nov Event with OilCareers.com23 Nov Aberdeen Christmas

Networking drinksat Pavarotti Restaurant

24 Nov Nordic Thursday Drinksat Scandinavian Kitchen

25 Nov Christmas Dinner for youngprofessionals at the NorwegianChurch in Southwark

8 Dec Christmas Luncheon withthe Norwegian Ambassador(for the NBCC advisory board)

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce

Danish-UK Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7259 6795 | Email: [email protected] | www.ducc.co.uk

Norwegian-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7930 0181 | Email: [email protected] | www.nbccuk.com

Key facts:

• 5.5-6 million visitors more than usualare expected to visit London duringthe Games. (Source: VisitLondon)

• The event is expected to reach anaudience of no less than 20 million.

• The Games will be the largest inter-national sport event in recent history.(Source: VISA)

• Approximately 20,000 accreditedBritish and international media willbe covering the Games. (Source:LOCOG)

Audience at the Nordic Career Forum 2011


Creative thinking has helped make Swe-den one of Europe’s and the world’s mostinnovative nations, according to numeroussurveys. A range of Swedish companieshave managed to turn innovations intowealth (think Ericsson, Volvo, Tetra Pakand AstraZeneca), while the likes of Skypeand Spotify can be attributed to the nextgeneration of Swedish technology suc-cess.

In 2006, the Swedish Chamber’s Cen-tenary Innovation Award was awarded toNiklas Zennström, co-founder of Skype(amongst many other ventures). In No-vember 2011, he returns to the chamber’sIndustrial Forum as CEO and co-founderof Atomico, a venture capital firm focusedon investing in technological companies,as keynote speaker. The Industrial Forumwas created in the 1990s as a forum forthe industrial companies in the networkand the largest financial contributors, the

Patrons, and is hosted at the Swedish Am-bassador’s Residence and is strictly by in-vitation only.

Sweden invests about 3 per cent of itsGDP in research, one of the highest ratesin the world. The Swedish Government it-self invests heavily in research and de-velopment; among the top recipients isresearch in medicine and bioscience.Some of Sweden’s opinion makers andexperts within life science will join on 21November, in cooperation with Rhenman

& Partners Asset Management and IpsenBiopharm.

Speaking of innovation, the Nobel Prize– founded on the wealth of Swedish in-ventor Alfred Nobel’s last will – ceremonywill be taking place on 10 November, andfor the first time in many years, a Swedishrecipient will take the podium whenTomas Tranströmer receives the NobelPrize for Literature from the hands of HMKing Carl XVI Gustaf.


8 Nov JCC Entrepreneurship: Socialentrepreneurship

17 Nov Fashion indulgence at Älva21 Nov From great science to great

medicine – Swedish models ofgetting there

24 Nov JCC Management Forum: Crosscultural leadership

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK | Phone: +44 (0) 20 7224 8001 | Email: [email protected] | www.scc.org.uk

At the beginning of October, the FBCChad the pleasure of hosting a Joint Nordicevent together with the DUCC and theNBCC. In his key note speech “Rethink,listen to the consumer, not the forest”,Mr Jouko Karvinen, the CEO of StoraEnso,addressed Rethinking as their companyphilosophy and change process.StoraEnso is the global rethinker of thepackaging, paper and wood products in-dustry. StoraEnso always rethinks the oldand expands to the new to offer customersinnovative solutions based on renewablematerials. The event drew a very goodnumber of people and was generouslysponsored by our Patron Citibank to guar-antee fruitful networking.

On 18 November, the FBCC is veryproud to have Stephen Elop, Presidentand CEO of Nokia Corporation, as ourGuest of Honour for the annual private

Patrons’ Dinner.In his key notespeech, Mr Elopwill speak about"the journey oftransformationof Nokia."

D e c e m b e rstarts with thetraditional Christ-mas Lunch at theAmbassador’sResidence on the

second. We will enjoy the delicious FinnishChristmas dishes and good company withtraditional Finnish and English Christmascarols. Do not miss the after drinks either!

FBCC is constantly animating theFinnish-British business networkingscene. For more information about ourupcoming events, especially in the begin-

ning of 2012, please browse our web sitewww.fbcc.co.uk or contact us via email [email protected]


18 Nov Annual Patrons’ Dinner:Stephen Elop, President andCEO of Nokia: "the journey oftransformation of Nokia"(By invitation only)

22 Nov Christmas event at Marimekkoshop at St Christopher's place

24 Nov Nordic Networking Drinks atScandinavian Kitchen

2 Dec Christmas Lunch at theAmbassador’s Residence

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce | Phone: +44 (0) 20 8741 6352 | Email: [email protected] | www.fbcc.co.uk

Swedish Chamber of Commerce for the UK

Finnish-British Chamber of Commerce

Scan Busines | News | Chambers of Commerce

Jouko Karvinen, CEO ofStoraEnso


Scan Magazine | News

The Swedish children’s clothing brandPolarn O. Pyret is celebrating 35 yearswith a stylish anniversary collection instores throughout the country.

Over the years, designing striped, relaxedcotton clothes, Polarn O. Pyret has suc-ceeded in creating a well-known, high-quality brand. The new collection intro-duces some fresh, happy colours as wellas relaunching green and brown, whichare back in fashion again. Karina Lundell,head of design, elaborates: “We wantyounger generations to discover thestripe, while keeping things familiar forpeople who were there back in the day.The classic stripe was created by graphicdesigner Gunila Axén, and the stripes re-main the same. They are our symbol oftrue quality, for comfy and clever clothesthat are great for children.”

CEO Maria Öqvist emphasises how thebrand represents a single-minded metic-ulousness when it comes to making thebest clothes for children. “Ever since westarted out, we have made clothes that letchildren be children. For us that meansclothes that can handle rowdy play, be-come welcome hand-me-downs foryounger siblings, but which also look

smart enough for parties,”she says.

Polarn O. Pyret is made from100 % organic cotton. In ad-dition, the brand supportsthe Nordic Ecolabel, mean-ing that the whole makingprocess is eco-certified.

The collection will be inshops from early November

in versions for children and adults. Thesizes run from newborn to age 12,and XSto XL for grownups.

One of those who has impressed memost in my deep dive into the mysteriesbehind high performance is a professorof psychology named Anders Ericsson.

In the 1990s, Ericsson and a group of sci-entists carried out a study at an academyfor some of the world’s best violinists inBerlin. Ericsson and Co. divided the insti-tution's violinists into three groups. Groupone consisted of the stars who were ex-pected to become world-class soloists.Group two consisted of first-rate andpromising violinists who were not quite ofthe same standard as those in group one.Group three consisted of those violinistswho were not expected to join the worldelite, but who were likely to make a livingfrom music, for example, as school andcollege teachers. All of them had the ex-act same teachers, and they received thesame amount of scheduled instructionduring the week. So why had some be-come better than others?

Ericsson asked the violinists to esti-mate the amount of time they had spentplaying every week year-on-year since thevery first time they picked up a violin, andthe outcome of the research was over-whelmingly clear. As 18-year-olds, the vi-olinists in group one had spent an averageof 10,000 hours in their lives; group twohad spent an average of 7,500 hours, whilegroup three had only practised for 5,500hours. In other words, students in groupone had not simply trained more andworked harder in their lives, they hadworked much, much harder.

In other words, there seem to be noshortcuts. Researchers have even tried toagree on an extremely precise amount oftraining required to become world-class:the magic 10,000 hours. Becoming world-class in any domain, frommathematics toviolin to chess, requires 10,000 hours ofcommitted training.

It leaves us with an eye-opening ques-tion: when we are convinced that we see a

God-given gift, in business leaders as wellas in football players, are we in realitysimply not seeing 10,000 hours of trainingconsumed consciously or unconsciouslyat an early stage in a person’s life?

The Power of Practice!

Column by Rasmus AnkersenBestselling author, motivational speakerand advisor for world-class athletes andbusinesses around the world.Read more: www.rasmusankersen.com

For more information and to find yournearest store, please visit:www.polarnopyret.co.uk

Polarn O. Pyret celebrates stripes and successBy Johanne Sofie Nygaard | Photo: Polarn O. Pyret


Scan Magazine | News

On Tuesday 22nd of November, Sotheby’sScandinavian Sale will present an impor-tant rediscovered work by Vilhelm Ham-mershøi. Svend Hammershøi: Forarbejdetil Møntsamleren (Svend Hammershøi:Study for the Coin Collector) is a prepara-tory study for the artist’s 1904 master-piece Møntsamleren (The Coin Collector).

The sitter was the artist’s younger brotherSvend, who was a painter and a cerami-cist. One of only three known studies forthe Oslo painting, and the only study tofeature the figure, the work offers a fasci-nating insight into the artist’s workingmethods, while at the same time evokingthe distinctive sense of seclusion and in-trospection that characterises Hammer-høi’s work. The painting is estimated to beworth £30,000-50,000.

The Danish painter rarely used strangersto model for him, and he rarely acceptedcommissions, which is why his choice of

his brother as the central focus in thispainting reflects his preference for usinghis close friends and family as his models.This is not the only painting for whichSvendmodelled. He also plays the leadingrole in three other paintings by hisbrother: Interior with a YoungMan readingof 1898, Five Portraits of 1901-1902, andEvening in the Drawing Room of 1904.

The art of Vilhelm Hammershøi repre-sents the last great flourishing of the Dan-ish Golden Age, when intellectual pro-duction in science, philosophy, literatureand arts bloomed in Denmark during the19th century.

The 19th century European Paintings De-partment in London is currently acceptingconsignments for the Scandinavian Sale.

Tower Hamlets Senior Football Officer,Derek Bennett, recently announced thatKIKK, Britain´s only Scandinavian foot-ball team, will play their home games aticonic venue Mile End Stadium in the up-coming season 2011/12.

KIKK United FC, a London women´s foot-ball club, was founded in 2004 by twoSwedes. The club now consists of playersfrom all over the world in addition to theScandinavian core. The team alreadyboasts two championships and a runners-up slot in the club’s first season in Division1 of the London and South East RegionalWomen’s League.

By taking the initiative to have the teamplay at Mile End Stadium, the council isshowing a commitment to, and com-mendable support for, women´s football.

The council hope that KIKK´s presencewill serve to further stimulate the devel-opment of women´s football in the bor-ough alongside Tower Hamlets Women´sFC and East London Ladies FC.

KIKK coach Chris Brayford and the teamare most grateful for the support theyhave received, in particular from Derekand Tower Hamlets´ Head of Sport andPhysical Activity Lisa Pottinger. “I hope, ofcourse, that we’ll go some way to repay

them by bringing back a trophy this sea-son,” Brayford says. Fika, the Swedish baron Brick Lane, is a proud sponsor of theteam.

KIKK United to play at Mile End StadiumBy Johanne Sofie Nygaard | Photo: Elise Ardal

Sotheby’s Scandinavian Sale By Camilla Waaden

Svend Hammershøi: Forarbejde til Møntsam-leren (Svend Hammershøi: Study for the CoinCollector). Photo: Sotheby’s

For more information, please visit:www.sothebys.com

Fans and new players are alwaysvery welcome: contact the club [email protected] or go toww.kikkunited.wordpress.com formore information.


Scan Magazine | Culture | Scandinavian Christmas Fair

On Sunday the 4th December, you canhelp support and raise money for theTeenage Cancer Trust Charity by backingthe Scandinavian Christmas Fair inGuildford.

Word of Mouth Events Networking is anevents company introducing womenthroughout Surrey to the joys of qualityservices and products from small inde-pendent businesses dedicated to offeringreasonable prices for their customers.This year, the company is organising aScandinavian Christmas Fair in support ofthe Teenage Cancer Trust.

The Christmas fair will be at the HolidayInn Hotel in Guildford, Surrey, on 4 De-cember between 10am and 4pm.

This event was also held last year, and itwas a huge success. This year, it is ex-

pected to be even bigger and better.Around 20 specially selected stalls areselling gifts, products and services notfound on every high street. Most of theseproducts, of course, have a Scandina-vian/Nordic theme.

On top of buying gifts and products, therewill also be an opportunity to buy gløgg

and gingerbread biscuits, typical Scandi-navian Christmas snacks. A number offamous Scandinavian brands will be pres-ent at this fair, including Danish FoodDirect, TotallySwedish, Polarn O. Pyret,Scandi Living, Lotta from Stockholm,Björk of Sweden, Nordic Design Forumand many more.

Scandinavian Christmas Fair:Supporting Teenage Cancer Trust By Camilla Waaden

Photos: Courtesy of Grethe Vaughan


Scan Magazine | Culture | City Walks

Andipa Contemporary is delighted toannounce the new exhibition SYNTHESISby internationally renowned couturierturned artist Ian Garlant.

The half-Norwegian and half-Englishartist made his name as a talented de-signer early on. During his fashion designstudies at Kingston University, he receivednumerous awards, including a Royal So-ciety of the Arts bursary. In the years thatfollowed, Garlant experienced a varied andsuccessful career in the fashion industry.His designs have been exhibited at theVictoria and Albert Museum and the RoyalAcademy of Arts. Also, he received thehonourable task of designing costumesfor the world-famous Bolshoi ballet at thebeginning of his career.

In 2009, Garlant abandoned the mate-rialism and glamour of the fashion world

and returned to his roots in the smallNorwegian community of Hartlestrand inthe Hardanger fjord. Here, he found in-spiration in the wilderness and har-nessed his remarkable creative force. Bysynthesising fire, earth and belief, hestripped away the materialistic and thecomforting to focus on the fundamentalfabric and philosophies of life. His ex-traordinary work is created in cavesaround the fjord, which he retreats tofur-clad. The elements around him are

mixed with original pieces praising pow-erful nature.

The exhibition with Garlant´s eccentricwork is showcased at Andipa Contempo-rary Gallery located in Knightsbridge from17 November to 17 December 2011.

After a long professionalcareer and living in Lon-don for many years,Grethe Hauge has finallyrealised her long-helddream of becoming atourist guide in London.

Having graduated with adegree in history from theOpen University last year,she has now become afully qualified City of Lon-don tourist guide.

Grethe is only the secondDanish person ever tohave obtained this qualifi-cation. She has also re-ceived the Freedom of theCity and will do everythingshe can to promote thecity.

The City of London has so much to offer. Itis not only one of the major financial cen-tres in the world, but it offers stunningarchitecture - both old and new - and isforever developing. Its history from Ro-man times, through Saxon times, the Mid-dle Ages, the Great Fire of London of 1666,the rebuilding of London, the Blitz, and themodern development is incredibly fasci-nating. There are alleyways, hidden gar-dens, and places where you walk in thefootsteps of Shakespeare and Dickens.

“I am passionate about the City of London.So why don’t you join me on a walk. I amhappy to accommodate individuals orgroups (rates to be discussed). Hope tosee you on one of my walks,” says Hauge.

City Walks with Grethe Photo: Courtesy of City Walks with Grethe

Contact Grethe via her website:www.citywalkswithgrethe.comor by email: [email protected]

For more information, please contactSophia Stovall, Scandinavian ArtAdvisor, at [email protected] or visit:www.andipa.com.

Ian Garlant´s new exhibition SYNTHESISBy Johanne Sofie Nygaard | Photos: Ian Garlant


Scan Magazine | Culture | Scandinavian Christmas Fairs

Christmas is approaching amazingly fast,and there are several authentic Scandi-navian events in the pipeline to help youget into the cosy winter spirit. Whetheryou are familiar with Scandinavia and itsseasonal traditions or someone simplyinterested in a nice, culinary and culturalhappening, the Nordic Christmas fairscome highly recommended.

First in line is the 80-year-old traditionalChristmas fair at the Swedish Churchstarting on 17 November. This is a lovelyopportunity to visit a range of stalls thatsell genuine artefacts, traditional food andseasonal decorations.

A day later on the 18 November, the Nor-wegian and the Finnish fairs open theirdoors for further Christmassy fun.

If it is “a little piece of Norway” you are af-ter, try the very traditional and culturallyinspired fair at the Norwegian Seamen’sChurch; this event has been running forover 30 years. Don’t miss this perfect op-

portunity to find an exotic handmade giftor to taste genuine Norwegian speciali-ties. Also expect to meet staff in tradi-tional costume while you are enjoying awelcoming and authentic atmosphere.

If you are looking to meet the real Santa,look no further! All the way from FinnishLapland, he will naturally come and pay avisit to the Finnish Church to wish all itsvisitors “Hyvää Joulua!” (Merry Christ-mas). Other traditional delights and foodswill also be available at this charming fair.Furthermore, renowned Finnish singerJari Sillanpää (“the Tango King”) will per-form a Christmas concert on 10 Decem-ber at Southwark Cathedral. Tickets are£30 and can be purchased at the door.

Last but not least, on 26 November, theDanish Bazaar at the YMCA (Dansk KFUK)will open its doors. Here, you will find gor-geous Christmas decorations, a range ofDanish gastronomic specialities, such asopen sandwiches, frikadeller (meatballs),pølse (hot dogs) and traditional beer. Each

year, “helpers” from Denmark come toassist with this genuinely heart-warmingand customary event.

Scandinavian Christmas Fairs in LondonBy Anna Lindgren | Photos: Courtesy of the Scandinavian churches & Dansk KFUK

The Swedish Church Christmas Fair6 Harcourt Street, London W1H 4AG.17 Nov. 11am-8pm, 19 Nov. 11am-6pm,20 Nov. 12pm-5pm

The Norwegian Church Christmas Fair1 Albion St, London SE16 7JB.18 Nov. 11am-6pm, 19 Nov. 10am-5pm,20 Nov. 12.30pm-5pm

The Finnish Church Christmas Fair33 Albion St, London SE16 7HZ.18 Nov. 12pm-8pm, 19 Nov. 10am-6pm,20 Nov. 10pm-6pm, 23-25 Nov. 12pm-8pm, 26 Nov. 10am-5pm

Danish Christmas Bazaar at the YMCA43 Maresfield Gardens, HampsteadNW5 5TS.26 Nov. 12pm-5pm, 27 Nov. 12pm-4pm


Scan Magazine | Culture | Time and Memory

Scandinavian art in London continues toflourish: Time and Memory, an exhibi-tion dedicated to the work of two Swedishcontemporary artists, Cecilia Edefalk andGunnel Wåhlstrand, opens at the ParasolUnit, at the end of this month. Rather re-freshingly, in a world where contempo-rary art involves anything but paintingand drawing, this exhibition focusessolely on these two art forms.

Edelfalk is an established artist of criticalrenown; based in Stockholm, she has heldsolo exhibitions at both Stockholm’s Mod-erna Museet and the Art Institute ofChicago, and has had her work exhibitedworldwide. Gunnel Wåhlstrand, who grad-uated from the Royal University College ofFine Arts in Stockholm, in 2003, is a rela-tive newcomer, rapidly establishing a dis-tinguished reputation for her art; this willbe her first UK exhibition. Wåhlstrandlooks forward with excitement to having

her work shown at one of London’s mostrespected and vibrant contemporary artfoundations.

Both artists have memory at the core oftheir works. Edelfalk’s scenarios carveout haunting exchanges between past andpresent. Often painted in series, Edelfalk’spaintings allude to and intensify one an-other. The fact that the relational nature ofthe pictures is critical means that theirphysical installation is an integral part ofher work. She uses mirror effects, andturns canvases upside-down in order toachieve the desired choreographed whole.

Wåhlstrand’s photo-realistic black-inkdrawings are a deeply personal and care-fully reconstructed documentation of herpersonal history. Wåhlstrand’s father diedwhen she was one year old, and this hasclearly had a profound effect on her life.Poignantly, she says, “Mainly, I see pho-

tographs as a proof of existence.” In her2003 graduate exhibition, Wåhlstrandshowed a series of large-scale ink draw-ings that re-created photographs fromher father’s early childhood. The draw-ings have an immediacy and moving res-onance not present in the photographicoriginals. The Parasol Unit exhibition willfurther investigate motifs from family al-bums. Time and Memory promises to beengaging, thought-provoking and an op-portunity for reflection.

Time and Memory: Cecilia Edefalk andGunnel Wåhlstrand runs at the ParasolUnit from 23 November 2011 to 12 Febru-ary 2012.

Time and Memory:Cecilia Edefalk and Gunnel WåhlstrandBy Christina Cadogan

For more information, please visit:www.parasol-unit.org

Gunnel Wåhlstrand, By the Window, 2003-2004, ink-wash on paper, The Michael StoråkersCollection. Image courtesy of the artist.

Ceclia Edefalk, CU, 1988, oil on linen.Photo Carl Henrik Tillberg.


Scan Magazine | Culture | Jens Lekman

A songwriter, an adventurer, a retiredbingo hall employee: there are manyways to describe Jens Lekman, born andbred aside a potato chip factory inGothenburg, Sweden.

Lekman's music has roots in the work ofArthur Russell, The Magnetic Fields,Calvin Johnson and The Modern Lovers,and his songs serve as a reminder to in-spect in more detail the world around us,to appreciate beauty when it's both in andout of context, at its most heartbreaking,its most loving and its most absurd. Hismusic is simply more than just words; it'sa sharpened type of prose, a richer senseof melancholic humour.

30-year-old Lekman and his drummerappeared on stage after support act Li-aIces at club Heaven in central London on17 October. I must admit, I had not reallygot to know Lekman’s musical career, so

I was attending without any expectations.But it did not take long to be blown awayby this genuine and charming Swedishguy.

Lekman chatted to the audience in be-tween songs in a relaxedmanner and wasvery entertaining, amusing us with anec-dotes, such as one of stalking KirstenDunst in Gothenburg, and how he hasbeen suffering the same dream for 729nights and counting. He then sang of thisand other true life events in new songsentitled Waiting for Kirsten, Cowboy Bootsand An Argument With Myself, the set-ting of which is the streets of Melbourne.Lekman has recently returned from Aus-tralia, where he lived and worked on hismusic and made a living by DJ-ing for twoyears.

"Jens Lekman lives in the hardest-to-get-to part of my heart," says a fan in a review

For more information, please visit:www.jenslekman.com

Lekman is making a hopelessromantic out of all of usBy Emelie Krugly Hill | Photos: Julien Burgeois

online. “One of the best gigs I've seen himplay. Makes us want to return to Gothen-burg." It's no surprise at all then that TheGuardian honoured him with a five-starreview.

For the last four years, Jens Lekman has,to quote one of his own songs, “seemedoh so silent”. His last album was the ac-claimed Night Falls Over Kortedala, re-leased in 2007; last year an EP featuredAn Argument With Myself, which was nat-urally embraced. The fans can't wait forthe next full-length album.

"I wasn't really planning to put out an EP,I was working on an album, but I reallyloved these songs, and I thought they weregreat, but they just didn't seem to fit themood of the record. And they seemed tobe the songs that people enjoyed themostwhen I played them live, so I decided thatthey belonged together on an EP, this wasa little taste of what's not to come," saysLekman.


Scan Magazine | Music & Culture | Scandinavian Music

Let’s take a lookat some excel-lent songs com-ing out of Scan-dinavia right now,shall we?

Denmark’smusi-cally eclectic Na-biha has com-bined a brand of60s soul musicwith somemanic

modern-day Euro electro and has comeup with Trouble. It’s a bouncy, joyful tunewith its head in the clouds, its heart on itssleeve, and the rest of its body throwingsome frivolous shapes on a Motown dancefloor from eras ago. It sounds a lot like youwould imagine Girls Aloud to sound if theyever welcomed Adele into their line-up.

Norwegian popster Marit Larsen has re-turned with a new single, Coming Home,the first to be taken from her forthcomingalbum Spark. It’s guitar-based, but that

guitar is soon joined by pop noise aplentyfor the song’s joyous and feel-good cho-rus. It’s about Marit’s sweet confessionthat looking into her partner’s eyes feelslike “coming home” – and so the song issimilarly blissful in its open-hearted affir-mation. You can practically see the smileon Marit’s face and feel the warmth in hervoice when she’s singing that chorus.

Eric Amarillo delivered the hit of 2011 inSweden with his club track Om SanningenSka Fram. Now he’s lowering the temposlightly with new single Fy Fan. It’s beau-tiful, like something of an electronic sym-phony. It’s got a buildup, it’s got somealmighty strings, and it’s got a subtlecrescendo of a chorus. That man is a clubchameleon!

Finally, you must investigate the new sin-gle from Swedish duo the Sound of Ar-rows. These boys are truly in a league oftheir own when it comes to their craft.And Wonders is a defining example ofsuch craft – lush synth wizardry with one

ear set on an electronic production withdizzying warmth, and the other ear fo-cused on a hair-stand-on-end popmelody.

[email protected]

Scandinavian Music By Karl Batterbee

Nabiha. Photo: © 2011 - nabihamusic.com

Clarinettist Martin Fröst and pianist RolandPöntinen will be playing at Wigmore Hall on10 November. Photo: Mats Bäcker


Scan Magazine | Music & Culture | Culture Calendar

Audun Iversen at the English NationalOpera (Nov)Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece Eugene Oneginreturns to ENO in a new staging by direc-tor Deborah Warner and music directorEdward Gardner. Norwegian baritoneAudun Iversen makes his ENO debut asthe cynical big-city dandy who discovers,too late, that true love was once within hisgrasp. London Coliseum, London, WC2N.www.eno.org

Martin Fröst and Roland Pöntinen(10 Nov)An evening of music by, among others,Weber, Brahms and Berg with Swedish

clarinettist Martin Fröst and pianistRoland Pöntinen. Wigmore Hall, London,W1U.www.wigmore-hall.org.uk

Roxette (15 Nov)The Swedish 80s pop duo Roxette is backand will perform in London this month.Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle havenot played in the UK for 17 years, so it isabout time! Wembley Arena, London, HA9.www.roxette.se

Lonely Dear (21 & 23 Nov)Swedish singer-songwriter and multi-in-strumentalist Emil Svanängen, who goes

under the name of Lonely Dear, is backwith the largely orchestral albumHall Mu-sic. St Pancras Old Church, London, NW1.www.loneydear.com

Amorphis (27 Nov)Finnish heavy metal band Amorphis willmake a stop in London this month as partof their world tour.amorphis.net

Carl-Einar Häckner (Nov & Dec)Swedish comedian and magician Carl-Einar Häckner is bringing his acclaimedsolo show to London, where he will treathis audience to comedy, magic andmusic.

Scandinavian Culture Calendar– Where to go, what to see? It’s all happening here! By Sara Schedin

Lonely Dear. Press Photo


Scan Magazine | Music & Culture | Culture Calendar

Soho Theatre, London, W1.www.carleinarhackner.com

Michael Monroe on tour (Nov & Dec)Finnish rock musician Michael Monroeand his band will tour the UK this winter.The band was recently joined by Swedishguitarist Dregen, who is a former bandmember of Backyard Babies and theHellacopters.www.michaelmonroe.com

Hoffmaestro (2 Dec)Swedish ska, electronic and alternativepop band Hoffmaestro are playing atKoko in Camden, London, NW1.www.hoffmaestro.se

Norwegian Christmas Concert (2 Dec)Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsingand a quartet from the TrondheimSoloists will perform at Trafalgar Squareto mark the arrival of the NorwegianChristmas tree. St Martin-in-the-fields,London, WC2N.www2.stmartin-in-the-fields.org

Little Dragon (4 Dec)The Swedish electro-pop quartet is backin London and will play their wonderfuldance pop at Shepherd’s Bush Empire,London, W12.little-dragon.net

Sankta Lucia (9 Dec)There will be a candlelit procession tocelebrate Lucia at St Paul’s Cathedralwith Swedish, British and internationalsongs sung by the Cathedral Choir andUlrika Eleonora Church Choir. Book tick-ets in advance on the Swedish Church’swebsite. St Paul’s Churchyard, London,EC4M.www.svenskakyrkan.se

Marthe Thorshaug (Until 15 Jan)Norwegian film maker Marthe Thor-shaug is showing her film The Legend ofYgg, a modern take on the Norse leg-end’s death riders, at the WhitechapelGallery, London, E1.

Carl-Einar Häckner. Press Photo

Michael Monroe band. Press Photo

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Scan Magazine | Issue 35 | November 2011

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