Public gets sneak peek at Danish Embassy
- By Corey Cooper
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E-mail China.org.cn, May 14, 2012
Some 2,000 followers of the Royal Danish Embassy's Sina Weibo web blog strolled through the gates of the Beijing compound last Sunday to take part in the mission's second annual Open Day.
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Danish Ambassador to China Friis Arne Petersen welcomes guests to the second annual Open Day at the Royal Danish Embassy, Beijing, May 13. [Corey Cooper/china.org.cn] |
Models sporting the Danish best-selling label ONLY strutted down a runway outside the main residence for a mid-afternoon showing of the brand's Spring/Summer line. Kopenhagen Fur, House of Amber and other indigenous brands also introduced their fashion-forward wares to the attending crowd. Outside on the embassy's tennis court, visitors could peruse a colorful photo art exhibition showcasing the Danes' penchant for bicycle travel.
Danish Ambassador Friis Arne Petersen said the Open Day provides a great opportunity to present Chinese people with a feel for what Denmark represents: cutting-edge fashion and design, conservation and green transportation, and educational strengths in technology and the natural sciences.
"Communicating [to the Chinese public] about our way of life is very important," Petersen said. "We believe in biking and in leading a healthy lifestyle. We also believe in science, engineering, and in taking care of the soil we live on."
In cooperation with the Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Science (GUCAS), the Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research will launch a 400-student graduate studies program for Chinese and Danish students in Beijing this September, Petersen said.
Following the fashion show, a Q&A session on Denmark's education and career opportunities showed one arena where the northern European nation hopes to make a lasting impression on Chinese students and new graduates.
One speaker, Zheng Yu, received an offer from Danish biotech firm Novozymes after earning her master's degree in biomechanical engineering in Copenhagen. Zheng said the close relations between Danish universities and Danish firms helped her achieve a priority job placement. In addition, she said she enjoys the flat management style a Danish company offers.
"Communication is very direct and informal. We call our director by his first name and he is always approachable if we have any ideas or suggestions," Zheng told guests.
Song Miaoqi, Director of Beijing Reibo Zhongtian Cultural Development Group, a tourism promotion firm, attended the Danish Embassy's Open Day for the second time this year. She said that from her perspective, the event can help introduce the country's culture to potential tourists.
"Denmark's unique environment and lifestyle is unknown to most Chinese tourists. This event may help pique their curiosity," Song said.
Fans of the embassy's Sina Weibo blog could register for the Open Day online. Roughly 40 Weibo netizens, mostly students, enlisted on the embassy's page to volunteer as ushers.
Later this month, the embassy will host a charity fundraiser for nonprofit organization Lifeline Express, which performs cataract surgeries for needy patients throughout China.
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