5th June 1849 marked the introduction of the Danish Constitution. And each year we celebrate 5th June with speeches, singing, and other odes to democracy. This year was no different. With Danish politicians speaking in all corners of the country.This year, PN chose a DEO (enlightenment about democracy in Europe)arrangement at Vartov, where Nikolai Frederik Severin Grundtvig (1783-1872), in abbreviation N.F.S. Grundtvig - or simply Grundtvig to you and me - worked as a Danish Lutheran pastor, alongside with founding the Danish folk high schools. In order to enlighten and educate the Danish peasants. The folk high schools were seen as the very foundation for the spreading of democratic involvement and debate in Danish society.
The origins of the name of Vartov is debated. But is said to be derived from Plat-Deutsch Ware-To - meaning Beware! (a hunting call). So what are we to be aware of today? What are the threats to the Danish democracy?
According to speakers Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen and Hanne Dahl we are to look out for the protection of basic human rights and the direction of the Danish democracy, respectively. Bonnichsen is a former operative chief of PET/Danish Security and Intelligence Service, and paradoxically he gave a speech warning about the surveillance society taking over and interfering with basic human rights. And Dahl, a minister of religion and member of the European Parliament, warned about the harsher and harsher laws being introduced, where youngsters down to the age of 14 can be forced into so-called electronic chains to keep them out of criminal intent and circles.The Danish Democracy Baton, initiated on the idea by Danish debator Ebbe Kløvedal Reich in 2005, was handed over from last year's recipient, Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen - to author Carsten Jensen, with several literary awards to his name, among them the prestigious Danish 'golden laurels', and this year, the Oluf Palme prize.
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