Today the famous Danish statue of The Little Mermaid, known from Hans Christian Andersen’s renowned fairytale, was revealed in her new, temporary home; Denmark’s Pavilion at the EXPO 2010 in Shanghai. An unveiling ceremony took place today, where the attendees also had the opportunity to catch a very first glimpse of the Danish EXPO Pavilion. The pavilion will showcase what we do well in Denmark: creating cities that people enjoy living in. The pavilion approaches this theme under the heading “Welfairytales”.
The Danish Minister for Taxation, Mr. Troels Lund Poulsen, was specially invited to the ceremony and gave a speech during the event:
“It is a great pleasure for me to welcome the Little Mermaid and to present the Danish Pavilion – “Welfairytales” – to the public. Denmark today is a dynamic, innovative, advanced and economically sound nation. With Welfairytales, Denmark wants to show that welfare is not just about wealth. It is the opportunity to live a life that is humanly as well as environmentally coherent. Welfairytales is about our cities and Denmark and Danish companies’ strong tradition of balancing economic growth with welfare and sustainability”, the Minister said.
Commissioner General of the Danish Pavilion, Mr. Christopher Bo Bramsen (left) and Danish Minister for Taxation, Mr. Troels Lund Poulsen (right).
Commissioner General of Denmark to EXPO 2010, Mr. Christopher Bo Bramsen, said that visitors to EXPO will be able to experience real Danish city life:
“With the Danish Pavilion, we want to show the visitors what it is like to be in a real sustainable Danish city. You can bike around the whole pavilion, you can dip your toes in the clean water in our large harbour pool and you can enjoy a fresh picnic on our roof top – just like we Danes like to do in the cities of Denmark”, Mr. Bramsen said.
Visitors can try out Danish city life for themselves and also meet the Danes, experience their lives and their dreams through films and images along the exhibition walls, which is like an unfolded living fairytale book.
The Little Mermaid is a symbol of trust and friendship between Denmark and China
Ambassador of Denmark to China, Mr. Jeppe Tranholm-Mikkelsen sees “the Little Mermaid’s arrival in Shanghai as a symbolic gesture of trust and friendship, and a testimony of the long-standing relations between our two countries. On 11 May 2010 we mark the 60 years anniversary of diplomatic relations between Denmark and the People’s Republic of China with a reception for high-ranking Danish and Chinese officials, business representatives and the press, at the Embassy of Denmark in Beijing”.
