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The response of the Danish Adult Education Association to the cartoon crisis
By Michael Voss, information consultant, Danish Adult Education Association, september 2006
When the Danish newspaper “Jyllands-Posten” published 12 cartoons of Muhammed it triggered first a Danish crisis and some weeks later an international crisis - a crisis between cultures, between religions and between different understandings of the principles of democracy.
When the board of the Danish Adult Education Association (DAEA) met during the last phase of the crisis, they had no doubt that this was a challenge to the non-formal sector of adult education. The non-formal adult education had to be a part of the solution. Not in an immediate sense by getting leaders of opponent positions together or by creating compromises, but rather in a long term perspective.
As the basis for taking action the DAEA took the position that the cartoon crisis did not only reveal differences between ethnic Danes and people of other origin. The debates during these months showed big differences on defining democracy and democratic and human rights - also between Danes and between people of other Western countries with a long democratic tradition.
Together with its member organisations the DAEA therefore started planning a long term campaign with three main elements:
- Teaching democracy, the basic facts and history of Danish democracy and of democratic and human rights.
- Helping initiate and creating spaces for dialogue between different views on democracy.
- Helping different cultures getting together to understand each other.
The long-term campaign was named – in Danish - “Oplys Demokratiet”, which translates both to “Spotlight on Democracy” and “Enlighten Democracy”. (See also right column)
Several member associations have already acted on their own with lectures, seminars and concerts, while the joint campaign itself is still in an initial phase. Some of the activities this autumn are:
As a result of a 24 hour innovation seminar a booklet with 19 ideas for local educators and organisers is being published.
A team of experienced adult educators will this autumn make up a team, travelling around the country, helping local organisers initiate both traditional activities (lectures, study circles, seminars) and more innovative ways of teaching and debating democracy.
A series of “Democracy Sheets” is being written by academic experts with the intention of getting the facts of democracy and democratic rights straight in brief and popular but strictly correct terminology.
A booklet called “Denmark today – a democratic challenge” with a number of debating articles on democracy, written by publicly known debaters of different kinds.
A first culmination of this long-term campaign will be a “walk-and-talk”. On the Danish Constitution Day, the 5th of June, local associations and schools, associated with the DAEA, all over the country will organise an event, where people will walk in small groups a few kilometers, passing 5-6 controls. Walking between controls they will have to answer a question or debate an issue relating to democracy. In addition there will be speeches, concerts and partying before and after the walk-and-talk.
Even though the campaign have only just recently begun to materialise, it already has important support from the official Denmark. The chairman of the Danish parliament has agreed to be protector for the campaign. The Danish minister of Education has been talking very positively about the campaign in Parliament (See also right column). And the Ministry of Education has pledged financial support.
 More on "Oplys Demokratiet" in Danish
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Defend, confront and develop
“The cartoon crisis has shown that democracy is not just an established fact, once and for all. It is a set of rights and a way of ruling that has to be defended, confronted and developed all the time. From where do the democratic rights origin? How do we implement democracy? Where are the limits to freedom of speech and freedom of religion?
We want to raise the profile of democratic values in Denmark and discuss them and initiate a real dialogue about how different cultures live together.”
Naser Khader, chairman of the DAEA
The balance of principles
”The campaign of the DAEA is a fine and valuable supplement to the actions of the government.
In a globalised world it can be difficult to keep the balance between our fundamental democratic principles and our just as fundamental desire to be open, tolerant and considerate towards other cultures.
For the non-formal adult education this is a task and a possibility to contribute to a coherent society in the age of globalisation.”
Bertel Haarder, Minister of Education
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