The Tuborg Foundation (Tuborgfondet) has awarded DKK 13.5 million (€1.8 million) to expand Ung Agenda, a programme designed to involve more young people in democratic debate across Denmark. The grant, announced on 22 October, will fund activities nationwide from 2027 to 2031.
The programme builds on an existing initiative at Folkemødet, Denmark’s annual democracy festival in Allinge, on the Baltic island of Bornholm. The festival brings together politicians, organisations and members of the public for debates and discussions about political and social issues.
Ung Agenda began in 2022 to make the festival more accessible to younger participants, including through Camp Ung Agenda, which brings together thousands of people aged 16 to 30.
Ung Agenda aims to reach 55,000 young people
With the new funding, the organisers aim to reach 55,000 young people across Denmark over five years. Of those, the target is for 27,500 to participate in Folkemødet, while attendance at Camp Ung Agenda is intended to reach 6,000 in 2031.
The initiative is led by the Folkemødet Association (Foreningen Folkemødet) in partnership with the Danish Youth Council (Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd, DUF) and the Association of Danish Folk High Schools (Folkehøjskolernes Forening).
The ambition is to reach beyond young people who already participate in political organisations or democratic activities, giving a wider range of groups opportunities to take part in public discussions.
How the Tuborg Foundation grant will be used
The funding will support activities before, during and after Folkemødet, rather than concentrating participation around the annual gathering on Bornholm.
Planned initiatives include opportunities for young speakers, free event slots at the festival, peer-to-peer support, local discussion meetings and practical resources to help young people participate in democratic conversations.
Ole Buch Rahbek, head of the Tuborg Foundation’s secretariat, told Danish public broadcaster DR that scouts, role-playing groups and youth political parties could all contribute to discussions about how democracy should develop. These activities, he explained, should take place throughout the year.
Signe Saabye Ottosen, director of the Folkemødet Association, said the expansion was intended to give young people a more active role in shaping the festival’s discussions:
We don’t just want more young people at Folkemødet; we want them on stage on their own terms.
The longer-term goal is to make democratic participation something young people can carry beyond Folkemødet and into their everyday lives and local communities.
