December 10 2024
December is always a month filled with great expectations. About the sweet Christmas season, spending time with family and friends, the joy of giving and the joy of anticipation of receiving. And last, but certainly not least: the expectations of what the new year brings.
Here at Nordic Folkecenter, the feeling of sweet anticipation of gifts and the future has been replaced by intensified workflows, uncertainty about the future and a feeling of having been left behind, forgotten and ignored.
After Nordic Folkecenter learned that neither the Government nor the opposition parties invited to the finance law negotiations, the Radical Liberal Party and the Socialist Party, had included Nordic Folkecenter in the 2025 finance law, the team at Nordic Folkecenter has been working hard to explore options for maintaining operations and workflow next year.
So what have we been working on since we received the completely incomprehensible message about the 2025 finance law, on November 22?
The 12 employees have contacted local elected politicians in the North Jutland Region, applied for funds, sent project applications and sought additional project opportunities for the coming year. Including, but not limited to:
An offer has been made for advice on and taking on the coordinating role with citizen involvement at one of three prioritized energy communities in Sydthy, under Thisted Municipality.
An approach has been made to Minister of Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who is also Minister for the Ministry of Development and Trade, with a proposal for a partnership on business development in three East African countries: Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya.
The employees have sent a request to the Danish Energy Agency for a dialogue on the current situation and future possibilities of Nordic Folkecenter.
Several letters of support have been received from individuals and organizations who want Nordic Folkecenter to get funds to continue its important work within development, green transition and renewable energy.
An advisory service on ESG (environmental, social and governance) has been established for companies.
At the time of writing, all possible solutions are being sought so Nordic Folkecenter can continue its work as a contributor to the world’s green transition with renewable energy, education and development.
It is irresponsible to let Nordic Folkecenter close down so abruptly; we have had one month to wind down our activities – an impossibility with ongoing projects into 2025, project applications that have been sent out and will receive answers by the end of 2025, and 41 years of vital history about renewable energy, sustainable construction, education and development.
The world needs Nordic Folkecenter, and we hope that the world will stand up when Nordic Folkecenter needs it. And we need it now. Because we want to show the way towards a world with renewable energy.
Regardless, it will be Christmas, and it will be New Year – and 2025 is just around the corner – so I and the rest of the team here at Nordic Folkecenter for Renewable Energy would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
We will continue the hard work, and hope that you’ll hear from us in 2025.