Denmark Summer Festival: Unity Through Music and Culture
- Jun 13
- 2 min read
Copenhagen, Denmark – A Summer Festival at the UPF Peace Center in Copenhagen on June 13, 2026, drew around 100 participants for an afternoon of music, friendship and fellowship. Although the weather was far from summery, the atmosphere more than made up for the rain and wind.
The festival, held in cooperation with FFWPU Denmark, was coordinated by Ms. Kamala Mais, a UPF ambassador for peace and music teacher, together with Mr. Kerim Elhan from the Denmark – Azerbaijan Association for Youth Communication, who also served as moderator.
Although the original plan had been to gather in the garden under sunny skies, volunteers quickly erected tents the day before to shelter participants from the rain and wind. Rather than dampening the spirit, the rain seemed only to strengthen the sense of togetherness.
To "invite the sun back," everyone joined in singing two beloved Danish summer songs before the cultural program began.
Dr. Thorkil Christensen introduced UPF's vision of building peace through interdependence, mutual prosperity and universally shared values. Reflecting on the theme of the festival, he described culture as "humanity's way of giving form to the heart." While politics may create agreements between states, he noted, culture creates understanding between hearts. Art and culture become genuine instruments of peace when shared with humility, hospitality and respect, bringing people together as fellow human beings.
The afternoon featured musical performances reflecting the richness of several cultures, including Azerbaijan, Türkiye, India and Denmark. One particularly moving part of the program was the performance by seven of Ms. Mais' young piano students. Their beautiful performances touched parents, grandparents and guests alike, illustrating how music nurtures talent, confidence and harmony across generations.
The festival concluded with an inspiring performance by the award-winning singer Ms. Nabanita Ghosh from West Bengal, India. Drawing on classical Indian music, folk traditions and the songs of Rabindranath Tagore, she performed songs in Urdu that beautifully illustrated how music can transcend linguistic and cultural boundaries. Through her artistry she has become a genuine cultural bridge between India and Denmark.
After the performances, participants enjoyed refreshments, meaningful conversations and warm fellowship. People from different generations, cultures and backgrounds had the opportunity to meet one another in an informal and welcoming atmosphere.
The Summer Festival demonstrated that peacebuilding is not achieved only through conferences, negotiations or political agreements. As Dr. Christensen observed, “Politics can create agreements between states, but culture creates understanding between hearts.” Sometimes peace begins simply when people sing together, listen together and discover beauty together.
As the rain continued outside, sunshine nevertheless emerged in the smiles, conversations and hearts of those who had gathered – a gentle reminder that when culture becomes a shared language, our differences no longer divide us but enrich our common humanity.
