HCA NEWS The Minister of Culture opens the Internet portal

Minister of Culture Brian Mikkelsen and Odense Mayor Anker Boye had the joint honour of clicking on the mouse to open the portal for Hans Christian Andersen 2005, hca2005.com, to the Internet. This happened at a press conference on 21 January at the Copenhagen headquarters of the Bikuben Foundation.

By H.C. Andersen 2005 - 22 January 2003

At a press conference on 21 January, a large number of media folk and collaborative partners gathered at the Copenhagen headquarters of the Bikuben Foundation for the opening of the much-awaited portal and the presentation of Radio Denmark (DR) as Hans Christian Andersen 2005's collaborative partner on the media front.

DR television director Jørgen Ramskov and radio director Leif Lønsmann unveiled before representatives of most of the Danish press corps some of the provisions of the major framework agreement that makes DR the official broadcaster for Hans Christian Andersen 2005.

In addition to the production and transmission of the opening ceremony to mark Hans Christian Andersen's 200th birthday on 2 April 2005 and the closing ceremony on 6 December the same year, DR plans to cover some of the principal Danish and international productions and events that will take place in 2005. 

The date of the closing ceremony, 6 December, was chosen, because it was on this day in 1867 that Hans Christian Andersen was paid tribute by his hometown of Odense, which was illuminated in his honour.

Among other things, DR TV will present major drama, entertainment and educational productions about the renowned author and his life.  In addition, in cooperation with Egmont, DR will put the finishing touches on a major animated children's series based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales.

Andersen on the air
 On the radio side, the plan is to broadcast "Andersen on the Air" every single day during the year 2005 - with readings, concerts, radio drama and much more.  DR's cultural channel P2 plans, among other things, a daily series on Hans Christian Andersen's travels out into the wide world, based on Andersen's letters and diaries, with an original background score performed by DR's Light Orchestra.

In addition, DR's five ensembles will mark the jubilee with a series of concerts, tours and radio programs.  DR's National Radio Symphony Orchestra is negotiating with some of Europe's most important concert stages, including the Proms in London and the Salzburg Festival, and hopes to be able to bring Hans Christian Andersen to the Far East with concerts in Japan and China. 

DR's National Girls Choir will also tour the United States and Canada during the jubilee year, performing among other things John Rutters' "The Little Mermaid."

Director of the Danish Tourist Board, Lars Sandahl, was also present to introduce the marketing strategy for international tourism and various other tourism- related initiatives planned in connection with the jubilee year.


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