FROM THE MIDDLE EAST TO THE NORDICS – CULTURAL ENCOUNTERS IN WORDS AND TONES
13/3/2025
Doors: 18:30 // Entrance: 120 DKK
Århundredets festival & turkis presents: A talk and conversation with Garbi Schmidt & Shahin Aakjær, followed by a concert with ÆT
For decades, people from the Middle East have sought a new home in Denmark and the rest of the Nordics. The reasons for this are many: unemployment, conflicts, wars, as well as political and religious oppression. Yet, common to all is the creation of a new life for themselves and their descendants in a part of the world that culturally differs significantly from their homelands. This evening focuses on the cultural encounters that this migration has brought about.
Organizers: Folkeuniversitetet and turkis
PROGRAM
➤ Doors open: 18:30
➤ A talk and conversation with Garbi Schmidt + Shahin Aakjær: 19:00
➤ ÆT: 20:30
TALK AND CONVERSATION WITH GARBI SCHMIDT & SHAHIN AAKJÆR
Garbi Schmidt, professor of cultural encounter studies at Roskilde University, will provide historical insights and the background for immigration to Denmark from the Middle East, drawing parallels to the rest of the Nordics and other European countries.
Following this, Danish-Iranian author and rapper Shahin Aakjær will offer a perspective on growing up with one foot in both Iranian and Danish cultures.
Afterward, Garbi and Shahin will engage in a conversation about the challenges and opportunities that immigrants and descendants of immigrants from the Middle East face in encountering Danish society, as well as what we can learn from one another’s cultures.
The conversation will be moderated by Sanne Gram Fadel, Lead Editor, Foreign News Desk, DR.
ÆT
“The more connected you are to your roots, the more freedom you have to grow.”
This quote comes from Yossi Karutchi, the creator of the concert experience, ÆT.
ÆT reinterprets the Danish song heritage with new arrangements that draw upon Arabic and Middle Eastern musical traditions, where harmonies and chords play less of a central role compared to Western music. Instead, the focus is on melody and rhythm, creating a musical expression that is simultaneously familiar, surprising, and inspiring.
A concert with ÆT is an experience that transcends music. It invites you to explore your own musical roots and reflect on their significance—both collectively and individually.