Photographs: Amager Village
Text: Jakob Weizman
Moving to Denmark can be quite the challenge, especially during a pandemic which renders it difficult to reach out and socialise with other people. In Copenhagen's Amager district, many internationals reside there, including the Amager Village community founder, Amelie Taralle, who lives there with her husband and two sons. With a background in project management, Taralle asked herself how to find an innovative way to bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together.
"I thought of creating Amager Village as a way to connect internationals with Danes to discover Amager and live a more sustainable way of life," said Taralle, who is from France. "So far we have organised clean up events, parents meetups, pub meetups, nature reserve brunch, grill meetup and walks."
“My vision is to get them organised regularly in different areas of Amager simultaneously linking up with local companies (cafes, restaurants etc.), associations and social enterprises to give them exposure but also to help us with supplies for the cleanups.”
Taralle realised the importance of invoking a feeling of closeness in Denmark, where many internationals find it challenging to adapt and settle in. She told The International how much a difference it makes to the people in the area, bringing a better sense of belonging.
"I met another mother through my son's school, who had been here for 4 years and had never been invited for tea at any other parent's house," said Taralle. "I was shocked when she told me that after I invited her over the first week, I met her."
Showcasing how meaningful Amager Village has become, Taralle leads in organising events that assemble local residents to socialise whilst helping the environment.
"We organise clean up events, I had them set up every 2 weeks on a Saturday, but sadly they were cancelled earlier this year due to Corona restrictions," said Taralle.
"My vision is to get them organised regularly in different areas of Amager simultaneously linking up with local companies (cafes, restaurants etc.), associations and social enterprises to give them exposure but also to help us with supplies for the cleanups," she added.
You can find Amager Village on Facebook and Instagram: