Eight years of stories, community and care

As The International marks eight years, we reflect on the role of storytelling in a complex world - and on the values that continue to guide our work.

Image: Canva

Text: Lyndsay Jensen

Dear readers,

Eight years ago, The International Magazine began as a small but hopeful idea: to create a platform where internationals in Denmark - alongside Danes and readers around the world could find stories that reflect the complexity of living between cultures. Stories that inform, question, celebrate, and sometimes sit with the realities of modern life. Today, as we mark our eighth birthday, it feels both grounding and emotional to look back on what we’ve built together.

Since 2018, The International has grown into a space shaped by curiosity and care. We’ve published hundreds of articles spanning lifestyle, culture, opinion, real stories, sustainability, identity, and everyday life in Denmark and beyond. From guides that help newcomers navigate Danish society, to deeply personal reflections on language, loss, creativity, and change, our stories have always centred lived experience. Each article is a reminder that there is no single way to be international - and no single version of home.

What has always set The International apart is its people. Our contributors come from across the globe, bringing perspectives shaped by different languages, careers, traditions, and worldviews. Writers, editors, photographers, illustrators, and collaborators have given their time and insight to make this magazine what it is today. Together, they’ve created a publication that is thoughtful without being distant, honest without being heavy-handed, and welcoming without simplifying complexity.

Over the years, our readership has grown steadily, reaching people well beyond Denmark’s borders. Yet, despite that growth, we’ve remained committed to something smaller and more personal: building a sense of community through shared stories. We don’t chase trends for the sake of relevance. Instead, we focus on relevance that lasts - stories that readers return to, share, and see themselves reflected in.

Celebrating eight years, however, feels different from celebrating past milestones. The state of the world weighs heavily on me personally at the moment. Ongoing conflicts, political uncertainty, and a general sense of instability make celebration feel complicated. It can feel uncomfortable to mark an anniversary when so much feels unresolved or uncertain.

And yet, it is precisely in moments like these that storytelling matters most.

Shaping our responsibilities as a publication

At The International, we’ve never believed that magazines exist only to distract or entertain. We believe they can hold space for reflection, dialogue, and understanding. When the world feels fractured, stories can still connect us - the way music does. They can remind us that care, nuance, and attention to one another are not luxuries, but necessities.

Being based in Denmark gives us a particular vantage point. Denmark is often seen as small, stable, and orderly, yet it is deeply connected to global movement, ideas, and histories. Many of us who live here come from elsewhere, carrying layered identities and perspectives shaped by migration, choice, circumstance, or chance. That in-between perspective - neither fully inside nor fully outside has shaped The International from day one.

Being international means looking outward without assuming authority. It means recognising that places and communities exist within broader historical, cultural, and social contextsthat deserve attention and care. Over time, this awareness has become central to our editorial approach: listening closely, making room for voices to speak on their own terms.

We are mindful of Greenland

For many internationals living in Denmark, Greenland feels both present and distant - often spoken about, yet rarely understood in everyday conversation. What draws us is not political alignment or proximity, but people and place. Greenland’s communities are shaped by a close relationship with nature, where land, sea, and climate are part of daily life. This relationship requires awareness, cooperation, and respect, influencing how people move through the world and care for one another.

Nature in Greenland is not ornamental or abstract. It is powerful, demanding, and central to life. Alongside this, the community plays a vital role. In towns and settlements separated by great distances, connection matters deeply. Knowledge is passed down through generations, culture is expressed through language, art, and storytelling, and there is pride in heritage and ways of life that continue despite change and outside attention.

As internationals - many of us guests in Denmark ourselves - we approach Greenland with humility. We recognise that history is complex and not always comfortable, and that Greenlandic voices must lead conversations about Greenland’s present and future. Our role is not to speak on behalf of others, but to listen, to respect space, and to support when appropriate.

As The International moves forward, we do so with a clear value: that Greenland belongs to Greenlanders. We stand in support of their right to protect their land, preserve their culture, and shape their own future. In a world that often seeks to claim, simplify, or extract, our commitment is to care, respect, and solidarity - and to supporting Greenland remaining Greenland, for the people who call it home.

While reflection is important, so too is celebration

On January 22nd, we will be celebrating The International's 8th birthday with our community. This gathering is not about grand gestures, but about connection - bringing together readers, writers, contributors, collaborators, and friends who have helped shape us over the years. It’s a chance to pause, share conversations, and acknowledge the collective effort behind what we’ve built.

If you haven’t yet signed up, you are warmly invited to join us. Spaces are limited, and we’re keeping the celebration intentionally intimate. You can find all the details and register here: https://forms.gle/2pw65MrNeZnZTan68

As we step into our ninth year, we do so with gratitude and intention. We remain committed to thoughtful storytelling, to amplifying lived experience, and to creating space for nuance in a world that often rushes past it. Thank you for reading, writing, sharing, and supporting The International over the past eight years. We look forward to what we will continue to build - together.

From my heart to yours,

Lyndsay Jensen

Editor-in-Chief & Founder