From Folkemødet to Forgotten Gold

Tracing the roots of #TheForgottenGold Movement back to a debate at Folkemødet, Aamna Tauheed explores how a conversation about overlooked international talent

grew into a wider Scandinavian call for visibility, inclusion, and change.

Photographs: Lyndsay Jensen

Text: Aamna Tauheed

During the summer of 2023, Lyndsay Jensen, founder and Editor of The International Denmark, was invited to a debate as a panellist at Folkemødet by Danske Idustri. Folkemødet is Denmark’s annual “People’s Meeting” - a huge democracy festival where politicians, organisations, businesses, and citizens gather for open debates, talks, and networking in the town of Allinge on Bornholm.

It takes place every June and mixes politics, culture, public discussion, concerts, and social events in an informal festival atmosphere.

At this debate on internationals in Denmark, the conversation regarding untapped talent living in Denmark was raised. In the debate, she highlighted the social and professional challenges faced by highly educated international professionals in Denmark.

After the debate, the #TheForgottenGold Movement began as a thought, a seed, which has since caught on in the rest of Scandinavia. We call our international talent “forgotten gold,” which already exists in the country but is overlooked and remains invisible in Scandinavia despite their higher education and professional experience.

Over the past year, the movement has become a conversation across the Nordic region, especially in Denmark. As a journalist covering it, I have received an overwhelming number of responses from hundreds of overlooked internationals who want to share their stories. What began as an effort to document the overlooked experiences has gradually evolved into a broader debate about visibility, social integration, systemic barriers and diversity.

The voice of untapped talent in Scandinavia

The movement has become relatable and has made a huge impact on people’s lives, helping them feel seen and heard. Since the first published article, international professionals from diverse backgrounds and industries have continued to reach out via email and the International Denmark social media handles to share their experiences in the challenging Scandinavian job market. The overwhelming response itself discloses why the movement matters and how it has become the voice of International professionals experiencing an invisibility in the super-competitive job market.

In the words of one of the #TheForgottenGold movement participants, the movement is clear enough to show the connection between international talent and this movement. She said: “The initiatives like #TheForgottenGold matter to us because they expose the systemic barriers and highlight the struggles of internationals living in Scandinavia. It is a movement for change and a voice for internationals seeking visibility and professional opportunities.”

“I said this at folkemødet, in the summer of 2023, and I'll say it again for those in the back: If Denmark wants international talent, it must first recognise the forgotten gold already living here.” - Lyndsay Jensen

Visibility: The success criterion of movement

#TheForgottenGold Movement was never designed to produce polished narratives about international professionals. Creating visibility in Scandinavian society and the job market is the primary reason for this movement. Moreover, by sharing their stories, our platform aims to highlight the systemic barriers and social constraints that the international community faces in Scandinavia. That's why the success criterion for this movement should not be measured by whether participants eventually secured full-time employment in the challenging job market.

The experiences of untapped and invisible international professionals, as told in their #forgotten stories, are often absent from public discussions of the diverse labour market and integration.

Beyond employment statistics

#TheForgottenGold stories are not merely the “struggle tales” of the talented but overlooked international professionals existing in Scandinavia. The challenges in the labour market exist in every country. Companies do have the liberty to choose the best candidate, but confining recruitment criteria to a single community would itself undermine their claims of cultural diversity.

The #ForgottenGold stories highlight a deeper issue that goes beyond employment statistics. They discuss the emotional and structural reality of professional invisibility. For many internationals, the experience of job-seeking in Scandinavia affects them more than their career progression. Long-term professional exclusion from the job market shakes their confidence, takes a mental toll, and leaves them feeling socially disintegrated. One of #TheForgottenGold summed up this experience by sharing her story. She said:

“Being unemployed for a long time triggers feelings of isolation and a loss of professional identity. The continuous rejections, ghosting, and silent treatment from companies or recruiters shake my confidence and affect me mentally. I needed a sense of community and wanted to connect with people who could understand or relate to my situation. I started working on my professional visibility, which is why I decided to share my story for #TheForgottenGold Movement.”

Presenting the positive, the negative, and the unpleasant

Meanwhile, the campaign avoids depicting Scandinavia in oversimplified terms. The key feature of #TheForgottenGold is its intentional emphasis on complexity.

Several participants expressed positive views of life in Scandinavia, highlighting the social security and liberty they gained after moving there. They valued the work-life balance, social trust, public safety, and institutional stability that Scandinavian countries are known for. However, acknowledging those positives does not erase the difficulties many internationals continue to face in the labour market. The movement aims to present reality in its entirety, including the good, the bad, and the unpleasant.

Many of the international professionals featured in #TheForgottenGold stories eventually secured jobs relevant to their backgrounds. While some decided to leave the country, a few chose to change industries or pursue entrepreneurship. Still, there are hundreds of them navigating the job market and struggling for a single professional opportunity.

The outcomes of the movement matter because it isn’t about crafting ideal immigration stories but about highlighting the challenges faced by hidden, untapped talent already living in Scandinavia.

Why policymakers should focus on this issue

Scandinavian countries are often praised for their commitment to diversity and inclusion, but the experiences shared through #TheForgottenGold Movement reveal a different story. Inclusion should not exist only in policy statements or be used merely as a marketing strategy to build a country's image. It must be reflected in recruitment processes, workplace culture, and access to leadership and growth opportunities.

International professionals bring more than technical expertise and experience. They also bring global perspectives, cross-cultural competence, multilingual communication skills, and international networks. These qualities are strategic assets in the global economy. If industries and companies in Scandinavia did not allow them to work and integrate, retaining international talent would be difficult, if not impossible. This tight-fisted approach toward internationals creates a significant dent in claims of equal opportunity and cultural diversity and represents a missed opportunity for innovation and competitiveness. That's why policymakers should consider the challenges international professionals face in the Nordic countries. Specifically for Denmark, one of the participants said:

“Although Denmark promotes diversity and inclusion, I sometimes feel that both the system and the people will always perceive us as 'others' in their country. They design career guidance programs for the international community, but hesitate to offer equal professional opportunities. I want to understand how the system works for internationals here. The system should be more open and welcoming; otherwise, don't invite internationals to your country to study or work”.

#TheForgottenGold movement is still continuing

#TheForgottenGold Movement is going on after a year via the platform of The International Denmark and continues to evolve because new professionals reach out every day to share their experiences. Every month, our newspaper publishes a story about a “forgotten gold” living in Scandinavia and fighting for visibility, so that someone could discover him and give him an opportunity in the job market relevant to his profession.

Relocating to another country often requires rebuilding nearly every aspect of life at once — career, language, confidence, social circles, and identity. The process is rarely straightforward, and the emotional consequences are often underestimated in public discussions about international talent.

Migration or relocation to another country is a major step, and only a few choose to step out of their comfort zones. Rebuilding life, both professionally and personally, in a new environment and culture is a bold step. It requires social and professional support from the country that granted them a valid visa and the right to live there. Welcoming internationals and providing them with a space for social and professional integration are entirely different scenarios. As a voice for international professionals in Scandinavia, The International Denmark understands these challenges and highlights them through the #TheForgottenGold Movement.

Redefining what success really means

For international professionals living in Scandinavia, the impact of #the Forgotten Gold Movement has been long-lasting and positive. Participants report that the movement gives them visibility, value, confidence, and motivation. Their published stories have also helped build trust and increase their credibility with recruiters. Beyond recognition, the movement has developed a sense of community and connection, and this is how we, as a platform, redefine its success. The real challenge remains, and the international “gold” is yet to be discovered.