President Vanessa Brooks welcomed everyone and commenced by presenting recipients of Welfare funding Mr. Alejandro Escalona and Mr. Cliff Boucher with a cheque for the Social Harmony Project. She announced that Welfare Chair Anowara Ahmed would be attending the SHP workshop that UNWA has pledged to support. Mr. Escalona thanked UNWA and said he was hopeful that a group of children from Cuba would arrive in Bangladesh next Monday, April 26th for the cultural exchange with several Bangladeshi children. Mr. Boucher stated that the project aimed: " to promote in children a confidence in their potential." He added: "It was not just a theatre experience but an opportunity (for children) to show their capabilities".

Vanessa announced that Susan Carter, with her husband, the departing British High Commissioner, is leaving at the end of April and was able to attend the meeting only briefly. She announced that members had planned to give her a formal farewell and thanked Susan (in absentia) for her contribution to UNWA.

Several upcoming events were announced. Jean Sack reported that 16 May is Aids Memorial Day, and that there would be candlelight memorials in memory of those who had died from Aids. She asked members to light a candle at their home, workplace, or club on that day.

After a delicious tea of Danish cakes and pastries, H. E. Mr. Niels Munk welcomed UNWA members to Denmark. He started with his background and education in Denmark, Switzerland and France and his formative student experience at the beginning of desegregation in the State of Georgia, USA.

The various countries where he had been posted and where they had made their home were Tanzania for 3 years, two tours of four years in Kenya, 3 years in India and back in Tanzania again. He also worked for the Red Cross in Denmark which took them to Sudan and Romania, before coming to Bangladesh.

Mr. Munk said Denmark has been in the forefront of donor countries in providing development assistance, contributing about 0.9% of her GDP since 1992. Danish International Development Assistance (DANIDA) has a much more prominent role in foreign affairs than in the past. He reported that Denmark is taking a more thematic approach to development. Denmark was involved in a Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Programme, an Agricultural Sector Programme and a Transport Sector Programme. Two core elements of Danish development are Good Governance and Human Rights Programmes. These are cross-cutting issues within the three priority sectors and assistance is provided through specific projects. Denmark has adopted a policy of zero tolerance for corruption and DANIDA would be prepared to withdraw where there is evidence of corruption.

Asked about Danish approach to women’s development and to gender issues, he responded that these issues were addressed both as aspects of Sector Programme support as well as women focused projects. Violence Against Women (VAW) programme is being implemented as well as support for other issues concerning women and children such as trafficking.

The meeting concluded with a short DVD about how Denmark looks today as a nation, proud of its monarchy. It was a refreshingly honest film rather than the more familiar Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale view. It gave those who had not visited the country a perspective on the Danish people and what they were contributing to Bangladesh.