Monday, February 19, 2024 proved to be an exciting day for The Danish Home of Chicago’s residents, staff and board members.
Ambassador Jesper Møller Sørensen, who has served as Ambassador of Denmark to The United States at the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington D.C. since September 2023, visited The Danish Home of Chicago together with Consul General of Denmark in Chicago Jesper Køks Andersen; Domestic Policy Advisor Sarah Emilie Silberbrandt from the Royal Danish Embassy in Washington, D.C.; Consular and Administrative Officer Birgitte Nørmølle; and Marketing and Communication Advisor Zahra Khadir, both from the Consulate General of Denmark in Chicago.
During the afternoon reception in The Danish Home’s dining room, the Ambassador, Consul General and their staff members greeted guests and spent time speaking individually with many of The Danish Home’s residents. Participants enjoyed a delicious Danish Buffet with Mini Frikadeller Skewers, Smørrebrød featuring Smoked Salmon Mini Sandwiches and Havarti Cheese Mini Sandwiches, Fruit and Cheese Trays, Danish Birthday Cake, Coffee, Tea, Water, Carlsberg Beer and Akvavit.
The Danish Home of Chicago’s President/CEO Scott Swanson bid welcome, while The Danish Home Foundation’s Chair Peter Orum introduced each of the official visitors and talked about the Ambassador’s extensive political career. Most recently, Ambassador Møller Sørensen held a position as the State Secretary for Foreign Policy in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark (2019-2023). Prior to this, he was the Political Director in the Foreign Ministry (2015-2019). Ambassador Møller Sørensen has also previously been the Ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan (2013-2015), and the Deputy Ambassador to Afghanistan (2010-2011). The Ambassador holds a Master of Political Science from the University of Copenhagen and a bachelor’s degree from Aarhus University. He is a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog.
The Ambassador then brought remarks and spoke about his background growing up near Silkeborg, Denmark, his interest in world politics, the great honor of being given his Ambassadorial credentials by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, and the process of passing along these credentials to U.S. President Joe Biden at The White House in Washington, D.C. The United States and Denmark have the longest unbroken diplomatic relationship in the world, beginning in 1801.
Consul General Jesper Køks Andersen said he has now visited The Danish Home of Chicago about ten times, and he recognized the significant importance of The Danish Home as a continuing care retirement community and as a valued Danish cultural center in the Midwest and in the United States.
The Ambassador presented a Danish gift basket to The Danish Home’s President/CEO Scott Swanson for The Danish Home’s residents and staff to enjoy, while Swanson presented the Ambassador with a Danish Home hat and an authentic Danish kringle from Kirsten’s Danish Bakery in Burr Ridge, Illinois.
Following the reception, the Ambassador, Consul General and their staff members toured The Danish Home with Scott Swanson to learn more about The Danish Home’s major building expansion and to see the current construction in action. The new building expansion is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2025.
The Danish Home of Chicago thanks the Ambassador, Consul General and their staff members for their wonderful visit, and we look forward to welcoming them again in the near future.
