Folke & Folke

Can the history of development cooperation be told through one human life? A conversation between Steen Folke and Lotte Folke Kaarsholm.

We live in a time when the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has called empathy “the fundamental weakness of Western civilisation” and led a campaign against development work. USAID has been shut down, the UN is in crisis, and several European countries are cutting their development aid. In Denmark too, aid faces growing criticism in the media and political demands to cut support to the world’s poorest countries.

It is a good occasion to revisit what development cooperation is really about. How did it begin in Denmark? Why have so many people engaged in it, and what has come of it? What challenges do we face now – and is the era of development cooperation over?

We will try to tell the whole story through one man’s life. As a child, Steen Folke went with his parents to Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke’s first development project in India in the 1950s – before Denmark even had state development aid. Over seven decades he has followed the growth of development cooperation as a practitioner, researcher, politician, commentator and active member of civil society.

He is now stepping down as a board member of Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke. To mark the occasion, we have asked his niece, Lotte Folke Kaarsholm, to meet him for a conversation about what it was all about, what he would say to Elon Musk if he got the chance, and what he hopes the rest of us will take with us and keep fighting for.

The event is free for members and costs DKK 50 for non-members.

To make sure there is room for everyone, registration via the ticket link is required.

The event takes place indoors in Forsyningen.