May 30-31 U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, visits Denmark (copy)

Secretary Clinton, Foreign Minister Søvndal, Ambassador Fulton and Ambassador Taksøe-Jensen at the Marriott in Copenhagen. (State Dept.)

On May 31, 2012, as the first leg of her official trip to 7 different countries; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visited Copenhagen, Denmark, to meet with H.M. Queen Margrethe II, engage with Danish youth at a "townterview" at the Black Diamond, attend a luncheon meeting at the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and have a bilateral discussion with Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt at the Oak Room, Christianborg Palace. Concluding her official visit in Copenhagen, Denmark; Secretary Clinton also promoted the Green Partnerships for Growth, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, Dansk Industri, and AmCham Denmark. Prior to leaving Copenhagen for Oslo, Secretary Clinton also visited the U.S. Embassy to greet and thank staff for all of their dedication and hard work.

Starting her official visit in Copenhagen, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was welcomed by Danish Foreign Minister Villy Søvndal at the Marriott Hotel at 10:00 in the morning. They then proceeded to Amalienborg Palace by boat where Secretary Clinton was received by H.M. Queen Margrethe II.

Concluding her reception at Amalienborg Palace at 11:00 in the morning, Secretary Clinton then continued her day in Copenhagen by attending a "townterview" at The Black Diamond. A combination of a media interview and a town hall question-and-answer session with the audience, the event that was hosted by TV2 Anchor Johannes Langkilde was titled "A Conversation with Young Danes". The Secretary was first introduced by Johannes Langkilde, followed by Secretary Clinton's remarks, stressing the significance of democratic participation for young people all over the world in the age of contemporary technology and communications. Seated in the same Danish design chair that President Kennedy and Nixon also sat in during the historic first televised debate, Secretary Clinton answered questions ranging from U.S. domestic policy on education and healthcare to foreign policy and her personality that inspires people.
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Secretary Clinton's day in Copenhagen was followed by an official luncheon and meeting with Minister Søvndal at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, both Secretary Clinton and Minister Søvndal delivered their remarks. Whereas the minister extended his warm welcome to the secretary and reaffirmed mutual alliance between the United States and Denmark, the secretary emphasized on the importance of these close relationships in solving problems of Afghanistan, Syria, and global warming. This was followed by a press conference attended by Danish and U.S. media.  
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Ending her press conference, Secretary Clinton went to visit Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt in the Oak Room, Christianborg Palace. Welcomed by the prime minister, during this time both of them discussed bilateral relations between the United States and Denmark. At 5:00 in the evening, both of them attended the kick-off event for Green Partnerships for Growth, a collaborative initiative between the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, business confederation Dansk Industri, and AmCham Denmark in promoting technology through public and private partnerships. Prime Minister Thorning-Schmidt remarked that the partnership showcases "two governments sharing a common vision". In addition, Secretary Clinton outlined the goals of the partnership, which include creating more opportunities for U.S. companies to export their products and services in Denmark, opening doors to more investments by Danish companies in the U.S., and finding opportunities for the both countries to partner up on exporting green technology products and services around the world. Read more on Green Partnerships for Growth.

Before concluding her day in Copenhagen, Secretary Clinton also visited U.S. Embassy staff and thanked them for the dedication and hard work they put in contributing and supporting the overall U.S. foreign policy efforts.

Secretary Clinton left Copenhagen in the same evening for her next official stop in Oslo, Norway. During this official trip that lasts from May 31-June 7, 2012, Secretary Clinton is scheduled to also visit Sweden, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. For more information about the trip.