"This is freedom." That’s how one of the girls from Rirising School described her experience while walking through the streets of Copenhagen on a Saturday evening in May. The group had unexpectedly found themselves in the middle of Pride 2023, on the final day of the parade, with a concert on City Hall Square. The streets were filled with joyful people in all sorts of costumes, and the young teenagers from Beijing felt that this was a place with room for everyone.

Their visit continued with walks to the Little Mermaid, Rosenborg Castle, and the Danish Design Center. The journey then took them across the Great Belt to their accommodation at Nordfyns Højskole, where the program included visits to local schools, youth clubs, and community associations. Two days were dedicated to a theatre workshop with Danish children, where the theme was a conflict between Nordic and Chinese gods. The schedule also included workshops and talks by both Danish educators and the visiting Chinese teachers, who shared insights into Chinese education.

Time flew by. Judging by the students’ reflections, and the podcasts and interviews they later produced back in Beijing, the trip left a lasting impression.