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🇩🇰 Denmark /Culture & Society

Permanent veterans’ home opens in Slagelse on Armed Forces Flag Day

From Berlingske · () Danish

Translated from Danish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency New plan
  • Denmark is marking its 18th official Armed Forces Flag Day on Sept. 5, honoring personnel deployed on international missions, including those who died in service.
  • A permanent veterans’ home is opening in Slagelse as part of the day’s official program, offering veterans a place to stay, gather and receive support.
  • Ceremonies are also taking place in Latvia and Copenhagen, including a parade, wreath-laying ceremony and memorial service.

A permanent veterans’ home is opening in Slagelse as Denmark marks its Armed Forces Flag Day, an annual occasion honoring the country’s deployed personnel.

The home will be run by the Danske Veteranhjem Foundation, which operates six veterans’ homes across Denmark. They serve as retreats and meeting places, while also offering veterans temporary accommodation and support as they move forward.

The opening forms part of the official flag-day program in Slagelse Municipality. The day is being marked through local events across the Danish Realm, and in Latvia, where a Danish combat battalion held a parade that ended with a minute of silence for fallen soldiers.

For us, this is not a day we mark from a distance. We are deployed here in Latvia as FLF team 3, far from our families and our everyday lives at home, and as representatives of Denmark.

· Karina WøbbeThe combat battalion commander described Danish troops’ participation in Flag Day while deployed in Latvia.

Denmark maintains a permanent rotating military presence in the Baltic region as part of NATO’s forward presence. “For us, this is not a day we mark from a distance. We are deployed here in Latvia as FLF team 3, far from our families and our everyday lives at home, and as representatives of Denmark,” the Defense Ministry website quoted the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Karina Wøbbe, as saying.

She said the day was primarily a time to pause and remember Danish soldiers and other deployed personnel who have served in international operations, particularly those who did not return home. In Copenhagen, officials are holding a wreath-laying ceremony at the Citadel, followed later by a memorial service at Holmen Church and a parade for this year’s deployed personnel at Christiansborg Palace Square. Participants include Chief of Defence Gen. Michael Hyldgaard, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and the royal couple.

Flag Day is first and foremost a day when we pause and remember. We remember the Danish soldiers and other deployed personnel who have served in international operations over the years, especially those who did not return home.

· Karina WøbbeWøbbe explained the commemorative purpose of the national observance.
About this summary

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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