The People's Movement against Loneliness
Whether we are from The Danish Guide and Scout Association, Copenhagen Municipality, the DaneAge Association, or other organisation, the fact is that we can all learn from each other and not least increase our influence if we pool our experiences and knowledge. This is the rationale behind Folkebevægelsen mod Ensomhed.
Since 2016, Folkebevægelsen mod Ensomhed has focused on loneliness and bringing people together through an initiative called Danmark Spiser Sammen (Denmark Dines Together). This primarily takes place during the last week of April and the first week of November, but also encourages Danes to reach out to people they don’t know in general, by organising a shared meal for example.
In support of Danmark Spiser Sammen, Patrick Cakirli marched against loneliness from one end of Denmark to the other. Patrick only walks when someone chooses to walk with him, and together with the many fellow walkers who have taken up the challenge, they have succeeded in highlighting just how much we can achieve when we do it together.
The popular movement is run by members who all pay a membership fee and, as far as possible, support the movement’s work by participating in various committees, such as communication committees, youth committees, municipal committees etc. Coordination meetings are held every quarter, during which decisions are made, topics are discussed, and knowledge is shared. All members of Folkebevægelsen mod Ensomhed are welcome to participate in the coordination group meetings. A steering group with member representatives has also been set up. The coordinator of the secretariat reports to the steering committee.
The Mary Foundation has been involved since the DaneAge Association took the initiative to coordinate the work on loneliness at a loneliness symposium in 2014. The Mary Foundation is represented on the steering committee and on the analysis and youth committee.
Loneliness
We all feel lonely every now and then; this is a natural part of life. But when the loneliness moves on from being short-lived and situation-specific to being persistent, it becomes damaging to our health and social life. Long-term loneliness is damaging to our health and can destroy our social skills. Loneliness remains an overlooked problem - despite the significant human costs.