AU at the thematic ‘folkemøder’ in 2026 – Planning is underway
Once again this year, Aarhus University and Tech will be represented at several of the thematic ‘folkemøder’ that have sprung up across the country. Three Tech departments have taken the lead in organising, but everyone is welcome to contribute with academic expertise and great ideas for engaging debates and exciting workshops.
Last year, visitors to Naturmødet, Klimafolkemødet, and Food Festival could visit Aarhus University and Tech’s departments at a shared stand. At Naturmødet, Ecoscience, Agroecology, Environmental Science, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, DCE, and the Department of Biology collaborated on an exciting programme, and more than 2,000 guests visited the AU tent over the three days of the event.
“At Ecoscience, we work a lot with impact, and Naturmødet is a truly relevant platform for communicating nature, the environment, and ecosystems to the general public,” says Mikkel Tamstorf, Head of the Department at Ecoscience.
“The collaboration with the other departments worked really well, and our joint effort meant that AU was by far the university most strongly represented, with presentations both at our own stand and on the main stages.”
At the ‘Klimafolkemødet’ 2025 in Middelfart, around 40,000 visitors stopped by, while up to 30,000 guests attended this year’s Food Festival in Aarhus. At the ‘Naturmødet’ in Hirtshals, approximately 30,000 visitors experienced 660 debates, conversations, and activities — 33 of which took place in the AU tent. Additionally, Ecoscience was particularly well represented on the Naturmødets’s stages.
“The combination of being present on the main stages and having our own tent meant we reached a wide audience – from everyday Danes to government agencies, politicians, and NGOs,” says Mikkel Tamstorf.
“The most popular sessions were those that encouraged debate and knowledge exchange, where there was room for a bit of back-and-forth. So this year, we’re once again aiming for exciting topics that invite discussion – and luckily, we have quite a few subjects to choose from that can really get people engaged.”
Want to Join in 2026? Now’s the time to get started
If you have a good idea for a presentation, debate, or workshop at one of the thematic ‘Folkemøder’, it’s a good idea to contact the responsible department now, as the submission period runs from now until the beginning of the new year.
Contacts
- Naturmødet: Signe Brokjær Nielsen, Department of Ecoscience
- Klimafolkemødet: Anne Sofie Nielsen, Department of Agroecology
- Food Festival and Madens Folkemøde: Ida Thoft Jensen, Department of Agroecology
Important deadlines
- The deadline for programme proposals for Naturmødet’s stages is 14 November.
- The deadline for submitting proposals for debates, talks, and conversations at Madens Folkemøde is 12 January.
- For the Food Festival, proposals for activities can already be submitted, while registration for activities at the Klimafolkemødet opens at the turn of the year.