Homeless Bronze Sculptures in the Streets of Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN, April 22, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

- The Most Vulnerable People in Denmark and the Rest of Europe are the Homeless. to Draw Focus on This You can see a Range of Unique Human-Sized Bronze Sculptures in the Centre of Copenhagen from 22 April.

Poverty and homelessness are often problems that are forgotten in big cities. But with the naming of 2010 as European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, there is now a focus on the problem in Europe's cities.

In Denmark one of the initiatives is the touring exhibition Ending Homelessness! which opened on 22 April in Copenhagen. The 13 bronze sculptures will later be shown in a number of Danish towns and cities during May.

The homeless must not be forgotten

The bronze sculptures by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiøt are being displayed on streets and squares where people pass by in order to show them that the homeless actually do live on the streets. Each individual sculpture tells its own story, and so the sculptures represent real homeless people. People who have been or are currently homeless act as guides for the exhibition, and hopefully passers-by will stop and join in the debate.

The exhibition has been organised by the Danish NGO Project Outside, which combines street work among the homeless in Denmark with teaching and research into homelessness and exclusion.

The homeless as Copenhagen city-guides

Another Danish initiative in connection to the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion is Poverty Walks where homeless people act as city-guides. They present their experiences with life on the streets and show the overlooked corners of Copenhagen.

The overall goal for the initiatives is to contribute to information about the living conditions of homeless people in Denmark and the rest of Europe by having the 13 people tell their stories, and by inviting politicians, ordinary people, NGOs and specialists in the field to give their suggestions for how everyone can help to put a stop to homelessness.

FACTS:

2010 is the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

From 2009 - 2013, the Danish Ministry of Social Affairs has granted DKK 500m for combating homelessness.

The strategy for the homeless - and the reasons behind the grant - have been based on four objectives:

    1. No one should live on the streets.
    2. Young people should not as a rule have to stay in a care home but be
       offered other solutions according to the service law and the public
       housing law.
    3. A stay at a care home or a hostel should not last longer than three to
       four months for those ready to move into regular housing with the
       necessary support.
    4. Release from prison or discharge from hospital or treatment should
       only occur when housing is available.

Contact:

Ninna Hoegh, Head of Secretariat, project OUTSIDE, tel: +45-6162-0463, [email protected]

Jens Galschiøt, Sculptor, tel: +45-4044-7058/ +45-6618-4058, [email protected]

Per Ernstsen, chairman of SAND Copenhagen, tel: +45-29376768

    Read more about project OUTSIDE at
http://www.udenfor.dk/dk/Servicemenu/English

For free broadcast-standard video about the exhibition, please visit http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Denmark

For download of pictures of the opening of the exhibition: http://www.udenfor.dk/endinghomelessness

SOURCE Wonderful Copenhagen