Tiny Maerschalk:

Living in an Expat World: Don’t go loco, Go Glocal

It is no secret that I love my job – mostly because I get to do something very close to my heart and experiences. Improving conditions for all expats, and promoting the internationalisation of the society we live in, is the very essence of my everyday life. Therefore, I am very proud to be part of the newest initiative in Aarhus: GO GLOCAL.

GO GLOCAL for everyone  
GO GLOCAL is the perfect symbiosis of the local and the global. Nowadays it is difficult to separate these two terms because they continuously affect each other – so why not take advantage of the many benefits the concept brings to the table?

GO GLOCAL is a project that strives to unveil Aarhus as an attractive career destination by contributing to the internationalisation of the city and supporting the many international entities that call Aarhus their home.

Besides highlighting the huge advantage of having international qualifications and diversity, GO GLOCAL inspires companies to increase their recruitment of international employees. This benefits our society as it creates a more culturally open-minded labour market, which has a positive effect on the recruitment of ethnic minority citizens.

Be proud and win a prize
So is that it? No, of course not! You have the chance to win a prize! At a ceremony on 30 January 2019, an elected jury will bestow an award to a company or organisation that makes great efforts to integrate international employees.

Additionally, the recipient of a second prize will be chosen via an online poll in which everyone has the chance to nominate themselves, another person, team or organisation.

I know that the act of nominating yourself is not very Danish because of the famous ‘Jantelov’. However, it is crucial to recognise all the efforts that inspire others to make a true difference for all internationals. So hang on to your cultural heritage and be proud of your accomplishments!

Local, national, global
GO GLOCAL will present many different communication activities before and after the ceremony, which is why I am very much looking forward to sharing the many stories and experiences from different expats, accompanying spouses, international employees and ethnic minority citizens in my city. These people inspire others to become more engaged with the internationalisation of our society.

This initiative should not be limited to Aarhus – its reach should grow and inspire others throughout the country to acknowledge the absolute need to GO GLOCAL.

Tiny Maerschalk

Belgium’s Tiny Maerschalk, who has worked for the International Community networking platform since its foundation in 2008, knows how it feels to settle in a new country. Dedicated to improving conditions for new arrivals, here she shares her insights about the business issues that mean the most to internationals in Denmark.