Board of Directors
Elected at the founding
general meeting 2024
Mona Maria Ljungberg –
Chair woman
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Born in the post-war years, I grew up with the many stories and images of the Nazi death camps and a popular wonderment of “how could this happen?” and with the words: “It must never happen again”.
Growing up, I was taught not alway to “fly with the herd” – but to consider where the herd is going and turn in a different direction and speak up, even when it felt lonely and hurtful if the herd is heading into a destructive storm. Or bullying some poor soul in class.
I am a trained social educator and have mainly worked with supporting children and families in difficult situations, whether the reason was social conditions or serious illness.
I have also worked with emergency aid and support for refugees in war zones and then reconstruction projects in Bosnia. Among other things, I was the initiator of the establishment of a local women-led adult school in a small town in North West Bosnia, where everyone could come and improve their skills in various subjects, such as: language, IT, accounting etc. The school functioned for 15 years and was run by the locals. In the beginning with Danish support. Later it was running on its own.
In Denmark, from 2001 – 2015, I worked mainly with refugees’ human rights. It’s very easy to describe: they have no rights unless they have asylum. And the system works in such a way that the law is designed to reject as many as possible and not on the basis of the risk to life the individual is exposed to when returning to their home country.
In the last ten years, the world has become more unstable. The number of displaced people has more than doubled in those ten years. 180 million people do not all make it to Europe, many are internally displaced, like in Gaza (which we hear about) Sudan and others – but many also seek Europe. Many drown in the oceans, die in deserts along the way. Others end up in slavery, in prisons and in detention centers.
I know that Europe cannot accommodate all refugees and the solution is not to displace all people. I fear for humanity. I don’t know the solution to all the world’s problems. All I know is that we must all try to work for peaceful coexistence in small and large ways.
In the 1970s, the peace movement grew through many initiatives. It actually succeeded in stopping a Vietnam War. They actually succeeded in ending the white Apartheid regime in South Africa. In the 1980s, the East Germans succeeded in bringing down the Berlin Wall with peaceful popular demonstrations.
It can be done when we take action. You and me and many others.
Louis W. Møllerfors – cashier
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For many years I worked as an economist in the financial sector in both the UK and Sweden.
Later, I took a new direction and became a recycling consultant at Storkøbenhavns Genbrug. Then I was sent to East Africa, where I worked in Tanzania.
My first association with the UN Association was as a member of the Sustainability Committee and as Treasurer.
The Peace City can symbolize a community where people live together in harmony and respect, regardless of differences in background, beliefs or values. A Peace Village is about building a community where everyone feels safe and welcome, where trust and mutual understanding are the foundation of daily life.
Creating a city of peace requires more than just good intentions – it requires action, collaboration and a willingness to look beyond our own needs to ensure the well-being of others. It’s a journey that begins with small steps: listening, empathizing and taking responsibility for our relationships and surroundings.
In a Peace City, we are inspired to find solutions together and take the initiative to build bridges, rather than let differences create divides. It’s a place where conflict is not avoided, but treated with respect and openness, and where we learn to see challenges as opportunities for growth and cohesion.
To dream of a city of peace is to commit to being part of it – to be a peacemaker in everyday life. This can be by showing patience, supporting those in need, and taking an active
part in local initiatives that promote unity.
When we work together towards a common vision of
peace, even the smallest action can have a big impact.
Mia Brøndgaard Andersen –
member of the board
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Mia co-founded Fredsby Aalborg and now Copenhagen. While preparing for the organization, Mia gave birth to a young son and is currently on maternity leave.
Otherwise, Mia works as a program manager at the NGO Youth For Understanding (YFU), where she works to create a more peaceful world through intercultural and people-to-people understanding.
Mia holds a MSc in Development & International Relations from Aalborg University from 2020. Mia has spent several years in South America where she has worked with women’s rights in Argentina and written a master’s thesis in Colombia on the peace process in the country.
In addition, she studied a semester focusing on peace studies at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Throughout her studies, Mia has written several longer projects and articles on peace and conflict resolution.
Mia wants to raise awareness of the need for peace research in educational institutions and at the same time she wants to create interest in the concept of “peace” and peace studies among young people and students.
Fidahije Saliji – Deputy Chairwoman
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I am a trained primary school teacher and cand. pæd. in IT didactic design. I care a lot about everyone’s well-being.
For me, it is heartbreaking to see people forced to flee their home countries and face uncertainty and discrimination even in the countries they arrive in.
That’s why I work for a world of peace and space for everyone.
Ikram Abdullahi Shair – Member of the Board – click
“My commitment to peace and human rights is deeply rooted in my personal history. I was born in Denmark, a safe country that my parents chose as a refuge after fleeing Somalia in 1993, a time of violent conflict and human suffering. They left everything they knew – family, home and culture – to protect their children from the cruelty of war and to seek a life of hope and opportunity. Their courage and determination have shaped my own path and inspired me to fight for the values I am passionate about. My parents instilled in me early on that education is the key to a better future. Their belief that knowledge and learning could open doors has been my motivation throughout my life. Today, I have a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in Development and International Relations from Aalborg University. These degrees have not only given me professional qualifications, but also strengthened my understanding of the social dynamics and challenges that characterize our world.
Growing up as a child of refugees has given me a deep understanding of the trauma and challenges that many people face today. I have seen how war can tear families apart, destroy lives and create deep fear and insecurity. I have many years of experience as a volunteer for various NGOs, where I have worked to support vulnerable groups and promote human rights. Today, I work as a counselor for the City of Copenhagen. I have also worked as a family counselor, contact person and mentor, guiding and supporting people navigating challenging circumstances. Through these roles, I have worked with families who have experienced PTSD as a result of the trauma of war. These experiences have given me insight into the deep legacy of pain that war leaves behind, but also the incredible human resilience that can flourish even in the most difficult circumstances. My passion for human rights and peace is a driving force in my life. I strive to create a world where everyone can feel safe, valued and respected, regardless of their background. I believe that together we can build a future where peace and justice are a reality for all.”
Jane Bækgaard – Alternate
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I have a master’s degree in psychology from the University of Copenhagen and have extensive psychological experience from municipal, county and private practice. For the past 24 years, I have had my own psychology practice, where I work with conflict management, forgiveness and reconciliation. I also work as a child expert for one of the family courts with parents in disagreements about custody, residence and visitation.
Since I was a little girl, I have been interested in people, relationships and reconciliation. With loving parents, where my mother was conservative and my father a communist, I was “educated” in mediation as a child and have since been passionate about helping to unite and reconcile people. I am concerned with helping to create peace within ourselves and strengthen the inner peace, vitality and love that lives in all of us, but which we can quickly get far away from. If there was peace in each of us, there would be peace in the world.
I hope there will be more Peace Cities in Denmark. Who doesn’t want peace? We all have a deep inner longing for peace. Peace within ourselves, with others and in the world. Not just the absence of war, but peaceful and loving coexistence with each other. I want to contribute to raising peace consciousness in people, both within ourselves, in our relationships and in a broader perspective. To work on developing our inner peace consciousness, that we start with ourselves, within ourselves. Increasing our awareness of when we “arm up” and “disarm”, and that we always have a choice when we are aware of this.
I want us to work on developing dialogues on how we can contribute to creating peace, also politically. Perhaps the fact that we have different parties can indirectly contribute to disagreement. Perhaps it would be healthy to move away from parties and partisanship. Think how much energy could be released if politicians did not have to fight for their own positions and parties and think about vote numbers. Imagine if it was a committed group of politicians where the greatest energy was used for dialogues and decisions about how people best thrive and what kind of society we want. I want us to work towards Denmark having a Ministry of Peace at Christiansborg as a pioneer country, with the desire that it would spread to other countries.
Sanne Prestegaard – Alternate
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Chairwoman: Global Dignity, Denmark. Dignity refers to the inherent value and respect that a human being has simply because they are human. It is about being treated with respect and honor, regardless of one’s social status, age, gender, ethnicity or other factors. Dignity is a fundamental human right and is often associated with concepts such as respect, integrity and self-respect. It is also about the ability to live a life that is consistent with one’s own values and beliefs and having the opportunity to make one’s own choices.
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