This year, the Danish Christmas Calendar Project is moving to Indonesia with PlanBørnefonden!
22 April 2025
The proceeds from this year’s Danish Christmas Calendar Project, funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will support PlanBørnefonden’s (Plan International Denmark) initiative in Indonesia, aimed at empowering children and young people to lead climate action in vulnerable areas of the capital, Jakarta. On April 22, the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs visited one of the project sites.
How do children and young people find new paths and solutions in a daily life where they feel the effects of climate change up close? Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen got a firsthand look at this during his visit to one of Plan International Denmark and Yaysan Plan International Indonesia’s project areas in Jakarta on April 22, 2025 — an area supported by this year’s Christmas Calendar Project.
In one of the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods, frequently hit by flooding, the minister visited a local school and met 12-year-old Narril and 10-year-old Citra. They spoke about the challenges they face when water levels suddenly rise to two meters in the streets and even in their homes, forcing everyday life to come to a standstill. The minister also walked through the area, where color-coded poles show just how high the water can reach.
He also visited Narril’s home, where he met her mother, Nuraini. She explained how the floods disrupt the family’s life. How she is forced to close their small street restaurant — the family’s only source of income — and schools and community activities shut down whenever flooding occurs, which is becoming more frequent.
A project centered on children and youth
But the project area isn’t only defined by its challenges. The minister also met young people who are actively part of the solution. Through Plan International’s project, youth-led initiatives are supported — focusing on recycling, education, and sustainable development in their local communities. Some participants create products from materials that would otherwise go to waste — such as bags made from recycled plastic and paper, which are then sold.
The project also emphasizes education in climate change and disaster preparedness for children and youth, while engaging them in dialogue with local decision-makers to ensure their perspectives are reflected in future climate policies.
The goal of the project is to give children and youth the knowledge, tools, and influence to drive development and build a better future in their communities. With his visit, Lars Løkke Rasmussen highlighted voices that are not often heard — but here, they are key drivers of local change.
About the Danish Christmas Calendar Project
The 2025 Danish Christmas Calendar Project is a collaboration between the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, and PlanBørnefonden (Plan International Denmark). For over 60 years, the Ministry and the Danish Broadcasting Corporation have partnered to create high-quality educational content that sparks curiosity and critical thinking — offering perspective and learning for Danish children through TV series and school materials.
This year, proceeds will go to Plan International Denmark and Yaysan Plan International Indonesia’s project in Jakarta, Indonesia, which supports vulnerable children and youth in creating resilient communities and adapt to climate change through education and sustainable local initiatives.
