Report from the Nordic Conference
Every other year, the Nordic Association (NFLS) organizes a conference with people from its member countries: Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland.
From April 27 to 30, 2025, this conference took place in Denmark at the Fuglsøcenteret conference center, where all 200 participants were also able to stay overnight.
It was wonderful and really encouraged and inspired collaborative work. The conference languages were Danish and English – because these countries don’t really have a common language!
The topics were the psychology of craftsmanship and inclusion.
Anne Kirketerp, handicrafts teacher and psychologist, has impressively and convincingly demonstrated the importance of handicrafts as an experience of flow and effectiveness, closely following Waldorf educational principles and supporting our anthroposophical approach.
Sonja Zausch, member of the leadership team of the Section for Inclusive Social Development, was also invited to present methods and concepts relating to the three levels of inclusion. This was supported by an intensive workshop, which provided participants with many perspectives and practical methods of inclusion and brought them to life through artistic methods.
Tomas Johansen, a doctor trained in the Marjatta community in Denmark, spoke on the third morning about polarities in connection with embryonic development. This made it clear what polar movements humans perform even before birth, and it was possible to recognize this in connection with ‘inward and outward’ as a movement that also represents a central interrelationship in the field of inclusion.
There was also a brilliant performance of “Ronja the Robber’s Daughter” by an inclusive theater group (Hertha and Tornsbjerggård communities), excursions in the surrounding area, a wonderful evening of singing with a fantastic female quintet, delicious food in sunny spring weather, and many warm encounters.
Alexandra Zoffmann, the association’s managing director, summarized the days in a poetic way. Thank you for allowing us to publish it. Available for download here: Deutsch | Englisch
After the conference, Sonja was able to enjoy a wonderful trip visiting a wide variety of organizations and learning about the opportunities and challenges from the perspective of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities—enriched by the anthroposophical perspective—and Denmark’s social system.
In Jutland: A community built around agriculture
and an inclusive community with people from the local area
On Fyn: A small, special community with agriculture
In Zealand/Sjælland: The largest organization in Denmark with a wide range of services, including training.
