People prepare to abseil down the wall of a former fortress on the Youth Island, near Copenhagen, Denmark, on Aug. 24, 2019. Ungdomsoen, or Youth Island, has just opened in the Sound Strait between Danish capital city of Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo. Formerly a fortress, the 50,000 square meters Middelgrundsfortet or Fort Middelgrund, has been renovated and turned into an adventure playground for youth activities. (Photo by David A. Williams/Xinhua)
COPENHAGEN, Aug. 25 (Xinhua) -- Ungdomsoen, or Youth Island, is the world's first island for young people and has just opened in the Sound Strait between Danish capital city of Copenhagen and the Swedish city of Malmo.
Formerly a fortress, the 50,000 square meters Middelgrundsfortet or Fort Middelgrund, has been renovated and turned into an adventure playground for youth activities.
The cost of the redevelopment is 25 million euros (28 million U.S. dollars).
It is the world's largest artificially landscaped island and on Saturday, Princess Benedikte, younger sister to Denmark's Queen Margrethe II and patron of the scouting movement of Denmark, officially opened the islands activities.
The island has been created to engage young people in Denmark. Its aim is to be a place where youth, not adults, can take positive charge and make a change, both in their own and others' lives.
It is hoped that experiences the young learn on the island will be taken back to their communities and help contribute in general to the social development of Danish society.
Princess Benedikte, speaking to a gathered audience at the end of her tour of the island, said she was "very impressed" by what she had seen.
The Princess reminded the audience that she had visited the island several times over the past few years and witnessed a "huge transformation".
Youth Island is owned by the Danish scouting movement and the renovation of the island has been done with the help of volunteers.
"We have a golden egg in our hands and work purposefully for young people across age, geography, and interests to run the island on a daily basis and also set the framework for what will happen from activities, with the right support to ensure a healthy operation," said Director of Youth Island, Dea Forchhammer.
