Rajinder Grover

Grover

My name is Rajinder Grover. I moved to Denmark in 2014, leaving behind familiarity and comfort in India to embrace a new life of opportunities, challenges, and community here in Kolding.

Since then, Denmark has become my home — not just geographically, but in values, culture, and spirit. I've built friendships, raised my family, and worked alongside people from all walks of life — both Danes and internationals.

Along the way, I've learned:
Integration is not assimilation. It's about belonging — and helping others belong too.

As a long-time volunteer, activist, and founder of the Expats Association of Kolding (TEAK), I've helped newcomers navigate life in Denmark — finding jobs, understanding local systems, learning the language, and becoming part of something bigger.

But too many international residents still feel invisible in local politics. Their voices go unheard — not because they don't care, but because no one invites them to the conversation.

That's why I'm standing for election to the Kolding Kommune.
Because representation matters, and it's time our democracy reflects the diversity and strength of all our community.

Kolding is growing — not just in numbers but in diversity. People from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas live, work, and raise families here.

But the system often feels designed for yesterday's reality — not today's.

If elected, I want to be a bridge between communities.

I want Kolding to be a place where:

• Everyone feels at home
• Everyone can access opportunities
• Everyone has a voice

We need a vision for our Kommune that values inclusion over indifference, participation over silence, and connection over division.

1. Integration & Inclusion — From Both Sides

• Strengthen two-way integration programs
• Make Kommune services accessible in Danish and English
• Promote intercultural awareness in schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods
• Push for diverse voices in decision-making groups

2. Jobs & Equal Opportunities

• Collaborate with local businesses on inclusive hiring
• Support international entrepreneurs and jobseekers
• Advocate vocational training linked to local job markets
• Build networks connecting jobseekers and employers

3. Culture as a Common Language

• Support events that bring cultures together
• Encourage arts and storytelling projects reflecting Kolding's diversity
• Advocate inclusive cultural spaces for all

4. Better Mobility for Everyday Life

• Advocate for free local city buses for students and the elderly
• Advocate for more frequent, better-connected buses
• Support cycling and pedestrian safety improvements
• Promote clear travel info in Danish and English
• Push for mobility solutions that serve all neighborhoods

5. Climate Resilience in Local Planning

• Support ongoing flood protection projects like pump and sluice systems
• Advocate for green solutions in neighborhoods (rain gardens, trees, permeable surfaces)
• Encourage environmental design in new construction
• Support sustainability education and community initiatives

6. Care and Community for Our Seniors

• Support investments in modern, compassionate elder care
• Promote intergenerational initiatives
• Ensure culturally aware elder care services
• Encourage collaboration to reduce loneliness and improve quality of life

7. Youth Engagement and Education

• Support mentoring and youth clubs
• Work to reduce school dropout rates
• Promote social and skills development activities

8. Affordable Housing and Living

• Advocate for affordable, social housing
• Support tenant protections against unfair rent increases
• Ensure housing projects reflect income diversity
• Encourage public-private partnerships for energy-efficient rentals

9. Digital Inclusion and Access

• Push for easy-to-use, multilingual Kommune digital services
• Promote free digital literacy for seniors and newcomers
• Support better internet access in underserved areas

10. Community Safety and Trust

• Foster police and community collaboration
• Support neighborhood watch and community policing
• Promote conflict resolution and mediation programs

11. Mental Health and Social Wellbeing

• Push for shorter waiting times for mental health support
• Advocate accessible services with translation and outreach
• Promote community-based mental health partnerships
• Ensure culturally competent mental health services

12. Economic Development and Innovation

• Support entrepreneurs from immigrant backgrounds
• Promote sustainable and green business practices
• Encourage partnerships between schools and businesses

13. Supporting Local Businesses

• Promote longer free parking in the city center to support businesses and attract more visitors
• Encourage events and pop-up markets that bring more foot traffic to local shops

• Increase immigrant participation in Kommune boards by 25% in 4 years
• Add at least 2 new evening and weekend bus routes by 2027
• Reduce newcomer unemployment by 15%
• Reduce youth dropout rates by 10% in 4 years

Many immigrants bring political views from home — left vs. right, red vs. blue. But local politics here in Denmark is different.

At Kommune level, practical solutions matter most: schools, transport, healthcare, community safety, and making sure your voice is heard.

Radikale Venstre stands for human dignity, inclusion, green development, education, and freedom of thought. These are values every resident — Danish or international — can support.

If we want immigrants to be equal citizens — not guests — it starts here, with local elections.

I'm not a career politician.
I'm your neighbor.
I've struggled.
I've adapted.
I've listened.
And now, I want to act.

When only a few speak, the rest are forgotten.

International residents' turnout was low last election — not because they didn't care, but because no one spoke directly to them.

I'm here to change that.

I will be your voice — and help others raise theirs.

• A Kolding that welcomes newcomers and values longtime neighbors
• A Kolding where diversity is a resource, not a challenge
• A Kolding where all children feel proud of who they are and where they live

Change won't come from above.

We must create it together, from the ground up.

Let's start here, in our Kommune.

Let's build a stronger, fairer, and more united Kolding — together.

• Realistic, respectful integration policies
• Fair access to jobs and training
• Cultural bridges, not silos
• A louder voice for immigrants, refugees, and all residents
• A Kommune that works for everyone — not just a few

Your Vote Means Change

Your vote is more than a mark on a ballot — it's a step toward the Kolding we all deserve:

• Where every voice is heard and valued
• Where opportunities are fair and real for all
• Where our children grow up proud of their diverse community

Let's bring that change together — by voting for inclusion, fairness, and shared success.

Together, let's build the Kolding we all deserve — starting now.