170,000 guests at 13-day summit conference

170,000 politicians, officials, reporters and NGO’s entered and exited the doors at Bella Center during the 13-day climate change conference. This makes COP15 the absolutely largest event ever held in Bella Center – and in Denmark.

The Climate Change Conference, COP 15, has unconditionally been the biggest Bella Center has ever experienced. And the biggest the UN has experienced. The UN accredited more than 45,000 delegates, NGOs and reporters. With the decision to have, at the most, 15,000 people inside and the enormous interest from outside, the system broke down so the queues outside Bella Center became far too long. The UN has apologised for this and has taken on the full responsibility. “Seen from the Danes’ and Bella Center’s points of view, the long queues have also been the only practical thing that did not function,” says a very satisfied director of Bella Center, Arne Bang Mikkelsen. “Inside, the execution of the summit conference has been a fantastic experience. Servicing 11,000 to 15,000 guests around the clock has been an enormous task and I am really proud that we and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been able to deliver. It has created respect out in the world,” says Arne Bang Mikkelsen. • Between 11,000 -15,000 guests have gone through 23 scanners every day. Added to this were 500 -1,000 police officers, UN officers and security staff. • Together, Bella Center and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have serviced 170,000 people through 13 days – everyone from young activists to presidents of the world’s superpowers. • Almost 300 tons food has been consumed – from fish and poultry to fruit, sandwiches and vegetables. • 107,889 meals have been eaten – including vegetarian dishes. In addition, 20,057 sandwiches and 8,127 open sandwiches. • And everyone’s “sweet tooth” was also taken care of with 14,779 cakes and cookies. • 350,000 glasses of water have been consumed, Danish tap water, mind you. Then there were 250,000 cups of coffee. • In the busiest days, there have been almost 100 chefs at work and 450 people busy serving, clearing away and washing up. • With 5,500 new computer workstations and up to 8,000 laptops, the Internet has been under pressure. The connection was expanded to 6 gigabit. If you had a connection like this at home, you would be able to download a DVD film in about six seconds. • 400 mobile phones were hired out and 200 mobile phones were sold. In addition, 1,750 start packs with SIM cards and 2,300 prepaid phone cards. • Three days before the conclusion of the summit conference, 38 extra meeting rooms were ordered in Bella Center – for the USA and China, among others. We managed to build and furnish the meeting rooms in record time. “Now all the work of dismantling the meeting rooms and the 14,000 square metres of extra pavilions awaits. The working day has gone back to normal and we are already busy preparing and constructing for the big fashion, holiday and car fairs in spring,” says Arne Bang Mikkelsen.