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MISS EARTH DENMARK
SILVIA TOPHOLM
DESCRIBE YOUR CHILDHOOD/GROWING YEARS
I grew up in Northern Zealand with my parents and little brother. During my childhood I was very close with my father, and I was often referred to as “Daddy’s girl”. He taught me my love of cooking, and he took me on adventures such as scuba diving, zip-lining and surfing. Growing up, I too was very close with my brother. He is only a year younger than me, and this meant we did almost everything together. My mother has always been the most devoted and caring mother I could wish for, and she has become my best friend. To this day I am still incredibly close with my family, and looking back on my childhood I am reminded of my happy upbringing.
I have always been a very dedicated student, and this was especially the case when I was younger. I went to extra science classes outside of school, and spent the majority of my free time at my school library, where I also started working when I was 13. My curiosity of the world around me knew no bounds, and I particularly loved reading about biology and astronomy. I certainly was your more stereotypical “nerd” back then.
Aside from school, I spent a lot of time pursuing my love of music. I took piano, violin and dance lessons, as well as played violin in my local music school orchestra. These hobbies have today become my favorite way to unwind.
I have always been a very dedicated student, and this was especially the case when I was younger. I went to extra science classes outside of school, and spent the majority of my free time at my school library, where I also started working when I was 13. My curiosity of the world around me knew no bounds, and I particularly loved reading about biology and astronomy. I certainly was your more stereotypical “nerd” back then.
Aside from school, I spent a lot of time pursuing my love of music. I took piano, violin and dance lessons, as well as played violin in my local music school orchestra. These hobbies have today become my favorite way to unwind.
WHAT IS YOUR MEMORABLE MOMENT?
My most memorable moment was getting into medical school. It has been a life-long dream of mine to become a doctor, and it was definitely the first big milestone I reached on that path. It was the first time I felt truly proud of myself and my accomplishments, and it brought my parents a lot of pride as well. I remember feeling very emotional and relieved, as I had made sacrifices and pushed myself over the years in order to excel academically. It was a great feeling knowing that all my hard work paid off, and I remind myself of this moment whenever I need a little extra motivation to complete a difficult task.
ANY SPECIAL STORIES OR FACTS ABOUT YOUR FAMILY?
My mother is Malaysian and my father is Danish. This means I grew up with a mix of these two cultures. My Malaysian culture has taught me self-discipline, being respectful towards elders and to value family, while my Danish culture has taught me independence, open-mindedness and how to be present. Therefore, I am very grateful and happy for my multi-cultural family and upbringing. My heritage, both Danish and Malaysian is something I am proud of.
Another interesting fact about my family, is that environmentalism is passed down through generations. My father is the board director of the environmental start-up Deep Branch, and he has taught me a great deal of what I know about sustainability and taking care of our planet.
Another interesting fact about my family, is that environmentalism is passed down through generations. My father is the board director of the environmental start-up Deep Branch, and he has taught me a great deal of what I know about sustainability and taking care of our planet.
WHAT IS THE MOST UNUSUAL THING YOU HAVE EVER DONE?
The most unusual thing I have done might quite honestly be entering the pageant world. In Denmark pageants aren’t as popular as many other places in the world, so here, being part of a pageant is unusual in and of itself. In addition to this, I grew up being labeled as a nerd. This was a label I was given by others, but I wore it proudly, and I definitely identified myself with it. When most people think of the typical pageant girl, I don’t think they imagine a “nerd”. This of course is a misconception, because I certainly find that nerds have a place in the pageant world, but nevertheless, I think it makes my decision to pursue a life in pageants slightly more unusual.
WHAT TIPS CAN YOU SHARE TO PROMOTE ECOTOURISM & CLIMATE CHANGE?
Check out hidden gems in your local area! Most of us forget to explore the areas closest to us. When we think of holidays, we always think of exotic and far-away places. It can be great fun to “play tourist” in your own city/country, and it will teach you to see your own home in a different light, perhaps you might even learn something new about your own history or culture. This will reduce carbon emissions when compared to travelling a greater distance by car or plane, and it also supports local businesses.
Another thing you can do is travel outside of peak seasons. This will allow you to support the local community when business is otherwise slow, and it reduces the strain on tourist hot spots, that may be overcrowded during peak travel season.
Another thing you can do is travel outside of peak seasons. This will allow you to support the local community when business is otherwise slow, and it reduces the strain on tourist hot spots, that may be overcrowded during peak travel season.
WHAT MAKES YOU PROUD OF YOUR COUNTRY?
I am proud of Denmark for several different reasons. First of all, I see Denmark as one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to acceptance and tolerance, be that in regards to ethnicity, religion, political- or sexual orientation. It is something I believe we all should always improve on, as it is important to have respect for other people and make them feel like they belong.
Another field in which Denmark leads is social responsibility. Having free education, healthcare and retirement for everyone is absolutely vital to establishing our thriving community, where social inequality is greatly reduced. I would love to see this mindset spread to other communities around the world.
Lastly, Denmark is one of the leading countries when it comes to renewable energy. The Danish government as well as the population invest a lot of money and effort into making our country “greener”, having set several climate- and renewable energy goals for the near future. It makes me proud, that everyone is willing to make personal sacrifices in order to heal our planet.
Another field in which Denmark leads is social responsibility. Having free education, healthcare and retirement for everyone is absolutely vital to establishing our thriving community, where social inequality is greatly reduced. I would love to see this mindset spread to other communities around the world.
Lastly, Denmark is one of the leading countries when it comes to renewable energy. The Danish government as well as the population invest a lot of money and effort into making our country “greener”, having set several climate- and renewable energy goals for the near future. It makes me proud, that everyone is willing to make personal sacrifices in order to heal our planet.
WHAT IS YOUR ADVOCACY?
I am an advocate for listening to science, and I truly believe it is the key to solving the current climate crisis. I’m under the impression that some people are afraid of science mostly because they don’t understand it, so I would love to use my platform to inform them about some of the environmental and biotechnical start-ups, that I think have the potential to make a positive impact on our climate. I hope this could encourage more people to invest in such start-ups, as they desperately need funding in order to achieve their goals.
In addition to this, I also hope to be a role model to other young girls and women. I would like to inspire them to be ambitious and confident yet also humble and kind. In today’s world, especially in the western world, it seems a bit like woman are asked to pick between being successful careerwomen or more traditional feminine and family-oriented women, and there is also a notion that the former has more value than the latter. I want to show young girls that they don’t have to pick, they can have both, and one is not better than the other. All it requires is dedication and belief in themselves.
In addition to this, I also hope to be a role model to other young girls and women. I would like to inspire them to be ambitious and confident yet also humble and kind. In today’s world, especially in the western world, it seems a bit like woman are asked to pick between being successful careerwomen or more traditional feminine and family-oriented women, and there is also a notion that the former has more value than the latter. I want to show young girls that they don’t have to pick, they can have both, and one is not better than the other. All it requires is dedication and belief in themselves.