Özlem Cekic is a Danish-Kurdish speaker, author and public debater, born in Ankara in 1976 and raised in Denmark from the age of ten. She served as a member of the Danish Parliament (Folketing) for the Socialist People's Party from 2007 to 2015, among the first women with a Muslim immigrant background to do so. Since 2019 she has led Brobyggerne (the Bridge-builders) - Center for Dialogue Coffee, and she is internationally recognised for her 'dialogue coffee' practice of meeting hate-mail senders face to face. In 2018 she became only the second Dane ever to give a TED Talk on the main stage in New York.
Özlem Cekic published the conversation book 'Despite Differences and Disagreement' in February 2025 at Gyldendal, written together with Chief Rabbi Jair Melchior and edited by Anne Knudsen and Steen Valgreen-Voigt.
In March 2025, Cekic and Melchior gave a lecture in Birkerød Sogn about their joint bridge-building work and about how the war in Gaza has challenged their cooperation.
In connection with the book's publication, Cekic stated that certain politicians misuse minorities to profile themselves, which sparked public debate.
In 2024, Cekic's brother Cemal Çekiç was sentenced to deportation from Denmark for criminality, including rape, drug trafficking and aggravated assault.
Özlem Cekic and Jair Melchior discuss what holds communities together in times of uncertainty, exploring hope, faith and human connection in a moderated conversation.
Two folk high school days featuring lectures, singing and conversation in Ribe. Niels Ole Frederiksen leads the programme with guest speakers including Jens Ringberg, Özlem Cekic and Almaz Mengesha.
