Swedish bulletin autumn 2012 by Swedish Bulletin

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bulletin YOUR INSIDER’S GUIDE TO SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM & GOTHENBURG

AUTUMN 2012 SEK 50

swedish

bulletin YOUR INSIDER’S GUIDE TO SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM & GOTHENBURG

AUTUMN 2012 SEK 50

Dear Readers

A U T U m n I 2012 P U B LIS H ED BY SWEDISH BULLETIN HB

R ES P ONSI B LE P U B LIS H E R AND C H IE F EDITO R TERESA IVARS LAN G U A G E EDITO R M AT T L U D LO W LAURA POINTING CO V E R PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK WELCOMES K I N G C A R L X V I G U S TA F O F S W E D E N AT T H E KO R E A N P R E S I D E N T I A L R E S I D E N C E P H O T O : Y U N J E O N G ( KO R E A N C U LT U R E

A nation of people who share a kindred relationship with the outdoors – the countryside, the wilderness and the open seas – we Swedes view this time of year as the end to what seemed like infinite days of leisure. However this Summer was somewhat different. June bore witness to more than four times the average rainfall in Sweden. In Stockholm temperatures rarely got above 25 Celsius as northern Europe experienced long spells of cool, unsettled weather. All in all, there’s a general feeling that we were short-changed this summer, weather wise at least. The London Olympics provided a welcome distraction as Team Sweden fought their way to 8 medals, an improvement on the 5 won at the Beijing Games. Fredrik Loof and Max Salminen became instant national heroes as they powered to Sweden’s only gold in the Men’s Star sailing event. The gold tally could have doubled if it weren’t for France, who narrowly beat Sweden in a dramatic handball final. We stay with events in the UK this month as we draw comparisons between our two nations in terms of culture, business and industry. History has seen engineering become a badge of honour for both nations and we learn about how Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering – similar to Sweden’s Tekniksprånget scheme – is using incentives in an attempt to encourage young people to follow that career path.

A N D I N F O R M AT I O N S E R V I C E )

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CONT R I B U TO R S TO T H IS ISS U E D avid B arta L ANNA COYET CHRISTINE DEMSTEADER CHRISTIAN VON ESSEN ELEONORA VON ESSEN E L I Z A B E T H D A C E Y- F O N D E L I U S HAZEL GIBSON MICHAEL HELANDER J U A N C A R LO S I V A R S LARS NORDSTRAND CHRISTINA LINDEROTH-OLSON E R I C PA G L I A MADELEINE PERSON MOIRA SULLIVAN AD V E R TISIN G G LO B E I N V E S T M E D I A +46-(0)-18-418-6025 info@globeinvest.se w w w. g l o b e i n v e s t . s e

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Sweden and the Republic of Korea’s official diplomatic relationship dates back to 1959, and with King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia’s visit early in the Summer, this bond is set to become stronger still. Staying with Swedish-Korean relations, Juan Carlos Ivars interviews Korean Ambassador Eom SeockJeong about his young nation’s history, their education, and work ethic. In this issue’s business section we continue with the theme of UK-Swedish relations. Christine Demsteader talks trade and commerce with Ingrid Berggren and Jenny Gardner, Secretary General of The British-Swedish Chamber of Commerce and the Director of UK Trade & Investment, Sweden respectively. Also in business, Keolis, Europe-based transport company, and key player in mass transit development globally, is to become part of Sweden’s public transport systems off the back of new legislation welcoming private initiates. See ‘Keolis in the lead of development’ on page 24 to find out more. Finally this Autumn we explore two museums new to Stockholm; Spiritmuseum, exhibiting works from acclaimed artists such as Andy Warhol; and Artipelag, a starkly modern building in idyllic, natural surroundings. Turn to page 58 for details on forthcoming events in these exciting new institutions. We even have time for a trip to Tennstopet, the Stockholm restaurant that manages to fuse old and new cuisine in a building which seems to occupy many genres. Take a look at our regular gourmet article to discover what Tennstopet is all about. As usual Swedish Bulletin provides all the information one could need for an entertaining season. So take some time out and discover what Sweden will be doing over the next three months.

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© Swedish Bulletin. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any format or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopies, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Teresa Ivars Publisher and Chief Editor

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A U T U MN 2 0 1 2

FOCUS

FEATURE

SWEDISH INSTITUTIONS

12 The Artic Council: Governance and diplomacy

30 Swedish Institute - shaping the image of

S weden makes its mark at the Cannes Film Festival

39 Swedish disruptive innovation - disrupting

SÄPO - Swedish security services

GöteborgsOperan recruits international talent

English speaking volunteers - watch this space!

54 Hype and drive - a taste of some up and

he UK Ambassador to Sweden - ensures the T past year continues to count for the UK’s future

18 The Swedish Ambassador to London -

questions Swedish diplomacy in the UK

20 The UK’s International Queen Elizabeth

Prize for Engineering - helping to search for tomorrows’ engineering minds

22 Business matters between the UK and Sweden -Ingrid Berggren and jenny Gardner talk to Swedish Bulletin

in the far north

technology’s status quo

SWEDISH COMPANIES

24 Keolis in the lead of development 26 Tjallamalla - Cultivating independent fashion designers in Sweden

40 The British Residency in Stockholm - a hive of 27 Serenity on Stockholm’s steps British activity

The English Shop

SPECIAL FEATURE

8 The King’s visit to Korea - Sweden and Korea looking back and ahead

10 Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Eom, Seock Jeong talks to Swedish Bulletin.

Waxholmbolaget, a Swedish tour on a quintessentially Swedish boat

ELEKTA - global medical solutions

Brig Tre Kronor - sailing for sustainability

Sweden

SWEDISH REGIONS

Roslagen - not just a fair weather archipelago

SKÅNE - Sweden’s deep south

55 Swedish Presidency of the European Cultural Network

58 Artipelag and Spritmuseum - the birth of two new museums in the Stockholm area

TRAVEL EDUCATION

IPSS - the British International Primary B School of Stockholm

CULTURE & MORE

46 Helene Schjerfbeck - 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of her birth

48 Picasso and Duchamp - two incompatible giants

coming artists

64 Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden - a historical landmark

GOURMET

66 Tennstopet - bringing traditional seasonal Swedish food to Stockholm

Pytte’s Food - Chanterelle Pies

SWEDISH DIARY

Trendy Sweden

S P ECIAL F EAT U R E

Korea looks to the Swedish experience to build a moreefficient welfare system and Sweden is interested in broadening cooperation with Korea in the field of education and science.

he Kingdom of Sweden and the Republic of Korea have maintained bilateral diplomatic relations since 1959 and they have blossomed into mutually beneficial developments in various fields over more than five decades. These positive developments are reflected in steadily growing bilateral trade, increasing cooperation in science and technology, maturing cultural ties as well as presenting a common front on many issues such as pursuing green growth and promoting human rights in less fortunate parts of the world. Even though the bilateral diplomatic relations did not get under way until 1959, the first official contact between the two countries started far earlier and may be traced back to the days when Gustaf VI Adolf participated in the major excavation of one of ancient royal tombs in Korea back in 1926 out of his penchant for archeology, when he was Crown Prince. This incident takes on significance in that the first bilateral contact was a cultural one. The bilateral ties took a definitely positive turn when a number of Swedes volunteered to come to the Republic of Korea as members of medical support units during the threeyear long Korean War and supported our people’s quest for peace and freedom. Koreans do remember this humanitarian act from a very remote country in Scandinavia and are still very grateful for that.

President Lee Myung-bak welcomes King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at the Korean Presidential Residence

The Swedish King’s official visit to Korea Sweden and Korea: looking back and ahead TE X T: E O M , A M B A S S A D O R O F KO R E A T O S W E D E N P H OTO : Y U N J E O N G ( KO R E A N C U LT U R E A N D I N F O R M AT I O N S E R V I C E ) .

The year 2009 marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the incumbent Korean President Lee Myung-bak visited the Kingdom to commemorate the diplomatic milestone between the two countries. In return, King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia paid their first state visit to Korea during May 29th and June 1st this year and their trip is widely seen as having upgraded the bilateral relations even further. During his four day stay in Korea, King Carl XVI Gustaf and his Korean counterpart, President Lee had in-depth discussion about issues of mutual interest, such as regional development around the Korean peninsula, the implications of the global economic crisis and ways to promote further bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, collaboration in science, research and technology as well as strengthening exchanges in culture and education. During his visit, the Swedish King commended Korea for playing its role in the stability and prosperity of the global community through hosting the G-20 Summit and the Nuclear Security Summit, alongside Korea’s rapid

development in both political and economic realms over the last decades and also wished success to the EXPO taking place in the southwestern port city of Yeosu in Korea. I would like to help readers of this magazine to understand King Gustaf ’s comments by giving a very brief background on Korea’s rapid transformation over the last 60 years. After the Korean War came to a halt in 1953, the country has managed to catapult itself from a very poor agrarian society into the league of advanced economies and has achieved vibrant democracy as well. Korea’s rapid development and economic ascendency has made it a model state and inspiration for a number of developing economies. In light of such accomplishments within a relatively short space of time, I believe that Korea’s current standing in the global community rightfully warrants the country to play a bigger role in the international arena and to make a further contribution to common good, along with the Kingdom. I find a lot of common ground to be exploited jointly by the governments of Sweden and Korea in this regard. After all, both Sweden and Korea experienced financial crises in the 1990s and successfully launched structural economic reforms in response to them. Their reforms, in turn, helped both countries to tide over with the current global financial crisis. Some of the common policy directions include, but are not limited to; developing environment-friendly and sustainable economic growth strategies, combating global warming and developing renewable energy as well as serving as peace promoters in many conflict-torn areas of the world. The last role just mentioned is what Sweden has dedicated itself to since the end of the Second World War and Korea is willing to take more of that role in the future by participating UN peace keeping operations. In addition, I would like to say that both countries have something to learn from each other. Korea looks to the Swedish experience to build a more-efficient welfare system and Sweden is interested in broadening cooperation with Korea in the field of education and science. Apart from further expanding economic, scientific and cultural ties between the two countries, I believe that the Swedish King’s first state visit to Korea would lay the groundwork for both countries to focus more of their cooperation and resources to invest in the common areas of interest to the benefit of the people in Sweden and Korea. 9

S P ECIAL F EAT U R E

H E E o m . S e o c k- J e o n g a t h i s o f f i c e a t t h e K o r e a n e m b a s s y i n S t o c k h o l m

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Eom, Seock-Jeong talks to Swedish Bulletin TE X T: J U A N C A R LO S I V A R S

waiting our appearance at the Grand Hotel was Ambassador Eom Seock-jeong, dressed smartly at a window seat overlooking Riddarfjärden bay. The restaurant menu offered us many delicacies but his eyes focused on the Wallenbergare dish and the order was sent. The veteran diplomat, having passed the High Diplomatic Service Examination in Seoul in 1977 has been successively stationed among other places in Hong Kong, Beijing, Geneva, the Netherlands, Hungary and now Sweden. The Ambassador recounts fondly his appointment in Beijing after the historical establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and China. To grant us an insight into the rapid economic development that Korea has achieved over the past few decades, he told us about three main factors responsible for his country’s economic transformation. First of all, he emphasizes that working hard is ingrained in Korean society. Korea has one of the highest population densities in the world and roughly 70% of its terrain is mountainous. Given these conditions, you have to work day and night to survive the fierce competition. Another factor is most Korean parents are dedicated to their children’s education. A typical Korean couple is willing to make a significant portion of their disposable income to upgrade the quality of education that their kids receive at school and after school. The fact that typical Korean parents

P H OTO : D A V I D FA L K

pour blood, sweat and tears into their children’s education is reflected in the country’s standing in a number of comparative tests of academic performance conducted worldwide. Finally, Ambassador Eom adds that Korea has been quite lucky to have a right leader at the right time. Korea used to have iron-fisted as well as democratic leaders. One thing that they had in common, though, was that they have taken keen interest in developing the country’s economy to ensure that the next generation could enjoy the fruits of their labour. Ambassador Eom defines his main goal as introducing Korean culture to Sweden in a way that would benefit both countries. The economic prosperity that both Sweden and South Korea enjoy rests on their history of entrepreneurship. Additionally, South Korea’s importance as a global hub of international diplomacy makes it a mutually-beneficial ally, as seen by hosting summits such as the G-20 summit in 2010 and the Second Nuclear Security Summit in 2012. According to Ambassador Eom, Sweden has changed in its perception and now wants to expand more on the Korean Peninsula, as exemplified by Swedish business leader Marcus Wallenberg’s recent travel to explore business opportunities there. There still, however, remains more emphasis on the South Korean side. In South Korea eighty Swedish companies operate, in stark contrast to only seven Korean, albeit large ones, in Sweden.

“Out of my experience, Swedish CEO’s expressed the attraction of the Korean efficiency in three points: 1) The employees are hard workers. 2) As citizens of an economically prosperous nation they are very well educated and ambitious. 3) They demonstrate great responsibility in their work.” On a high note the ambassador concludes “Sweden and Korea are small, but strong countries. Sweden is seen as the role model of welfare state and South Korea wants to emulate this, especially since this is the dominant issue in the upcoming Presidential election. Both countries share further similarities in that they both emerged from the financial crisis in the 1990s even stronger than before. In the longrun this economic crisis served to strengthen their economies, as is seen in their continuous progress.” After exchanging farewells we re-joined the lovely Stockholm summer, the salty breeze reminding us of the nearby sea.

F EAT U R E

Gustaf Lind Swedish Arctic Ambassador

fantastic reports that have made a great difference in the global public debate. For example, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment in 2004 was the first climate study on how the Arctic would develop as a consequence of global warming.” Moreover, the scientific basis for much of the work of the Arctic Council has provided an empirical foundation for regional diplomacy. “One of the reasons why Arctic cooperation has been so smooth is that serious scientific analysis facilitates diplomatic work. We diplomats don’t have to argue over the facts,” states the Ambassador . “The sciencepolicy interface is thus very important and a key for success.”

of permanent participant in the Council. Other organisations interested in the region, such as the WWF and states not situated in, or adjacent to the Arctic like the United Kingdom and Germany, take part in Council proceedings as permanent observers. One of the more controversial issues on the agenda for Kiruna is the extension of permanent observer status to states such as China and Japan that are farther removed from the Arctic and have less historical ties to the region, and organisations like the European Union, which bans trade in seal products, and Greenpeace that strongly opposes oil exploration in the Arctic.

“There is still a lack of knowledge about the Council, and many myths about the Arctic persist in the public.We must communicate the facts,” says Ambassador Lind.

The Arctic Council:

Governance and diplomacy in the far north TE X T: E R I C PA G L I A

P H OTO : L A R S KU L L E R U D / U N I V E R S I T Y O F T H E A R C T I C

Last year, the Arctic states expanded their areas of cooperation by signing a maritime search and rescue agreement under the authority of the Arctic Council. One of the main priorities of the Swedish chairmanship has been to further strengthen cooperation through negotiating an agreement on preventing and managing any eventual oil spills in the Arctic, which is expected to be signed in Kiruna. Another top priority of the Swedish chairmanship has been to produce a strategic communication plan for the Arctic Council, which was recently adopted at a Deputy Foreign Ministerial meeting in Stockholm. “There is still a lack of knowledge about the Council, and many myths about the Arctic persist in the public. We must communicate the facts,” says Ambassador Lind. Indigenous people of the north have a strong voice in the Arctic Council through six organisations that enjoy the status

Indicators of climate change such as dramatic drops in summer sea ice continue to accumulate, with international interest rising accordingly. As the primary forum for governing regional affairs, the Arctic Council seems poised to play an increasingly key role in a region of geopolitical significance. Ambassador Lind sees science and a multitude of perspectives as crucial aspects for providing hope of sustainable development in the Arctic amidst major change. “Integrated ways of looking at the Arctic are very important. From my point of view as a decision maker, you want broad answers so you can make the right decisions,” says Ambassador Lind. “Rapid developments in the region mean you are always lagging behind and have to look more into the future.”

Swedish Ambassador Gustaf Lind addressing the Second International Arctic

ustaf Lind, Sweden’s Ambassador to the Arctic, discusses the Swedish chairmanship’s agenda for strengthening an increasingly important regional forum.

The Arctic has, in recent years, become a region of great geopolitical interest as well as profound environmental concern. Climate change, the plight of polar bears, disintegrating glaciers and disappearing sea ice, increased oil and gas exploration and age-old dreams of shorter shipping routes across the top of the world have conspired to evoke a dual image of calamity and opportunity in a rapidly changing Arctic. This paradox is the backdrop for deliberations of the Arctic Council, an intergovernmental forum where Arctic governments and indigenous peoples’ organisations, as well as non-Arctic states and other interested parties cooperate in seeking solutions to some of the region’s most significant challenges. Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States are the eight Arctic states that comprise the permanent members of the Arctic Council. Sweden currently holds the rotating Arctic Council chair. Several meetings of Senior Arctic Officials as well as deputy ministers 12

Fo r u m i n A r k h a n g e l s k “ T h e A r c t i c – Te r r i t o r y o f D i a l o g u e “ o r g a n i z e d b y

have already taken place during the Swedish chairmanship, which will culminate in Kiruna with a ministerial meeting in May next year. The world will be watching as important political decisions pertaining to the future development of the Arctic Council will be announced.

Russian Geographical Society (RGS) attended by Prime Minister and Chairman o f t h e R G S B o a r d o f Tr u s t e e s V l a d i m i r P u t i n , E m e r g e n c i e s M i n i s t e r a n d R G S President Sergei Shoigu, President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and more than 300 researchers and experts from different countries

“There is much hyperbole in the media about a ‘new cold war’ or a ‘rush for resources’ in the Arctic. But when you meet people at these gatherings, it is very pragmatic, and very low tension,” according to Gustaf Lind, Sweden’s Ambassador to the Arctic. “All of the states understand that this is a huge region with little infrastructure. There is a need for international cooperation because it is impossible to go it alone.” Since its inception in 1996 with the Ottawa Declaration, the primary mandate of the Arctic Council has been to promote and coordinate environmental protection and sustainable development in the far north. Meetings on the political, diplomatic and operational level are held regularly. Much of the Arctic Council activity has taken the form of scientific cooperation through the efforts of several Working Groups and Task Forces. “The Arctic Council has always been rather science heavy,” says Ambassador Lind. “It has presented some

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A m b a s s a d o r Pa u l J o h n s t o n a n d h i s w i f e M r s N i c o l a C a r o l J o h n s t o n

Owen, as private secretary. Whilst in Paris working with judicial affairs in 2007, he was appointed to liaise with French and British authorities investigating the tragic death of the Princess of Wales. And as Head of the Political Section in the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York, he worked on negotiations including the referral of the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court. During Johnston’s tenure, bilateral exchange between the UK and Sweden, alongside its neighbours, has come to the fore. The first UK-Nordic-Baltic summit, hosted in London in 2011 was followed by a Nordic-Baltic summit in Stockholm in February 2012, attended by British Prime Minister David Cameron. When it comes to the

2012 leaves great legacy for Britain

The British Ambassador to Sweden, Paul Johnston, on ensuring the past year continues to count for the nation’s future. TE X T: C H R I S T I N E D E M S T E A D E R

held at the Ambassador’s residence to celebrate community volunteering, one of the themes of The Queen’s Jubilee. Meanwhile, in June, Lord Coe, chair of the London Olympic Organising Committee, was in the Swedish capital in conjunction with the Stockholm Olympics 100th anniversary celebrations. The build up is over and the curtains have now closed on the ceremonies but 2012 will be required to leave something of a legacy, for both Britain and its embassies around the world. “The Olympics is not simply a oneoff moment.You can celebrate the excitement of two weeks but you can also think about Britain continuing to be an exporter of talent and ideas and, in my case, how we can help strengthen Swedish investment in the UK.”

“One of the messages that Britain and Sweden share is getting debts and deficits under control, encouraging investment from overseas and trying to have more flexible labour markets to reward work rather than welfare.” J o h n s t o n s a y s .

P H OTO : D A V I D FA L K

and entrepreneurs as well as events to promote well-known British brands such as Boots the Chemist and John Lewis department store’s new website. “What I would like to be able to look back on is an even stronger relationship as well as practical progress,” he adds. “More Swedish companies are investing in the UK and more British companies setting up and selling here. We can build on our shared interests and values that we have in common in terms of creating more prosperous societies.” Events such as the Olympics and the Diamond Jubilee have helped to serve as a platform for the British embassy to host and entertain a number of headline-grabbing guests recently. In March, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited Stockholm and attended an event

present crisis in the Eurozone, Britain also admires Sweden and its radical economic reforms of the past as a beacon in the midst of austerity woes.

t has been high time for the British to wear their hearts on their sleeves. In the midst of recession and economic turmoil casting a shadow throughout Europe, the nation has come together to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and the success of London hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Swedes tend to know such a lot about the UK so we have been trying to put focus on things that people are perhaps not familiar with when they come to Britain,” he says. “Over the course of the year, the embassy has been showcasing Britain in various ways including the high-tech sector, innovation and design.”

The British Ambassador to Sweden, Paul Johnston, is also flying the flag when he meets The Swedish Bulletin. Behind the smart, dark, customary suit he sports a pair of Union Jack cufflinks - a subtle gesture that fails to go unnoticed. It serves as a fitting reminder of the contrast between Britain’s traditional and modern image that both country and embassy has been relaying throughout the year.

Ambassador Johnston sees London 2012 as a prime example to fuse the vision of Britain past, present and future. “We saw the mixture of brand new purpose-built high tech stadiums as well as iconic venues such as Lord’s Cricket ground for the archery, Greenwich Park for equestrian events and Wimbledon for the tennis – that’s what struck me whilst watching from Sweden,” he adds.

He also admits to a certain level of “Olympic envy” at being home away from home for the big event. Especially missing fellow Scot Andy Murray claim a victorious gold medal in the men’s tennis.Yet, he and his wife Nicola remain happy to be here, having braced all the seasons to reach the end of their first 12 months in Sweden since arriving in August 2011. It could have barely been a less hectic start to a first ambassadorial posting.

“The fundamental longer term health and growth of the European economies depends on us and others doing the sort of things that Sweden did in the 90’s,” Johnston says. “One of the messages that Britain and Sweden share is getting debts and deficits under control, encouraging investment from overseas and trying to have more flexible labour markets to reward work rather than welfare.”

Ambassador Johnston’s career began in 1990 at Britain’s Ministry of Defence. He has served in both Paris and New York as well as in positions largely focused on International and European security and defence issues. Plunged into working with the conflict in Bosnia as a young diplomat, he travelled to Sarajevo with EU negotiator Lord

It is a challenge that Ambassador Johnston is keen to tackle first-hand in Stockholm and strengthen trade and investment between the two countries. He reels off numerous events that have been specifically arranged to encourage networking, exchange and business growth. These range from events at the Residence to introduce British and Swedish TV producers, scientists 15

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Nicola Clase - Sweden’s Ambassador to the Court of Saint James Crime novels and welfare models: questions of Swedish diplomacy in the UK TE X T: C H R I S T I N E D E M S T E A D E R P H OTO : S W E D I S H C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E .

Nicola Clase Ambassador of Sweden in London

t seems the Swedes have successfully written a new chapter in the minds of the British people. And we’re not just talking about authors of crime fiction. To find out more The Swedish Bulletin meets Nicola Clase, Sweden’s Ambassador to the UK. There are some associations the country will probably never waive from; the phenomenon of flat-packed furniture and a famous 70s singing foursome. Yet, the Brits are now more likely

“I arrived in this country just as the new coalition government had been formed,” she says. “The political and economic developments over the last two years have been very interesting to follow as has the closeness of the British and Swedish governments.” Since the beginning of 2012 alone, 70 Swedish parliamentarians have made official visits to London. A UK-Nordic summit

Schenkel, an American economist, and their two boys aged seven and ten. Born in the Netherlands, Clase was raised by her Scottish grandmother in Gothenburg after her parents moved abroad. In 1999, she spent a fellowship year at Harvard’s Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs and returned for a second time in 2009. The British capital is something of a home from home for Clase,who has travelled to the UK all her life to visit relatives.

“I will never forget sitting in Westminster Abbey for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and hearing the crowds outside cheering so loudly it was almost as if they had entered the church,” s a y s C l a s e to be discussing the latest episode of Wallander or the professional prowess of a man named Borg – who has never won Wimbledon. “These days I have to define which Borg I’m talking about,” Ambassador Clase says. “I was recently asked in conversation whether I meant Björn or Anders - Sweden’s finance minister – since the Financial Times named him Europe’s top chancellor.” Indeed, Swedish economic policy and its largely hyped welfare system are as hotly debated as a murder investigation in a Nordic Noir novel. “It is quite striking how many questions we get about the Swedish Model,” Clase adds. She has even been asked to give a lecture on the very subject at Oxford University’s Mansfield College in the autumn. “I always make the point that the Swedish Model is an evolving one – if it became static we wouldn’t be where we are,” she says. “We have to be pragmatic and constantly improve things. At the same time we mustn’t change things that actually work just for ideological reasons.” Clase began her career in the early 90s at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs with postings in London and Copenhagen. On two occasions she worked as foreign policy advisor for the Moderate Party before they were elected to power in 2006. Clase was consequently selected for the position of State Secretary for Foreign and EU affairs and took up her

first ambassadorial posting in the UK in June 2010.

at Downing Street in January was followed by a Nordic-Baltic summit in Stockholm in February. In attendance at both meetings was British Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron’s fascination with Sweden and its Nordic neighbours has not gone unnoticed in the UK media and recent reports claim of the creation of a socalled Nordic alliance forming within a currently fragmented Europe. “I wouldn’t say we are forming an alliance but I would say Sweden and Britain have much in common,” Clase says. “We are closely aligned in European issues such as enlargement, the EU budget and free trade but if you talk about other views on Europe, it’s clear that we differ. Sweden has a very positive view on European integration and we want to be at the core of European cooperation. There [is where] I would say that unfortunately Britain is moving in a bit of a different direction.” The Swedes, however, are still moving to the UK in their droves. The embassy at Montagu Place runs a busy consular section issuing around 7,000 passports every year and it is estimated there are around 50,000 Swedes currently residing in the UK. On the other side of Marylebone is the Swedish residence, situated at Portland Place and designed by the famed Scottish architects, James and Robert Adams. The opulent 18th century building is currently home to Clase and family - husband Andrew

In September 2011, Clase welcomed 2,000 visitors to the residence over the course of ten days for the exhibition HEMMA. “It was an event where we brought in modern Swedish design and effectively transformed the residence into a museum,” she says. “The best contribution we can make to show a touch of modern Sweden here is to ensure we regularly exhibit modern art and design.” Clase intends to keep the momentum that has been a signature of her life in London for the past two years. Between Sweden and Britain – and shared with the rest of the world – there has been two Royal weddings, one Swedish heir and a Diamond Jubilee all topped off with the Olympics and Paralympics. “I will never forget sitting in Westminster Abbey for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton and hearing the crowds outside cheering so loudly it was almost as if they had entered the church,” she says. To close the year the embassy is organising a Swedish music event following the nation’s victory in the Eurovision Song Contest - to showcase the contribution of native songwriters. “But when it comes to Sweden and music, I don’t think we will ever move on from ABBA,” Clase says. “They are here to stay.”

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The UK’s International Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering

The application deadline is 14th September. We are currently waiting impatiently to see what kind of applications we will receive from around the world and we hope that Swedish applications will be amongst them.

So if you know someone or you think you are the perfect candidate, please apply at http://qeprize.org/

TE X T: H A Z E L G I B S O N

Over the next 10 years the UK will need 2 million new engineering graduates; engineering is very important for many industries in both Sweden and the UK. Like Britain, Sweden has a long-standing, excellent reputation for the calibre of the engineers it produces. However, both countries are now beginning to realise the seriousness of the shortage of skilled workers and the importance of inspiring the next generation of engineers. This new generation of engineers, many of whom would need to begin their training now, will be carrying out a multi-faceted role in the society of the future. They will build our hospitals, power plants, airports, railways and bridges. They will design our ICT systems, and they will be the bioengineers and nano engineers who will work on cutting edge disease diagnostics or new renewable batteries to name a few examples. Sweden’s Tekniksprånget scheme is an outstanding example of what is needed to get more young people to go on to become engineers after high school. Industry, academia and the Swedish Government are working together to give 5,000 young people the chance to experience what it would be like to work for an engineering company in order to encourage them to take up engineering as a career

option. It is great to see the support of major companies including Volvo, Ericsson, Sandvik, NCC, SCA, SSAB, Ramirent, Vattenfall and IBM behind this. The UK announced the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering on 17th November last year and interest has since been huge. The prize - £1 million or around 10 million Swedish Kronor - will be awarded for up to three individuals responsible for a pioneering advance in engineering that is of benefit to humanity. Companies supporting it include BAE Systems, BG Group, Jaguar Land Rover, National Grid, Shell UK Ltd, Siemens UK, Sony, Tata and Toshiba. This is an inspirational year for engineering on UK soil with the Olympic Park being a showcase for sustainable and re-useable buildings with a lasting legacy. The Queen Elizabeth Prize will be awarded in the Spring of 2013, so again the spotlight will be on engineers and what they contribute to society; this can only be a good thing. The support by all three major political parties in the UK says a great deal, seeing as they seem to find it a little more difficult to agree on other, more sensitive issues. It is startlingly obvious that more engineers are good for the economy, business and society. And it has rarely been more imperative to emphasise this.

F OC U S

Business matters between the UK & Sweden Ingrid Berggren, Secretary General of the British-Swedish Chamber of Commerce and Jenny Gardner, director UK Trade & Investment, Sweden, talk to Swedish Bulletin’s Christine Demsteader “We want to be the best stepping stone for future global citizens. We prepare our youth for a global start in life.”

“Join the Chamber,” says Berggren, a departing comment as she prepares to close her five-year tenure leading the Stockholmbased organisation. “Anyone can become part of the network, as long as they require discussion on a UK trade and investment level, with advice and ideas,” she adds. “No one is on top of the agenda on these issues – they always need more input.”

…this is our vision; at Futuraskolan International School

A platform to promote commercial and industrial relations between Sweden and the UK, the Chamber has been a forum for business leaders for over 50 years. Set up by Marcus Wallenberg, founder of SEB in 1954, the Chamber has around 120 members today and continues to grow both in number and stature. “Since 2007, we have worked towards increasing the attraction of the chamber, increasing our equity and the quality of our events,” Berggren adds.The last year has been a particular highlight, with a long list of distinguished speakers including former Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson, BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg, Sweden’s State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Frank Belfrage and Lord Stephen Green, UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment. Largely thanks to its beginnings, the financial industry holds heavy influence over the Chamber, which also aims to drive innovative growth in business, alongside established sectors. “We can already see traditional industry, such as car manufacturing, being phased out by definition,” Berggren says. “But if you look at the finance industry, they themselves are very innovative with new developments in products and investment structures.” In order to appeal to the next generation of UK and Swedish business leaders, the Chamber has set up a programme called Young Patrons. Berggren hopes that once she leaves the helm, this will continue to fuel the Chamber’s future with a fresh outlook. “In order to develop and survive, we have to attract younger members,” she says. “The Chamber must drive people who are prepared to drive the organisation.” Patrons nominate a number of employees from their organisation who meet to discuss relevant conversation. “It’s also important to be even more open and present on social media because there are a lot of ideas where the chamber could add value.” www.bscc.info Jenny Gardner, director UK Trade & Investment, Sweden, “When you talk to both Swedes and Brits they are usually surprised how important trading partners they are,” says Gardner, who leads the government-run organisation that supports companies on both sides of the North Sea. The statistics are enlightening. Sweden is the UK’s tenth largest export market according to the latest figures from 2011 – with the UK exporting more to Sweden than India, for example.

of Stockholm our culture is defined primarily by our core values:

PROGRESSIVENESS, ENERGY, RESPECT Futuraskolan International School of Stockholm offers education grades 0–9 for families who wish their children to experience a genuine international curriculum at an affordable cost. We offer international education outside of the Swedish curriculum to those families who have a need for a transportable education.

J e n n y G a r d n e r, d i r e c t o r U K Tr a d e & I n v e s t m e n t , S w e d e n

Meanwhile, the UK is Sweden’s fourth largest import market as well as Sweden’s third largest export market. “The world is so international and we’re so global in the way we do business these days,” Gardner adds. “So perhaps it is a little bit surprising that one of our closest neighbours is also one of our most important trading partners.” UKTI focuses on four main industry areas of special interest to both countries at present – the energy sector, healthcare and life science, infrastructure and construction and ICT. It offers a number of activities to maintain trade relations, including introductory services to help UK companies to become more familiar with the Swedish market. “If a company is considering Sweden, they might know a little about the country and have a couple of contacts,” Gardner says. “But we undertake market analysis for their specific need – be that a product or service. It will give them a better understanding and a better possibility to make a decision.” Opportunities have traditionally been leveraged on the common culture between Sweden and the UK. “Sweden is a country that has an English-speaking population, that is quite easy to reach in terms of both distance and culture and, with a population of nine million, it’s quite a good pilot market,” Gardner adds. Indeed, when it comes to investment, Sweden is the fourth largest market for the UK and the UK is the second largest market for Sweden.“New companies, often small to medium-sized who are exporting to their first market, look to Sweden as their first step up in the world,” Gardner says.” And that’s why the UK sees Sweden as somewhat of a Dragon’s Den for new business.”

Our Curriculum In grades 1-5 we use the International Primary Curriculum (IPC). A learning focused curriculum, designed to help the children enjoy what they learn. Grades 6-9 use the International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC). The curriculum provides a balanced education that will equip young people for effective participation in the modern world.

Why Choose Futuraskolan International School of Stockholm? “At Futuraskolan International School of Stockholm every child is visible, challenged, and successful.”

Students Accepted Year Round - Easy to Apply Online!

Location: Telephone:

Erik Dahlbergsgatan 58-62 115 57 Stockholm +46 767 24 28 97

info@futuraskolan.se chris.mockrish@futuraskolan.se www.futuraskolaninternational.se www.futuraskolan.se

SWEDIS H COM P ANIES

Keolis in the lead of development TE X T: L A R S N O R D S T R A N D

P H OTOS : C O U R T E S Y O F K E O L I S

ith its recent establishment in Australia, India, USA and Norway, Keolis - a Europe-based operator and part of the development of new transport services the world over - is once more showing its strengths in mass transit in light of public passenger transport’s rapid ascention to becoming one of the most important factors in improving sustainability in the global society. Extending public transport involves many aspects of life and many stakeholders. It affects everyone’s everyday life; health and safety, environment, congestion, land-use and specifically the efficiency of the use of human resources. Smart transportation solutions make big agglomerations work and offer flexibility to the local community and its inhabitants. Like Sweden, many countries have now adopted an ambition to double public passenger transport. This year Sweden passed new legislation that welcomes private initiatives to contribute, besides public tenders, with Keolis an active part in this development. “Originally a bus company, Keolis currently operates long distance and regional trains in Britain and Germany as well as in the Netherlands and USA,” says Lars Nordstrand chairman of Keolis Sverige. “Keolis is in fact number one in the world when it comes to launching tram projects and when it comes to tram operations and automatic metro operations. We are presently working on a number of new tram projects. In Sweden Keolis is operating extensive bus services in Stockholm, Gothenburg and other greater cities in Sweden. We are proud to say that we achieve the highest score in bus passenger satisfaction in the capital area of Sweden. And we have higher ambitions still.”

To be a long-term innovative partner, Keolis has developed a wide range of expertise throughout the world. It ranges from the earliest phases of planning together with authorities and other stakeholders, right through to reliable operations: safety and security, engineering assistance, organising the network, integration, smart card systems, passenger information, to name but a few. Experience from passengers and operators and operator’s staff is a starting point in designing the infrastructure. To meet passenger’s needs, buses, trains, metro etc need to be integrated also with use of private car, bicycles, taxi and pedestrian systems. Keolis has taken on the responsibility of operating a number of integrated city systems. The obvious target is to increase market share of public transport to the benefit of the city and its inhabitants and their living environment.

High ambitions and common targets are essential to be successful when entering into major projects. All solutions are local. Even if much experience and expertise can be moved between countries and applied in various environments, the service you provide is an everyday service in a local society. Understanding regional and local culture as well as traditions is key in wining the respect of local stakeholders and users, and to attract people to your services. Keolis employs more than 55,000 people and the group posted revenues of more than 4.4 million Euros in 2011. lars.nordstrand@keolis.se

“Keolis’ target is to exceed the expectation of the passengers and attract new people to public transport. Therefore I’m very positive about the present wide cooperation and development in public transport in Sweden, to double public transport patronage,” says Lars Nordstrand. “The ambition to give suppliers greater responsibility and more opportunity to adapt the offer to passengers´ needs, is a change that suits us at Keolis particularly well.” Based on its recent success, Keolis is optimistic and ambitious about its future. Quality, reliability and long-term profitability are revered above and beyond quick wins. Quality to passengers, and business relationships based on confidence and credibility are key. Keolis prefers to engage in business where conditions are transparent and where the burden of risk can be shared in a reasonable way.

Tjallamalla

Cultivating independent fashion designers in Sweden TE X T: M I C H A E L H E L A N D E R

P H OTOS : PAT R I C I A R E Y E S A N D W A N A

he SoFo - South of Folkungagatan on Stockholm’s Södermalm Island - is probably best described as young, hip and relaxed. The same three words can be used to describe Tjallamalla, a fashion company located in SoFo since 1994. Tjallamalla is a retail and online clothing store that stocks the works of between 250 and 300 young designers and labels. Their flagship store in Stockholm has since expanded to boutiques in Gothenburg and Malmö, which in turn augmented exposure opportunities for even more up-andcoming designers. One look at the Tjallamalla blog on the the company website and you’ll see that the retailer is set up with individuals who love to show their personality in their clothing in mind. Their clients are looking for one-of-a-kind, unique pieces that chime with high quality and individuality - something not always found in the aisles of H&M or Lindex. The company is run by a fiery redhead named Karin who has a penchant for bright red lipstick and a style all her own.You’ll often see her in clothes that are created by the very designers that she carries at Tjallamalla. As expected in the fashion industry, there are numerous pictures on the Tjallamalla blog, with fashion shows and after parties, all featuring scores of beautiful people. One collection picked up at Tjallamalla is from the designer duo. Back in 2010 - having been classmates in pattern making - Josefin Ottergard and Josefine Zajicek began designing together to launch their label. Their clothes are designed to be perennial in both quality and style, with compositions that transcend fashion seasons. According to the designers, “High quality fabrics and classic silhouettes with innovative details are the foundations of the brand.” When asked about the challenges of being an independent brand, Ottergard and Zajicek replied, “One of the biggest challenges, not only for us but all other smaller brands is to reach out and stand proud in front of the bigger chains - to convince the consumers that we offer something different not only in quality but also in vision.” Who do they think would be interested in wearing their clothes? “Somebody that stands above the fleeting trends and [whom] shops with sustainability in mind.” 26

Young designers like JosefinJosefine are the epitome of Tjallamalla, who frequent fashion shows both in Sweden and abroad in search of up and coming labels to carry and expose.

Firstly, and at it’s heart, is the lush inner archipelago, which is relatively well developed and the core of archipelago life. Discover historic Vaxholm - the archipelago capital with its winding lanes and stately summerhouses - as well as pretty little villages and old fishing stations, still buzzing with activity, at least in the summer. Even though the number of year-round residents has increased in recent years, it is during the summer months that

the area really comes alive. Fishing huts, summerhouses and old post offices are transformed into cosy inns, comfortable guesthouses and youth hostels, galleries, Enjoy shops and handicraft studios. Even during the busy summer season, it is never hard to find your own private paradise in the archipelago. Take a stroll through woods, past gentle meadows and along endless rocky beaches, with only eiders and red-breasted mergansers for company. As you edge nearer to the outer archipelago, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a seal. Out here the landscape becomes more increasingly barren, wild and windswept. In the past these islands were inhabited by people who made a living from the sea, but they have long since left their fishing stations and lighthouses and today it is mainly sailors, along with grey seals and sea eagles, who find their way to these archipelago outposts.

Information about the archipelago, including timetables and boat hikers’ maps, is available at Waxholmsbolaget We l c o m e a boutside oard terminals at Strömkajen, right the archipelago view aboard one of the entrance of Grand Hôtel. We can also our traditional Steamboats recommend visiting the archipelago’s very own travel agency,Visit Skärgården, on Strandvägen in Stockholm. Learn all about the archipelago and its islands, find out what activities are available and check out the special offers at Visit Skärgården, Strandvägen, quay 18, Stockholm, tel 08100 222. The information office and cafe is open Monday – Sunday, 10am- 4pm.

www.waxholmsbolaget.se.Tour information, tel +46 8 679 58 30.

Another shining example of SoFo talent, Emelie Janrell, began her label with a Fall/Winter line at Tjallamalla in 2010. Drawing on the subtle and diverse beauty of Scandinavian nature, Janrell designs “elegant and festive women’s wear with tailored consideration.” One of the biggest challenges to independent designers like Janrell is the lack of time to develop ideas and market existing collections. “I produce every piece myself, which makes it hard to find enough time to realize all of my ideas.” Accessory is also a thriving facet of design with young designers in Sweden. With the philosophy of binding subcultures together through a glamorous and enchanting street style, WANA began in 2011 by designers Johan and Naim as part of a contract to participate in the design of an avant-garde suit collection. “We were both discussing the different obstacles a designer faces when designing basic garments versus avantgarde garments. Since we both have similar aesthetics and had talked about creating the brand since 2010, we thought we should invest the money we earned on the avant-garde collection and create a company.” Johan and Naim originally planned to create tops and T-shirt collections, but during the process they changed direction. “We changed our minds and came to the conclusion that it would be wiser to create a ‘new’ design concept for a product never seen before, hence the hand jewellery glove.” They do, however, plan to add garments in the future. “We like to design for an edgy and glamorous crowd, people that really enjoy street style fashion.”

Find these, and many more designers represented at Tjallamalla retail and online shops: tjallamalla.com

Serenity on Stockholm’s Steps Welcome aboard with Waxholmbolaget, and take a quintessentially Swedish tour on a quintessentially Swedish boat. P H OTO : M A G N U S R I E T Z

SWEDIS H COM P ANIES

enuine archipelagos exist in very few corners of the world and it happens to be Stockholm, which boasts the largest. Beginning in the centre of the city at Strömkajen, where Waxholmbolaget boats are moored, it stretches mile after mile out into to the Baltic. Some 30,000 islands and skerries are passed along the way, which gradually shift in character the farther out we get.

SWEDIS H COM P ANIES

ELEKTA – Global medical solutions TE X T: C H R I S T I N A L I N D E R O T H - O L S O N

lose to half a century ago, in Sweden’s capital, Professor Lars Leksell founded what was to become a globally successful medical technologies company. Four decades on, close to one million patients receive treatment with the help of Elekta solutions every year. Lars Leksell (1907-1986), Professor of Neurosurgery at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, founded Elekta in 1972. Since the beginning, the company focused on developing and pioneering innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. Cancer cases are set to increase as a direct result of aging populations in both developed, and developing countries, with demand for effective and cost efficient treatments, through necessity, reflecting this increase. About 6,000 hospitals around the world now use Elekta solutions in neurosurgery and oncology. The portfolio of

products includes linear accelerators, treatment planning solutions, oncology information management software and dedicated radiosurgery and brachytherapy systems. The best-known product, the Leksell Gamma Knife®, has benefitted many patients with brain disorders. So far roughly half a million patients around the world have been successfully treated with this innovation. It is not really a knife though, but a radiosurgical treatment that delivers a dose of gamma radiation to the brain tumour or abnormality with tremendous precision, leaving surrounding tissues unaffected. As the treatment is non-invasive, patients are more likely to recover quickly, which makes the treatment more affordable than conventional brain surgery. Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ is the most advanced system, with a very high level of accuracy.

P H OTO : C O U R T E S Y O F E L E K TA

The four product areas are Elekta Neuroscience, Elekta Oncology, Elekta Brachytherapy and Elekta Software. Research and development are obviously of vital importance, and the company invests up to nine per cent of its annual net sales in this area. An exciting result of this is the Agility multileaf collimator, a next generation, high-resolution beam shaping solution, which improves accuracy and efficiency when treating patients with cancer. Elekta operates in three regions: North and South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Pacific Asia. Operational headquarters are located in Stockholm and the company is listed on the Nasdaq OMX Stockholm Stock Exchange, and it currently employs around 3,300 people in 26 countries around the world.

SWEDIS H INSTIT U TIONS

ith a magnificent view of the Stockholm castle and the thousands of tourists strolling by at the waterfront, Annika Rembe has the odd task of analysing what those tourists think of the ‘Sweden brand’. After all it is her job to provide the instruments for influencing and improving these views. Rembe is Director-General of Swedish Institute (Svenska Institutet), a government agency few people can do an elevator pitch about, but that bears great responsibility in attracting investments, scientists, students and media coverage to Sweden.

“Of all the government agencies, I would that say that we have one of the broadest missions: to create interest, knowledge and confidence in Sweden,” she says. “We also work with creating long-term relations with people in other countries.” Visit Sweden focuses on tourism and the marketing of Sweden as an interesting destination; Invest Sweden focuses on the influx of investments and Exportrådet tries to push Swedish products abroad. The SI is somewhere inbetween the aforementioned organisations, and it creates outlines for the communicative platform through collaborations with said colleagues, and in partnership with Embassies, regional partners and other government agencies. “We don’t just provide information material and create exhibitions anymore, we focus increasingly on communication and dialogue. We target both talent, decision makers, opinion leaders and the younger target groups that might be important for Sweden in the future.” Annika Rembe Director General of Swedish Institute

Swedish Institute Shaping the image of Sweden Crime novels, sustainability, parental leave and a bold Twitter campaign: which of these exports truly represent the ‘Sweden brand’ abroad? Either way, Annika Rembe may have something to do with it. TE X T AND P H OTO : C H R I S T I A N V O N E S S E N

Strong brand Sweden has a strong brand, fused with many positive values. The country ranks near the top in many different kinds of indexes – from equality to broadband penetration. “With regards to our size, Sweden has a very high recognition globally. The challenge is that we are competing with other strong countries. In Asia for example, the middle class may not look into Sweden in the first place. Europe is not the centre of the world for them.” Annika Rembe has a background that seems confusing, but it actually makes complete sense. She started her career as a lawyer, and eventually she realised that there was an untapped market for easily accessible law literature. After many years in different media professions, she became communications director for Invest Sweden and later Commissioner-General Manager for Sweden’s participation in the world exhibition, before being recruited by the Swedish Institute in 2011. “I have always found my earlier experiences helpful, and I have somehow specialised in making complex contexts explainable.”

You started with communications in 1998. How has that area developed? “Well, communication relies much more on dialogue now, and it needs to be truly relevant for the target group. That’s

why we have to be able to listen. Building relations is not just about PR – you have to think long-term. We work with female entrepreneurship in the Middle East and something we call Young Leaders Visitors program where we have close collaborations with journalists and bloggers. We provide the tools and create a network between them and Swedish counterparts.” The SI also provides numerous scholarships for foreign students and scientists who wish to come to Swedish universities. It’s part of the mission of marketing Sweden’s higher education abroad, and the government spends 75 million SEK annually on these scholarships, distributed through the SI.

Twitter-gate During the past year, the SI has gained attention and awards for their globally acclaimed Twitter campaign @Sweden, together with Visit Sweden. The idea to open up the official Sweden Twitter account to ‘ordinary’ people, one week at a time, has proved equally genius and risky. One of the curators tweeted questionable jokes about sex and race, and many influential commentators have praised Sweden’s courage in continuing the campaign without censorship. The initiative has won several of the world’s finest communications awards. “We are tremendously proud of the campaign,” says Annika Rembe, “Both of the idea, execution and the handling of the media chaos that erupted. The whole project is a display of the Swedish openness – a fundamental value that was truly showcased through everything that happened. It’s not purely a PR stunt, but a very effective way of communication because it is true and trustworthy. Every tweet is a piece of the puzzle that is Sweden. The more pieces, the more complex and colourful the image becomes. Ultimately it’s all about building confidence in Sweden.” Sweden is characterised as one of very few countries with economic and liberal values simultaneously – a formal approach to business and etiquette, as well as social values when it comes to welfare, childcare and equality.

Sweden’s four main areas The Swedish Institute has outlined four main areas of the Swedish brand that they work at improving. 1. T he innovative Sweden: a small country at the forefront of science, medicine and innovations. A strong corporate sector and a highly ranked climate for doing business. 2. S ustainability, climate and environment: Sweden has worked hard at these issues for a long time, and now it’s time to communicate. 3. C ulture, lifestyle and creativity: an important development in fashion, music, movies and art. 4. T he Swedish Model: the welfare system is being studied by numerous countries, with our schools, parental leave, social security and taxes attracting interest from all over the world. Our openness and transparency is held in high regard.

www.si.se

SWEDIS H R E G IONS

If you feel like hiking in the great outdoors, the 190 km Roslagen trail – from Danderyd (near Stockholm) to Grisslehamn - is the perfect opportunity to discover the region’s natural wealth, see ancient settlements, and explore historical sites with castles and churches.

For more information log on to www. roslagen.se/en

“Norrtälje, the principal town of Roslagen, has a welcoming oldfashioned character.You will find small shops, restaurants and cosy cafés. ..The famous Swedish illustrator Albert Engström lived there from 1902. Be sure to pay a visit to Augustberg, his former home and studio located on a cliff by the sea of Åland,” says Gisela Norén.

There are several hotels and pensions in the area. Here are a few examples of places to stay that are open all year round: Granporten Pension in Norrtälje, founded in 1886, is a three star pension including 17 rooms with 35 beds, all with an intimate, personal touch. The pension is surrounded by a lovely garden with a terrace and the restaurant offers classical Swedish food.

www.pensionatgranparken.se

Åtellet, erected in 2009, mixes a late 19th century architectural style with 21st century comfort. Situated near Norrtälje Stream, it has 4 single rooms and 18 double rooms, a restaurant, bar, sauna and conference facilities.

Roslagen – not just a fair weather archipelago TE X T: C H R I S T I N A L I N D E R O T H - O L S O N P H OTO : C O U R T E S Y O F D E S T I N AT I O N R O S L A G E N

www.atellet.se

Hotell Havsbaden in Grisslehamn sits on a rock overlooking the sea. The hotel, which boasts 22 single rooms, 25 double rooms, 3 suites, conference facilities and spa, prides itself on comfort. The restaurant has panoramic views and offers seasonal menus.

www.hotellhavsbaden.se

lthough the Roslagen region near Stockholm is extremely popular in the Summer months, it has a lot to offer throughout the year. Parts of Roslagen can boast a rich history and several sights of cultural interest.Vaxholm, Österåker, Norrtälje and Östhammar, for example, are picturesque municipalities best explored on foot. “The old iron works - for example Wira Bruk and Österbybruk - give visitors a feeling of the region’s history, [and] some of them are well preserved. They also arrange markets

with local delicacies and handicrafts in the Autumn and at Christmas,” says Gisela Norén, Manager of Destination Roslagen. French speaking immigrants (known as wallons) founded some of these iron works in the 17th century. They came from regions that would come under Belgium and Northern France today. Several of these immigrants, called “valloner” in Swedish, were successful entrepreneurs who became very wealthy. “Norrtälje, the principal town of Roslagen, has a welcoming old-

fashioned character.You will find small shops, restaurants and cosy cafés. The art gallery, Norrtälje Konsthall, presents interesting contemporary art. It is easy to get to Norrtälje from Stockholm by bus, [and] if you go by car from Stockholm to the island of Väddö, the road is really lovely. Grisslehamn on Väddö is a charming little archipelago town with fishing, boating and many guests in the summer. The famous Swedish illustrator Albert Engström lived there from 1902. Be sure to pay a visit to Augustberg, his former home and studio located on a cliff by the sea of Åland,” says Gisela Norén. 33

SWEDIS H R E G IONS

SKÅNE

Sweden’s Deep South TE X T: M I C H A E L H E L A N D E R

raw a line from coast to coast across the southern most tip of Sweden and you’ll find yourself in Skåne, immersed in a landscape of rolling plains that gently ease down to sandy beaches. Notorious for their laid back character and quintessential Swedish sensibility, the people of Skåne are also among the most difficult to understand. Apart from the expected idiosyncrasies of regional dialects, Sweden’s southernmost inhabitants speak a language that is laced with Scanian, a group of dialects that first appeared in writing before 1200. The Scanian pronunciation appears to have more in common with Danish, German and Dutch than with Swedish. Visitors may wish to reference the Scanian-Swedish-Danish dictionary published by Skånska Akademien in 1995. Not all 2,711 words and expressions in the dictionary are still in use, but it can be useful to know terms that remain widely used today. Påg and tös replace the Swedish pojke and flicka for ‘boy’ and ‘girl’. Instead of shopping for kläder (clothes), you will shop for töj. Ask for rävegift (strong coffee) instead of starkt kaffe to fix your afternoon lull. Sulten, pantoffel and vann will also come in handy if you are hungry, ordering potatoes, or would like water - hungrig, potatis and vatten respectively in Swedish.

Communication complications aside, Skåne is a thriving and vibrant region, covering only 3% of Sweden’s total area but host to 13% of Sweden’s total population with 1,250,000 inhabitants. The city of Malmö anchors the region which is also home to Helsingborg, Lund, and Ystad, to name a few of the more recognizable locations.

food technology industries lies behind the synergies shared between the industrial and sciences bases, and strong roots exist to unite agriculture, biotech, processing technologies, packaging and transport logistics. If you have bought ProViva or Oatly products in the grocery store lately, then you have bought technology from Skåne.

Business investors keep an eye on the Skåne region for its desirable proximity to the Northern European continent and Denmark. Scandinavia’s largest airport in Copenhagen is but a short 20-minute train hop away from Malmö and arenas that host world-class events like the men’s handball World Championship. In fact, one of the world’s most innovative cross-border regions is Øresund, with a literal link between Skåne and Greater Copenhagen in the form of Europe’s longest combined road-and-rail Øresund Bridge. The impressive 8 kilometre span of bridge lands on an artificial island that leads traffic via a tunnel into Copenhagen.

As for things to do and see in Skåne? The choices are endless. At the top of Skåne, on a west coast peninsula that reaches towards Denmark is the Kullaberg Nature Reserve. With jagged cliffs thrusting upward from the Kattegat sea and clifftop views that open miles of blue vistas, Kullaberg is a favourite haven for hikers, bird watchers, divers and rock climbers. Breezy forests and romantic grottos provide the setting for a prestigious 3-star rating from the Michelin Guide, not to mention Scandinavia’s brightest Kullen Lighthouse, perched atop the peninsula tip. Guided tours are available daily during season, and private tours can be arranged year round.

Flagship companies like Sony Ericsson, Axis Communications and Ericsson Mobile Platforms provide a strong base for the ICT (information & communication technologies) industry cluster in the region. Other industries include life sciences, cleantech, packaging, and an innovative and worldleading food technology industry. The success of the region’s

If a bit of unusual fits your style, travel to the independent nation of Ladonia near the seaside town of Mölle. Although not officially recognized as a country by the Swedish government, it is the home of the controversial sculptures Nimis and Arx. Because the large sculptures were never sanctioned and are illegally located on the Kullaberg nature reserve, you won’t find them on any official maps. Sculptor

Lars Vilks, renowned for his depiction of Muhammad as a roundabout dog which drew worldwide attention and threats to his life, offers free Ladonia citizenship via application, and nobility will cost you around $12. Make your way to the very south of Sweden and follow in the footsteps of fictional inspector Kurt Wallander, now famous the world over thanks to television. Wallander’s town of Ystad is situated on the southern seaside and is as magically picturesque as it appears on TV with pastel coloured buildings dating from medieval times. Main sites to see include Gray Friar’s Monastery and the Saint Petri Church and museum. When you visit Skåne around Easter make sure to have map in hand and car fully fuelled as you hit the road for The Österlen Art Circuit, or Konstrundan as it’s called here in Sweden.You will meet Swedish artists like Maria Liliegren up close and personal, in their own studios. Medieval parks, castles, city architecture, seaside towns, rolling plains, and white cottages are all waiting for your arrival in Skåne.

Websites to help plan your visit or business activities in Skåne: www.invest.skane.com www.visitsweden.com www.oskg.nu

F EAT U R E

SWEDIS H INSTIT U TIONS

Swedish Disruptive Innovation Disrupting technology’s status quo TE X T E L I Z A B E T H D A C E Y- F O N D E L I U S

SÄPO – Swedish Security Services Behind the scenes with SÄPO TE X T: D A V I D B A R TA L

henever you read in your morning newspaper about the arrest or detention of people suspected of terrorism or espionage, the Swedish security service SÄPO is the organisation behind the investigation.This most secret of Swedish police organisation – comparable to the MI5 in Great Britain or the CIA in the United States – has in recent years made efforts to reach out to the public and explain their mission. Early this summer, the Police Museum in Stockholm opened a SÄPO exhibition where one can see some of the clandestine equipment seized when World War II or Cold War spies were arrested or detained. One can also listen to recordings of Security Service employees talking about their everyday work and what it really means to protect Sweden’s democratic form of government. “There are many myths and misconceptions about what we do,” said Anders Thornberg, Head of the Swedish Security Service. “For this reason, we are very happy for this opportunity to show people who we are, what we do, and to be able to do so in an entirely new setting.” More proof of SÄPO’s ambition to be more transparent is their willingness to answer questions from the media. In August, I was invited behind the doors (none of which bore signs or nameplates) of SÄPO headquarters in Stockholm for a one-to-one with Head of Analysis, Johan Olsson. I asked security analyst Olsson about the perception in some Embassies that members of terror organisations are allowed to operate freely in Sweden. Olsson answered by stating that “these views are often based upon different legal frameworks. 38

Memberships of organisations is not a crime in this country, as it is in some comparable states,” Mr. Olsson observed. Critics sometimes argue that supporters of terrorism or antidemocratic ideologies are allowed to operate relatively freely in Sweden. Four men residing in Sweden were arrested earlier this year, for example, for planning a violent terrorist attack against Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in Copenhagen. “They were arrested mainly on evidence collected in Sweden,” observes the SÄPO analyst. “We had a close cooperation with the Danish police in this case.” The Swedish security police are well known in the popular imagination for its role in tracking down notorious Soviet spies such as Stig Bergling or Stig Wennerström. The role of SÄPO has naturally changed over the years, in response to modern threats like religion-inspired terrorism, or acts carried out by ‘lone-wolf ’ extremists like Anders Breivik in neighbouring Norway. In modern Sweden, several totalitarian states conduct intelligence operations aimed at refugees from the home country. At least 15 countries are spying on Sweden or systematically gathering intelligence about Swedish targets, according to a recent report. “We are a little bit naive in our view of espionage against refugees,” Wilhelm Unge, SÄPO’s chief analyst regarding counterespionage admitted in a recent radio interview. “Threats against Swedish citizens from foreign countries, as well as their family members in their home country, are commonplace.”

n our lifetime, we have taken on many and varied forms of new technology. Many of them were not even conceivable through the imagination of science fiction authors and film-makers. What we know from the digital revolution is that we shouldn’t really get too attached to any technology or technological application. Throughout the 20th, and into the 21st century, we have been adopting and dismissing new technologies at breakneck speed. Innovation, as we have come to know it, has been finding newer and faster ways of taking hold of long-held ideas and entrenched industries and capsizing them. Technologies and their applications have become part of a “here today, gone tomorrow” lifestyle. In some instances, a new technology has been turned upside-down before many of us got familiar with it. This upheaval of the technological status quo has become known as “disruptive innovation.” Even if you haven’t heard of disruptive innovation, you have witnessed some form of it. As defined, the term refers to innovation that displaces an earlier technology or service and helps create a new market. These new innovations improve a product or service in ways that the market and its players have not expected or foreseen. Effectively, the new innovation “disrupts” what we, the average person on the street, knows and in turn makes it obsolete. Harvard professor Clayton Christensen, coined the term in his book, “The Innovator’s Dilemma” in 1997. The notion of disruptive innovation is argued by some to be one of the most important innovation theories of the 1990s. The term is significant especially here in the Nordics. Sweden is currently one of the leading countries of the world to churn out disruptive innovation. This northern European nation is a global leader in changing the face of applied technology

and shaking up the establishment. Swedes love innovation which can be seen throughout its long history of bringing groundbreaking products to market. Sweden’s most renowned contribution to disruptive innovation is arguably Skype. Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis introduced the idea of providing easy, low cost, or even free telephone calls over the Internet. Here were two Swedes who took on the world’s telephone providers by offering a way to make a traditional phone call using a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP). Using the Internet to make a phone call or even to send an instant message is very familiar to most of us today. However, at the time it was risky because originality is frequently scary for people. Thankfully, the average Swede is very open to new technology, which is one of Sweden’s greatest assets - the willingness of the general population to try something new. With more than 100 million Skype users at present, the company has become a global innovation and there are no signs of anything arresting its growth. Not even another disruptive technology. Is disruptive technology a new thing? It most certainly isn’t. The refrigerator disrupted the manufacture of ice boxes and the industry of ice harvesting, storage and delivery; the word processor and desktop publishing disrupted typewriters and offset printers and certainly the automobile disrupted the horse and buggy. For most of us, disruptive innovation is only a positive thing. We are offered better options that make our lives easier. However, it is the current giants of industry who must consider the risks that a new technology could pose to their existing market share. And since much of it owes its inception to Sweden, keeping an eye on what the Scandinavian nation is producing could be a matter of longterm sustainability and growth. 39

F OC U S

The British Residency in Stockholm A hive of British activity: the Ambassador’s home from home TE X T C H R I S T I N E D E M S T E A D E R P H OTO D A V I D FA L K

he British Ambassador to Sweden, Paul Johnston and his wife Nicola describe the residence, set in the heart of Stockholm’s so-called Diplomat City (Diplomatstaden) in Djurgården as “The perfect home in the perfect setting.” The couple meet the Swedish Bulletin in a room with a perfect view, overlooking the idyllic waterside to share their story of the residence and its history. It may seem ironic that a building unofficially referred to as the ‘White House’ represents a little corner of Britain serenely tucked away yet close to the heart of the Swedish capital. The British residence was built in 1915, and is located opposite the English church, which had been moved brick

which was actually built as an embassy and ambassador’s residence,” Johnston says. “All the others were built as private residences and most have become embassies or residences over time.” For the current occupants, it remains important to share their home and its story with visitors from far and wide. “If we have a reception or a dinner I always talk a little about the history of the house,” the Ambassador says. “Stockholmers, especially those who visit for the first time, are interested because they have walked past it so many times and wondered what it was like inside.” It is in the so-called ‘Gustav room’ where our interview unfolds, named

“It has to be a working house as well,” Johnston says. “It’s a mixture of a private home, part hotel, part restaurant, part conference centre.” The dining room caters for functions up to around 40 people. “In our first 10 months here, we hosted about 30 lunches, 21 dinners, 19 receptions, 10 breakfasts or coffees and 17 afternoon teas,” he adds. “That’s well over 1,500 people through the doors.” Not forgetting the 45 official visitors that have stayed at the residence in the same period. The first floor houses four guest bedrooms, as well as a sitting room and a kitchen. “In the past, residences were seen simply as a private home and only a very senior visitor would stay at the residence,” Johnston says.

“Anyone today would think of Strandvägen as a very desirable address,” “But, so the story goes, the King didn’t think that the apartment was as grand as he would expect an ambassador’s residence to be for what was then the British Empire.” s a y s A m b a s s a d o r J o h n s t o n . by brick to its new location two years earlier. The church was previously positioned in Vasastan but, surrounded by brothels, a jail and a popular drinking establishment, a move elsewhere was deemed suitable. Similarly, King Edward VII was not altogether impressed with the situation of the former British residence, an apartment on the city’s Strandvägen, on a state visit in 1908. “Anyone today would think of Strandvägen as a very desirable address,” says Ambassador Johnston. “But, so the story goes, the King didn’t think that the apartment was as grand as he would expect an ambassador’s residence to be for what was then the British Empire.” On returning to London, the King insisted a new location was to be found and a new residence to be built under royal orders. The British embassy was granted the land in Djurgården, courtesy of the Swedish royals, and the responsibility was handed over to Scottish architect Richard Allison, who later went on to design the Science Museum in London. Allison’s remit was to create a home and embassy built into one. “It was the only house on the stretch of the water

after the two portraits gracing the walls, one of Gustav III, the other of Gustav Nolcken, Swedish Ambassador to the UK 1764 – 1793. Gustav III ’s portrait comes complete with regal inscription. “It says that it was a gift from the King to Nolcken,” Ambassador Johnston explains. “So it quite probably belonged in the Swedish residence in London and somehow ended up here.” Aside from these exceptions the rest of the artwork is British. “We are asking for more information about all of the paintings from the Government Art Collection,” says Nicola Johnston. “It makes the house partly what is it today and we would like to share more knowledge about them.” The artwork becomes somewhat more imposing in the ballroom, with huge portraits of King George V and his wife on one side while King George VI and his wife are opposite the room’s other focal point; the grand piano. The ambassador can be found at the keys on occasional evenings, playing away in the company of what looks like a scene from The King’s Speech. That is when the residence is not being used for official dinners or receptions - a regular occurrence in the calendar.

“Over the last ten years, the emphasis has been on the fact that they are important assets and therefore we need to use then for British interests. Ministers and most officials that come here are invited to stay at the residence because it’s better value for money than spending hundreds of pounds on hotel rooms, so it’s what we are encouraged to do.” Once a month, the Ambassador invites staff from various departments for fika at the residence. “Not in fact to discuss work,” he says. “But talk about themselves so that people feel that this is part of their workplace as well.” It’s a small Swedish influence that has sneaked into this very British abode that has also had its traditional carpets pulled up to reveal the original wooden flooring. “To us it looks and feels like a British house of its time,” Johnston says. “And that’s what I imagine Swedish people would expect coming here.”

2009 A new ecofriendly complete leisure complex, pool with international competition standard, gym and rehab facilities.

2011 Cutting edge multifunctional center for knowledge. A new high school for 800 students, multi sports complex, library, school of music and dance studio.

CONTACTOR

2011 We are conducting different methods of dialogue that empowers our citizens to involve themselves in ongoing development projects.

VÄSBY TOWN – TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY Väsby is the first community in Sweden that is entirely eco-certified, which means that we are particularly committed to work for a sustainable development in several aspects. We are creating a modern town with

active participation from residents and business. We build on diversity that empowers all citizens. Väsby town offers good service and attractive living in the expanding Stockholm – Arlanda region.

www.upplandsvasby.se

ED U CATION

BIPSS, the British International Primary School of Stockholm TE X T AND P H OTO : A N N A C O Y E T

n these current times of a world with ever shrinking borders and a more transient global work population, consistently excellent levels of education are imperative to expat and other internationally-minded parents as they move, with their children, from country to country. A truly international school, the British International School of Stockholm offers high standards of education, which provides consistency, continuity and transferability around the world. Using English as the principal language of education, it offers a smooth transition for students to enter and leave at any stage during the year, whilst catering for their social, as well as educational needs. For children who are new to English as a language, support programmes quickly bring them up to speed and help them to integrate fully into their new surroundings. It is also a non-profit making organisation, which means all fees are re-invested to provide this first class education for its pupils. The British International Primary School of Stockholm uses the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), together with the rigorous UK mathematics and literacy strategies, to provide a high quality education. This brings learning to life, focusing on essential, transferable and lifelong skills, and knowledge and understanding. It relates to the learning needs of every child and, importantly for children of ‘nomadic professionals’, it has a strong international dimension. The school’s highly qualified and dedicated tutors and support staff are passionate about teaching and enthusiastically nurture and challenge their pupils in all aspects of their education.

But life at an international school is about much more than just gaining a ‘formal’ education. It is about supporting families as they settle into a new country and providing social opportunities for adults as well as children. At the British International Primary School, a strong and active Parent Teacher Association is always there to welcome and assist new and existing families, helping out in any way they can.

The other amazing opportunity and memorable event took place in March and again involved much preparation and support from the British Embassy. The British International Primary School played host to a visit by The Duchess of Cornwall and Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden. It is not every day that a group of 3 to 11 year olds get to meet not one, but two Royals.

An international school is also about the rich tapestry of life experiences that are available when working with children from a vast range of nationalities; it is about embracing and celebrating the cultural diversity and valuing any amazing opportunities and events that may come your way. This year, the British International School had two such opportunities, which were both exciting and, for most children, staff and parents, unlikely to be repeated. The first, themed to tie in with the world’s biggest sporting event of the year, was the School’s Olympic Event at Stadion.

The visit provided so many wonderful memories, and the children certainly have their own special moment to treasure. One highlight was when Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall read the Gruffalo to a group of children in the school library. Following the reading from The Duchess, two pupils read aloud to Her Majesty Queen Silvia in Swedish. The reading itself was wonderful and appeared around the world courtesy of the Internet.

There was much preparation required in advance, and some head turning moments, such as a London double decker bus traversing the narrow Stockholm streets to collect flags from various Embassies. On the day, it was wonderful to see 49 different nationalities parading around the track waving huge flags, in the grand setting of the 1912 Olympic Stadium. The children also sang beautifully for parents and Embassy dignitaries before participating in their own sporting events.

Both of these events, together with the plethora of other opportunities, such as an International Day, charity events and various music concerts and productions, are only possible because of the efforts and teamwork of the whole British International Primary School community. This includes staff, pupils, parents, the Embassies and the Parent Teacher Association. They clearly show how important an international school is to the community, both within the confines of the school and beyond.

www.britishinternationalprimaryschool.se 45

A R T & C U LT U R E

Images: Helene Schjerfbeck: The Convalescent, 1888, Ateneum Art Museum. Photo: Finnish Art Gallery/Central Art Archives/Hannu Aaltonen. Helene Schjerfbeck: Self portrait, Black background, 1915, Ateneum Art Museum. Photo: Finnish Art Gallery/ Central Art Archives/Hannu Aaltonen. Helene Schjerfbeck: The Seamstress, 1905, Ateneum Art Museum. Photo: F i n n i s h A r t G a l l e r y / C e n t r a l A r t A rchives/Hannu Aaltonen.

Helene Schjerfbeck at Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde: 10th November 2012 – 24th February 2013.The exhibition will be shown at Göteborgs Konstmuseum 16th March – 18th August 2013.

Helene Schjerfbeck

You will find Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde at Prins Eugens väg 6 at Djurgården, a few minutes from Stockholm’s city centre. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am – 5pm. www.waldemarsudde.se Phone +46 8 545 837 00

The great Finnish artist shifted her focus from realism to a type of modernism characterised by simplified elegant lines and skillful use of colour. TE X T: C H R I S T I N A L I N D E R O T H - O L S O N P H OTO : F I N N I S H A R T G A L L E R Y / C E N T R A L A R T A R C H I V E S / H A N N U A A LT O N E N .

his year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Helene Schjerfbeck (1862-1946), one of the two most important painters in Scandinavia (the other being the Norwegian expressionist Edvard Munch). Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde in Stockholm commemorates the great Finnish artist with an important exhibition that includes several of her best-known works. Schjerfbeck lived in a turbulent time, witnessing three wars – Finland at the time was part of Russia – and she used painting to help her through hard times and personal crises. She moved from a French-inspired naturalist style to a type of modernism characterised by simplified elegant lines and skillful use of colours.

“Helene Schjerfbeck had a long and creative life. She had the courage to follow her intuition and invented her own way of artistic expression. Painting was an inner need, it made her feel truly alive,” says Göran Söderlund, Curator in Chief at Prince Eugen’s Waldemarsudde. A serious accident – a fall in a staircase – when she was four years old, left her partially disabled. Drawing became the little girl’s favourite pastime, as a result her talent developed early. As a grown woman, she never let her handicap get on top of her, except for being a bit sad that it restricted her movements.

Like many of her contemporaries, she studied and worked in France in the 1880s, and her early paintings were influenced by French realism. But early on, she also created simplified, carefully composed images based on contrasting colours, lights and shadows. Sometimes she chose everyday motifs, such as a door in a wall, or poor children in Brittany, that were largely discredited by her colleagues and the Finnish artistic community. St Ives in Cornwall, England had a popular artists’ colony where Helene Schjerfbeck stayed between 1887 and 1888. And then again between 1889 and 1890. In 1888 she painted one of her best-known images, ‘The Convalescent’, depicting a sick child

with a budding plant. The painting is said to symbolise the artist’s recovering from the sorrow following a broken engagement with an English painter. It was awarded a bronze medal at the Paris World Exposition 1889. “In her many portraits, she brought out the model’s inner life rather than his or hers facial characteristics. Sometimes she had difficulties in finding a model, or was too poor to hire one, so began using her aging mother or children and people in the neighbourhood as models,” says Göran Söderlund. Among the 44 self-portraits, the ones made in her later years where she bravely looked within herself, recognizing death,

are fascinating. Her break-through came late in life, an exhibition in Stockholm in 1937 made her instantly famous. After the death of her art dealer and sponsor Gösta Stenman, Helene Schjerfbeck more or less fell into oblivion. In the 1980s she was rediscovered in Scandinavia, and has since then been internationally recognised.

A R T & C U LT U R E A R T & C U LT U R E : F ILM

M a r c e l D u c h a m p : Fo u n t a i n , 1 9 1 7 © S u c c e s s i o n Marcel Duchamp/BUS 2012

Picasso and Duchamp – two incompatible giants Meet two fascinating great modern artists at Moderna Museet in Stockholm. Picasso: the creative genius. and Duchamp: the cool enigmatic master. TE X T: C H R I S T I N A L I N D E R O T H - O L S O N P H OTO : C O U R T E S Y O F S U C C E S S I O N P I C A S S O / B U S 2 0 1 2 AND SUCCESSION MARCEL DUCHAMP/BUS 2012

hey are iconic symbols of not only the modern art world, but the modern world as a whole. But these two artists could hardly be more different. Their common ground barely extended to being in France at the time of the bombing of Guernica in 1937 and sharing a mutual animosity.

The enigmatic Duchamp became a hero of the Pop Art movement and greatly influenced artists like Andy Warhol and Claes Oldenburg. Moderna Museet houses a complete collection of signed Duchamp’s copies, much in demand when fellow institutions arrange exhibitions.

This Autumn Moderna Museet in Stockholm brings together works by Pablo Picasso and Marcel Duchamp.

“Picasso/Duchamp will explore the energies when works by the two artists meet. Perhaps the animosity between them has been exaggarated. Their paths crossed at times. In 1912 Picasso recommended Duchamp, among other contemporary artists, for the Armory Show in New York. It has been said, though, that when Picasso learned that Duchamp was dead, he claimed he was wrong [to recommend him].”

“Picasso was the creative genius who poured out master pieces, an enormously productive, somewhat macho painter with intense black eyes. Duchamp was the cool ironic, ultra-verbal chess master, who found painting too dependent on vision, and instead promoted art forms that engaged the brain. He challenged artistic creativity and added short ironic texts to his works,” says Museum Director Daniel Birnbaum. The exhibition presents works from the museum’s important collection as well as some loans from other international institutions.

Picasso/Duchamp: 25th August 2012 – 3rd March 2013 You will find Moderna Museet at Skeppsholmen, a few minutes walk from Grand Hotel. Open Tuesday-Sunday. Phone +46 8 5195 5200. www.modernamuseet.se

“Picasso is part of the museum’s DNA. In 1956, the Friends of Moderna Museet, managed to get Guernica and several drawings based on the painting to Stockholm, and in a way this show marked the start of the museum. Since then, we have presented several Picasso exhibitions, partly based on paintings, sculptures and drawings from our own collection. The museum has a rather special relationship with Duchamp, who visited Stockholm in 1961 when an exact copy of his The Great Glass was part of a show. Duchamp was overjoyed and happily signed the copy,” says Daniel Birnbaum. If Picasso represented the essence of a painter, Duchamp, who got tired of painting and turned to picking out every day objects that he then presented as art, found the idea of original works absurd. His artistic production was limited, and he made numerous replicas, copies and miniatures of the Ready Made objects and the Glass paintings.

Pa b l o P i c a s s o : B o u t e i l l e , v e r r e e t v i o l o n , 1 9 1 2 – 1 9 1 3 . © Succession Picasso/BUS 2012

Marcel Duchamp: Roue de bicyclette, 1913/1960 © Succession Marcel Duchamp/BUS 2012

Pa b l o P i c a s s o : L a f e m m e à l a c o l l e r e t t e b l e u e , 1 9 4 1 © Succession Picasso/BUS 2012

F ILM

Bekas is the story of two homeless Kurdish boys in the early 1990s who see a screening of Superman at the movies and decide to flee Saddam Hussein’s regime and go to the United States. The Swedish premiere of Bekas is November 30th this year and is being distributed by Sonet Film. This is Karzan Kader’s feature film debut and it is produced by Sandra Harms of Sonet Film. Harms was selected from Sweden as this year’s Producer On The Move. Since 2000, the European Film Production (EFP) network has offered support and guidance to European producers during the Cannes Film Festival. The purpose of the award is to give producers the opportunity to make contacts for future European productions. The Producer on the Move appointment afforded the chance for Harms to meet 20 other project names in European film production. Sandra Harms lives in Stockholm and graduated from the Dramatic Institute in 2006. Directly after graduation, she spent a year working at Memphis Film as an assistant producer before she went on to become a producer at Breidablick Film.Together with director Teresa Fabik she produced the feature film Starring Maja (Princessa, 2009), which was nominated for a ‘Guldbagge’ (Swedish National Film Award) in the categories for best screenplay, best director and best picture. Bekas is Sandra Harms’ second film. Harms contacted Karzan Kader after seeing his short film version of Bekas that received a student award at the Dramatic Institute. They decided to collaborate on a feature film version of the short in Iraqi Kurdistan in Autumn 2011. Another notable presence at Cannes this year was the Swedish Trade Council who organised a series of three seminars on the Croisette. According to the Global Creativity Index of 2011, created by the Martin Prosperity Institute, Sweden placed first in the world in the ‘creative class’. This represents fields spanning science and technology, business and management, healthcare and education, arts, culture, and entertainment.

Sweden makes its mark at Cannes Film Festival

43% of Sweden’s workforce is in the creative class. Several representatives from Swedish companies presented work on the theme of the seminars entitled ‘Technology & Film’. The Swedish Minister for Trade, Dr. Ewa Björling introduced the program, which is trademarked ‘SymbioCreate’, a communication platform for Swedish companies within the creative sector.

TE X T: M O I R A S U L L I V A N , S W E D I S H F I L M C R I T I C S A S S O C I AT I O N P H OTO : AT M O. FA M I LY D I N N E R BY Ş T E FA N C O N S TA N T I N E S C U

he presence of Swedish films at the Cannes Film Festival has a long-standing tradition. In May two Swedish short films were selected to be screened at the prestigious Critics Week (Semaine de la Critique) – Middag med Familjen (Family Dinner), directed by Stefan Constantinescu and De Bortklippta (Erased) by Roberto Duarte. Family Dinner, directed by the Swedish-Romanian artist Stefan Constantinescu, depicts a wife and mother who can’t stop sending messages on her mobile phone while her husband and child wait impatiently for dinner in the kitchen.The short film received a grant from the Göteborg Film Festival earlier this year.

Constantinescu is a visual artist who splits his time between Stockholm and Bucharest. His work often expresses political viewpoints from post communist Romania and he works in several artistic mediums. In 2009 he directed My Beautiful Dacia with Julio Soto Gurpide.The film uses one of Romania’s most charismatic symbols, the Dacia automobile, to examine the transition of communism to capitalism in Romania. At present Constantinescu is working on a feature film entitled Viking Line Story with Xandra Popescu scheduled for release in 2014.The film is about a woman from Bucharest and a man from Stockholm who were high school sweethearts.They decide to take a Viking Line cruise (Viking Line is a Swedish icon, a gargantuan floating hotel that traffics the Baltic between Finland and Sweden) in order to rekindle their relationship.

The short documentary film De Bortklippta (The Erased) directed by Roberto Duarte and produced by Malmö based Creative Way, was the second film selected for Cannes International Critics Week.This short revolves around protagonist Roberto’s grandmother who consistently cut or scraped away two of their children from all photographs in the family album. Roberto travels to Mexico to talk to her about this and to tries to save the only photograph of her entire family that is left. Shown at the Cannes market this year was a trailer for the SwedishKurdish film Bekas directed by Karzan Kader, which is currently in post-production.The film received exceptional attention at Cannes and rights to show the film were acquired by Australia, New Zealand, Israel, South Korea, Taiwan and distributors in The Benelux and the Middle East.

The first seminar took up ‘The future of connected film and entertainment’ and was presented by Einar Bodström, producer and director of the Swedish creative agency ‘House of Radon’. He is also producer of Press Pause Play, a documentary film containing interviews with some of the world’s most influential creators of the digital era. ‘Design & Film’ was the theme of the second seminar, where designer Gunilla Allard and architect Anders Rabénius discussed ‘Scenography and interior in the film of Bergman.’ Per Strömbäck of the Swedish Games Industry and game designer Tommy Palm, presented the third theme ’Gaming & Film: When film becomes a game.’ Sweden has been a producer of films for the past 100 years, and continues to distinguish itself at Cannes Film Festival.

M U SIC

Tu r a n d o t , To m a s L i n d s i n g s P r i n c e C a l e f P H OTO : I N G M A R J E R N B E R G

“La La Land”, part of the three piece dance program Crazy Mixmas by Alexander Ekman and Medhi Walerski. P H OTO : U R B A N J Ö R É N .

GöteborgsOperan recruits international talent TE X T : C H R I S T I N A L I N D E R O T H - O L S O N

Katarina Karnéus, mezzo soprano, GöteborgsOperan. P H OTO : M AT S B Ä C K E R .

ttracting 250,000 visitors each year, GöteborgsOperan is located in the spectacular setting of the Göteborg harbour, and it presents an exciting 2012-13 season of opera, musicals and dancing

five-year contract with the opera ensemble starting in this year. In the Autumn, she will sing in a few concerts, and in the Spring, she’s set to perform in Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde.

“GöteborgsOperan receives an increasing amount of attention internationally because of its high artistic standard and the staff ’s impressive know how. The last decade has seen a strong artistic development and in the next few years we aim to become one of Northern Europe’s top opera houses,” says CEO Peter Hansson.

Since 1st August 2012, Adolphe Binder has been Director of the Göteborg Ballet, a successful dancing company focusing on contemporary dance. 40 dancers from 17 countries make it the largest modern dance company in the Nordic region. This season, the theme is ‘Homeland and Risk Zones’, which includes issues like identity, homesickness and roots.

Recently he was pleased to a announce that from the 2013-14 season, Stephen Langridge, a well renowned international opera and theatre director, will take over as opera and drama director at the GöteborgOpera. Also Katarina Karnéus, leading international mezzo-soprano, has a

“Our dancing company frequently tours nationally and internationally. In March 2013, they have been invited to perform at the Nordic Cool Festival at The John F Kennedy Center in Washington,” continues Peter Hansson.

GöteborgsOperan opened in 1994 boasting the most advanced stage-craft in the world. After a thorough renovation in 2009, the opera house is once again among the technical elite - it currently employs around 500 people. The architecture, created by Jan Izikowitz, is influenced by the picturesque harbour that surrounds the building and if you look carefully you will see details like wind-filled sails and silhouettes of ships. The Main stage, which measures 500 m², has four adjustable platforms, and its auditorium holds an audience of 1280, with the Small stage holding 230. “We plan an additional stage that can accommodate 550 people to broaden our repertoire with experimental opera and maybe even jazz concerts. As GöteborgsOperan performs musicals, we already have a younger audience than many other opera houses,” says Peter Hansson.

GöteborgsOperan. P H OTO. I N G M A R J E R N B E R G .

The opera house arranges a lot of activities for children and teenagers. One example is The Storytelling Foyer, where children can listen to musical tales. And you need not go hungry or thirsty - GöteborgsOperan houses a quality restaurant open two hours before the performances start.You also have the choice of two bars and four cafés. Highlights from the 2012-13 season: Chess in Swedish – Musical by Benny Andersen, Tim Rice and Björn Ulvaeus. Adapted to Swedish by Lars Rudolfsson. 8th September 2012 – 22nd March 2013. Rusalka – by Antonin Dvorak. Libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil after a fairy tale, The Little Mermaid, by H C Andersen. Soprano Elisabeth Strid who has played Rusalka on several international stages, makes her first appearance at the Göteborg Opera. 22nd September – 9th December.

Homeland? – Two piece dance program by Sharon Eyal and Gai Behar/Guy Weizman and Roni Hover. 13th October – 16th November. Turandot – by Puccini. The production from 2006 with a magnificent set design and around 200 participants has been a huge success. Turandot is sung by Francesca Patané and Prince Calef by Tomas Lind. 17th November 2012 – 26th January 2013. Crazy Mixmas – a three piece dance program by Alexander Ekman, Medhi Walerski, Jo Strømgren and Fernando Melo. 6th December 2012 – 2nd January 2013.

You will find the Göteborg Opera at Christina Nilssons gata in the Göteborg harbour. Phone +46 (0)31 10 80 00 Web: www.opera.se

“We plan an additional stage that can accommodate 550 people to broaden our repertoire with experimental opera and maybe even jazz concerts. As GöteborgsOperan performs musicals, we already have a younger audience than many other opera houses,” s a y s Pe t e r H a n s s o n .

TE X T: C H R I S T I A N V O N E S S E N

A R T & C U LT U R E M U SIC

M U SIC

Hype and drive

The Autumn calls for a different blend of music. It’s tempting to stay in bed and listen to the rain, accompanied by angst-ridden singer-songwriters. Why not do something else this year? Billy Momo – Ordinary Men (album) Tomas Juto and Oskar Hovell have been back-up musicians for several semi-popular Swedish artists, but one day they decided to pack a car full of instruments and go and explore the woods. The result is electronically fused folk-pop that reminds me a lot of American The Folk Implosion, popular in indie circles in the late nineties. Ordinary Men presents a thick, soft-edged production that makes for nice listening in earphones. The blend of styles, drive, and often soulful melancholy makes this an album worthy of playing on repeat in the office or living room without stealing too much attention.

Swedish Presidency of the European Cultural Network

www.mobettermusic.se

TE X T: S W E D I S H B U L L E T I N P H OTO : N E G U M B O L E W

Niki and the Dove – Instinct (album) If success and popularity are measured in hype, Niki and the Dove would be one of the most well-known, acclaimed acts this year. The atmosphere resembles that of The Knife and Lykke Li – two of Sweden’s most credible contemporary artists. The fragile vocals, coupled with the Kate Bush-style 80’s sound and the popular, post-modern approach to aesthetics has made sure this Swedish duo has had mention at all the right places this year. Listen to opening track Tomorrow and try not to be moved.

Pe t e r Po n t v i k , P r e s i d e n t o f R E M A A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r

“My vision of REMA is that of a dynamic tool and asset for organisers, artists, and early music lovers across the continent,”

S t o c k h o l m E a r l y M u s i c Fe s t i v a l a n d o f E n s e m b l e V i l l a n c i c o

Po n t v i k c o m m e n t s .

www.nikiandthedove.com

The Sweet Serenades – Help Me! Apparently I missed the modest hype surrounding pop duo The Sweet Serenades when they had a minor break-through two years ago. Since then they have done more than a hundred shows at Swedish prisons, exposing them to a ruthlessly critical focus group when it comes to writing the perfect catchy pop song – if the inmates don’t like it, they’ll leave the room, and the song is discarded. Maybe that’s why every song on Help Me! has some kind of relentless drive that makes it impossible to turn off. Not the slickest, most easy-listening music in the world, but there is something very charming and authentic about it.

www.thesweetserenades.com The Bland Band – EP A honky-tonk band from Uppsala sounds a bit unusual, but the Bland Band goes about its music with infectious energy and professionalism. The story goes that the members found each other on the road, playing in the streets, when they decided to move in together and collaborate in one distinct direction. They’re reminiscent of those bands that just happen to play at weddings in Hollywood’s romantic comedies.

www.theblandband.com

finds a home within smartphones, allowing listeners to find early music concerts anywhere in Europe. “My vision of REMA is that of a dynamic tool and asset for organisers, artists, and early music lovers across the continent,” Pontvik comments.

“It is very positive for Sweden to have this possibility to influence and participate in the European cultural scene,” explains Pontvik. REMA activities include a showcase for young artists, conferences on early music, and cooperation projects between member festivals. The network has been recognised by the European Commission, which supports REMA through its Culture Programme.

Another project is the European Day of Early Music, to be held for the first time on 21st March 2013, marking the birthday of Johann Sebastian Bach, and the beginning of spring. Celebrating a millennium of music through concerts, events, and happenings taking place simultaneously across Europe, the day will be a focal point for the promotion of early music in the European Union. “The European Broadcasting Union has shown interest in the celebration, and REMA is at the moment negotiating an official partnership with the European Union, which would strengthen the project and increase its impact.” Pontvik says. The European Day of Early Music aims to be a living memorial to historical musical heritage, increasing the awareness of music from medieval, renaissance, and baroque times and bringing it to the attention of a wider audience.

wedish conductor, composer and artistic director of the Stockholm Early Music Festival, Peter Pontvik, has been elected President of the European organisation REMA. REMA – the European Early Music Network – boasts a membership of more than 60 early music festivals in 20 different countries. Its main objective is to promote, highlight, and inspire interest regarding historical music. Closely connected with other artistic expressions such as dance, theatre, and architecture, early music is a central part of the cultural heritage shared by Europeans. It spans more than a thousand years of music, written down or transmitted by oral tradition from the Middle Ages to the end of the eighteenth century.

In order to build bridges between the organisation and the European audience, Pontvik and the executive board are working with several new ideas. One of these recently launched applications

More information about REMA can be found on www.rema-eemn.ne

As with most trends, it’s difficult to pinpoint when the popularity of the Swedish cuisine really took off. Some say it started with the phenomenal success of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy, while others cite the fact that most Scandinavian foods are fresh tasting and tie in with the current trend towards low carb, high protein diets favored by today’s health-conscious. Be that as it may, the fact is that Swedish food is selling like hot cakes [no pun intended]. Take the UK for example, where Swedish food sales have risen by almost 30% in the past five years and only last January, food trends agency the Food People tipped Scandinavian food as the “hottest UK culinary trend of 2011”.1

The rise of the Swedish chef Spurred on by their growing international popularity, Swedish chefs have claimed medal after medal in the most prestigious culinary events during recent years. In fact, the Swedish National Team has won medals in all international competitions since 1996, winning two Culinary Olympics gold medals and two World Championships in the process. More than 1500 restaurants, and climbing Stockholm rivals Paris in restaurants per capita. Six of them boast Michelin stars, but perhaps more importantly: the average standard is very high with several hundred that serve food well up to, and exceeding international

PHOTO: NICHO SÖDLING

If you thought that Swedish cuisine consisted solely of meatballs and pickled herring, well, you may want to think again. Because the evidence is crystal clear: Europe’s culinary center of gravity is steadily moving northwards.

demands. Let’s put it like this: finding a nice restaurant is the least of your worries when visiting Stockholm. Swedes in general, and Stockholmers in particular, are very trend sensitive and eager to try the latest “thing” (which is why many multinational companies use Stockholm as their test market). This insatiable need for innovation impacts the restaurant business as well. If a restaurant doesn’t keep up with the times, regarding service and flavors, its days are numbered. On the fl ip side, you’ll be able to fi nd some pretty Avant-garde eateries if that’s what your pallet desires. Another unique and inherently Swedish tradition is that most restaurants serve

Would you like to sample the very essence of the Swedish culinary tradition? Look no further than Östermalmshallen, Stockholm’s spectacular food hall where every conceivable type of food is readily available.

Great food, but hard to get a reservation. After the yearly Nobel Prize awards ceremony, a banquet is held at the Stockholm City Hall, where some 1,300 guests enjoy a three-course dinner of Swedish specialties.

what’s called “lunch of the day”; a well cooked, substantial meal for about SEK 90-100 (appr. 10-11 Euro) including coffee!

periods of the year.

Different flavors for different seasons Swedish food is sometimes categorized as comfort food, and currently many restaurants are returning to their roots and bringing back slow-cooked traditional dishes made from locally produced, ecological ingredients. Another trend is that chefs are rediscovering Sweden’s vast reserves of seasonal ingredients and cross-pollinating them with new influences and cooking innovations, creating an amazing variety of modern and exciting dishes that vary with the seasons. A reason as good as any to return to Stockholm during different

We are here for you Stockholm Convention Bureau is here to make things easier for organizers. As a part of Stockholm Visitors Board, we provide a free-of-charge service offering all the support you need to plan a successful meeting. If you want to know more about what we offer and why companies and organizations keep coming back to Stockholm, don’t hesitate to get in contact. For more information, send us an e-mail or give us a call! Stockholm Visitors Board Stockholm Convention Bureau Phone: +46 8 508 28 500 conventionbureau@stockholm.se visitstockholm.com

PHOTO: JENS ASSUR

PHOTO: FREDRIKA BERGHULT

PHOTO: STAFFAN ELIASSON

Something’s cooking in the Capital of Scandinavia.

No, not all Stockholmers catch their dinner with a rod and reel. But the fact is that the water is so clean that even fish landed in downtown Stockholm is perfectly edible. Maybe you should try a few casts?

Bocuse d’Or Europe in Stockholm 2014 Perhaps the best known culinary championships in the world, The Bocuse d’Or, is coming to Stockholm in 2014 when the European round of the competition will be held as a part of the major GastroNord food fair. The choice of Stockholm as the venue should come as no surprise, since Swedish chefs have taken silver medals in the last two world finals. Out of the last six medals awarded, Scandinavian chefs have taken home an astonishing five!

www.bbc.co.uk

E X H I B ITION

A n d y W a r h o l w a s a s k e d t o c r e a t e a r t - w o r k s f o r A b s o l u t Vo d k a i n 1 9 8 6 . © T h e A n d y W a r h o l Fo u n d a t i o n f o r V i s u a l A r t s .

Artipelag and Spritmuseum Stockholm, and the surrounding region, has seen the birth of two new museums this year and both are certainly worthy of your time. TE X T: C H R I S T I N A L I N D E R O T H - O L S O N P H OTO : C O U R T E S Y O F T H E A N D Y W A R H O L F O U N D AT I O N F O R V I S U A L A R T S , C H A R L I E B E N N E T, C A N D I D A H Ö F E R / B U S 2 0 1 2 Artipelag, the entrance. Photo: Charlie Bennet.

pritmuseum – The Museum of Spirits – houses the famous Absolut Art Collection including Andy Warhol’s iconic image of the Swedish designed premium brand vodka bottle.Warhol was the first artist commissioned to do art-work for Absolut, with Keith Haring and Kenny Scharf later following in his footsteps.The exhibition Face It! shows excerpts from the collection, as well as art by international artists and local talents. Housed in two renovated 18th century naval buildings, the museum fronts the water near Stockholm city at Djurgården. There are three exhibitions for visitors to explore. The major one, Sweden: Spirit of a Nation, aims to evoke both painful, and pleasurable memories from visitors, through the subject matter of the Swedes’ bittersweet and ambivalent attitude towards alcohol.

Finally Friday, in place until November this year, is a temporary installation inspired by Friday evening traditions.The installation consists of three rooms – Home,The Bar and The World of Dreams and Expectations, where you rest on an interactive sofa, check out your dancing skills and meet broken illusions.

For those who feel like combining a boat trip with a visit to a beautiful art gallery, Artipelag is the perfect choice. The result of entrepreneur Björn Jakobson’s vision – in 1961 he founded the company BabyBjörn, and the baby carrier has since become a world-wide success.

The restaurant, with its own terrace, focuses on traditional Swedish cuisine, with a seasonal menu, and emphasis on holiday dishes. Boasting a deliberately meticulous drinks menu, the restaurant likes to share the Swedish schnapps culture with visitors. A new exhibition, Lakrits (Licorice), will open on 30th November.

Artipelag is situated in the Hålludden archipelago on Värmdö island,12 kilometres from Stockholm.

Djurgårdsvägen 38, Djurgården. Open daily 10am – 5pm,Wednesday 10am – 8pm.The restaurant is open until 10pm. Phone: +46 (0)8 12 13 13 00. www.spritmuseum.se

The museum building, created by architect Johan Nyrén, is starkly modern, but for those who enjoy wandering through nature, there are trails around the island. Björn Nilsson is Artistic Director for the art section with a view to presenting exciting art shows in the galleries, and other cultural activities, like concerts and music, in the huge ‘ArtBox’ space.

You can have lunch or dinner at Restaurant Baggen, and there is also Bådan Café & Buffet offering finger food, sandwiches and goodies from the bakery. Works by the well-known German photographer, Candida Höfer, are on show until the 28th October 2012. The exhibition includes around 200 images spanning from 1968 through to now. Enlightened (Upplyst), 27th October 2012 – 20th January 2013.

You can reach Artipelag boat (one hour) or a short bus ride (thirty minutes) from Stockholm. Open daily 10am – 8pm. Phone +46 (0)8 570 30 00. www.artipelag.se

COL U MN : SWEDIS THE H SWEDES M U SIC

www.kia.se

ONE OF ITS MANY QUALITIES: ITS QUALITY.

Sailing for sustainability When the Brig Tre Kronor sets sails, it’s for a greater cause than the sole purpose of transportation.What was initially merely a tremendous display of past craftsmanship has evolved into a floating sustainability ambassador for the Baltic Sea. TE X T: C H R I S T I A N V O N E S S E N P H OTOS : B R I G -T O B I A S Ö S T E R B E R G A N D G Ö R A N - C H R I S T I A N V O N E S S E N

he brig is a beautiful sight as she lies at Kastellholmen – the tiny island connected to museum-dense Skeppsholmen by a small bridge. Tre Kronor was designed and built by enthusiasts in the mid-nineties in the same location as the famous Gladan was in 1857. But it was only in 2008 that she could undertake her maiden journey in the true sense of the word. Multiple purpose vessel The initial use of the brig is conference sailings (there are beds for 16 people and a conference room for 55), and while it still is an important part of the business model, the concept has outgrown any traditional ways of owning a ship. Göran Lindstedt, who in the mid-nineties was in charge of Stockholm Water Festival, is CEO of Briggen Tre Kronor, a foundation consisting of almost 4000 shareholders, including both private investors, several major corporate sponsors and NGO’s. – The brig is a symbol, an ambassador for the Baltic Sea, he says. We started the initiative ‘Sustainable Seas’ (Hållbara Hav) in 2011 as a way of creating a better future for the Baltic Sea. Royal touch Since the start of ‘Sustainable Seas’ the Brig Tre Kronor has involved the Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and her Prince Daniel in the project (she is also the brig’s godmother), and serves as a floating platform full of information material, exhibitions, seminars and fundraisers. Sustainable Seas has a new theme set every year, and the current theme for the work is toxic waste, which puts focus on urban sewage systems, the chemicals we flush down our toilets, and inappropriate boat behaviour.

In the summer of 2012, the brig has toured a dozen Swedish tourist harbours with a Baltic Sea exhibition. After an environmental seminar with Crown Princess Victoria, environment minister Lena Ek and 175 invited guests on August 29th, Tre Kronor sailed to some of the major Baltic Sea cities – including Helsinki, Riga, Tallinn, and Copenhagen – to set the stage for seminars with the regions’ most prominent environmental scientists and the responsible ministers. At the end of the season, the brig sails in the outskirts of Stockholm archipelago with eagle and seal safaris. At winter, she is used for seminars, workshops and conferences. – We put pressure on politicians and decision makers, but our goal is to engage the entire society in this mission. We want to pinpoint improvements instead of just focusing on the problems, says Göran Lindstedt. We do the same when we work and sail with youth from disadvantageous circumstances. These kids may come from drug abuse, criminality or segregated suburban areas, and we do not talk about what they can’t do. We focus on what they can do. Although Göran Lindstedt is saddened by the many obstacles that lay ahead of us in the quest for a healthier Baltic Sea environment, he is also happy to see that many of the measures make positive changes. – It’s very pleasing to see that the codfish is recovering in the region, and it is no longer red-listed everywhere. Also, there are large water treatment facilities being built in central Europe that will further improve the water quality. When it comes to the brig itself, we are very happy to have Telia Sonera on board as partner this year, and Dagens Nyheter is our new media partner. That really helps us spread the word.

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www.briggentrekronor.se and www.thestockholmbriggen.se The 7-year warranty is Sweden’s longest manufacturer’s warranty, applicable to cars for private use and to company cars. The warranty stays with the car and expires 7 years after first registration, or after 150,000 km, whichever comes first. For the warranty to remain valid, all service must be carried out by an authorised Kia workshop throughout the warranty period. Otherwise, a 3-year warranty applies with unlimited mileage, as long as the servicing is carried out professionally in line with Kia’s servicing programme. Fuel consumption Combined cycle 4.5 – 6.5 l/100 km. CO2 emissions 117 –149 g/km. Tests conducted in accordance with the European Driving Cycle and emission standard Euro 5. The car pictured may have optional extras. Price may vary. No liability is accepted for printing errors.

SWEDIS H INSTIT U TIONS

T R A V EL

A unique destination Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden – a historical landmark

English-speaking volunteers –watch this space!

TE X T AND P H OTOS : M A D E L E I N E P E R S O N

TE X T: C H R I S T I N E D E M S T E A D E R P H OTO : C L A I R E T H O M A S F O U N D E R O F ENGLISH VOLUNTEERS IN STOCKHOLM

here has been little outlet for English-speaking wannabe volunteers in Sweden – until now. A British expat has taken it upon herself to start a charitable project, bringing volunteer opportunities and the English-speaking community together. Claire Thomas has volunteering in her blood. Her parents and grandparents were active in organisations setting up community centres for operational British forces. Thomas was born in Hong Kong as a result and subsequently lived in Northern Ireland. “There’s a lot to be said for doing things for other people,” she says. “There are positive benefits in volunteering for both mental and physical health and that’s important if you are in an isolated situation in a new country. It can be very valuable to have somewhere to go.” Thomas should know. Since moving to Sweden in October 2010, she has spent Tuesday afternoons helping out in one of Stockholm’s Red Cross shops. She has also put her expertise to good use in helping a Swedish think-tank undertake research into philanthropy around the world.

he Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden, overlooking the Stockholm archipelago, was founded by K.A. Wallenberg (1853-1938), who in his time had a central role in Swedish finance and industry. The idea to build a “Swedish Riviera” was born on a visit to Monte Carlo. In 1892, the architect Erik Josephson won the competition to build the Grand Hotel on the coast, in Saltsjöbaden, surrounded by sea and forest. In the same year, the Swedish King Oscar II laid the first cornerstone of the new hotel. The hotel was built in French style, with the famous Hôtel de Paris in Monte Carlo as a source of inspiration. Both Alice and K.A. Wallenberg were deeply engaged in the work, giving their attention to even the smallest details of both the construction and the interior design. During Grand Hotel’s inauguration in 1893, King Oscar II commanded the whole of the Swedish Navy to anchor in front of the hotel and fire salute of guns – on that day, there

were no naval ships on the whole Swedish coast to defend the country! That day King Oscar II had also ordered two highly valuable vases in china and gold, with the portraits of Queen Sophia and the King himself. The two magnificent vases adorn the hotel’s lobby even today, standing on both sides of the old open fireplace, at the same spot where they were installed at the inauguration ceremony.

(Saltsjöbadsavtalen) have been held here, peace negotiations have been held here at times of wars, world famous people like Heads of State have held conferences here, and among the guests there have been both royal family members and stars from Hollywood. In front of the hotel, on the seaside, is a sculpture depicting a skater – a memory of the first Winter Olympics in 1924.

She was the additional accessory when her husband’s job dictated they move to Sweden. But with a solid background from the non-profit sector in the UK, Thomas decided to take the lead and launch a project promoting English volunteering in Sweden, via the Swedish organisation Voluntärbyrån.

Soon, the hotel became a very popular travel destination, therefore K. A. Wallenberg had a railway connection built from the centre of Stockholm to the hotel’s main door. This made it easier for the restaurants, bars, banqueting halls and conference rooms. Later, the Wallenberg family also had the world-famous Grand Hotel built in central Stockholm. For generations, the Wallenberg family remained in charge of the two sister hotels. Ever since its inauguration, Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden has played a historic role on both national and international planes – Swedish historical negotiations

110 years after Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden was built, it was sold to Helnan International Hotels, founded by the President of the Grand Hotel Saltsjöbaden, Enan Galaly, who has a long career in the hotel and tourism industry. The hotel underwent a major renovation in a classical style with great consideration given to the preservation of the treasures of the original design. Today, the hotel offers a number of facilities including restaurants, bars, banqueting halls, conference rooms, a spa and a guest harbour. www. grandsaltsjobaden.se

“I don’t feel particularly drawn to specific charitable areas,” she says. “”What I really love is working across the board with all kinds of non-profit organisations to build them up and enable them to do what they are doing better.” She subsequently approached the Swedish organisation Voluntärbyrån, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and the response was positive.

“At first it felt like far too much hard work and I wasn’t sure where to start,” she adds. “But it is something I feel strongly about.”Thomas has worked in a broad range of UK charitable organisations, from support work with refugees to people with disabilities.

“I had to raise interest and funds,” Thomas adds. “Everyone liked the idea but people prefer to give money directly to those who benefit. If you give money to a volunteering programme the benefit will be multiplied – but when people come to put their hands in their pockets they don’t really see that.”

Undeterred, Thomas turned to crowd-funding sites on the Internet and raised over 80,000 SEK to get the project up and running. The Swedish Postcode Lottery (PostkoLlotteriet) was impressed with her gallant efforts and pledged to finance a part-time position in order to pay Thomas to develop the project.

“It gives us the possibility to do things properly and not on a shoestring budget.” Currently in the process of developing an English home page on the Voluntärbyrån website, the official launch takes place on November 15th with a reception at the US Embassy. The English Volunteering Project will host two seminars; one for interested non-profit organisations, the other for potential volunteers. “In its broadest sense, it’s for anyone in Sweden that speaks English, and cannot easily converse in Swedish and [that is currently a service user of Voluntärbyrån.” For jobseekers, it could even be the stepping-stone required to find employment in Sweden. “That’s the best case scenario,” Thomas adds. “But no one should go into volunteering presuming they will get a job out of it.You can get valuable work experience and references. It’s for anyone who is already living here, working or studying. The fact that is has been difficult for English-speakers to volunteer in Sweden before is a shame, but we can change that.”

More information: www.volontarbyran.org

G O U R MET

“It’s amazing to see how much people care about Tennstopet. We want to preserve these traditions, while adding our own touch – I mean we come from a different generation, so it would be weird if we didn’t.”

Trendy traditions Tennstopet is one of the few restaurants in Stockholm that serves genuine traditional Swedish food dependent on season. With a new wave of enthusiasts running the place, there is room for concern: will the traditions prevail? Rest assured, they will. TE X T AND P H OTOS : C H R I S T I A N V O N E S S E N

he story of Tennstopet goes back to the dark November of 1867, when Sven Gustaf Högberg opened a ‘pool saloon’ at Fredsgatan 9, a stone’s throw away from the central station. Soon the pool tables gave way to pastries and liquor and Tennstopet was briefly renamed Rosenbad Schweizeri – the Swiss pioneered the practice of selling sweet pastries alongside alcohol – but it was their excellent beer that Tennstopet became famous for.The staff were exclusively female, the clientele exclusively male – many painters, musicians and journalists frequented to sample the beer, smoked eel and surströmming (the smelly Swedish peculiarity of fermented herring). In 1964, after many years at Vattugatan, the restaurant was forced to move again due to the significant restructuring of the central areas in Stockholm. The new destination for owner Gunnar Wiberg was Vasastan, where Tennstopet still lies as a mainstay in the corner of Odengatan and Dalagatan with its iconic neon sign. New beginnings Since then, Tennstopet has developed its rustic French/Swedish cuisine with true authenticity and finesse. And the establishment has evolved into an eclectic mix of atmospheric dart pub, white tablecloth-

adorned fine dining emporium, increasingly trendy al fresco night spot and a broad conveyor of traditional Swedish cuisine husmanskost – which, ironically, is very hard to come across in Stockholm these days. In this context, it’s not an easy task to take over a place with so much history and memories. But that is just what Kristofer Sandström and his two co-owners, Christian Olsson and Robin Moderato, did when they got the keys in January 2012... tension followed.

“Yes, many people were very worried what we would do to the place,” laughs Kristofer Sandström as he lounges in the dining area, twenty minutes before staff lunch. The young trio owns and runs the popular Stureplan steak house,Vassa Eggen, a hip deli and lunch chain, Albert & Jack’s, and cosy yet impressively cool tapas vendor Bouqueria, located in the brand new Mood lifestyle mall. So there was some reason for the traditionalists’ initial concern. But the mission was very clear from the beginning – work with what’s already in place, and slowly develop that atmosphere further. And businesswise it should prove successful – anyone interested in contemporary food culture knows how important values like authenticity, heritage and sustainability are these days.

“It was just a week after launching Bouqueria when we got the call about Tennstopet,” remembers Kristofer. “But we couldn’t let this opportunity slip away.We had been nagging the previous owner Gunnar for five years to sell it to us and we know we didn’t have the highest bid. But I think he likes us and understands how we do things. Now we are definitely laying low for a while.We just want to work with what we have.” Seasonal change This somewhat conservative approach includes paying even greater attention to the seasonal variations in the Swedish food supply. And the owners view their work as a mission with cultural significance. Almost every month of the year offers a new speciality on the menu – hare, spring crow, crayfish, fermented herring.These traditions are sacred. But the toilets and the beer range are the only areas that have had a facelift so far, and everyone in the staff has stayed along.

“The staff are crucial to us, some have worked here for 30 years. I think they were a bit sceptical at first, but we have had some fun teambuilding and I think they are all on board now.The staff and the regulars really create the foundation and atmosphere of this place.”

Some of the upcoming changes at Tennstopet • A more feminine touch to the menu • Dishes spanning a wider price range • The lunch is back after 20 years absence from the menu • More Swedish and less British influences • Increased focus on Swedish crayfish (from Småland) • A new range of beers (more Swedish brands and no more Guiness!) Some of the daily bestsellers • Fläsk med löksås (pork with onion sauce) • B iff Rydberg (chopped fine beef, potatoes and onions, usually served with a raw egg yolk) • S illbricka (platter of assorted flavoured herrings) • Pepparstek (peppered steak)

Contact

Tennstopet Dalagatan 50 Telephone 08-22518 www.tennstopet.se

F OC U S

G O U R MET

Pytte’s Food TE X T AND P H OTOS : E L E O N O R A V O N E S S E N . P Y T T E

Autumn is a time of foraging in the woods, fields and gardens of Sweden. And for those willing to do just that, the rewards are some of nature’s true edible jewels. The real delicacy, however, lies in the country’s lakes, rivers and waterways – the crayfish. Beginning in August, and running into the Autumn months, the crayfish seasons sparks a crustacean invasion of dining rooms all over the country. Tradition dictates that they are served cold with beer, schnapps and perhaps a Västerbotten cheese pie to leave you satiated.

Chanterelle Pies Puff pastry cheese pies with beetroot and chanterelle mushrooms A perfect accompaniment to crayfish, these versatile puff pastry pies make a great side dish, they’re perfect on a buffet, with a drink or as an appetizer – just adjust the size of them accordingly. With Västerbotten cheese, beetroot and chanterelle mushrooms they burst with quintessentially rustic Autumn flavours.

Ingredients

Instructions

Makes 6-12 pies

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C before rolling out the puff pastry and dividing it into 8-12 pieces (dependent on what size pies you want). With a sharp knife, while making sure you don’t cut all the way through, score the pastry about 2 cm from the edges – it should look like a picture frame. Then place the pastries on a tray and bake for 10 minutes. Let them cool for one minute and then carefully press the centre part down to make room for the filling. Combine the ingredients for the filling and divide the mixture between the pies. Put 2-3 slices of beetroot on top and put in the oven for a further 5 minutes. In the meantime, take a pan and fry the chanterelles in butter until softened. Remove the pies from the oven and top them with the chanterelles, season with a little salt and pepper, and sprinkle over chives and some fresh thyme.

• 1 pack of chilled, pre-rolled, puff pastry (250 g) • 125g cream cheese • 125g Västerbotten cheese, grated • 3-4 beetroots, scrubbed, boiled and peeled • 200g chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned • Butter for frying • Chopped chives and fresh thyme to serve

Cut out this recipe and try it for your self!

The English Shop TE X T AND P H OTO : B R I T I S H E M B A S S Y S T O C K H O L M

t was more than 18 years ago that Mariette and Nick East opened up The English Shop in their modest 12m x 12m loft premises in Tjärhovsgatan on Södermalm, Stockholm. At first the idea was to have a showroom for bar products, but as time went on they started to sell sweets and other imported British products. Since about a year ago, Mariette has been running this expanding business by herself. Now the retailer comprises the original shop in Stockholm, these days located in Söderhallarna – a shopping centre on Södermalm in Stockholm – as well as two shops in other parts of Sweden, one in Malmö and one in Göteburg. The company currently employs 11 staff and,

with the re-launch of the online store at the end of the Summer, there is scope for that figure to increase. The online store www.englishshop.se will enable expats all over the country to buy their favourite English products without having to travel to one of the larger cities. Mariette says, “It is great fun to see how over the years, Swedes are getting accustomed to the English traditions. There is now a growing demand at Christmas for turkey, crackers and fun sweets.” And when asked if there was greater demand for English products during the Olympics, she tells us that strangely enough, there wasn’t. Perhaps people were too busy watching the games?

“It is great fun to see how over the years, Swedes are getting accustomed to the English traditions. There is now a growing demand at Christmas for turkey, crackers and fun sweets.”

Mariette proudly tells us that HM Princess Lillian has been a regular customer in the shop for many years, and that they have always enjoyed her visits there. There is a lot on offer in the various shops. Marmite, Branston pickles, bitter marmalade, JellyBelly beans and frozen foods, such as bangers and pies, are amongst the most popular products. When asked which product is the least popular, Mariette tells us “sadly, there is not a great demand for pickled eggs”, but she wants to keep them in stock, in case a desperate expat Brit gets cravings.

For English Shop information in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö visit: www.englishshop.se 71

SWEDIS H DIA R Y

Sustainable Urbanization

Trendy Sweden Swedes seem to be everywhere these days, and of course I am not only talking about here on home soil. Outside the borders of the Kingdom of Sweden, Swedes are becoming world-beaters getting themselves seen on the global stage. That is not entirely a new phenomenon for this sparsely populated land of the north. When I was growing up I was aware of Björn Borg, SAAB, Volvo and Ingrid Bergman. I also knew of the Swedish Bikini team. But despite a pretty good run in the 1960s, Sweden seemed to be lost in a shroud of anonymity for much of the 1980s and 1990s. For a good while now Sweden has been renowned for

productions has helped the world recognise Sweden as a place with its

producing talented musicians. But with the exception of

own identity, and not the home of edelweiss and secret bank accounts.

– a great challenge

a handful of successful Swedish artists and bands, most of the better recognised Swedish musical talents were

Without a doubt IKEA and ‘Scandinavian Design’ has contributed in

not recognised by the public at large. These were the

leaps and bounds to popularizing Sweden. Despite its headquarters

Swedish songwriters and music producers. And even

being located abroad, and its founder, Ingvar Kamprad, being based

with a steady stream of high-profile musical artists and

elsewhere, the home furnishing giant profiles itself as a Swedish

megastars through the nation’s capital, too few people

company inspired by Swedish culture and Swedish design. And while

were likely to be able to locate Sweden on a map. And

it could be that few people know that H&M, a mega trending retailer, is

most likely, those same people confused Sweden with

Swedish, H&M also spreads the universality of Sweden.

Switzerland. No, Sweden does not make great chocolate, have high alpine ranges or hand craft cuckoo clocks.

In this ever-evolving modern world, Sweden is making itself both seen and heard globally through its technology development and

But of late, Sweden has been very popularly trending.

commercialisation. Consistently, pretty much any of the indexes

Swedish authors, stories and characters have become

associated with innovation, connectivity and Internet usage, rank

part of the global mainstream. In the US things really

Sweden in the top three nations on the planet. Facebook recently

took off with the Millennium series. It seems everyone

brought more attention to the Scandinavian nation when it chose

is reading, or has read Girl with the Dragon Tattoo –

northern Sweden to locate its data centre thanks to the benefits of a

popularised still further with Swedish, then Hollywood

colder climate.

releases – or the other volumes of the trilogy. Tours of locations visited by Lisbeth Salander or Mikael Bloomqvist are immensely popular among tourists to Stockholm.

my opinion about the ‘Swedish children’s clothes designer’ Hannah Andersson. They are all shocked when I tell them I know nothing about her. I suppose it’s a bit like everyone in Sweden thinking that the

of Swedish police detectives. The 28 or so Wallander

Lexington brand is from the United States.

Wallander tourism is growing in the area.

If you would like to know more please contact one of the following.

brought out the wannabees. Everyone in my hometown asks me for

Kurt Wallander, have also drawn an international following

all been filmed on location in Ystad and consequently

between planning and different subsystems such as waste, energy, water and sustainable transport. China, India and Russia are all crucial countries with regard to the challenge of sustain able urbanization but also important markets for the Swedish cleantech industry. The Swedish Government has launched an initiative to support the export of environmental technology to these countries and collaboration with them on further innovation and development in this field.

Ironically, the rise in recognition of the Kingdom of Sweden, has also

Henning Mankell’s books and their police protagonist,

films, including several British versions in English, have

The world is undergoing rapid urbanization. Prob ably up to 100 million people a year are moving from rural areas to urban centres. This means high pressure on the environment and natural resources, an urgent demand to save resources and develop ecoefficient environmental technologies, and high demands on sustainable urban planning. A key factor to success in this regard is to identify and utilize the synergies between different segments of urban functions. We use the Swedish concept SymbioCity to visualize the interaction

I can’t help but wonder if we are in the beginnings of a Swedish popularity heyday or if Sweden is at the height of its allclaim. Whatever the case may be; Sweden is trendy and its influence is everywhere.

There are even a lot of Swedish actors and directors in

At the very least, people might stop confusing Sweden with its alpine

Hollywood. I’ve had people who have literally thanked

sister nation to the south. I would really like it if one day people

me for the existence of Alexander Skarsgård and his

mistook Switzerland for Sweden. That would be the confirmation of

father, Stellan. Playing key supporting roles in Hollywood

the sovereign nation’s popularity.

Mats Denninger High Representative mats.denninger@ enterprise.ministry.se

Monique Wannding Director - Russia monique.wannding@ enterprise.ministry.se

Lennart Nilsson Director - China lennart.nilsson@ enterprise.ministry.se

Micael Hagman Director - India micael.hagman@ enterprise.ministry.se

By Elizabeth Dacey-Fondelius 72

A high-speed train for the Nordic climate

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