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Exploring Vancouver the Swedish Way
10 2017
Swedish Cultural Society Arctic Bath Wallenberg Day in Vancouver
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Swedish Press is the world’s leading magazine on all good things Swedish. An authority on design, business, culture and travel since 1929, Swedish Press delivers insightful news and commentary in a visually striking format. With a nod to the past, and a peek to the future, Swedish Press is your go-to source for updates and inspiration from Sweden. SWEDISH PRESS (ISSN 0839-2323) is published ten times per year (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July/Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan) by Swedish Press Inc, 862 Peace Portal Drive, Suite #101, Blaine WA 98230 for $39 per year. Periodical postage paid at Blaine, WA 98230-9998 (No. USPS 005544). US POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Swedish Press, PO Box 420404, San Diego, CA 92142-0404 OFFICE: 9040 Shaughnessy Street, Vancouver, BC V6P 6E5 Canada US MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 420404, San Diego, CA 92142-0404 WEBSITE www.swedishpress.com E-MAIL info@swedishpress.com TEL +1 360 450 5858 TOLL FREE +1 866 882 0088 PUBLISHER Claes Fredriksson Claes@swedishpress.com
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4 Letters to the Editor 5 From the Editor’s Desk Swedish Headlines 6 Headline News: The #MeToo Tsunami Reaches Sweden 7 Swedes in the News 8 Landskapsnyheterna
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NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE: JANUARY 10
Lifestyle 18 Top Sju 19 Music: Tyler Duncan – A Canadian Baritone with a Scandinavian Connection
Business 9 Business News 10 Company File: Sagaform The Arctic Bath in Härad. Photo © Arctic Bath AB
Hemma Hos 20 Design: Arctic Bath – Lapland’s Floating Spa and Hotel 21 Treats à l’Ellen Petersson
ART DIRECTOR Joan Law Joan@swedishpress.com
ADVISORY COMMITTEE Björn Bayley, Peter Ladner, Brian Antonson, Christer Garell, Anders & Hamida Neumuller
E S T . 1 9 2 9
CONTENTS ( December 2017 | January 2018 )
EDITOR Peter Berlin Peter@swedishpress.com
REPRESENTATIVES Calgary: Carin Pihl +1 403 931 0370 Thunder Bay: Elinor Barr +1 807 344 8355 Toronto: Gunilla Sjölin +1 905 751 5297 Winnipeg: Laurel Anderson-McCallum +1 204 255 5224 Los Angeles: Birgitta Lauren +1 310 201 0079 New York: Timothy Lyons +1 732 685 3747 San Diego: Sue Eidson +1 858 541 0207
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Swedish Press
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Heritage 11 Celebrating Heritage with the Swedish Community of Vancouver Feature 12 Vancouver’s Vibrant Swedish Community Interview 14 Monica Olofsson and Carina Spencer – Swedes of Vancouver 16 Christmas Greetings
Swedish Press Connects 22 SCA – Swedish Council of America 23 SACC – Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce 24 SVIV – Svenskar i Världen 25 SWEA – Swedish Women’s Educational Association International 26 MIG Talks – Migrationsverket In the Loop 28 Calendar and Events 29 Ads and Info 30 Sista Ordet Wallenberg Day in Vancouver Cover image: Clockwise from top left: Stanley Park Totem Poles © Tourism Vancouver | 2017 Lucia candidate Annika (Petersson) Knight © Chris & Annika Photography | Midsummer flag ceremony © Chris & Annika Photography | Beluga whale © chbaum | Family snowshoeing at Sea to Sky Gondola © Tourism Vancouver | Skyline of Vancouver in the evening © Edwin Verin Left: Stanley Park © Tourism Vancouver
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, The Swedish Association of Winnipeg warmly thank Swedish Press for their coverage of Kongero, which inspired our President to lure the group to Winnipeg on their cross Canada tour. The Folk’Appella foursome created outstanding harmonies, vocal paintings and ancient melodies, much to everyone’s pleasure. It was delightful to meet such engaging performers who drew us to make exciting personal connections. Hooray for the Swedish-Canadian connection! Laurel Anderson-McCallum Winnipeg, Manitoba
Founded in 1981
Swenson Center
Augustana College Rock Island, IL 61201-2296 Phone 309-794 7204 sag@augustana.edu www.augustana.edu/sag
Need a Dala Horse or Tomte? Check out the great selection of Scandinavian gifts, imports and goodies in our catalog or at:
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Reference “Tough Times for Bank Robbers in Sweden” “Money” has been defined as a “kind of religion.” It surely must be a matter of faith to be confident that your store of value will indeed retain its purchase power. How secure is the electronic world? Can it crash? History tells us that disasters brought about by nature or by humans do occur. Surely now is the time to return to the practices of our grandparents and to keep a stock of goods on hand. Families survived winters eating the harvests they had preserved each autumn and stored in “the fruit cellar.” Mike Curtis Vancouver, BC, Canada
800-779 3344 or 785-227 2983 PO Box 152 • 201 N Main St Lindsborg KS 67456 USA
Hej, Jag läste med stort intresse Mig Talks om Johanna som flyttade tillbaka till Sverige. Ni skall veta det är inte så lätt att återvända till Sverige. Jag önskar flytta med min amerikanske man, gift i 52 år till Sverige. Jag är svensk medborgare och han har sökt Resident permit fyllt i alla papper och betalt avgiften. Nu står han i kön med alla tusentals asylsökande och det tar 1,5 till 2 år, svarar de, innan man får sin permit.
Enjoy reading Swedish Press? Email us your pictures along with your name and comments to info@swedishpress.com and we’ll be happy to publish them.
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Migrationsverket gör ingen skillnad på oss svenskar, som vill komma hem med man. Det är som om de hellre tar hand om alla dem som ej är svenskar först, som behöver all hjälp. Vi är helt självförsörjande och pensionärer behöver inget stöd och kan betala för oss själva. De borde välkomna oss med öppna armar som skattebetalare. Mycket Besviken Rose-Marie Battig Houston, Texas Dear Editor, Has the Swedish Press ever done any articles regarding Americans doing genealogical research on their Swedish heritage? Finding living relatives in Sweden and desire to meet American relatives? We are planning a trip to Sweden in 2018 for this purpose, and I am curious as to what perspective Swedes might have on this subject matter. Tack. Judy Benson Becker, Minnesota Editor’s Comments: Hi Judy, Yes we did a special feature on “genealogy and retracing our roots” in April 2016. We wish you all the best in your planning and would certainly love to hear about your experience after your 2018 trip.
Francesco Boccardo and Valentino Marini Govigli travelled from Oslo to Stockholm on their vintage Tandem Bike. Read about their adventure in Sista Ordet of the October 2017 edition.
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from the Editor’s Desk
On a point of language We need your support!
Swedish Press strives to create a high quality magazine for you, but the costs are considerable and ever-increasing. Given that the subscription rates have remained unchanged since 2014, we are compelled from 2018 to increase the various rates by 13 percent. Please consider making a generous donation to help keep your publication, and Swedish heritage, alive. You’ll find a form on page 29. Tack!
GRATTIS PÅ FÖDELSEDAGEN Dec 7 Chelsea Dahl, 7 år Dec 11 Mila Granberg, 13 år Dec 12 Alec Anders Malhotra, 7 år Dec 15 Chloe Dahl, 9 år Dec 20 Victor Spentzas, 15 år Dec 22 Ella Karolina Lee Sheppard, 14 år Dec 31 Erika Serhan, 13 år Jan 1 Collin Mueller, 16 år Jan 1 Olivia Mueller, 16 år Jan 2 Sofia Eaton, 13 år Jan 8 Sofia Carson, 14 år Jan 10 Linnea Moutray, 15 år Jan 14 Matthew Dahl, 7 år Jan 22 Linnea Granberg, 15 år Jan 23 Niklas Lofstrand-Davey, 8 år Jan 25 Asia Thornquist, 12 år
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very winter I travel to Kiruna in Swedish Lapland to give lectures at the local university. When I first began lecturing there some 20 years ago, the students were all Swedes, so of course I taught in Swedish. After one of those lectures, a student came up to me and said: “Why do you talk funny?” I looked at him with alarm, afraid that my Swedish might have become rusty beyond comprehension after living abroad for 30 years. “What do you mean?” I asked. “Well,” he replied, “you use words like iaktta which nobody understands. The right word is kolla. And then you say befolkning instead of population, and engagera instead of involvera.” I shook my head in disbelief. “So now we are reduced to speaking Swenglish, are we? Listen: judging by your written exam reports, your active Swedish vocabulary is a measly 500 words. Mine is 5000 words, so it’s you that should be taking after me!” He laughed and replied: “What’s the point of having such a grand vocabulary if nobody understands what you are saying?” Well, I sure lost that argument. My New Year’s resolution is to get less hung up on the limited mastery of some Swedes in their own language. Same thing as regards being judgemental about my American and Canadian friends’ English – like the stellar example of the bride who sent me a thank-you card that read: “Thank you for coming to Bill and I’s wedding!” Soon Christmas will be upon us. The October edition of Swedish Press focused on the vast Swedish social and business interests in Los Angeles, that subtropical City of Dreams. In the December/January edition we travel north and turn the spotlight on Vancouver, another West Coast paradise and the cosmopolitan hub of British Columbia. Like L.A., Vancouver has a lively community of enterprising people who count themselves as Swedes by birth or by ancestry. The Heritage section takes us back to the arrival of Swedes in Vancouver during the second half of the 19th century, while the Feature Story highlights the Swedish social, cultural and educational infrastructure within the local Nordic community. The Business Section includes a profile of the American division of the Swedish company Sagaform and its line of stylish gifts for the home. Elsewhere in the December/January issue we feature a variety of articles and interviews on social, cultural, sports and business subjects, including an interview with the baritone Tyler Duncan. We wish our readers a peaceful and merry winter holiday season, complete with fika, glögg, pepparkakor, allsång and, if absolutely necessary, a quick dance around the julgran. Peter Berlin Editor Peter@Swedishpress.com December 2017
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Sex, Faith and Addiction a La Suedoise The #MeToo Tsunami Reaches Sweden
Old Islam in Sweden
By Peter Berlin
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ctober’s sexual harassment scandal that cost Harvey Weinstein his position as a top Hollywood producer was clearly a time bomb just waiting to explode. Brave women are suddenly coming forward in droves to reveal incidents that occurred as far back as 30 years ago, committed by men who abused their positions of power to coerce their victims with promises of career opportunities, job promotions or high exam grades. Many of these women reported the incidents at the time, but disciplinary action against the perpetrators was rarely taken. On 15 October the American actress Alyssa Milano opened the Twitter hashtag #MeToo in an effort to size up the sheer scale of the problem by encouraging abused women everywhere to type in “Me Too.” To date, several million women worldwide have responded. The waves from the explosion have crossed the Atlantic. In Sweden, prominent men in politics, business, entertainment and the arts are finding themselves subjected to the merciless limelight of the news media. It is still early days, but there is little doubt that heads will begin to roll in the coming weeks. The prospect of harassment seems to be lurking around every corner. In a recent TV interview Åsa Regnér, the woman Minister of Social Equality, described the fear that overcame her as a carload of drunken men hurled obscene abuse at her one early morning while she was out jogging, and as a man at a railway station exposed himself to her after asking the time.
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In Europe, the prevalence of inappropriate sexual advances is often seen as a problem mainly in Anglo-Saxon cultures, perhaps as a reaction to historically tight moral strictures. In a speech given in 1960, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower claimed that “sin, nudity, drunkenness and suicide” were rampant in Sweden. It is true that Swedes have adopted a liberal attitude to matters of sex and nudity since WWII, with sex education included as a mandatory subject in schools and people unashamedly swimming in the nude along secluded shorelines. It may therefore seem like a paradox that inappropriate sexual advances on the sly have not only been common in Sweden, but have also created such pent-up intensity of resentment among the victims. When it comes to accusations of sexual harassment, concerns are being raised that a fundamental principle in Western jurisprudence is being discarded, namely that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Even if a man is acquitted of the purported violation, his career may have suffered irreparably, and his social standing often remains tarnished. On the other hand, the time has come when the testimony of women can no longer be ignored – not in Sweden or anywhere else. The good news is that an increasing number of men are lending their voices to the call for the eradication of sexual abuse against women.
During their extensive travels to faraway lands, the Vikings indulged in burning, raping and pillaging. As for the pillaging, the discovery of 100,000 Islamic dirham silver coins in various Viking graves proves that these intrepid travellers made it as far as Central Asia. Recently, researchers at Uppsala University have been trying to decode what looks like Arabic Kufic script woven into a fragment of typical Viking age burial clothing found at the Birka and Gamla Uppsala burial sites. In contrast to the coins, the fragment was locally made rather than brought in from abroad. Initially the pattern was thought to be merely a decorative feature, but when examining a mirror image of the apparent script more closely, the researchers discerned the word Allah. The fragment will be on display at the Enköping Museum’s exhibition on Viking couture until February 2018. Sweden Noir The international success of Swedish crime fiction – notably those by authors Stieg Larsson and Henning Mankell – may come as a surprise, since Sweden is not known as a crime-infested country by international standards. But an unusual criminal trend is lurking under the peaceful surface, involving recent thefts of… chocolate. Recently $1000 worth of chocolate bars was stolen from a supermarket. The latest heist involved four tons of Ferrero Rocher chocolate/hazelnut orbs worth 1 million kronor ($120,000), removed from a truck at night while the driver was asleep in the cabin. Statistically, Swedes are more addicted to coffee than almost any other nation. Now add chocolate to the list.
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Swedes in the News
Swedish Premieres, Politics and Holiday Cheer Movie promotes Köping
Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson. Photo: Mattias Bardå
Swedish authors/TV hosts Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson are well-known for their laid-back spontaneous style in front of the camera. The entertainment duo’s latest project “Tårtgeneralen” is scheduled to premiere in Swedish movie theaters on December 25. The movie, based on Hammar and Wiking’s 2009 book “Tårtgeneralen,” centers around events, which took place in the small Swedish locality of Köping in the spring of 1984. When Köping is named “The world’s most boring city,” a man by the name of Hasse P (played by Mikael Persbrandt) takes on the challange of putting Köping on the map. His plan – making the world’s longest sandwich. Wells & Källgren’s Winter Swedish pianist Robert Wells and soprano singer Sofia Källgren are taking the stage this holiday season with their concert series “Musik i vintertid”. The concerts, which feature the
popular Swedish musicians’ most appreciated repertoire, as well as well-known Christmas melodies and musical, film and classical music, will be performed throughout Sweden until January 7, 2018. Expect a warm, inviting and playful concert celebrating the winter season. For tickets to the event, see: ticketmaster.se
the two party-leader debates he has participated in since being elected the Moderate Party’s new leader in October.
6th Arrondissement. The Strindberg bust was shipped from Herman Bergmans konstgjuteri in Enskede to Paris. The bronze bust is a newly created casting replicating Carl Eldh’s original model from 1905. The City of Paris has named the plaza Place August Strindberg. Git Gay’s scholarship
Ulf Kristersson. Photo: F. Wennerlund
A Swede in Paris
Kristersson catches up Recent survey shows that support for Sweden’s Prime Minister/the Social Democrats leader Stefan Löfven declines as the Moderate Party’s new leader Ulf Kristersson rapidly catches up. Conducted by Expressen /Demoskop the survey reports that the Moderate Party reaches 21.9 percent (an increase of 4.7 percent since last month’s survey, which showed 17.2 percent). The Social Democrats, on the other hand, ended up at 28.2 percent (compared with 32.1 percent last month.) The parties now differ by only 6.3 percent. According to Expressen/Demoskop’s survey, Kristersson has also won the viewers’ votes in
August Strindberg, one of Sweden’s most prominent writers and internationally known dramatists, is being honored with a bust in Paris. Strindberg spent long periods in France and wrote some of his most famous works in French. Most of the talented author’s Swedish writings have also been translated into French, and his theater plays continue to be performed regularly on the French stage. The bust was unveiled November 6 in the public square Strindberg frequented, adjacent to the Northwest façade of Eglise Saint Sulpice in the
Lill Lindfor. Photo: Peter Knutson, and Christer Lindarw. Photo: Magnus Liam Karlsson
Beloved artists Lill Lindfors and Christer Lindarw have been awarded this year’s Git Gay scholarship. The Scholarship was introduced on behalf of the wishes contained in Swedish Primadonna Git Gay’s will. Lindfors and Lindarw get to share the prize money of 100,000 SEK awarded by the Git Gay Artist Fund. According to the jury, Lindfors is given the award because of her charisma, humor, warmth and impressive social commitment outside of the stage. Lindarw has succeeded in making drag show a Swedish public amusement. Git Gay passed away in 2007.
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[Landskapsnyheterna] BLEKINGE Karlskronaborna har fått en ny kamrat. En lodjursunge har setts trippa runt Hässlegården och Bastasjö strax utanför stan. Bertil Larsson, inventerare på länsstyrelsen, lyckades ta några bilder med sin kamera. – Det är en årsunge, född någon gång i maj. De har ju inte riktigt förståndet att vara skygga. Den går omkring och tittar på det mesta, säger han. Om ungen har kommit ifrån sin mamma eller om mamman har gömt sig någonstans i närheten är oklart. I vanliga fall brukar lodjursungar hålla sällskap med sina mammor fram tills det är dags för dem att para sig i mars. Troligtvis finns det mellan fem och femton lodjur i Blekinge. Antalet varierar på grund av att lodjuren dagligen rör sig långa sträckor. Vuxna lodjur är ofta väldigt skygga. – Det är få förunnat att få se ett vuxet lodjur, säger Bertil Larsson. BOHUSLÄN Tusen personer blev utan el när ett strömavbrott drabbade invånarna på Tjörn. Efter att elbolaget Ellevio undersökt problemet konstaterade man att avbrottet kan ha berott på en avgrävd kabel. – Det är ungefär tusen hushåll som är berörda. Vi felsöker och kopplar om strömmen, bekräftade Maria Bang, presskommunikatör på Ellevio. Fram till dess att problemet åtgärdats kunde de som drabbats av strömavbrottet uppleva problem. – Vi försöker lösa det så snabbt som möjligt. Teknikerna kopplar om så strömmen kommer och går för att försöka hitta alternativa vägar för strömmen, förtydligar Bang. Problemet kunde så småningom lösas och Ellevio fastslog att elavbrottet berott på en avgrävd strömkabel.
med om en dykolycka. Mannen, som var i tjänst när han dök, larmade själv räddningstjänsten. – Vi behandlar det som en arbetsplatsolycka men han var inte i skick att berätta var han dykt och vem han jobbar för. Det viktiga var att han fick vård snabbt, säger Peter Ström, vakthavande befäl hos polisen. Mannen transporterades omgående till Universitetssjukhuset i Linköping och flögs sedan till Karlskrona för behandling i en tryckkammare. – Den information som jag har fått säger att han behandlas för dykarsjuka, säger Peter Ström. Lyckligtvis var mannen talbar och vid medvetande. UPPLAND Ett hus byggt i slutet av 1800-talet på Norrmalm i centrala Stockholm har brunnit. Efter att räddningstjänsten larmats tillkallades mellan 70 och 80 brandmän till platsen. – Det är en lång insats, nu försöker vi lösa det praktiskt med att få hem folk som jobbat hela dagen och få dit ny personal, säger Göran Stark vid Storstockholms brandförsvar. Under insatsen fördes två personer till sjukhus på grund av rökskador. Efter flera timmars arbete lyckades Räddningstjänsten släcka elden. Hur branden uppstod är ännu oklart, men på grund av att man inte vill utesluta några utredningsmöjligheter har polisen rubricerat det inträffade som mordbrand.
ÖSTERGÖTLAND En man i Åtvidaberg, Östergötland har förts till sjukhus efter att han varit
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Byygnaden som brinner vid Stureplan är väldigt hårt skadad. Foto: J. Ekströmer. Vildmannen 7 med den tidigare hyresgästen. Foto: Hufvudstaden.
LAPPLAND NORRBOTTEN
VÄSTERBOTTEN
JÄMTLAND
HÄRJEDALEN
ÅNGERMANLAND
MEDELPAD HÄLSINGLAND
DALARNA GÄSTRIKLAND VÄSTMANLAND VÄRMLAND
UPPLAND
SÖDERMANNÄRKE LAND
DALSLAND ÖSTERGÖTLAND BOHUSLAND VÄSTERGöteborg GÖTLAND SMÅLAND HALLAND SKÅNE
Stockholm
GOTLAND ÖLAND
BLEKINGE
Malmö
NORRBOTTEN En man, som troligen bedrivit en illegal bilskrot i Luleå, misstänks för grovt miljöbrott. – Det var en omfattande teknisk utredning och det tog tid att analysera den, säger miljöåklagare Stig Andersson till Sveriges Radio, SR. Redan 2009 inspekterades mannens fastighet efter klagomål om skrotbilar. Man konstaterade dock att de flesta bilar var borta vid följande inspektion. På grund av nya klagomål genomfördes år 2013 ytterligare en inspektion. Man upptäckte då ett stort antal skrotbilar samt bilbatterier och spillolja. Mannen uppgav då att han genast skulle påbörja uppstädning av området. Polisen misstänkte även att mannen grävt ner bilar i marken. Tomten sanerades år 2015. Miljöåklagare Stig Andersson har, enligt Sveriges Radio, inte bestämt sig för om han ska väcka åtal.
[Business] News Money, Money, Money North Korea’s debt to Sweden
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ith North Korea in the midst of developing atom bombs and long-range missiles to carry them, accompanied by sinister nuclear threats against the United States, one forgets that 40 years ago the political climate was very different. At the time, South Korea was experiencing phenomenal growth in economic and technological prowess, thanks primarily to outsourcing by Western manufacturers. North Korea, impoverished even then, took note of its southern neighbour’s success and initiated contacts of its own with Western companies. In 1994, the North Koreans signed a package deal worth $131m with several Swedish corporations which included drilling equipment from Atlas Copco, ship installations from ASEA, and a batch of one thousand Model 144 sedans from Volvo. Since North Korea was an exporter of gold, silver, zinc, lead and some other valuable commodities, the Swedish firms saw no reason to doubt the country’s ability to pay. Sweden and North Korea have a long-standing relationship. Sweden was the first Western European country to recognize North Korea as a sovereign state, and in 1975 the Swedish Embassy opened in Pyongyang. In this atmosphere of mutual good-will, the North Koreans seemed surprised when the Swedish companies began calling for payment, as if the deal should somehow be seen as a part of Sweden’s foreign aid. When no payment was
Old Volvo cars from the 1970’s in Pyongyang.
forthcoming, the Swedish Export Credit Agency (EKN) reimbursed the companies and took over the role of creditor. Since then, the North Korean debt has increased to $328m due to accumulated interest. Twice a year the EKN sends a reminder of the debt to the North Korean government, but so far to no avail. This debt constitutes almost half of what is owed by foreign governments to Sweden, the next largest debtor being Cuba. To recover debt from a country like North Korea is no easy matter. Traditionally there are two possible avenues. The first approach is to deny the country further credit until old debts have been settled. The second path is to seize the country’s assets in one’s own country. But because of North Korea’s self-imposed isolation, neither of these methods are available to Sweden, or to other creditor nations for that matter. Some countries such as Switzerland and Russia have simply written off most of North Korea’s debt – but not Sweden, as yet. The only good news is that, of the 1000 Volvos delivered to North Korea back in 1974, some can still be seen driving around as taxis on the streets of Pyongyang and elsewhere – a testament to Swedish engineering excellence!
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Savings turned upside down
weden’s Central Bank, the Riksbank, has been steadily lowering the key interest rate over the past few years. It now stands at minus 0.5 percent, which means that if a commercial bank wants to deposit funds with the Riksbank, it has to pay for the privilege rather than receiving interest. Normally the interest rates that banks offer the general public for loans and savings follow the same trend as the key rate, which means that in theory savers would receive no interest at all and would
instead have to pay the banks for maintaining a savings account. So far, none of the major banks in Sweden have decided to take matters that far, but the interest on savings remains close to zero.
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Volvo on a roll
ost people associate the name Volvo with staid and sturdy family cars, but sometimes one gets an unwelcome close-up of that diagonal female vector symbol in the rear-view mirror as one is chased down the highway by a tailgating 50-ton Volvo truck. Today, the company’s product line also includes buses, construction equipment, marine engines and financial services. In fact, the Volvo family car manufacturer doesn’t belong to Swedish Volvo anymore, having been sold off to Ford in 1999 and subsequently passed on to the Chinese company Geely in 2010. Trucks and construction equipment are the most lucrative products within the largely Swedish-owned Volvo Group. During the 3rd quarter of 2017, the order book grew by 30 percent. The profit before tax was SEK 7.0bn ($830m), compared to SEK 4.1bn ($490m) during the same period last year. Some of the successes are due to well-timed acquisitions of competing foreign truck manufacturers. Volvo is on a roll hiring new staff and is eyeing opportunities to make their vehicles more ecological.
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Company File
Clean Design That Enhances Your Home, Rather Than Overtaking It
make excellent gifts. Piccadilly is a line created in cooperation with Pernilla Wahlgren and Ann-Carin Wictorsson. The line features great bake and serving pieces for gettogethers and include recipes from Pernilla with each piece. Our whole line is perfect for all gift occasions.
By Peter Berlin
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ngerid Mohn is the President of Sagaform Inc., the North American Division of the renowned Swedish brand that aims to be the obvious gift choice for a Saturday night dinner host, the new neighbours you welcome to your community, or when you want to brighten up your day at home. Swedish Press spoke to Ingerid at her home in Minneapolis, MN.
Tell me about your background and what brought you to the United States. I grew up in Halden, Norway, on the border with Sweden. At age 14 I started working at the Svinesund area which is on the Swedish side of the border. I worked there weekends and vacations until I left for College in the US at age 21. I attended the American College of Norway (ACN) in Moss for one year before transferring to the University of North Dakota (UND) in Grand Forks. In 1999 I graduated with a degree in Marketing and started working
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for a Swedish kitchen distributor. I stayed there until 2008 when I joined a French tabletop company. In early 2011, I heard about the opportunity to work for Sagaform. I was very excited as I had enjoyed seeing the line at trade shows and was fortunate to start working with them in February of 2011. As you can see, I have spent most my life working for Swedish companies and at this point call myself an honorary Swede! What is it about the Sagaform product line that appeals to Americans? Scandinavian design offers something unique on the North American market. It features clean design that enhances a room, rather than overtaking it. Sagaform’s products are excellent examples of great Scandinavian design. Our pieces are very functional, generally fit in everyone’s home, and are beautiful to look at. Sagaform first appeared on the US market in 2006. Since then the line has evolved and become a beacon of beautiful design. We brand ourselves as a Scandinavian Lifestyle collection with categories such as Nature, Bar and Piccadilly. Our Nature line is well known for its sleek design and addition of natural materials. We are also known for fun Bar products that
Who designs Sagaform articles, and where are they made? We work with independent designers – Swedish designers mainly – that either we reach out to, or they reach out to us. I think a lot of Swedes are familiar with some of them, like Ann-Carin Wiktorsson. We also work with Pernilla Wahlgren, the Swedish singer, actress and presenter who I think every Swede knows from when she competed successfully in Melodifestivalen. Our products are made in Italy and Turkey, and also in the Far East.
You are based in Minnesota, the focus of Swedish emigration in the 19th century. Is it still the hub of Swedishness? There are a lot of Swedish influences here, for example the American Swedish Institute housed in a gorgeous building on Park Avenue here in Minneapolis, and they have a lot of activities. Minnesota is still the big hub for Swedish culture – not to say that Seattle isn’t a close second!
H E RI TAG E
“Hulda Linquist hosted Sammy Davis Jr...” Celebrating Heritage with the Swedish Community of Vancouver By Marie Low
V
ancouver has been shaped by Swedes for over one hundred years. The first wave of Scandinavian immigration to Canada came at the end of the 19th century. During this period, there were a number of key factors causing Scandinavians to pack their belongings for the long journey across the world. Firstly, the Swedish government increased the duration of conscription. This forced young men to leave their families for long periods, making it nearly impossible to maintain their farms. A dip in the economy, a spike in the population, and the resulting famine motivated emigration. In 1898 the Canadian government passed the Hamlet Clause of the Lands Act. Homesteading
Hulda Linquist
Swedish Press, formerly known as Nya Svenska Pressen, was founded in Vancouver in 1929.
families would now be allowed to settle together and support each other. This greatly improved the conditions for the homesteaders, as they were previously forced to settle their land in isolation from each other. Today, the number of Swedish descendants in Vancouver can only be estimated. The Scandinavian borders have changed throughout history, making it hard to define who the “true” Swedish emigrants were. Canadian records kept track of immigrants’ countries of origin; this is unhelpful as Swedes generally travelled to Canada via the UK or US. Also, the culture of “lagom” resulted in Swedish homesteaders keeping a low profile. Despite this cultural conformity, there are some Swedes in Vancouver’s history who stand out. Hulda Linquist, for instance, was the owner of the Lotus Hotel on Pender and Abbott Street. She hosted big names such as Sammy Davis Jr. and Roy Rogers in the 1920s. Rudolph Verne is another noteworthy Swede who brought skiing to Vancouver. In the early 1920s, Verne opened a ski camp on Hollywood Ridge and a ski store near Stanley Park. Throughout the 20th century, the Swedish community in Vancouver
grew more prominent. The Swedish Augustana Lutheran church opened in 1905. In 1929, the Swedish Press was founded in Vancouver by two Finnish-Swedes. The Swedish Cultural Society of Vancouver was established at the beginning of the 1950s with the goal of preserving the Swedish language and traditions. This was particularly timely as a number of other Swedish societies in Vancouver were transitioning into using only English. Interest in acquiring a community center for Scandinavians began in the 1990s, led by the Finnish-Swedes and Norwegians in Vancouver. In 1996, the Scandinavian Community Centre was inaugurated, with ownership shared between the five Nordic countries: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. The ceremony captured the spirit of cooperation and comradery between these countries. SwedishCanadians have been integrated into the history of Vancouver for over one hundred years. The Scandinavian presence on Canada’s west coast is undeniable. For more information, check out Christina Reid’s guided tour with the Trethewey House (www. tretheweyhouse.ca) in Abbotsford, and Irene Howard’s book “Vancouver’s Svenskar.” Special thanks to Irene Olijum and Laila Axén.
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 11
Vancouver’s Vibrant Swedish Community By Marie Low
V
ancouver is more than just a beautiful city; it has a vibrant Swedish community of traditions, celebrations, and a deep sense of belonging amongst Swedish-Canadians of all ages. A quintessential example of such traditions is the annual Lucia celebration. Luciatåget first took place in Vancouver 52 years ago, and has become a huge event since then. Every year, approximately 300 people attend Lucia at Vancouver’s Scandinavian Community Centre. Those who attend the afternoon performance will enjoy fika and a rendition of Swedish Christmas songs by the Swedish School. The evening performance is complete with a Swedish julbord and glögg. Guests will be invited to enjoy allsång and traditional dancing around the Christmas tree. “I have never in my life celebrated Lucia as much as I have here in Vancouver, and I lived in Sweden for 30 years!” says Kee FranzenKimmel, long-time member and librarian for the Swedish Cultural Society. On December 9th, 2017, Annika (Petersson) Knight 2017 Lucia candidate Annika will wear the luciakronan, (Petersson) Knight. Photo: Chris & don the white gown and red Annika Photography sash, and lead the procession. The darkened room will be filled with candlelight as the procession enters, singing the hauntingly beautiful melody of “Santa Lucia.” This year there will be about 20 girls and boys in the luciatåget, ranging in age from as young as seven to 22 years old. The young girls are patiently awaiting their turn to wear the Lucia crown, as Annika has done since the age of seven. “I am very thankful to belong to a culture that has so many traditions,” says Annika, adding that the Swedish community has helped her feel connected to her roots. “The events are incredible and the people remind me of
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 12
some of my family members in Sweden.” There certainly is an impressive range of events hosted year-round by Vancouver’s Swedish community. In November, holiday cheer is spread at the annual Swedish Christmas Fair. The fair boasts 35 ven- Annual Swedish Christmas Fair. Photo: Chris & Annika Photography dors, ranging from leather crafts to silver jewelry and delicious baked goods. Children can get creative at the craft station while watching the Kalle Anka Christmas special on TV. In January 2018, the 13th annual Wallenberg Day will be hosted by the Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Society. The Swedish and Jewish communities collaborate to pay tribute to Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who rescued close to 100,000 Jews from Nazi-occupied Hungary during WWII. As winter melts into spring, Valborg is celebrated with singing and a bonfire at Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver. In May, Sweden is represented at the European Festival. This fun-filled weekend opens with a flag-bearing parade, followed by cultural exhibitions and cuisine from over 30 countries. The people of Sweden love summer, and SwedishCanadians are no exception. In 2018, the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival will be hosted in Vancouver for the 32nd time. During June 22 – 24, the long summer days will be celebrated by all five Scandinavian House societies together: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. Among other festivities, the midsommarstång will be raised with traditional singing and dancing. The Swedish Cultural Society (SCS) of Vancouver is the driving force behind many of these events. Their mission is to preserve the Swedish language and traditions with art, culture, music and
dance. There are currently 330 members. The SCS falls under the umbrella of the Sweden House Society, which co-owns the Scandinavian Community Centre alongside the other four Nordic house societies. “I want to preserve some Kicking off midsummer festivities of the Swedish culture and with the flag ceremony. Photo: Chris language here,” says Carina & Annika Photography Spencer, President of the Scandinavian Community Centre Board, “because I feel that my soul is still yellow and blue.” The Scandinavian Community Centre houses the SCS library. This collection holds close to 800 books by Swedish authors and 65 DVDs. The selection consists mainly of fiction ranging from classics to new releases, as well as some poetry and non-fiction. Book lovers can bond through the two Swedish book clubs, which meet on a monthly basis to discuss current Swedish literature. The Swedish Cultural Society also supports the Swedish School of Vancouver. In the 2017 – 2018 academic year, 65 children aged 3 – 15 years are registered. The goal is to raise a bilingual generation of SwedishCanadians, as the students generally have at least one Swedish parent. “It’s fun, and I get to Kasper Cheung, one of the students learn Swedish,” says Kasper of the Swedish School of Vancouver. Cheung, a 10-year-old stuPhoto: Sandra Benholm-Cheung dent at the Swedish School. “The best part of Swedish School is Evans Lake, the camp we do in May.” The Swedish School has been functioning for over 25 years. Since then, the SCS has also introduced four levels of language classes for adults.
Another important organization is the Swedish Women’s Educational Association. SWEA provides support and networking opportunities for over 60 members who have immigrated to Vancouver. The association supports Swedish-Canadians with scholarships. SWEA also hosts much-anticipated social events such as kräftskivan and sillsexan. Religion adds another element to the community. Twice annually, a Swedish minister visits Vancouver to hold a Swedish church service. The service is held at one of the Danish churches in Burnaby near the Scandinavian Community Centre. Vancouver is also the home of the Swedish Canadian Village, a non-profit organization offering affordable senior housing. It is culturally oriented to residents of Swedish descent, but other cultures and ethnicities are also welcome. Since opening in 1949, it has expanded to a new location with over 200 units. The Swedish presence Scandinavian Community Center. in Vancouver extends to Photo: Amanda Wood royalty as well. In 2010, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and Prince Carl Philip attended the Winter Olympics to support Team Sweden. Hockey, of course, is important to Sweden and Canada alike. The Sedin twins recently promised hockey fans that they would finish their career as Vancouver Canucks. “We are Swedes, but this is our home,” wrote Henrik Sedin in an open letter to Vancouver on September 7, 2017. The Swedish community in Vancouver works diligently to preserve traditions and build a sense of belonging. There is fun for all ages, all year round! At the heart of it is a group of incredible people celebrating their heritage.
Photo : Songquan Deng
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 13
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Swedes of Vancouver By Sofie Kinnefors
The Swedish expatriate community in Western Canada, especially around Vancouver, British Columbia, is a thriving meeting place that continues to embrace all things Swedish and Scandinavian. Swedish Press spoke to Monica Olofsson and Carina Spencer – both key players in the success of Vancouver’s flourishing Swedish organization The Swedish Cultural Society of Vancouver and its home The Scandinavian Community Centre.
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ounded more than 60 years ago, The Swedish Cultural Society of Vancouver continues to celebrate Swedish heritage through holiday events, year-round lectures, music, dance and art. The organization is based in The Scandinavian Community Centre in Burnaby, BC – a centre for local and visiting Scandinavians determined to preserve their Nordic heritage and culture in the Metro Vancouver area. The centre also hosts Danish, Norwegian, Finnish and Islandic house societies. The Sweden House Society (SHS), which supports the development of The Scandinavian Community Centre, acts as an umbrella organization for all Swedish networks and associations in the Lower Mainland. Of these Swedish groups, The Swedish Cultural Society has the largest membership. A board consisting of three representatives from each house society has been established to run The Scandinavian Community Centre. The Swedish board consists of representatives from the Swedish societies and groups.
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Monica Olofsson © Chris & Annika Photography
Monica Olofsson and Carina Spencer both serve on the board. “The main purpose of The Scandinavian Community Centre Society (SCCS) is to take care of the building and all administrative duties pertaining to running the centre,” says Spencer. “We are a non-profit society, so we rent out the centre to earn an income.” Monica Olofsson, who grew up in Härjedalen, Sweden, worked as a teacher when her husband was offered a position in Vancouver. The family decided to move. “We figured out pretty fast that we wanted to meet other Swedes and for
the children to meet other Swedishspeaking children. That’s why we registered our children for the Swedish preschool,” she says. “We met families who became – and still are – friends.” Olofsson has been actively involved in the Swedish community for the past few decades. She has served as President of The Swedish Cultural Society twice, worked as a teacher at the Swedish school for many years, and been part of the Midsummer Committee for over 15 years, in charge of leading the annual Midsummer dance. The Midsummer event draws the most visitors of all events organized by the Swedish Cultural Society. It’s also the only event which is planned and carried out jointly by all of the Scandinavian house societies. The Midsummer celebrations take place in June each year, lasting for three days and requiring an impressive team of 250 volunteers. Olofsson is currently in charge of memberships. “I keep track of our members and send out reminders about what’s going on,” she says. As a Swedish teacher at the Swedish School, which offer classes for children
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and adults, Olofsson usually taught children aged three to six. The school currently has about 65 children attending classes once a week. The Swedish Cultural Society offers classes for adults at many different levels and, according to Olofsson, the classes are very popular. “I don’t think Swedish is overly difficult to learn,” she says. “Englishspeaking students might have problems with the pronunciation of some of the sounds, and when they get to higher levels the grammar can be tricky. I taught different levels for several years and I was always so impressed by how eager and curious the adult students were. It was lots of fun and very rewarding to teach Swedish to adults.” Carina Spencer grew up in Småland and came to Canada as an au pair in 1986. After meeting her husband she chose to stay. Spencer also decided to bring her child to Swedish School at the Centre. “That is how I ended up being part of The Swedish Cultural Society and the Board of Sweden House.” Spencer, current President and member of the Scandinavian Centre Board, plans and organizes the different Swedish events and celebrations arranged by The Swedish Cultural Society. “My responsibilities are to chair meetings, set up committees and make sure our admin team is doing well,” she
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says. “Every President has his/her own level of involvement as far as everything else goes, since we are all volunteers. We are having a very busy time this year at the Centre with many projects on the go. We rotate the Presidency each year among all the countries, which means Sweden has to come up with a President every fifth year.” According to Spencer, quite a lot of Swedes have found their way across the Atlantic to Vancouver. The metropolitan city is home to famous Swedish hockey players, as well as to Swedes on business and for studies. “Swedes have a tendency to just blend in,” says Spencer. “We are proud of our heritage but not loud about it. We try very hard to keep our language and traditions for the generations to come, and the Centre is a great place for that. We also have the Swedish Canadian Village in Burnaby that runs a rest home and two low-income
S P E N C E R
housing projects. Laila Axén, a longtime Vancouver resident with Swedish roots, is spearheading a Swedish museum and archives project at one of the properties there. We are trying to preserve Swedish artifacts and the history of Swedes in BC.” With the holidays fast approaching, the Swedish Cultural Society is busy preparing for Lucia. The event, which offers two performances, is set for December 9. The daytime event features a performance by the children of the Swedish School, as well as coffee and saffron buns. The evening celebration kicks off with some mingling and mulled wine, followed by a Lucia performance by children and young adults. For those in need of a little snack there is a Swedish Christmas smörgåsbord, consisting of traditional dishes, such as Jansson’s temptation (Janssons frestelse), ham, lox and herring. Dancing is optional. “Some people are brave enough to dance around the tables, chairs and even the tree,” says Olofsson. “If you have a streak of yellow and blue in you, please come and join us at one of our many events at the Centre. I’m looking forward to meeting you,” says Spencer. For more information about the Swedish Cultural Society and the Scandinavian Community Centre, see swedishculturalsociety.com and Scandinaviancentre.org
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 15
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Ambassaden i Ottawa önskar alla läsare
God Jul och Gott Nytt År
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Hemsida: www.swedishembassy.ca | Facebook: Embassy of Sweden in Ottawa | Twitter: @SwedenInCAN | Instagram: @SwedenInCAN
Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C wishes you
Happy Holidays @SwedeninUSA @OlofsdotterK, Ambassador Karin Olofsdotter instagram.com/swedeninUSA facebook.com/swedeninUSA swedenabroad.com/washington youtube.com/EmbassyofSweden flickr.com/embassyofswedenwashingtondc
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 16
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS
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Livingston, Marie Low, Scott MacLeod, Johan Magnusson, Blake Meier, Karin Ann Alvord, Stephen Anderson, Leslie N Y A S V E N S K A P R E S S E N E S T . 1 9 2 9 Moen Abercrombie, Karen R. Nelson, G. Carlson, Bradley J. Carlson, Gunilla Creutz, Inga-Lill Dose, Patricia Edye, Maria Ehnes, Siv Ek, Jan Nordin, Tina O’Malley, Ellen Petersson, Madeleine Maud Engberg, Stina Ferguson, Edie Gonzalez, Walter & Rask, Kristi Robinson, Alice Shih, Robert Silverstein, Betty Gustafson, Karin M. Hayes, Birgitta Herron, Nellie Anita Spence, Martin Stillion, Caroline Strömberg, Lisa Söderlindh, Janine Verhulst, Eva Wunderman. I. Hohnsen, Anita Horne, Elmer Rob Kopper, Gwen Larsson, Ray W. Liberg, Soren Linder, Märta & Hans THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HELP Lundquister, Marlin Mattson, Ronald Monahan, Maureen Olofson, Ed Olson, David B. Oscarson, Kristina Paulsen, Laurel Anderson-McCallum, Stephen Anderson, Brian Antonson, Elinor Barr, Björn Bayley, Sue Eidson, Monica Anita Rossing, T. S. Simonson, Carina Spencer, Bengt Svensson, Elizabeth Turner, Inga Vestrup, Anna Wendel Enqvist, Christer Garell, Peter Ladner, Birgitta Lauren, Kristine Leander, Timothy Lyons, Cecilia Kullman, THANK YOU FOR YOUR EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS Anders and Hamida Neumuller, Katri Olander, Carin Pihl, Gunilla Sjölin, Gregg White and our advertisers. Laurel Anderson-McCallum, Stephen Anderson, Lara Special thanks to the team at SweMail: Eva Grenier, Andersson, Marcus Andersson, Frida Antonsson, Klas Randy Nord, Valentin Petcu, Laine Ruus, Jan Sundin, Bergman, Peter Berlin, Francesco Boccardo, Henric coordinated by Ingemar Olson. Borgström, Charlotte Brekkan, Anna Chiara Wohl, We invite you to submit letters, articles and photos Alisha Fredriksson, Arkus Fredriksson, Gudrun Giddings, to info@swedishpress.com and hope that Swedish Press Valentino Govigli, Jean Hanslin, Madeleine Hultin, will continue to be your go-to source for updates and Isabella Ingelman, Frida Johansson, Emmie Jonasson, inspiration from Sweden for many years to come. Sthig Jonasson, Sofie Kinnefors, Christer Larsson, With best regards from Claes and Joan Fredriksson Birgitta Lauren, Kristine Leander, Caitlyn Lee, Barry
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from
God Jul
Walter, Betty, Vicky, Bob and Cheryl Gustafson Gustafson’s Resort Kenora Ontario
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Britl Crunch äkta svenskt knäckebröd bakat av
Leksandsbröd
www.gustafsonsresort.com
Gott Nytt År! Önskar
Svenska Kulturföreningen i Vancouver Contact us at: SwedishCulturalSociety.ca@gmail.com www.SwedishCulturalSociety.ca
Fira Jul och Nyår med God Jul & Gott Nytt År önskar
Crispy Cups
Ellen Boryen
6540 Thomas St, Burnaby, BC
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 17
[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
1903
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Celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way by joining Stockholm’s open-air museum Skansen this holiday season. Enjoy crafts, traditional gifts, and decadent treats at the annual Christmas market (which premiered in 1903) or enjoy the celebration of Lucia and a festive Christmas concert. Visitors may also have a peek into Skansen’s houses and courtyards to experience how Christmas was celebrated in the old days. Look for Christmas gifts in the “Skansen boutique,” the glassworks “Glasbruket” or the pottery studio “Krukmakeriet”, or simply enjoy a winter walk through the zoo while looking at animals enjoying the snow.
was developed with the help of researchers, physiotherapists and ergonomists, and aims to support those in need of a little extra comfort. The series features a chair with lumbar support for pregnant women, non-slip deep plates for small children, an adjustable armchair for seniors, and easy-to-grip cutlery for someone who might be suffering from tremors. IKEA is planning to add more furniture to their “Omtänksam” series.
SL (Stockholm Public Transport) is increasing its ticket prices by 3.3 percent starting January 9, 2018. The increase is primarily justified by the many investments made in Stockholm’s public transit. To meet the demands of Stockholm’s growing population, plans have been made for 17 new subway stations, new trains and extensions of local routes. The increased ticket prices apply to all of SL’s tickets. A 24-hour ticket will, for example, end up costing 125 SEK for adults and 85 SEK for students, youths and pensioners.
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Move over, Aladdin-asken! Delicato, the Nordic region’s largest manufacturer of pastry products, has created a “Delicato ask” (a box filled with praline-sized classics like chocolate balls and punsch-rolls) for customers to devour. The tasty dessert box also features macaroons and raspberry-tasting “Delicato balls.” The box contains 30 pastry pieces weighing in at 18 grams per piece. The festive treats are available for purchase in selected stores this holiday season.
STOP PRESS! For the first time in 60 years, Italy has failed to qualify for the finals of the Soccer World Cup in Russia, having lost to Sweden 1-0 in the playoffs. The Italian players and fans are in national mourning. Their Swedish counterparts are reeling with unaccustomed ecstasy. Will the adrenalin suffice to lift the Swedes to final victory in mid-June 2018? Stay tuned!
Photo: Skansen/Pernille Tofte
members are encouraged to participate under the conductor’s lead during the famous Radetzky March towards the end of the concert. For more information, see www.nyarskonserten.se.
1926 Founded in 1926, Dalarnas konstförening (art association) aims to honor and promote art in Dalarna. From December 2, 2017 until February 10, 2018 the association is hosting its annual exhibition “DalaKonst 2017” – an exhibit consisting of creations by artists related to Dalarna. This year’s theme is “morning light, hazy skies, woodland and exclusion.” A vernissage is scheduled for December 2 at 2 pm.
2018 Ring in the new year with the Schönbrunn Festival Orchester Vienna and their 2018 New Year’s concert! The professional orchestra, featuring some of Vienna’s most talented musicians and soloists, is visiting Sweden for the 15th consecutive year. The orchestra’s repertoire is based on their worldrenowned TV show broadcast on New Year’s Day for the last 60 years. Audience
17 IKEA is making life a little easier with their newly launched furniture series “Omtänksam” (“Thoughtful”). The series, which launched on November 17,
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 18
[Lifestyle] Music Tyler Duncan – A Canadian Baritone with a Scandinavian Connection
mother. So there are lots of Scandinavian connections. We have always had Lefse (a traditional Norwegian soft flatbread) at Christmas time. My cousin Alanah makes them now and I really want to learn how to make them.
By Anita Spence
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yler Duncan is a world renowned Canadian baritone whose extensive resumé encompasses many musical events and countries. We met at The Banff Centre for lunch one Saturday in September, where Tyler was scheduled to sing at The Banff Centre International String Quartet Festival. AS: Where were you born and where have you lived? TD: I was born in Prince George, British Columbia and lived there for a few years, followed by Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, and then Vancouver, B.C. I completed a music degree from UBC, where I met my wife Erika Switzer. We moved to New York so Erika could pursue her PhD from the Julliard School. Currently Rhinebeck, NY is home, where we live with our son Ellis. Tell us how it all started – your prolific career in music. My grandmother, Hildur, heard me sing all the time when I was little. A lover of classical music, she noticed that I had perfect pitch and was always making up my own songs and little melodies. My parents enrolled me in the children’s choir in Prince George where I trained as a boy soprano, and from there I just kept on singing. I never complained about going to practices. I just loved it.
Tyler Duncan with recital partner, pianist Erika Switzer. Photo Credit: Tatiana Daubek
How did you move from singing in a choir to becoming a solo baritone? It happened halfway through college where I was training as a jazz singer and trombone player. The singing teacher noticed I had a good baritone voice. From there my baritone training continued at UBC and then in Germany. What is your Scandinavian connection? My great-grandfather was Swedish and moved first to America, and then on to Saskatchewan. He married a Norwegian woman and had my grandmother Hildur, who eventually married Art Rustad. Art had a Norwegian father and a Swedish
Any other Scandinavian connections? Last year I worked with the Swedish baritone Håkan Hagegård in The Andrée Expedition by Dominick Argento with a performance in Minneapolis. It is a song cycle with powerful poetry. It’s about a Swedish explorer and the fatal balloon expedition over the North Pole. I love Scandinavian music. I have performed in Sweden a couple of times with the Jussi Björling Society, but never in Norway and I would love to go there. Erika and I met several of my relatives when we went to Sweden and we are looking forward to heading there again next year. Stockholm is a very beautiful city. What are some of your 2017 highlights? Well, it will have been a great year of travel. I was in Japan singing in Carmen. Canada’s 150th celebration was spent singing music by Canadian composers in Minneapolis. In September and October I will be visiting Atlantic Canada with Erika. And then Ottawa is on the list just before Christmas. My performances this year include USA, Canada, England and the Netherlands. For more information on Tyler Duncan please visit www.tylerduncan.ca
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 19
Hemma hos
Arctic Bath – Lapland’s Floating Spa and Hotel
[Design]
By Kristi Robinson
‘A
rctic Bath’, a floating spa and hotel, will soon dwell in the waters of the Lule River in Härad, Swedish Lapland. Härad, a small village of about 500 people, is located 50km (31 miles) south of the Arctic Circle. Architect Bertil Harström, who has a knack for connecting architecture with nature and who was the creative force behind ‘The UFO’ and ‘The Bird’s Nest’ hotel rooms at the famous
The Arctic Bath is a spa and hotel built on the Lule River in Härad.
Treehotel (also in Härad), teamed up with Designer Johan Kauppi to create the nature-inspired Arctic Bath. Kauppi, an interior architect, has a design studio in Malmö but spends a considerable amount of time working in Lapland. His work is an interdisciplinary mix of interiors,
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 20
The spa facilities and treatment rooms are contained between the timber walls of the spa, while the cold pool sits in the open air.
product, furniture, and industrial design. Resembling a large natural dam of piled logs, the spa at the Arctic Bath is Harström and Kauppi’s architectural interpretation of traditional logging practices in the area where trees were felled and floated down river. It’s also a reminder of the importance of protecting forest land amid the development and growth of Sweden today. With sustainable ideals, the designers considered how they could minimize the impact of the spa/hotel on the environment. Given that the area provides an abundant source of wood, they were able to use local materials to build it. Depending on the season, the Arctic Bath either floats or sits frozen in ice. Tethered to the shore by a bridge, the spa building contains a spa treatment room, saunas, a hot bath, a lounge, a restaurant, and a shop. Its circular shape functions almost as a
nest to create a sanctuary for relaxing and refreshing. At the heart of the spa is a cold outdoor bath for dipping in, kept chilled at a cool 4 degrees. The hotel at the Arctic Bath takes the form of 6 separate cabins in the water anchored around the spa building. Designed with Scandinavian style clean lines and modern simplicity, the timber cabins at 25 square meters (270 sq. ft) comfortably accommodate 12 guests. Each hotel cabin is fitted with a wood-burning fireplace and a skylight – a cozy space to witness the mesmerizing dance of the Northern Lights in the winter months, or to stargaze in the summer.
The interior of the hotel cabin is cozy and warm and provides an ideal place to view the Northern Lights.
The much anticipated opening of Arctic Bath is slated for 2018. Open year-round, November to March are always the best months to catch the dazzling phenomenon of the lights. All Photos © Arctic Bath AB
Hemma hos
Keeping close ties with Sweden By Ellen Petersson
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weden was always just a phone call away when I grew up in Wetaskiwin, Alberta. My Dad immigrated to Canada in 1956 at the age of 26, leaving his parents and siblings behind in Småland. Through the years he made every effort to stay in contact with his family in Sweden despite the distance, using telegrams, shortwave radio, a phone call once a year in the early years, and of course handwritten letters. Times have changed and the phone calls have increased in frequency as the phone plans have changed. Between calls, we visited Sweden every few summers and made a priority to get to know the entire family over there. Often our 6-week stays would include visiting a different relative every day to connect over Fika or a delicious meal. Meals, traditions and special holidays were all factored into our upbringing, and often our family in Sweden would say that we were more connected with Sweden and the family than the relatives who still lived there. For my Dad and my Mom (whose grandparents also immigrated to Canada from Sweden), being Swedish was an important part of our identity. Herring, meatballs, Kalle’s Kaviar, Swedish pancakes, Jansson’s Temptation, Småland’s Ostkaka, Lutfisk and special coffee buns and cookies were a normal part of growing up – along with a love for strong black coffee! We wore clogs from a very young age, enjoyed the adventures of
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Treats
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Pippi Longstocking, and rooted with great enthusiasm for the Swedish hockey teams. Today our contact continues with family in Sweden via social media and frequent visits. Our second and third generations are connecting and maintaining a presence on the family tree. The distance to Sweden is certainly not far, thanks to the day-today interaction through the modern substitutes for phone calls Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, etc.
Lance, Ellen, Chris, Annika, Linnéa. Photo: M & Him Photo
In 1989 I married Lance and moved to BC. We were excited to learn about the Swedish Cultural Society (SKF). We have enjoyed many of the
Cedar-Planked Salmon Ingredients: • 2 cedar planks, soaked • 8 skinless fillets (6 oz each) • sea salt • 2-3 tbsp cracked black pepper • juice of 1 lemon • 1 tbsp Bone Dust BBQ Spice • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 large lemon for squeezing Chopped • 1 cup fresh dill • ½ cup shallots • 2 cloves garlic, • 2 green onions
Ellen and Lance. Photo: M & Him Photo
local events and traditions through the years, and our girls attended Swedish school and participated in the Lucia pageant from an early age. Linnéa represented the SKF as Lucia in 2015, and Annika will do the same this year. The various activities such as Midsummer, Lucia, National Day and Julmarknad have all created memorable moments for the Swedish community here in Vancouver. Over the years, many of these people have become like family. As President of the Swedish Cultural Society for a second year, it is a privilege for me to work together with such an amazing group of people to create events and celebrations that hold the Swedish community together here in the Lower Mainland.
Preparation: Preheat grill to high. Season salmon fillets with sea salt and set to one side. In bowl, combine dill shallots, garlic, green onion, black pepper, lemon juice, Bone Dust and olive oil. Blend together well. Use this mixture to form crust on flesh side (not skin side) of each salmon fillet. Season soaked planks with sea salt and place on grill, close lid and heat for 3-5 minutes until they start to crackle/smoke. Carefully lift lid and place salmon fillets on hot planks, skinless side down. Close lid and plank-bake salmon for 12-15 minutes (medium doneness). Check periodically to make sure that planks are not on fire. Use spray bottle to extinguish any flames. Squeeze lemon over all fillets. Carefully remove planks from grill, and using metal spatula transfer salmon fillets to serving platter. Serve immediately. © Ted Reader
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Swedish Council of America
Recognizing the Heroes of Swedishness By Gregg White
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ike Vilhelm Moberg’s Karl-Oskar and Kristina, many were the Swedes who emigrated from the rock-strewn farms of Småland to Minnesota in search of a better life. Duluth high school music teacher, Glenn Peterson, counts his forbears among them. That is why he became the driving force in creating Duluth’s Sister City relationship with Växjö, the county seat for that area of Sweden. As head of the Växjö Committee for three decades, Glenn facilitated annual official exchanges, aided in the launch of a sculpture exchange, as well as an exchange between Växjö Konsthall and the Glenn and Erna Peterson flanked University of Minnesota – by their children, Neal and Naomi. Duluth’s Tweed Museum. Photo: Gregg White With Glenn’s tireless leadership, Duluth Sister Cities International sponsored numerous music performances including the Royal Swedish Opera, the Royal Swedish Army Band, the Orphei Drängar, and a tour by Karl-Oskar Boys Choir (funded, in part, by an SCA Grant). And this does not even begin to mention the Duluth-Växjö Soccer Exchange through which American youth travel to Sweden and use athletics as a means of creating relationships that bridge language and cultural barriers, or the various educator exchanges between UMD and Linnaeus Universitet! In its nomination of Glenn for an SCA Award of Merit, DSCI wrote, “Glenn Peterson is the embodiment of the Swedish Council of America’s mission statement, in every endeavor that he embarks on he works to bring Sweden and an understanding of its language and heritage into the picture, connecting people and places in the process and forever striving to help bring further awareness of Swedish culture.” The SCA Award of Merit was created expressly to give national recognition to stellar volunteers like Glenn. Fortunately, while impressive, Glenn’s contributions to Swedishness in America are not unique. Another recent
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SCA Award of Merit recipient is Dan Hanson, President of the Swedish Club of Detroit. SWEA Michigan nominated Dan because they have been impressed by his tireless dedication to promoting and maintaining the Swedish Club over the years. With steady enthusiasm, Dan works closely with other local Swedish and Scandinavian organizations to maintain positive links between them. Another SWEA Michigan nominee who received the SCA Award of Merit is Christina Bakalis, a long-time member of their club. Christina has worked tirelessly as a member and leader of the local SWEA chapter. Christina is always willing and happy to assist making SWEA events successful and enjoyable for everyone. She even manages to add a personal touch to all her commitments, such as when she added a new sandwich to the Christmas Fair, which was a huge success. Christina also opened the Svenska Café in Birmingham, now a popular place for Swedes to gather. At its recent meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Swedish Council of America bestowed four additional Lisa Reierson, Jill Pearson Reider, SCA Awards of Merit at the Ken Johnson & Janice Williams. Swedish American Heritage Photo: SAHS/WM Society of West Michigan’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. The honorees – Ken Johnson, Jill Pearson Reider, Lisa Reierson and Janice Williams – were all nominated by SAHS/WM and all are current or past leaders of the organization and remain unflagging volunteers. These heroes know how to promote Swedishness in America! The SCA Award of Merit goes to individuals who have been nominated by one or more of their local SwedishAmerican organizations for national recognition for their outstanding contributions and hard work within their local community. You can learn more about SCA Awards for individuals and organizations on our website. www.swedishcouncil.org
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Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce
Calling American Tech Talent to Sweden
Why Sweden? • Sweden is a leader in technology, innovation and entrepreneurship weden has always been dependent on a strong • Our partner companies are at the cutting edge of their field export economy. More recently, Sweden has • Each position comes with a detailed plan for what you become known for having a strong start-up culture will achieve professionally during your traineeship exemplified by companies such as Spotify, Klarna • Sweden offers great working conditions – and a healthy and King. Sweden prides itself on having a rather unique work/life balance combination of a well developed social welfare system and a penchant for entrepreneurship. Stockholm has earned the • Swedish core values are inclusiveness, equality, and a flat management style – in combination with a strong reputation as the second Silicon Valley based on the city work ethic being second only to Silicon Valley in the number of • Sweden’s doors are open, you may bring your spouse, unicorns, or billion-dollar start-ups, created per capita. common-law registered partner and children Sweden welcomes job seekers from abroad, includingor from the United States.
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Calling American Tech Talent to Sweden
The Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce, SACC-USA, is looking for Requirements technology & IT candidates to join Swedish companies for traineeships up • Bachelor’s degree or higher in a technological field to 18 months. • Or equivalent experience Why Sweden? • U.S citizen or U.S. permanent resident with passport • Sweden is a leader in technology, andofentrepreneurship • innovation Knowledge the Swedish language not required • Our partner companies are at the cutting edge of their field • Each position comes with a detailed plan for what you will achieve professionally Visit www.sacc-usa.org/trainee for more information. during your traineeship • Sweden offers great working conditions – and a healthy work/life balance • Swedish core values are inclusiveness, equality, and a flat management style • – in combination with a strong work ethic Chalmers University of Technology is one of Europe’s leading universities of • Sweden’s doors are open, you may bring your spouse, common-law or registered technology. Photo: Jan-Olof Yxell/imagebank.sweden.se partner and children
At the recent SACC-USARequirements Summit, Mikael Damberg, • Bachelor’s degree or higher in a technological field Sweden’s Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, pointed • Or equivalent experience out that exports and investments are driving the Swedish • U.S or U.S. permanent economy more than ever before. Thiscitizen development derives resident with passport • Knowledge of the Swedish language not required largely from Sweden being a society that welcomes change and trying new things – and since the Swedish welfare Visit www.sacc-usa.org/trainee forranks more information Sweden second after Norway on the number of new electric and hybrid system provides a safety net, people are not afraid to electric cars sold in 2017. Photo: Simon Paulin/imagebank.sweden.se become entrepreneurs. Mr. Damberg also emphasized that attracting both foreign direct investment and talent to Sweden is an important part of Sweden’s economic strategy. The Swedish-American Chambers of Commerce, SACC-USA, is pleased to announce a pilot project to bring About the SACC-USA Network: technology talent from the United States to Sweden, talent SACC-USA consists of 20 Regional Chambers across the U.S. that will contribute to Sweden’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. For more information on the SACC-USA Trainee Program, We are looking for technology & IT candidates to join please visit: www.sacc-usa.org/trainee or contact Cecilia Kullman, ck@sacc-usa.org, +1 202 536 1520 Swedish companies for traineeships for 3 – 18 months. Photo: Niclas Vestefjell Ola Ericson, Simon Paulin /imagebank.sweden.se
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Svenskar i Världen
Skräddarsydd försäkring för utlandssvenskar
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venskar i Världen har tagit fram en specialanpassad reseförsäkring för svenskar som befinner sig ute i världen delar av året, men som fortfarande är folkbokförda i Sverige. Försäkringsgivare är Gouda Reseförsäkring, en del av Gjensidige som är störst i Skandinavien på reseförsäkringar. Försäkringen är mycket efterfrågad och kan enkelt tecknas av Svenskar i Världens medlemmar på sviv.se. På ett redan konkurrenskraftigt pris får medlemmar 15 % rabatt på försäkringen. Svenskar i Världens Reseförsäkring • Kan tecknas utan hälsodeklaration och utan ålders begränsning. • Medlemmar i Svenskar i Världen får 15 % rabatt. • Försäkringen kan tecknas såväl före avresa, som när du redan befinner dig utomlands. • Du kan säga upp försäkringen och få pengar tillbaka om du kommer hem tidigare, eller förlänga den när du är utomlands. • Ingen självrisk. • Du slipper ligga ute med pengar vid akuta läkarbesök. Gouda ställer ut en betalningsgaranti till sjukhuset om du ringer till alarmcentralen först. • Ersättning för riskfyllda aktiviteter som hemförsäkrings bolagen ofta har undantag för, exempelvis finns ingen begränsning för vandring på högre höjd. • Teckna från dag 1 utomlands eller från dag 46 när hemförsäkringens reseskydd upphör. Pensionärerna som bor halvårsvis i Spanien Gunbritt (67) och Lars (68) ska köpa hus i Spanien. De vill tillbringa vinterhalvåret där och sommarhalvåret i Sverige.
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De tecknar en fullständig Lång Reseförsäkring för de sex månader de befinner sig i Spanien. Den täcker såväl sjukdom som egendom. Vid olycka eller sjukdom kan de alltid ringa till den svensktalande alarmcentralen och slipper beskriva sina problem på spanska eller engelska. Svenskar i Världen håller dem uppdaterade med viktig information om vad som händer i Sverige när de är borta. • Pris för försäkringen: 12 762 kronor • Pris med Svenskar i Världens rabatt: 10 848 kronor • Familjemedlemskap i Svenskar i Världen: 600 kronor. Paret som vill prova på att bo utomlands Johannes (33) och Mira (34) ska bo i Brasilien i tre månader och tecknar en Lång Reseförsäkring. Båda jobbar med flexibla jobb och åker gärna ut på äventyr när de är lediga. De vill dock bo kvar permanent i Sverige. De tecknar en försäkring som täcker både sjukdom och egendom – de är mycket beroende av sina datorer i sitt arbete. De är försäkrade från dag 46 i Brasilien när reseskyddet i hemförsäkringen upphör. Svenskar i Världen håller dem uppdaterade om vad som händer hemma i Sverige, och de har också möjlighet att kontakta Svenskar i Världens ombud i Brasilien för att få hjälp och tips. • Pris för försäkringen för båda två: 4392 kronor • Pris med Svenskar i Världens rabatt: 3734 kronor • Familjemedlemskap i Svenskar i Världen: 600 kronor. Stöd Svenskar i Världen – utlands-svenskarnas främsta intresseorganisation – genom ditt medlemskap. Vi har arbetat för utlandssvenskarnas rättigheter sedan 1938. Vi får inga statsbidrag och är beroende av medlemmar och samarbetspartners för att kunna fortsätta vårt uppdrag att bevaka, informera och påverka i frågor som rör utlandssvenskar. Som medlem får du många fina medlemsförmåner, tillgång till experthjälp och ett stort nätverk över hela världen. Bli medlem på www.sviv.se redan idag!
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Swedish Women’s Educational Association international
SWEA Internationals Världsmöte 2017
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WEA Internationals Världsmöte 2017 arrangerades i Perth, Australien den 19-22 oktober. 200 SWEA-medlemmar från hela världen samlades vid SWEAs sjunde världsmöte med tema ”Kreativ Gemenskap”. SWEAs sju regionstyrelser för de 71 avdelningarna genomförde sina årliga regionmöten den 20 oktober. Den 21 oktober var det dags för Världsmötesdagen som bjöd på ett fullspäckat och intressant program. Dagen inleddes med en presentation av SWEA International. Därefter presenterades tre inbjudna svenska föreläsare. Lisa Lindström, vd för Designbyrån Doberman, berättade om sitt företag och Lisa Lindström, vd för Designbyrån Doberman
intressegrupper inom SWEA. Dessa leddes av Ursula Hultqvist, SWEA San Francisco och Linda Ström, SWEA Seattle. Det hela avslutades med workshops för samtliga deltagare. Utbytet av erfarenheter och diskussioner mellan medlemmar från hela världen är alltid av stor vikt för organisationens framtida utveckling.
hur vi kan hitta lösningar på våra viktigaste utmaningar. Teresia Fors, vice vd för Volvo Group Australien, visade en film om kampanjen Stop-Look-Wave som riktar sig till barn för att undvika olyckor. Teresia Fors, vice vd för Volvo Group Australien
Barbro Osher, Pro Suecia Foundation och svensk generalkonsul i San Francisco, kåserade om den uppdaterade Sverigebilden. Under eftermiddagen fick deltagarna också lyssna till presentationer om SWEA Professional och SWEA BUS, som är
Barbro Osher, Pro Suecia Foundation och svensk generalkonsul i San Francisco
Dagen avslutades med en fantastisk galamiddag på Governor’s House i Perth. De som ville, kunde efter mötet delta i en efterresa till Margaret River området. Programmet omfattade bl a valskådning och besök på vingårdar. Är du intresserad av att veta mer om SWEA? Välkommen att kontakta oss på office@swea.org. www.swea.org
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Migrationens ansikten – människorna bakom statistiken
Svenska migrationsdebatten i fokus på MIG Talks avslutande panelsamtal Både individen och samhället betalar priset för en ensidig skildring av migrationsfrågorna. En kunskapsbaserad debatt som ger plats för fler röster, bilder och aspekter av migrationen till Sverige efterlystes av många deltagare i MIG Talks avslutande panelsamtal, arrangerat av Migrationsverket och Nordiska museet.
Foto © MIG Talks
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ur syns och hörs de som har flyttat till Sverige i det offentliga samtalet och media? Varför ser migrationsdebatten ut som den gör? Vad får det för konsekvenser och vad är vägen vidare? Det var fokus för ett panelsamtal mellan nya invånare som har deltagit i kommunikationssatsningen MIG Talks och företrädare från akademi, medier, kultur och myndigheter. Alireza Ahmadi, Mariana Kasses och Jihad Eshmawi, tre av deltagarna i MIG Talks, berättade om hur de fått klä skott för mediebilder och en samhällsdebatt som till stora delar förs utan medverkan av människorna som migrerat till Sverige. – När jag kom hit för fyra år sedan kategoriserades jag som ensamkommande flyktingbarn. I dag stämplas jag fortfarande som det. Hur länge till ska jag fortsätta behöva göra det? Det frågade sig entreprenören och föreläsaren Alireza Ahmadi. Han beskrev vidare hur hans kompetenser
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och personliga berättelse skyms bakom mediernas fokus på siffror och problem. – Trots att du är fullt kapabel att bli en fungerande samhällsinvånare som bidrar till Sverige börjar samhället att betrakta dig som en belastning snarare än en resurs, sade Alireza Ahmadi. Jihad Eshmawi, verksamhetsutvecklare på Hyresgäst¬ föreningen, nämnde sitt eget förnamn som exempel på vad mediernas ensidighet kan innebära. – I Sverige finns den gängse uppfattningen att Jihad betyder heligt krig för religionens skull, vilket är ett resultat av medias rapportering. I själva verket betyder ordet framförallt självrannsakan, förklarade Jihad Eshmawi. Filmfotografen Mariana Kasses som flyttade till Sverige för kärlekens skull, påtalade vanligt förekommande skildringar av människor som migrerar. – Svartvita bilder i media, där migranten antingen porträtteras som en kriminell människa eller en hjälte, är en förlegad representation som måste uppdateras, sade Mariana Kasses. Hon pekade även på att många flyttar till Sverige av familjeskäl, liksom hon själv, men att den delen av migrationen knappt syns. Polariserad debatt och kunskapsluckor – När vi pratar om migrationsfrågan pratar vi egentligen inte om migrationsfrågan utan om flykting¬frågan, sade Robert Englund, projektledare för webbplatsen Migrationsinfo.se. Han pekade på hur slagsidan mot asyl- och flyktingfrågor har bidragit till nya och skarpare konfliktlinjer, och hur det har skapat ett hårdare debattklimat som gjort det svårare att föra seriösa diskussioner i frågorna. Mikael Ribbenvik, generaldirektör på Migrationsverket, ansåg att både samhällsdebattörer, politiker och medier bidrar till en ytterlighetsdebatt. – Jag kan inte påminna mig någon annan fråga som är så extremt polariserad. Vi har till exempel inte en skattedebatt som handlar om noll eller hundra procent. Karl Dalén, ansvarig för sociala medier på DN, beskrev hur den stora teknikomvandlingen är en del av polariseringen. Nyheter konsumeras i allt större utsträckning i de egna sociala medieflödena. De som misstror traditionella medier och myndigheter söker sin information på digitala plattformar där de får sina åsikter och verklighetsuppfattningar bekräftade.
Migrationens ansikten – människorna bakom statistiken
Skildringar av migration och vilken information människor tar till sig får konsekvenser, bland annat i form av olika kunskapsglapp i migrationsfrågan. Kristof Tamas, kanslichef vid Delegationen för migrationsstudier, Delmi, Foto © MIG Talks pekade på en studie som bland annat undersökt vad människor vet om omfattningen av migrationen till Sverige. Resultatet visade att de svarande trodde att migrationen var långt större än den faktiskt är. I synnerhet invandrarkritiska personer tror att det kommer fler människor än det faktiskt gör, medan de som är positiva till invandring har en säkrare verklighetsuppfattning, enligt Kristof Tamas. Filmproducenter Karolina Berkell, som återvänt till Sverige efter mer än tio år utomlands, belyste att migration ofta sammankopplas med problem i det stora antalet nätverk som finns för utlandssvenskar. – Mediers bilder sprids snabbt i dessa forum, men ofta saknas kunskap och fakta hos dem som sprider uppgifterna, sade hon. För att skapa en motpol till den negativa informationen och ge praktiskt stöd till hemvändare, startade hon Facebookgruppen ”Swedes back home”. Migrationen bortom rubrikerna Panelens deltagare delade synen att migrationsbevakningen missar många aspekter och delar av migrationen. Som exempel diskuterades anknytning till nära anhörig som historiskt sett och i dag är det vanligaste skälet för att människor flyttar till Sverige från länder utanför EU/EESområdet. Annika Rosén, prefekt vid Malmö högskola, erbjöd olika teorier om varför det både talas, debatteras och forskas mindre om denna form av migration. Hon pekade bland annat på juridikens konstruktion och mer strukturella skäl. Föreställningar om den produktive respektive den reproducerande migranten kan få betydelse för vad som anses intressant att synliggöra och vad som förpassas till den privata sfären. Trots att återinvandring också är en betydande del av migrationen till Sverige tillhör hemvändarna en grupp som
det inte syns eller hörs så mycket om. Det belyste Karolina Berkell-Kirk i likhet med andra hemvändare som har deltagit i MIG Talks. – Det antas ibland att vi som återvänder inte stöter på några utmaningar, men hemvändandet är absolut inte smärtfritt, tyckte Karolina Berkell-Kirk. Heike Graf, docent i medier och kommunikation vid Södertörns högskola, framhöll att medier inte kan spegla hela verkligheten och belyste vilka dramaturgiska grepp som medierna använder för att appellera till en stor allmänhet. Negativa saker, konflikter, känslor, dramatik och närhetsprincipen hör till det som skapar uppmärksamhet, menade Heike Graf. Jihad Eshmawi invände att medier likväl borde ta ett större ansvar för hur de genom sin rapportering påverkar människors förståelse i migrationsfrågorna. Läs hela artikeln här: http://www.migtalks.se/news/svenskamigrationsdebatten-fokus-pa-mig-talks-avslutande-panelsamtal/
Foto © MIG Talks
MIG Talks bokutgivning På MIG Talks hemsida www.migtalks.se återfinns intervjuberättelserna med 100 människor som har flyttat till Sverige mellan 2010 och 2015. Berättelserna kommer att ges ut i bokformat (fysisk och digital upplaga, svensk och engelsk version) av Nordiska museet under 2018 och bli del av en utställning på museet. MIG Talks är en kommunikationssatsning, initierad av Migrationsverket i mars 2016. En rad samhällsaktörer står bakom satsningen som vill främja kunskap om migrationen till Sverige genom att sprida fakta och synliggöra människorna bakom migrationsstatistiken. MIG Talks digitala kanaler: www.migtalks.se | Facebook.com/migtalks
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A guide to fun and interesting Swedish events outside Sweden
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CHICAGO Swedish American Museum 5211 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640 Tel: 773-728 8111 | info@samac.org www.swedishamericanmuseum.org Ongoing exhibit through Jan 14: “That’s Just Ducky! A Modern Swedish Christmas Tradition” about Kalle Anka. Dec 2-3 – Sat and Sun 10 am: Christmas bazaar and Lucia processions. Dec 5 – Opening exhibit of the Museum collection of Bonader, wall hangings created by Swedish peasants during winter months. Dec 13 – Wed 12 noon: St. Lucia Day celebration in Chicago’s Daley Center. Dec 13 – Wed 4:45 pm: St. Lucia Day celebration with procession from the Museum to Ebenezer Lutheran Church for 7 pm service. Dec 17 – Sun 4 pm: Svensk Julgudjänst in Ebenezer Lutheran Church. Dec 17 – Sun 5 pm: Julmiddag, traditional Swedish Christmas family smörgåsbord in the Museum, with a St. Lucia procession and visit from Tomten. CLEVELAND Nobel-Monitor Lodge #130 VOA 3740 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland Heights OH Marty.bergman@sbcglobal.net Tel: 216-371 5141 Dec 9 – Sat 5:30 pm: Lucia Celebration and Vasa Voices Jul Program Dessert and Coffee Church of the Saviour UMC 2537 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, OH Dec 15 – Fri, 6:30 am: Julotta Service Light Breakfast following Peace Lutheran Church 3740 Mayfield Road Cleveland Heights, OH DETROIT Swedish Club of Southeast Michigan 22398 Ruth St, Farmington Hills, MI 48336 Info: 734-459 0596 www.swedishclub.net Dec 3 – Sun 1 to 2:30 pm: Autumn Julbord. Dec 9 – Sat 3:00 pm: Lucia Pageant, Arpi & Scandia Xmas Concert with Afterglow. Jan 14 – Sun 1-2:30 pm: Annual Meeting and Buffet. MINNEAPOLIS American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 Tel: 612-871 4907 | www.asimn.org 8
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Ongoing through Jan 8, 2018: Fest! Merry Mansion – Nordic Holidays at the Turnblad Mansion! Dec 2-3 – Sat 10 am to 5 pm, Sun noon to 5 pm: Julmarknad – ASI’s 2017 Christmas Market at the Turnblad Mansion Dec 9 – Sat 11 am and 1 pm: Luica Celebration – morning and afternoon concerts set in Larson Hall, featuring the youthful voices of the ASI Lucia Choir. Dec 15 – Fri 6:30 pm: Julbord – A Swedish Christmas Feast, also on Dec 16 and 17. PHILADEPHIA American Swedish Historical Museum 1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145 | Tel: 215-389 1776 | info@americanswedish.org | www.americanswedish.org Dec 1 – Fri 6 pm: Julbord – Christmas smorgasbord dinner followed by the Lucia procession. The Christmas Market is open all evening. Dec 2 – Sat 11:30 am to 4:30 pm: Lucia and Christmas Market
WASHINGTON, DC Embassy of Sweden 2900 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Tel: 202-467 2600 | www.swedenabroad.com ambassaden.washington@gov.se Ongoing through Dec 10 – Exhibition: Stories of Migration – Sweden Beyond the Headlines – aims to add new perspectives to the story of Sweden and migration. CALGARY Swedish Society of Calgary 739 20 Ave. N.W. Calgary, AB T2M 1E2 Tel: 403-284 2610 | www.swedishsociety.ca Dec 11 – Mon: Lucia Celebration at St John Lutheran Church.
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TORONTO Svenska kyrkan i Toronto 25 Old York Mills Road, Toronto ON M2P 1B5 Tel: 416-486 0466 | toronto@svenskakyrkan.se www.svenskakyrkan.se/toronto Dec 10 – Sun: Lucia Dec 17 – Sun: Julkonsert 60
PORTLAND Scandinavian Heritage Foundation at Nordia House 8800 SW Oleson Road, Portland, OR 97223 Tel: 503-977 0275 | shf@mindspring.com www.scanheritage.org Dec 2-3 – Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sun 10 am to 4 pm: ScanFair at Portland Veterans Memorial Coliseum. SEATTLE Swedish Cultural Center 1920 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: 206-283 1090 | www.swedishclubnw.org info@swedishculturalcenter.org Dec 8 – Fri: Julbord, lunch and dinner Dec 10 – Sun: Luciafest with UW students Dec 15 – Fri: Lutfisk Dinner Jan 10 – Wed: Members & Friends dinner provided by Swedish Women’s Chorus Nordic Heritage Museum 3014 N.W. 67th Street, Seattle, WA 98117 Tel: 206-789 5707 | nordic@nordicmuseum.org www.nordicmuseum.org Jan 11-14 – Thurs to Sun: 9th Nordic Lights Film Festival hosted at SIFF Film Center and the SIFF Cinema Uptown. 18
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VANCOUVER Scandinavian Community Centre 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9 Tel: 604-294 2777 | info@scandinaviancentre.org | www.swedishculturalsociety.ca Dec 2 – Sat 6 pm: Scandinavian Business Club’s Annual Christmas Dinner and Dance Dec 3 – Sun 6 pm: First of Advent Service at Danish Church at 6010 Kincaid Avenue, Burnaby. Coffee is served after the service. Dec 9 – Sat 1 pm and 6pm: Lucia Celebrations at the Center. Jan 14 – Sun 1:30 pm: 13th Anniversary of Wallenberg Day at H.R. McMillan Space Centre in Vancouver – Keynote speakers on Whistle-Blowing and a Civil Courage Award citation. www.wsccs.ca WINNIPEG Swedish Cultural Assn of Manitoba 764 Erin Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2W4 | Tel: 204-774 8047 | Reservations at: svenskclub17@gmail.com Dec 10 – Sun 1:30 to 4:00: Lucia, Traditional Celebration, Scandinavian Centre Dec 13 – Wed: Julbord Feast at IKEA Dec 31 – Sun: Circumpolar New Year’s Eve with potluck and games at the Centre. 28
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[Ads] and Info Swedish Press Classified: the fast & inexpensive way to buy, sell or tell Alberta Organizations Svenska Skolan i Calgary bedriver undervisning för barn 3-15 år gamla på lördagar kl 9:30-12. Alla barn är välkomna. Undervisningen sker på svenska. Kontakta Svenska Skolan genom Scandinavian center 403-284-2610 eller skicka epost till contact@swedishschool.com. Läs mer om vår skola på www. swedishschool.com BC Organizations Scandinavian Business Club Monthly meetings feature business speakers. Guests and new members welcome. Call SBC: 604-484-8238. Visit us at www.sbc-bc.ca Scandinavian Community Centre Beautiful setting for weddings, parties, birthdays, meetings and seminars. 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC info@scandinaviancentre.org 604-294-2777 www.scandinaviancentre.org Svenska Kulturföreningen Ordförande Ellen Petersson 604-970-8708. Kassör är Linda
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“...to recognize and encourage acts of civil courage.” Wallenberg Day in Vancouver, on January 14, 2018 By Jan Nordin
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he Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Society (WSCCS) was formed in Vancouver to continue the work of organizing the annual Raoul Wallenberg Day after its founder, the Swedish Consul in Vancouver Anders Neumüller, retired 2013 and moved back to Sweden.
Raoul Wallenberg was serving as Sweden’s special envoy in Budapest between July and December 1944. He rescued thousands of Jews during the later stages of World War II. Wallenberg issued protective passports and sheltered Jews in buildings designated as Swedish territory. His actions put his own life at risk. Following the Soviet capture of Budapest on January 17 in 1945, Wallenberg disappeared. An annual Wallenberg Day is officially proclaimed in many countries, to take place on the Sunday closest to that date in January Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania. During World War II, he helped thousands of Jews leave the country by issuing transit visas to refugees in direct violation of orders from the Japanese Government,
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Swedish Press | Dec 2017/Jan 2018 30
thereby risking his career and his family’s lives. Initially when the Wallenberg Day started as an annual event in Vancouver 13 years ago, the program focused on showing movies about heroic actions to save Jewish victims during WWII. When WSCCS was formed to continue the Wallenberg Day, our focus expanded to also include and recognize current acts of civil courage. For instance, in 2015 we gave an Award for Civil Courage in B.C. to the Honorable Ujjal Dosanjh, who received it for showing extraordinary courage in standing up against physical political violence in our community, and the following year to Chief Dr. Robert Joseph who received the Award for civil courage in moving a reconciliation process forward in our community. The Wallenberg Day in Vancouver now pays tribute to courageous actions by people who are alive today and are engaged in selfless acts of civil courage, at grave risk to themselves, by choosing to follow their own personal moral code. We need these stories to remind us of the inherent good that lives within people, and to inspire people today and future generations to act with courage and live their values,
healing the world. We are passionate about the WSCCS, and its mission to recognize and encourage acts of civil courage. We are seeking people who, at significant personal risk, have helped improve the lives of others by going against unjust laws or conventions. Go to www.wsccs.ca for more information. The next Wallenberg Day, on January 14, 2018 will focus on whistle-blowing, and the courage it takes to expose wrongdoings. The Award-winner is a person who blew the whistle without budging on a large firm against its sharp and unethical practices to victimize thousands of customers. Join the Wallenberg Day on January 14 at 1:30 pm at H.R. McMillan Space Centre, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, for keynote speakers on the subject of whistle-blowing and for the Award citation followed by a reception. Entrance is free, donations are welcome. See www.wsccs.ca for more information.
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