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December 2019/January 2020 Vol 90:10 $5.95
10 2019
God Jul och Gott Nytt Ã…r
Swedish Gaming Industry Minecraft Candy Crush Saga A New Christmas
Thank you for a wonderful year! We wish all our customers, distributors, employees and other Atlas Copco stakeholders across Canada a great Holiday Season. We hope the New Year brings you good health, success and happiness. www.atlascopco.com
God Jul & Gott Nytt År!
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en ideella föreningen Sverigekontakt har nyligen kommit ut med boken Var i all världen där 85 svenska minnesmärken i utlandet presenteras. Vår ambition inom föreningen var att sätta samman alla dessa historiska svenska spår i utlandet och göra det underhållande, intressant, lärorikt och kul. Döm själv! Köp den till det förmånliga priset av 290 kronor + frakt. Gå till Sverigekontakts hemsida – www.sverigekontakt.se – och beställ den idag. Vi skickar faktura till din mejladress. Vid ett köp så stöder du även Sverigekontakts verksamhet som främst är att främja svenska språket och svensk kultur i utlandet.
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 $45 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 EDITOR Peter Berlin Peter@swedishpress.com ART DIRECTOR Joan Law Joan@swedishpress.com REPRESENTATIVES Calgary: Carin Pihl +1 403 931 0370 Edmonton: Ruth E. Sjoberg +1 780 237 6730 Thunder Bay: Elinor Barr +1 807 344 8355 Toronto: Gunilla Sjölin +1 905 751 5297 Winnipeg: Nancy Drews +1 204-668-7262 Los Angeles: Birgitta von Knipe +1 310 201 0079 New York: Timothy Lyons +1 732 685 3747 San Diego: Sue Eidson +1 858 541 0207
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4 Letters to the Editor 5 From the Editor’s Desk Swedish Headlines 6 Headline News 7 Swedes in the News 8 Landskapsnyheterna Business 9 Business News: Att bryta fattigdomen i världen 10 Company File: Mojang Feature 12 A Billion Gamers: Sweden’s Quest to Dominate the Video Game Industry
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Lucia and her retinue in the Seglora church. Photo ©Marie Andersson, Skansen
20 Film: Exclusive Interview with Vivienne Kjono 22 An Insider Look at Swedish Culture – Min amerikanska värdfamilj fick en julchock i Sverige Road to 2045 23 Where On Earth Are We Getting Our Transport Fuels From? Hemma Hos 24 Design: Success Comes to the Museum of Failure 25 Treats à la Nichole Accettola
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E S T . 1 9 2 9
CONTENTS ( December 2019 | January 2020 )
ADVISORY COMMITTEE Björn Bayley, Peter Ladner, Brian Antonson, Christer Garell, Anders & Hamida Neumuller
ADVERTISING visit www.swedishpress.com/advertise-us for advertising rates. Call +1 360 450 5858 or +46 725 607800.
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Swedish Press
The Dream Hack digital festival takes place at the Elmia Exhibition and Convention Centre in Jönköping.Photo: Jann Lipka/imagebank.sweden.se
Interview 14 Daniel Svärd, VP Head of Live Games, King’s Stockholm studio – The Candy Man Can Global Swedes 16 Karin Olofsdotter, Sveriges ambassadör i Washington (USA) Lifestyle 18 Top Sju 19 Book: A to Zåäö: Playing with History at the American Swedish Institute
Swedish Press Connects 26 SCA – A New Year, a New Paradigm In the Loop 27 Canada, US & Beyond 28 Calendar and Events 29 Ads and Info 30 Sista Ordet A Glimpse into the World of Motion Capture and Animation
Cover image: Christmas illustration copyright Andrei Arkadev
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Letters to the Editor 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. Letter from Neil Carlson, retired Honorary Consul for Manitoba: As Sweden’s longtime Honorary Consul for Manitoba, I decided to retire from my Post officially on July 31, 2019. During my 39 years as tenure, January 28, 1980 to July 31, 2019, I have had the privilege of meeting many interesting people both locally and internationally, including nine great Swedish Ambassadors in Ottawa. I have taken part in many Swedish cultural activities throughout this period. One of the highlights for Lynn and myself was hosting the reception for Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia at Vasa Lund when they visited Winnipeg March 17, 1988. We have traveled to Stockholm on three Consular conferences, as well as traveling to visit relatives. At our last Consular conference this spring, during an audience with their Majesties, the King said to me “I understand you’re retiring as Consul, you never should retire.” I was born in Winnipeg, but my Mother and Father immigrated to Canada in 1928 and settled in Winnipeg. Shortly afterwards my Mother and
Open to the Public! The Swedish Heritage in British Columbia archives was officially opened to the public on September 15th with a ribbon cutting by Laila Axen who thanked donors and sponsors for their support. Photo: Tuulikki Abrahamsson
Father started a painting business which is still operating today by the family. I will now continue with the family business. The privilege of representing Sweden has remained in the Carlson family for 50 years. My Father Edwin Otto Carlson was appointed Honorary Consul in 1969 and retired from his Post in 1980. Being the Honorary Consul has been a huge learning experience and I feel blessed that I was afforded this opportunity. In November 2018 Diane King was chosen to be the successor of Natalie Denesovych, the Honorary Consul of Norway when Natalie retired. Diane was also chosen to be my successor as the Honorary Consul of Sweden on August 1, 2019. Going forward, the two Scandinavian Consulates will be represented by Diane King as Honorary
Consul. The Swedish Consulate phone number will remain the same, 204-233 3373. Hopefully we will see you all at the Scandinavian Centre or the many cultural functions from time to time. Neil Carlson Winnipeg, Manitoba Hi Peter, So happy you and your wife enjoyed my film! The best part of creating is to see your project come to fruition and receive that precious feedback from the audience. Thank you so much for your valuable film review of “A New Christmas”. It was right on target with the film’s core message. Your interview rendition with my updated suggestions flowed beautifully, and I look very much forward to receiving the December issue. My Best Always, Vivienne Kjono Lincoln, California Peter, Nice layout, exquisite placement. Appreciate. Would like to send to you my next book for personal “thumbing through.” Go well and thank you again for all. Charles Holmes Lafayette, California
airbags • seatbelts • steering wheels • autoliv.com Half Page Ad v4.indd 1
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from the Editor’s Desk
From 2D Slow Motion to 3D Virtual Reality We need your support!
Swedish Press strives to create a high quality magazine for you, but the costs are considerable and ever-increasing. Please consider making a generous donation to help keep your publication, and Swedish heritage, alive. You’ll find a form on page 29. Tack!
Whether your Swedish is fluent or rusty, we hone your language skills by publishing some articles in Swedish. But never despair: you will find English translations online thanks to our valiant team of volunteer translators. Simply go to http://biolson. atspace.cc/swemail/ and you will find translations of all Swedish articles going as far back as to August 2007. GRATTIS PÅ FÖDELSEDAGEN Dec 7 Chelsea Dahl, 9 år Dec 11 Mila Granberg, 15 år Dec 12 Alec Anders Malhotra, 9 år Dec 15 Chloe Dahl, 11 år Dec 22 Ella Karolina Lee Sheppard, 16 år Dec 31 Erika Serhan, 15 år Jan 2 Sofia Eaton, 15 år Jan 8 Sofia Carson, 16 år Jan 14 Matthew Dahl, 9 år Jan 23 Niklas Lofstrand-Davey, 10 år Jan 25 Asia Thornquist, 14 år
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he global computer gaming industry has come a long way since its beginnings 50 years ago. Its success is the result of dramatic progress on many levels, including hardware, software and end-user interfaces. In the early days, video game players honed their motor skills and reaction speed using big, coin-operated gaming cabinets often found in shopping mall arcades. Technological advances saw the big cabinets reduced to consoles that could be connected to the TV in the comfort of one’s home. Then came the PC revolution which allowed people to play using keyboard and mouse. Soon thereafter the use of smartphones for game-playing skyrocketed, giving rise to “mobile gaming.” These days computer gaming hardware and software have begun to include virtual reality (VR) – a computer technology that gives the player the illusion of living in an alternative reality. In the present issue of Swedish Press, Marcus Andersson has contributed the main feature which describes the Swedish gaming industry then and now (page 12). Our regular contributor Sofie Kinnefors follows suit with an exclusive interview with Daniel Svärd, Vice President of Live Games at King of Candy Crush fame (page 14). In the Company File section we take a close look at Mojang, developer of the worldfamous Minecraft video game and the biggest Swedish company of them all in terms of revenue (page 10). We also examine a technique known as Motion Capture which is similar to film, except that reflective dots (known as markers) are attached to the actor’s body. In the same way that a car’s headlights illuminate a cyclist’s reflective jacket at night, a dozen cameras see and record the reflective markers on the actor. The movements of the dots can be transferred to any character – human or animal – required for a movie or computer game (page 30). My first encounter with computer games took place in the late 1970s. The game consisted of a small console connected to our TV and simulated the game of squash. I don’t remember the purpose of it – only that a round spot (“ball”) moved slowly across the screen, producing a beep each time it bounced off one of the edges. Using the console, you could hit the ball with an electronic racket and change its direction. My 6-year-old daughter and I played it most evenings, so it must have been more mesmerizing than my recollection would have you believe. The present issue of Swedish Press includes an exclusive interview with Karin Olofsdotter, Sweden’s Ambassador to the United States (page 16), along with a movie review and various articles on political, economic, cultural and culinary subjects. You will find the main themes for the 2020 issues of our magazine in the latest Media Kit; consult it by going to our website www.swedishpress.com and click on “Advertise”. And please help with subscribing, advertising and donations, as it is getting more and more challenging to publish a quality printed magazine. We at Swedish Press wish you a joyful Christmas holiday replete with Swedish traditions, including delicacies in solid and liquid form! Peter Berlin Editor Peter@Swedishpress.com December 2019
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Statistics, Conundrums and Cutbacks
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Violence Up, Murders Down
wedish police and the general public are becoming increasingly concerned about the number of shootings and bomb explosions in the country’s big cities. During September and October the bomb squad was called out no less than 30 times. There have been 100 bomb explosions this year, more than twice the number in 2018. The explosions have been relatively minor and have caused no fatalities so far. Empty buildings, offices and cars are the most common targets. The bombs are thought to have been made by gangland amateurs and intended as warnings to rival gangs. Gun violence is also up, with 40 shootings reported last year, compared to an average of 4 incidents twenty years ago. Paradoxically, the downward trend in the number of murders since the 1990s continues and is one of the lowest per capita in the world.
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Extreme Rule of Law
he Swedish homeland security police has determined that five muslim immigrants, some of whom are imams, represent a threat to national security and should be deported. They are accused of radicalizing people within their communities. However, a court has ruled that, because they are likely to be subjected to inhumane treatment in their countries of origin upon their return, Swedish law prohibits their deportation. This has caused outrage in certain political circles which accuse the government of negligence for not having sought to change the law back in 2015 when the mass influx of refugees to Sweden began. The government’s response is that the law is based on an international treaty, to which Sweden is a signatory, and can therefore not be easily changed.
Spain to Greta Thunberg’s Rescue
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hen the planned UN Climate Change conference COP25 in Chile was suddenly cancelled due to political unrest in that country, Spain stepped in with an offer to play host instead. This, however, posed a problem for Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg who is currently in the United States and had hoped to attend the conference by making the overland journey to Chile with minimal expenditure of harmful CO2, much as she did when travelling by sailboat from Europe to the US in August. On November 13 she set sail from Hampton, Va. This time she is hitching a ride with an Australian couple who sail around the world in a 48-foot catamaran called La Vagabonde and chronicle their travels on YouTube. COP25 is now scheduled for December 2 – 13.
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Cutbacks at Karolinska
he prestigious Karolinska University Hospital, which operates several affiliated hospitals in the Stockholm region, has announced that it is to shed 600 medical staff in an effort to stem years of budget overruns. The action involves 250 doctors and 350 nursing staff and comes on top of the 550 administrative staff who were let go back in May. The hospital management maintains that the cuts will not affect the quality of care of patients – a reassurance that raises more questions than it answers.
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Swedes in the News
Christmas Cheer and Future-plans Christmas with Kirchsteiger
Ernst Kirchsteiger. Photo: tv4play.se
Revive your Christmas spirit with Swedish interior designer and TV host Ernst Kirchsteiger. He’s back for the 12th consecutive year with his hit TV show Jul med Ernst (Christmas with Ernst). Kirchsteiger, a Värmland native, started out as an interior decorator at IKEA and has since hosted TV shows, such as Sommartorpet, Nya rum, Jul med Ernst, Ernst i Toscana and Sommar med Ernst. He has also worked as a chef for 16 years, served as SVT’s Christmas host ( julvärd), been awarded the Filipstad’s Ambassador distinction and been honored with a book filled with his quotes. In Jul med Ernst, airing on TV4 this winter, Kirchsteiger offers viewers an abundance of cozy decorating tips, cooking inspiration, and plenty of words of wisdom. Singing Mamas The Christmas concert A Christmas Night to Remember featuring singers Loulou Lamotte, Ash Haynes and Dinah Yonas Manna (a.k.a.
“The Mamas”) premieres on December 1. The Mamas are well-known for their charisma, powerful voices and for having, as a choir, backed up John Lundvik during his performances on Melodifestivalen 2019 and The Eurovison Song Contest. Joined on stage by conductor Hans-Olof Berg and six of Sweden’s finest musicians, The Mamas invite their audience to an intimate Christmas concert filled with well-known classics, as well as modern Christmas songs. Info: maximteatern.com
competed in the World Cup she finished sixth, but this time got the gold! Greta meets Leo
Jeja Sundström. Photo: Anders Wiklund/ TT
during the annual “nordiska visträffen” at Säröhus outside of Kungsbacka. Sundström continues to be an active musician – most recently on tour in Värmland with her group “De kaxiga myrorna”. Swedish Superwoman
Loulou Lamotte, Ash Haynes and Dinah Yonas Manna
Jeja’s Award Swedish troubadour Jeja Sundström has been awarded this year’s Svenska Vispriset by Riksförbundet Visan i Sverige (a national association honoring the Swedish ballad tradition) for actively continuing the oral tradition. Sundström, 76, who started out singing in a church choir in her native Storuman, Lapland and is well-known for having been a member of the group “Visor & Bockfot”, was presented with the award
Martina Andersson. Photo: Björn Lindgren/TT
Säffle native Martina Andersson, 30, brought home the World Cup (VM) gold medal, making her the world’s strongest woman in her weight class under 82 kilos. The competition was held recently in the U.S. (Florida). Martina has already earned seven Swedish Championship (SM) titles as Sweden’s strongest woman and three European (EM) gold in Strongwoman. The last time Andersson
Leonardo DiCaprio and Greta Thunberg. ©Instagram/Leonardo DiCaprio
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, 16, continues to inspire. Thunberg, whose Friday protests for climate change outside the Swedish parliament has encouraged youths all over the world to similar actions, recently met with fellow environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio. The Academy Award-winning actor was highly impressed by the young Swede’s engagement. “There are few times in human history where voices are amplified at such pivotal moments and in such transformational ways – but Greta Thunberg has become a leader of our time”, the actor shared on Instagram. Adding “It was an honor to spend time with Greta. She and I have made a commitment to support one another, in hopes of securing a brighter future for our planet.” Thank you, Greta!
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[Landskapsnyheterna] SKÅNE Malmös politiker har röstat ja till två värmestugor för stadens hemlösa i vinter. Det är bland annat Svenska kyrkan Malmö, Skåne stadsmission, Fryshuset och Kontrapunkt som står bakom förslaget. Tillsammans kommer de att driva värmestugorna som har nattöppet för ungdomar mellan 18 och 25 år och vuxna över 25 år. Fler och fler människor söker sig till värmestugorna. – Behovet har växt i Malmö de senaste åren, det är fler och fler som står utan någon boendelösning. I år är behovet av en sovplats större än förra vintern, sa Johanna Nilsson från Kontrapunkt. Organisationerna bakom värmestugorna är tacksamma för Malmö stads stöd men hoppas på ytterligare åtgärder. – Vi är glada att de stöttar vårt arbete som började för fyra år sedan när vi öppnade för flyktingar, men jag vill ändå understryka att det inte räcker med att starta värmestugor. För det akuta behovet kommer det att behövas ordentliga härbärgen och att man på lång sikt kan lösa bostadsbristen i Malmö. Malmö stad kommer att bekosta de lokaler som används till värmestugorna. Planen är att man ska hålla öppet mellan den 16:e december 2019 och 15:e april 2020. HALLAND Åttaåriga Elvin från Kungsbacka i Hallands län lyckades nyligen lura posten med sitt hemgjorda brev och egenmålade frimärke. – Han satt och målade dit frimärken och puttade breven under dörren, sa Anna Saarinen, sambo till Elvins pappa. Elvin bestämde sig sedan för att testa att skicka ett av sina brev till sin pappas adress med sin mammas adress som avsändare. – Några dagar senare låg det i vår brevlåda. Elvin tyckte det var helt fantastiskt, sa Anna.
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– Det var kul! tillade Elvin. Som tur är har Elvin och hans pappa ännu inte fått någon faktura, så familjen tror att Elvins egenmålade frimärke passerade Postnord obemärkt. – Förhoppningsvis behöver vi inte köpa fler frimärken, skojade Anna. Enligt Postnord ska det inte gå att skicka brev utan riktiga frimärken, men i det här fallet har personalen inte upptäckt felet. – Så detta var en miss, men det var ju roligt för honom att det kom fram! sa Postnords presstalesperson Maria Ibsén. DALARNA Mora gymnasium i Dalarna utökar sin verksamhet med ett internationellt program. Gymnasiet har blivit godkänt för en så kallad ”internationell kandidatexamen”, eller International Baccalaureate (IB)-utbildning som den heter på engelska. Elever som söker sig till Mora gymnasiums IB-utbildning kommer att kunna påbörja sin utbildning under läsåret 2020-2021. – Äntligen är det klart att Mora gymnasium blivit en auktoriserad IBskola. Det öppnar många dörrar för framtiden och är ett viktigt och stort steg framåt i Mora gymnasiums arbete med internationalisering och att tänka ännu mer globalt, sa gymnasiechefen Lena Rowa i ett pressmeddelande. IButbildningen på Mora gymnasium är treårig (två års internationell IB-utbildning samt ett förberedelseår) och i stort sätt endast engelskspråkig. VÄSTERBOTTEN Sveriges första Metoo-monument invigdes nyligen på Rådhustorget i Umeå. Monumentet ”Listen”, som skapats av Camilla Akraka och föreställer en röd rytande puma, är landets första konstverk mot sexuella trakasserier. – Om man ska göra ett ljud som ska höras får man ta i från tårna, det
LAPPLAND NORRBOTTEN
VÄSTERBOTTEN
JÄMTLAND
HÄRJEDALEN
ÅNGERMANLAND
MEDELPAD HÄLSINGLAND
DALARNA GÄSTRIKLAND VÄSTMANLAND VÄRMLAND
NÄRKE
UPPLAND
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DALSLAND ÖSTERGÖTLAND BOHUSLAND VÄSTERGöteborg GÖTLAND SMÅLAND HALLAND SKÅNE
Stockholm
GOTLAND ÖLAND
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Malmö
är detta som det handlar om här, sa konstnären Akraka till SVT. Rådhustorget i Umeå var fullt på invigningsdagen; med bland publiken var bland annat grundaren för ideella medlemsföreningen ”Fatta” Ida Östensson och kulturnämndens ordförande Helena Smith. – Puman behövs. Den gör så att vi fortsätter prata om alla problem även efter Metoo, sa Östensson. Summary in English: In Skåne politicians in Malmö have endorsed the initiative by certain charity organisations to open heated cottages at night for homeless people. The cottages will be available from December 16, 2019 until April 15, 2020. In Halland an 8-year-old boy fooled the Post Office into delivering a letter adorned with a stamp that he himself had drawn. In Dalarna a high-school in the city of Mora has been certified to offer International Baccalaureate (IB) degrees. The teaching will be primarily in English. In Västerbotten a monument celebrating the Metoo-movement has been unveiled. It represents a red, roaring puma.
[Business] News Kontroverser kring Nobelpriset i ekonomi Att bryta fattigdomen i världen Av Henric Borgström
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obelpriset i ekonomi är det som väckt hetast känslor av de sex olika utmärkelserna, med demonstrationer och ifrågasättanden av en del mottagare. Men så är det inte ett riktigt Nobelpris, även om det utdelas i Stockholm samtidigt med de fyra gamla: fysik, kemi, fysiologi/medicin samt litteratur. Det femte är Fredspriset som delas ut i Oslo, en kvarleva från unionen Sverige-Norge som upphörde 1905, fyra år efter det att Nobelprisen utdelats första gången. Ekonomipriset beslutades först 1968 i form av en donation från Sveriges Riksbank som firade 300-årsjubileum i egenskap av världens äldsta centralbank. Året därpå utdelades det för första gången. Men priset var inte populärt i alla kretsar; vetenskapen Ekonomi var ifrågsatt eftersom den används som politiskt redskap. Som en markering från de gamla vittra vetenskaperna fick det inte heta Nobelpris, utan formellt ”Sveriges Riksbanks pris i ekonomisk vetenskap till Alfred Nobels minne.” Samtidigt beslutade Nobelstiftelsen att det var första och sista gången som ett nytt pris kunde hänga på de andra. En del kritiker kallade nykomlingen för snyltande på Nobels renommé. Nobelprisen anses världen över som de allra mest prestigefyllda. Sedan 1969 har pristagare korats i ekonomi 51 gånger. Tjugofem gångar har en enskild ekonom tilldelats det, 19 gånger blev det två mottagare. I år går det för sjunde gången till tre ekonomer samtidigt, därav en kvinna. Därmed totalt 84 pris, men sammanlagt endast till två kvinnor.
Årets pristagare Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo and Michael Kremer. Copyright © Nobel Media 2019. Illustration: Niklas Elmehed
Ekonomer från USA – antingen medborgare där eller verksamma vid amerikanska universitet – dominerar stort. Där har fler priser hamnat än sammanlagt i Tyskland, Storbritannien och Frankrike, men så har ju också USA fler invånare. Störst rabalder vållade utnämningen av Milton Friedman och hans nyliberala tänkesätt 1976 som kännetecknade Chicagoskolan. Demonstrationer ägde rum ända in till ceremonin med kung Carl Gustaf. Men även flera vänsterekonomer har belönats, exempelvis Gunnar Myrdal, en socialdemokratisk politiker som engagerat sig mot korruption i u-länder. Han fick priset 1974 tillsammans med österrikaren Friedrich von Hayek, den senare med snarast högeruppfattningar och kritiker av Keynes aktiva arbetsmarknadsåtgärder. 1977 fick tidigare folkpartiledaren Bertil Ohlin priset, som från liberala utgångspunkter tillsammans med Gunnar Myrdal grundade den s k Stockholmsskolans idéer i Keynes anda och förespråkade statliga stimulanser i nedgångstider. Årets pristagare har breddat ekonomisk vetenskap genom att studera hur fattigdom ska kunna brytas, dessutom via undersöknigar på individnivå istället för via ”tabeller”, som man så ofta i ekonomiska sammanhang lite slängigt uttrycker det. Pristagarna är 55-årige Michael Kramer på Harvard,
58-årige Abhijit Bannerjee (utbildad i Calcutta, New Dehli, vid Harvard och nu verksam vid MIT i Boston), samt 47–åriga Esther Duflo (utbildad i Paris, nu också verksam vid MIT). De har anvisat nya konkreta metoder för hur fler kan lyftas från nöd och svält. Detta efter intervjuer med precisa frågor, tester genom t ex bättre tillgång till läroböcker för skolelever, gratis skolmåltider, incitament för lärare, mobila vårdenheter, mm. Pristagarnas undersökningar genomförs enligt ungefär samma modell som försök med nya läkemedel. Där finns i allmänhet kontrollgrupper som jämförelse där deltagarna inte erhåller den nya medicinen utan istället sockerpiller (placebo). En metod har varit att öka andelen barn som får vaccin. Esther Duflo har fått indiska myndigheternas stöd att experimentera i ca 100 000 skolor. Enligt priskommittén har de tre forskarna gått ned på individnivå och därifrån försökt se vilka begränsningar och hinder skolbarn och deras fattiga familjer möter. I kommittén hoppas man att fler kvinnor ska bli aktuella som pristagare när nu den amerikanska sammanslutningen American Economic Association (AEA) inom nationalekonomin aktivt ska främja kvinnors deltagande. Summary in English: Henric Borgström provides an overview of the history of the Nobel Prize, and how the prize in Economics got into the mix. The 2019 Prize in Economics went to three researchers active at American universities. Their awards were in recognition of their innovative methods to study the nature of poverty and its causes. Henric Borgström är mångårig ekonomijournalist i svensk radio, TV och press. Artikeln publicerad i finlandssvenska Hufvudstadsbladet.
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Company File
A Miracle Tool for the Creative Mind By Peter Berlin
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ho has not heard of Minecraft, the Swedish sandbox computer game that has taken the world by storm? “Sandbox” is a fitting label; for just as a child turns her vision of edifices into something tangible in the sandbox, so the adult uses his imagination and the Minecraft toolbox to create virtual cities and landscapes. The game was conceived by Swedish game developer Markus Persson. Together with some friends he created the company Mojang (from the Swedish word mojäng, meaning “gadget”). The company released the game in 2011. Rather like a digital version of Lego, it enables players to build objects with a variety of different blocks in a simulated three-dimensional world, but it goes further by allowing exploration, resource gathering, and combat. Multiple modes that change gameplay are available, including a survival mode in which players must acquire resources to build a habitable world while
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staying safe, and a creative mode where players have extended resources with which to build. Minecraft has also been used for training by honing computer-aided design (CAD) skills. Almost from the outset, Minecraft received critical acclaim and won numerous awards. Social media sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit played a significant role in popularising the game. Minecraft has now become the single bestselling video game of all time, distributing over 176 million copies across all platforms by late 2019, and having over 112 million monthly active players. A number of spin-off games have also been developed, such as Minecraft: Story Mode, Minecraft Earth, and Minecraft Dungeons. Such was the success of Minecraft that, in September 2014, Microsoft bought Mojang and the Minecraft intellectual property for a staggering US$2.5 billion. The deal made Markus Persson one of Sweden’s wealthiest persons. He was born in 1979 in Stockholm to a Finnish mother and a Swedish father. He began programming on his father’s Commodore 128 home computer at the age of seven.
Experimenting with various type-in programs, he produced his first game at the age of eight – a textbased adventure game. He went on to work as a game developer for Swedish video game developer King, and as a programmer for the Swedish photo sharing service Jalbum. Persson appears in the video Minecraft: The Story of Mojang, a documentary by 2 Player Productions about the rise of Minecraft and Mojang (available on YouTube). Markus Persson has since left the company which continues to develop computer games along with updates to Minecraft. Mojang currently employs just over 80 game development and programming staff. As the company’s portfolio of games expands beyond its flagship title, the services required by those games grows as well. The Franchise Services team aims to supply those services by providing online backend services to power everything from in-game events to user account management. The company functions with a minimum of administrative overhead and cannot be reached by either telephone or email. That said, online help with game-related issues is always available via the website www. minecraft.net.
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God Jul och Gott Nytt År
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ät
Britl Crunch äkta svenskt knäckebröd bakat av
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Fira Jul och Nyår med God Jul & Gott Nytt År önskar
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Swedish Press | Dec 2019/Jan 2020 11
A Billion Gamers: Sweden’s Quest to Dominate the Video Game Industry
How is it that such a small country could become a world leader in yet another creative field? To understand Sweden’s contemporary gaming industry, it is important to first consider its historical background. Excluding some exceptional cases, Swedish companies didn’t release any major video games until thirty years after technology giants USA and Japan, which had been active since the early 70s. Sweden’s gaming businesses grew in a humble and inconspicuous fashion: in the 80s and 90s, a community of tech hobbyists experimenting with advanced computer graphics on machines like the Commodore 128 emerged in what is now known as the “Demo Scene.”
By Marcus Andersson
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stoundingly, one in every ten people in the world has played a Swedish video game. According to the Swedish Gaming Association, games like Minecraft, Battlefield, Candy Crush, etc. are so popular and pervasive that ten percent of the global population has played at least one of them, making a billion worldwide users. These figures are only projected to improve over time, as the industry continues its rapid growth in both number of new companies and profit margins. Sweden seems to have found the same enigmatic formula for success that it has developed in so many other sectors.
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Companies quickly formed in this café-like milieu, one of which grew into what is now DICE. One of the most prominent names in Swedish gaming, DICE eventually created the extremely popular Battlefield and continues to dominate to this day. In addition to Sweden’s healthy technological culture, regional competition within Scandinavia also contributed significantly to the state of its gaming production today. Sweden was earlier than its neighbours to
reach a level of excellence in game design, which encouraged other countries to compete. Considered one of the leading innovators in the market, Finland quickly outperformed both Norway, Denmark, and Iceland, creating global hit games like Angry Birds. Finland’s precocity has pushed Sweden to maintain a high level of quality and opened a wider network of collaboration for Swedish developers. Another reason why Sweden – and Scandinavia more generally – could become such a hotbed of video games is its rich IT tradition. Since Sweden is home to IT leaders like Ericsson, there’s a high level of computer literacy and a variety of educational opportunities in computer science. Today, two of Europe’s best schools in game development are based in Sweden: The Game Assembly School in Malmö and Future Games in Stockholm, both of which are in the top ten list, recently released by The Rookies, a renowned platform for digital artists. Equally important to educational opportunities is the community of game programmers that still thrives throughout the country, continuing the tradition of the Demo Scene of the 80s and 90s. The student-driven Swedish Game Awards, for example, has been held annually since 2002 and is hosted by the Royal Institute of Technology. Schools also support other events, such as the Sweden Game Arena, which hosts a Microsoft game camp, providing yet another forum for exchange and inspiration. As unlikely as it sounds, even the
Dream Hack digital festival. Photo: Jann Lipka/ imagebank.sweden.se
small town of Jönköping plays a vital role in gaming culture, as it is home to Dream Hack, the world’s largest LAN party and computer festival, with over 25,000 participants. Clearly, the industry in Sweden is vibrant and continues to expand. According to Game Development Index (GDI), it has the second-highest concentration of video-game studios per capita in the world, falling only behind Finland. According to https:// sweden.se/business/swedish-gaming/, Swedish gaming companies have seen a “26 percent revenue increase 2015–2017, and 44 percent more employees.” In Swedish fashion, this growth is being carried out in the most progressive and ethical way possible. Between 2012 and 2017, for example, the “number of women in the booming Swedish games industry has grown by 255 percent and the number of men by 157 percent.” Today, five of sixty-eight managing directors in industry organisations are women and, once Ebba Ljungerud takes over at Paradox, there will be a total of six. Moreover, there are many women in leadership positions, and three gaming
companies have been founded by women. The GDI shows that, within a period of ten years, female employment in the industry grew from 107 to 800 full-time team members. Though gender representation is still far from perfect, the Swedish gaming community is aware of its issues and transparent about statistics, striving toward a more even distribution in the future. Besides game production, Sweden has also contributed to global gaming culture. When they’re not playing games themselves, gamers regularly watch others livestream or record their experiences of video games online. There are many YouTube channels that boast millions of subscribers who solely create content of played games. One of the most popular professional gamers is Pewdiepie, a thirty-year-old Swedish man who is the second-most subscribed to and eleventh-most viewed content creator on YouTube. Worth around $30 million, Pewdiepie
Professional gamer Pewdiepie plays Minecraft.
has made an incredible career for himself from his bedroom playing games, and has been an inspiration for a new generation of professional gamers in Scandinavia.
The future of the Swedish gaming industry looks bright, as shown by both the economic statistics and the culture that surrounds it. Internationally, Sweden has an incredible reputation, with global corporations like Microsoft and Apple expressing interest in the latest developments, and venture capital firms like GP Bullhound
The King’s Candy Crush Saga game. Photo: King.com. Below: Background illustration for the Minecraft game. Photo: Mojang
investing in graphics companies developing 3D tools. Most recently, Microsoft acquired Mojang, the creator of Minecraft (the secondmost-sold video game of all time), for $2.5 billion. Figures suggest that Sweden will continue to lead the world in game production, and daily life reinforces the idea: one sees commuters playing Candy Crush on practically every subway train, shooting colourful gems on their cell phones, and Minecraft is going to be dramatised in a forthcoming 2022 blockbuster film. Perhaps the next decades will see the number of people who play Swedish games grow from the already impressive one billion to half of the human population.
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The Candy Man Can
Swedish game engineers in the competitive world of digital entertainment. By Sofie Kinnefors
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ounded in 2003 by Riccardo Zacconi, Thomas Hartwig, Sebastian Knutsson, Lars Markgren and Patrik Stymne in Stockholm, the Swedish game maker was bought in 2016 by Santa Monica-based video game holding company Activision Blizzard. King has studios and offices in Stockholm, Malmö, London, Berlin, Barcelona, Malta, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Swedish Press spoke to Svärd at King’s studio about the company’s success, its game development and his very own Candy Crush live score. “The company is built on a balance between industry-leading creativity and a data-driven mindset. We are team-oriented and inclusive in our way of working, and this has played an essential role in King’s success,” says Svärd.
The company, which develops computer games for the web such as Facebook and Windows 10, as well as for mobiles such as Windows Phone,
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Android and iOS, made second place on Swedish Game Developer Index list of Sweden’s 10 biggest gaming companies by revenue in 2018. With 247 million monthly active users (Q3) and over 4 billion downloads, the King franchises and their games, including Bubble Witch, Pet Rescue, Farm Heroes and puzzle video game Candy Crush are – to say the least – greatly appreciated. Daniel Svärd. Photo: King.com
King is one of Sweden’s biggest gaming companies. It took the world by storm with its successful saga game “Candy Crush” in 2012. Since then, the company – with Daniel Svärd, VP Head of Live Games Candy Crush Saga and Candy Crush Soda Saga, as well as Fiction Factory game engine at King’s Stockholm studio – continues to develop their mobile games and ever-growing fan-base.
Svärd insists that King’s success is because of a diverse and tech-savvy work force. “To ensure we maintain our creativity and a holistic view of creating games, we work hard to recruit people from different backgrounds with a variety of perspectives,” says Svärd. “King’s recipe for success is a combination of creativity, our capacities in data analysis and our diverse teams, approximately 2000 employees in total, along with a humble and inclusive culture ,“ he adds.
Svärd completed a Bachelor’s degree in computer science at KTH in his native Stockholm. He then worked in various roles within gaming and other industries before joining King in
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2013. He quickly worked his way from Game Performance Director, Head of Studio for King’s Malmö studio to his current position at King’s Stockholm studio. “I started working at King because I was impressed by the unique atmosphere and culture, which is a red thread through everything that we do.”
Overall, Svärd’s main priority is “to make sure that we keep investing in our two largest Candy titles, so as to ship more and greater experiences to our players. We’re constantly experimenting and innovating on how the Candy Crush games are experienced.
The overall franchise now has more features, more levels, and greater product innovation, and this is something we will continue to work on. ”
With over four billion downloads since its launch seven years ago, Candy Crush Saga is King’s most popular game. Svärd mainly attributes the game’s success to the improvements done to the game after its launch.
“Unlike the traditional video and computer game format, where the development process is considered done when the game is launched, a mobile game is constantly under further development. At least, that is the case with King’s games. We constantly improve and develop Candy Crush Saga through a data-driven approach where we listen to our players’ experiences and reactions to the game and iterate on the content to improve the gaming experience. I think that has contributed to the stamina in the game’s popularity.”
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For those who have not yet tried the popular game, Svärd suggests penciling in some time on their busy agendas. “Give it a go if you haven’t tried it! Candy Crush Saga provides a nice break from your daily grind. It’s a colorful world of candy where you constantly receive new challenges. You may also find that it’s a pretty good ice breaker since most people around you likely play Candy Crush Saga, too.”
He says that although there are so many levels to aspire to, “I’m only at level 715 in the live version. There
are currently over 5700 levels in the game, so I have plenty of fun ahead of me!” www.king.com All photos © King.com
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Swedish Press | Dec 2019/Jan 2020 15
‘Det är spännande att arbeta i USA ...’
Global S
Karin Olofsdotter, Sveriges ambassadör i Washington (USA)
Ambassadör Karin Olofsdotter. Foto: Andrea Belluso, House of Belluso
Karin Olofsdotter efterträdde Björn Lyrvall som Sveriges ambasssadör i USA den 1 september 2017 och är därmed vårt lands första kvinnliga ambassadör i Washington. Tidigare har hon bland annat tjänstgjort vid ambassaden i Washington, ambassaden i Moskva, vid NATO-delegationen och vid EU-representationen i Bryssel. Hon har också varit ambassadör i Budapest och enhetschef för UD:s ministerkansli.
Intervjuad av Peter Berlin
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Swedish Press | Dec 2019/Jan 2020 16
I marsnumret 2018 av Swedish Press hade vi nöjet att publicera en intervju med dig. Då hade du tjänstgjort några månader som Sveriges nya ambassadör i USA. Nu, ett och ett halvt år senare, hur upplever du värdlandets politiska och ekonomiska omvandling? Det är otroligt spännande. Allt går i en sådan rasande takt och politiken är både förutsägbar och inte. Administrationen arbetar med att realisera sina vallöften – en hel del politik håller vi med om, på andra områden har vi olika åsikter. Samtidigt hänger riksrättsfrågan över hela det amerikanska politiska systemet och kommer att fortsätta genomsyra det som sker, förmodligen under åtskilliga månader till. När vi pratar med svenska företag, så är många nöjda med den lägre företagsskatten. Det är den största skattereformen på 40 år och är naturligtvis en väldigt stor framgång för Trump. Men det finns politiska aktörer som inte delar samma syn, exempelvis finns en stor oro inom de multilaterala institutionerna. Handelsagendan medför även den osäkerhet. Presidenten förhandlar med Kina, och vi har även förhandlingar mellan EU och USA. Där hoppas vi verkligen att USA inte beslutar sig för att införa tullar på bilar från Europa. Det skulle ha mycket negativa konsekvenser, inte minst för Sverige. Dessa stora frågor är väldigt viktiga
för Sverige. Därför ägnar jag mycket tid att besöka kongressen för att tala med kongressledamöter om Sverige. De flesta känner förstås till Tyskland, Frankrike, Italien och andra större EU-länder, men när jag berättar att Sverige är den 15:e största investeraren i USA blir de positivt förvånade. Sverige har många multinationella företag här som sysselsätter uppemot 360,000 amerikaner, och räknar man med underleverantörer och andra jobb som skapas, rör det sig om en miljon arbetstillfällen. IKEA är välkänt, likaså ABB, Ericsson, Alfa Laval och Volvo. Svensk design och svenska kaféer ligger rätt på trend i New York och vi har även många svenska startup-företag i USA som arbetar med ny teknik. Med andra ord, finns det en enorm bredd av svenska företag här. Jag tar naturligtvis upp hur den nuvarande handelspolitiken faktiskt skadar arbetsmarknaden i USA och att internationella investerare kanske kommer välja att vara mera försiktiga här framöver. Vi har också ett väldigt nära försvarssamarbete med amerikanerna. Saab vann tillsammans med Boeing en mycket stor beställning på utbildningsflygplan för det amerikanska försvaret tidigare i år. Att vi nu ska stärka vårt eget svenska försvar under de kommande åren är
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Putting Sweden on the Map Abroad
l Swedes
naturligtvis något som uppskattas mycket från amerikansk sida. Det är spännande att arbeta i USA och att vara svensk ses som något positivt. Det finns en nyfikenhet inför Sverige när vi pratar med folk runtom i landet. Vi anses trovärdiga och bemöts med respekt. Det är också intressant att se hur Sverige för vänsterfalangen inom det demokratiska partiet framstår nästan som en utopisk stat, medan man på högerflanken inom det republikanska partiet ibland ser med förfäran på Sverige. Så att befinna sig mitt emellan dessa ytterligheter är jättebra! Att ge service och stöd till svenskar i USA som är i behov av konsulär hjälp är en viktig roll för ambassaden. Det kan exempelvis handla om svenskar som hamnar i nöd, eller svenskar som behöver förnya sina pass. Tyvärr drabbades de mobila passfotostationerna av omfattande tekniska problem under hösten och trots omfattande felsökningar kunde ingen lösning hittas. Vi förstår och beklagar verkligen besväret detta orsakar passökanden. Ambassaden i Washington och generalkonsulatet i New York har utökat sina passtider och kommer fortsätta erbjuda denna service under 2020 så länge ett behov finns. Utrikesdepartementet arbetar med att finna en hållbar lösning.
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‘.... och att vara svensk är bra.’ Hur arbetar ni på Ambassaden för att sätta Sverige på kartan? Ni använder House of Sweden som er främjandeplattform. Kan du berätta mer om ert arbete där? Du får sätta in en bild av House of Sweden i tidningen så att folk förstår hur fantastiskt vackert det är! Det är en makalös byggnad nere i Georgetown vid Potomac-floden. Den är inte bara en ambassad utan också ett eventcenter med utställningslokaler och konferensmöjligheter. Vi använder House of Sweden för att föra fram de frågor som vi tycker är viktiga och som vi vet att man även i USA anser vara viktiga. Vi har just nu en utställning som heter Urban Challenges och handlar om smarta städer och smarta lösningar på framtidsutmaningen för den urbana människan. Huset är öppet för allmänheten varje helg. I våras hade vi en konstutställning med den svenska konstnären Siri Berg, en fantastisk kvinna som är 97 år gammal. Hon målar fortfarande och hennes målningar hänger bland annat på Guggenheim. I mars kom popartisten Robyn hit och innan hon fortsatte sin turné med stopp i New York, Washington och andra delar av USA, pratade hon på House of Sweden om Tekla-projektet som handlar om tjejer i tech-industrin. Vi har även ett rum för barn med svensktillverkade leksaker och svensk barnlitteratur, på engelska förstås! Nu i höst invigde vi en ny fotoutställning, ”Swedish Dads”, av svenska fotografen Johan Bävman.
En utställning som verkligen engagerade vår amerikanska publik. Bilder på föräldralediga svenska pappor väcker nyfikenhet och uppfattas nästan som exotiska i ett land som USA där möjligheten till betald föräldraledighet, såväl för kvinnor som för män, är mycket begränsad. Vi invigde även en utställning med Ann-Sofi Sidén, svensk videokonstnär och skulptör, i slutet av oktober. Vi samarbetar med våra 28 konsulat runtom i landet. De är jätteduktiga på att lyfta fram svenska företag, konstnärer och liknande. Därtill har vi alla Sverige-Amerikaorganisationerna. Till sist för att ge läsarna av Swedish Press några tips om vart de kan bege sig i USA kan jag varmt rekommendera Nordic Museum i Seattle. Muséet är helt fantastiskt, inklusive arkitekturen och den permanenta utställningen om hur folk kom från våra trakter till Amerika. Samtidigt kan man lära sig om och fördjupa sig i dagens kultur i Norden. Jag har också varit i Minneapolis och besökt det fantastiska American Swedish Institute där som har ett mycket fint program om Sverige och om svensk-amerikanska relationer. Jag har aldrig förr varit med om ett sådant intresse för Sverige! Summary in English: Ambassador Olofsdotter shares her insight into the political developments in the United States, and how Sweden is perceived among Democrats and Republicans. She goes on to highlight the activities of the Embassy in Washington DC, including its cultural activities in the House of Sweden.
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[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
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Celebrate Christmas the Astrid Lindgren way by visiting the Swedish author’s childhood home “Näs” and the Christmas market in Vimmerby, Småland this year! The very special market, which takes place on December 13 – 15, features local foods, sweets and plenty of crafts. Visitors are also invited to take a tour, offered every day at noon, 1 and 2 pm, in the house where Lindgren was born and raised. Entrance fee to the market is 60 SEK. Children eight and under go free.
Add more zest to your holiday table this year with sparkling bright yellow “saffranscider” (saffron cider) from St. Eriks brewery in Stockholm, Sweden. Saffron cider is based on organic apple cider and flavored with saffron, orange and vanilla. Serve the cider (alcohol content 4.5 percent) as an aperitif or as a complement to “glögg” (mulled wine). Saffron cider is available for purchase at Systembolaget throughout the Christmas season. Look for a yellow bottle with a label of a saffron bun on it.
St.Petersburg’s Nötknäpparen. Photo © Julius Production
24 Sweet countdown! Malmö Chokladfabrik, founded in 2004 and one of Sweden’s few chocolate producers, is releasing a luxurious chocolate calendar filled with 24 ecological pieces free from nuts, gluten and soy this Christmas. Internationally awarded multiple times for its chocolate and design, Malmö Chokladfabrik is known for combining carefully handled organic cacao beans and exciting flavors in a completely nut-free factory. Look forward to ten different flavor combinations, including lemon, licorice, pears and cardamom in your delicious calendar.
10 World-renowned St . Petersburg Festival Ballet is bringing their performance Nötknäpparen – En jultradition (The Nutcracker – A Christmas Tradition) to Sweden – beginning with a visit to Stockholm on December 10, followed by performances in Gothenburg on December 14 and Malmö on December 15. All ages will enjoy this beautiful classic Christmas story, featuring talented dancers, spectacular stage design and extravagant music by the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky. Info: www. juliusproduction.se
9 Swedes love their “pepparkakor“ (gingerbread cookies) – especially during the holidays! Make ”Pepparkakans dag”, established in 1996 and celebrated on December 9,
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the day you set your dough, pick up pre-made dough at the store, or simply buy a tin of ready-made crisp cookies consisting of ginger, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. Gingerbread cookies have been said to make people who eat them kinder, so each year during Pepparkakans dag amusement park Gröna Lund in Stockholm honor “årets snällaste” (the kindest person of the year).
5000 Recycle and get a discount! People who enjoy eating bread from Swedish bakery company “Bageri Skogaholm” can now recycle their plastic bread bags at one of Sweden’s over 5000 recycling stations. Simply download the “PantaPå app”, travel to the nearest recycling station found in your app, scan the barcode on the bag and throw it in the right container. As a reward, you’ll receive a discount coupon for your next purchase of bread from Skogaholm.
5 A study about eating habits at Örebro University showed that people who eat Mediterranean foods have a higher content of adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory substance that counteracts a wide range of diseases, including diabetes. Mediterranean foods contain a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish and chicken, and less red meat and fatty dairy products. The National Food Agency (Livsmedelverket) recommends five fist-sized portions of fruits and vegetables per day to stay healthy.
[Lifestyle] Book A to Zåäö: Playing with History at the American Swedish Institute
About the authors:
By Nate Christopherson and Tara Sweeney
A
is for “Akta dig! Look out!” And when you do, you’ll see the nyckelharpa, or keyed fiddle, that Axel’s father made – which followed Axel from Sweden to America. You also find Axel with his umbrella as one of the inquisitive characters who will accompany you on these pages, guiding you through the twenty-nine letters of the Swedish alphabet. Each letter does something exciting. C is “Cirkulera! Go round and round!” And for D, “Dansa! Dance!”
This fun introduction to the Swedish alphabet, a romp from A to Z (and then Å to Ä to Ö), is also a delightful tour of the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, a cultural center alive with stories past and present. Artifacts from the museum’s collection are charmingly rendered in watercolor and decorated with whimsical pen-and-ink characters that lead readers from page to page. Tara Sweeney and Nate Christopherson, a mother and son collaborative team, create magical realism in A to Zåäö, their first picture book. The artifacts in A to Zåäö were carried or shipped from Sweden, or
built in America, by Swedish immigrants about 150 years ago. Some are so small they could fit in your pocket. Others are so big you would need help to move them. Some were used every day, while others were kept for special occasions. Their stories are written up at the end of the book, along with photographs of the actual objects. Says Inga Theissen, the Collections Manager of the Swedish American Institute: “As this project progressed, we understood that we weren’t just telling the story of a bunch of objects. We were telling the story of place – the story of the American Swedish Institute, the story of Swedish Americans in Minnesota, and the personal stories of immigrants. These objects serve as evidence of the layers of culture that permeate a place.”
Nate Christopherson is a special education teacher and freelance illustrator. He created art for Amy Leach’s Things That Are and a special edition of Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Braiding Sweetgrass for the Minnesota Center for Book Arts. He received a Minnesota State Arts Board grant to illustrate The Island, an award-winning limitededition collaborative artist book. Award-winning artist, illustrator, and author Tara Sweeney received a Minnesota State Arts Board grant to co-illustrate and author A to Zåäö with her son, Nate Christopherson. She is author of Close to Home: A Minnesota Year in Sketches, a collection of illustrated creative nonfiction. She is professor emeritus at Augsburg University, where she taught drawing and painting for twenty-five years. Sweeney and Christopherson both live in St. Paul, Minnesota. The 88-page book costs $24.95 and will be available from University of Minnesota Press from December 1 onwards. www.upress.umn.edu/bookdivision/books/a-to-zay-a-ap
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Swedish Press | Dec 2019/Jan 2020 19
[Lifestyle] Film Exclusive Interview with Vivienne Kjono
Vivienne Kjono. Photo © Manhart Photography
Meet Vivienne Kjono (pronounced Shono), Swedishborn American author, movie producer, wine-connoisseur and jewelry designer. In the following interview we follow her whirlwind career characterized by an insatiable urge to explore and create. Interviewed by Peter Berlin
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Please describe your upbringing and professional background. I was born in Stockholm. In the early 1960s my mother felt compelled to leave Sweden because of my father’s alcoholism. We landed in L.A. when I was 7 years old, and that was of course a big culture shock after Stockholm. My professional career started at age 21 in San Francisco, working for a brokerage firm as a Compliance Officer Assistant. I was making very little money and decided to become a stockbroker. I took a correspondence course in finance while working full time. I married my instructor, and we formed our own company with the objective to analyse losses and gains in the stock market. Our clients were major stock brokerage firms; we served as their expert witnesses in cases involving stock and option frauds. We worked on over 200 cases in the US District courts, bankruptcy courts and arbitration proceedings. We then moved to Seattle where I became affiliated with a law firm. I am not a lawyer but was hired to head up their international joint ventures. In the early 90s I travelled all over the world and brought TGI Friday’s to Scandinavia. It was an exciting time during which I also started up the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce (SACC) in Seattle, with the blessing of SACCNew York. Given your background in the corporate world, what inspired you to become an author and film maker? I always wanted to be in a creative
field, so I left the corporate world to become an author. I wanted to write a small, enchanting children’s story about how everybody should honor their God-given gift and share their talent with humanity. That started me on the journey of “Mykonos Blue”, an action/drama/fantasy tale. From there I wanted to create films that are heart-warming and inspirational for people to watch and enjoy, but with a message for them to take away. You are now involved with the production of a new movie called “A New Christmas.” What inspired the storyline? The story was inspired by a deep love for Christmas, a holiday that embraces one and all, regardless of cast, creed or religion. My East Indian partners and my screenwriter wanted to make a Christmas film with a twist. It occurred to us that we haven’t seen a movie in America that truly portrays the impact of Christmas across immigrants and foreigners. My producer and I worked on the
The film, “A New Christmas” was shown recently during Heartland Film Festival. Seen here with Vivienne Kjono (left) is Prashantt Guptha, the lead actor in the film and his beautiful wife, Mansi Gupta, both flew in from Mumbai. Photo courtesy: Vivienne Kjono
[Lifestyle] Film The third movie project is “The Sanctuary,” a thriller about a topsecret mission between the U.S. Defense Department and India in 1965 in order to monitor China’s secret nuclear test launches. We already have funding for half of the production, and are in negotiations with a director. How many hours are there in your day? I have two computer screens in front of me! I love what I do, so I don’t think of it as work. In addition to Vivienne Kjono with fellow producer, Rashaana Sha. Photo courtesy: Vivienne Kjono
production – we were two people doing the job of ten people, from locations and costumes to logistics and accounting. The biggest challenge was doing all this at below zero temperatures during Christmas night, but we got through it. The movie will be released December 6, 2019 for domestic distribution in US and Canada, initially to theatres and later to digital platforms. What future projects are in your calendar? First in line is “Mykonos Blue,” the above-mentioned movie. We will be in production in 2020. The second project is “Destiny Starts Early.” It is a memoir based on my mother’s life and shows the tremendous spirit a person can manifest when handling life’s strange twists and turns. We had the storyline written by a professional writer, and now we are seeking to turn it from a manuscript into a movie.
my role as a movie producer, I have enjoyed market placement in Costco of my sister’s prize-winning winery called Wise Villa Wines. I have also been asked by Quintessence jewelry NY firm to collaborate in designing unique gold and silver medallion necklaces interfaced with precious and semiprecious stones. I don’t count the hours in the day. I wake up, go to my computer, write down my stuff, and talk to my team to get our movies rolling. I am simply happy doing what I do.
Brief review of the movie “A New Christmas” Christmas in New York. A young woman unintentionally upsets a troubled young man by taking a picture of him in the street without his permission. She is a visitor from Kenya; he is a New Yorker of East Indian extraction. After reproaching the woman and storming off, the man feels remorse, turns around and apologizes to her for his outburst. It is Christmas, after all. The two of them quickly establish a close rapport. In the evening they stroll along New York streets bedecked with Christmas decorations and discover that they have much in common, despite their different cultural backgrounds. But he has personal issues, and her appearance by his side creates waves in his other relationships. The story comes
to a surprising but satisfactory conclusion. A New Christmas is beautifully filmed: a heartwarming drama of friendship, love and soul-searching set in the forgiving ambience of Christmas. Director: Daniel Tenenbaum Writer: Travis Hodgkins Cast: Prashantt Guptha, Grace Wacuka, Preeti Gupta
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[Lifestyle] An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture Min amerikanska värdfamilj fick en julchock i Sverige Av Yvonne Gossner
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ag glömmer aldrig julen 2011. Vi hade planerat en traditionell svensk jul hemma hos oss i vårt nya hus i Limhamn, men den stora skillnaden det året var att min underbara värdfamilj i Boston, som jag inte hade sett på flera år, skulle för första gången komma till Sverige och ville absolut besöka vår familj kring jul. Att de valde att ankomma på årets mest stressiga dag, nämligen 23 december, var inget jag kunde påverka. Diplomatiskt svensk som man är ”var det inga problem”, men redan samma stund jag tackade “ja” kunde jag
känna svetten i pannan, och mitt hjärta slog ännu snabbare än vanligt. Det som också var speciellt med julen 2011 var att det i Skåne aldrig förr kommit så mycket snö som det året. Bilar satt fast i snödrivor och Öresundsbron var avstängd. Min värdfamilj från USA, som jag tidigare år försäkrat att ”det är aldrig snö i södra Sverige”, fick uppleva det mot-
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satta. Så fort de landade på skandinavisk mark väntade de säkert bara på att isbjörnarna skulle dyka upp bakom snöhögarna på flygplatsen. Faktum var att det enda sättet att ta sig från flygplatsen i Kastrup till Sverige var att ta en taxi över bron när den stundtals öppnade bara för bilar med brådskande ärenden. Väl hemma hos oss blev det en svensk jul som amerikanarna sent skulle glömma. Vi bjöd på dopp i grytan, lutfisk och sill i alla dess olika smaker och former – varför inte göra det extra svenskt när man har utländska gäster liksom? Det mest udda var nog ändå när vår dotter skulle gå Lucia efter att vi tittat på Kalle Anka på TV. Denna kombination är svår att slå när det gäller att uppnå klimax av svensk kultur, och då gärna med lussekatter i handen och glögg i munnen. För att inte tala om när vi senare skulle titta på den politiska ”Sagan om Karl-Bertil Jonssons Julafton” på TV och amerikanarna snabbt insåg att politik är inget som vi svenskar gärna diskuterar öppet, även om det är julafton. När jag tänker tillbaka på alla jular jag har upplevt, så är det ändå denna julen som jag har starkast minnen av. Fortfarande får jag julbrev av min amerikanska värdfamilj där de skriver att den svenska julen var den roligaste, konstigaste och snöigaste jul de någonsin upplevt. Jag å andra sidan kommer ihåg just den julen som en av de stressigaste men också svenskaste högtiderna jag varit med om. Våra svenska traditioner förstärktes eftersom vi verkligen ville visa upp vår svenska jul, vilket skapade en gemensam ansträngning från oss alla i familjen
för att göra den här julen fantastisk. Samtidigt var jag så otroligt lycklig över att min värdfamilj prioriterade att välja sina lediga dagar hos just oss, och att de vågade ge sig in på en svensk jul de sent eller aldrig skulle glömma. Inför denna julen önskar jag mindre stress och att kunna släppa taget. Allt behöver inte vara perfekt, inte ens när man får besök från andra sidan Atlanten och man ställer sig den eviga frågan: ”Blir det snö till jul i Skåne i år?” Svaret är att det kan aldrig bli mer snö än året 2011, och isbjörnarna får nog vänta i år igen! Footnote: Yvonne Gossner är en f.d universitetsadjunkt och Swedish influencer, numera ägare av Learn Swedish Culture AB. www. learnswedishculture.com
Summary in English: Yvonne Gossner recalls the Christmas of 2011 when an unprecedented amount of snowfall in Skåne caused road traffic to grind to a halt. The American family from Boston who had once played host to Yvonne when she was working as an au-pair while at the same time studying Psychology at Wellesley College, chose that very time to visit her in Limhamn, a suburb of Malmö. Their visit caused much stress but also great pleasure as Yvonne’s family endeavoured to show their visitors Swedish Christmas at its best.
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Road to 2045
Road to 2045 Where On Earth Are We Getting Our Transport Fuels From? By Jakob Lagercrantz
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n just half a year’s time, Sweden will be pioneering new labels on fuel pumps in Sweden. The labels will specify both origin and content of the fuels – for fossil fuels as well as bio-based fuels. This will be the first time any country actually labels the origin of fuels. The development of labels for fuels has been very controversial, while labelling on coffee beans or bananas was introduced some 20 years ago without any real opposition. Some parts of the fuel industry claim that they do not know the origin of the petroleum, while others have no problems providing the information. We now have legislation in place and will see the first labels in mid-2020. It’s about time. Sweden has over the years more and more relied on imports from countries with political systems not in line with our own constitutional monarchy. The majority of the transport fuels in the late 1900’s came from our Nordic neighbors Norway and Denmark; today we get most of the fuel from Russia, Nigeria and Venezuela. These three countries supplied 53% of imported fuels in 2017, and the share is increasing. If we add countries listed as “unknown” (seven percent), we will probably add Saudi Arabia, maybe Iran and a few other questionable democracies. Do we really want to give President Putin even more power over our transport sector? Russia is already the largest natural gas supplier to Europe. Are we certain we want to support a fledgling democracy in Nigeria which is
Examples of new labels on the fuel pump. Source: Swedish Energy Agency
extracting oil from the heavily polluted Ogoni delta? The delta has been declared one of the most polluted areas in the world. Do we really want export revenues to support Venezuela’s leader Maduro during a heavily contested political situation? Now, labels on the pump will allow people to decide which company to
choose based on more information than just price. Will they seize that opportunity? The answer is probably yes. Transparency is the key to a strong societal debate. By ensuring that we know the origin of the fuel, we will allow the public to react. And as long as they have viable alternatives, they will. This is also important for the biofuels on the Swedish market. The labels will allow the customer to identify both the source of the biofuel and where it is imported from. It will allow the choice between biofuels of questionable origin and a poor greenhouse gas emission record, and the good biofuels made from sustainable resources and with a positive effect on greenhouse gas emissions. In the end, this will allow the general public to assume a more active role in the important transition to a decarbonized transport sector. Fores (which includes the 2030-secretariat) is a Swedish think tank devoted to questions related to climate and environment, migration and integration, entrepreneurship and economic reforms, as well as the digital society.
A documentary film about the cleaning up of an ecological nightmare in the Niger Delta in “The Ogoni”.
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Hemma hos
Success Comes to the Museum of Failure
[Design]
By Kristi Robinson
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ike a little voice whispering in your ear “you can’t do it”, the fear of failure does a great job in keeping us in our comfort zone. The concept that failure is something to be embraced and can be part of the journey to success is something Swedish psychologist Dr. Samuel West has made his aim to share with the world, and he has done it in absolutely the most amusing way. In his research he found the biggest problem wasn’t that people didn’t know how to be creative or innovative; it was that they simply didn’t try for fear of failure.
Dr. Samuel West at his touring Museum of Failure in Sweden. Photo © Sandra H Gao
Knowing that people needed to accept setbacks to make progress, Samuel wanted to communicate this in a way that resonated. After a trip to Croatia where he says he had his Eureka moment, the idea for the Museum of Failure (MOF) was born. In the summer of 2017 the tiny museum opened in Helsingborg, Sweden. Much to the surprise of Samuel, before the museum had even opened, it exploded with media coverage. The NY Times, Washington Post, BBC, and practically every media
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The MOF in Shanghai: a model of the DeLorean, and Atari’s ET, considered one of the worst video games of all time. Photo © MOF
outlet in the world was interested in the Museum of Failure. He explains that it was so weird having a tiny museum in the bad part of a small insignificant city in Sweden, that hadn’t even opened yet, be worldfamous. In the beginning Samuel contacted the companies whose products he wanted to exhibit. Maybe it’s the stigma associated with a failed product, but he admitted that nobody wanted to work with him, so he bought the items off the internet or wherever he could find them. Now that the museum is established and has toured the world with an additional three mini pop-up Museums of Failure, Samuel receives at least a couple items from companies every month requesting to be a part of it. The Nintendo Power Glove, Trump Board Game, the DeLorean car featured in the Back to the Future movie series, Nokia’s taco shaped N-Gage phone and gaming console – with over 100 products in the Museum of Failure, the items range from total wacky to something that seemed like a cool idea, but just wasn’t. In 2013
Google Glass. Photo © Sofie Lindberg
Google released their high-tech version of a pair of glasses, Google Glass. The glasses had a screen on it allowing the user to connect to the internet via voice control, but the best – or perhaps worst – part was that the glasses had a video camera on it and could secretly record people. The term ‘glasshole’ was used for anyone who sported this wearable piece of espionage. Amidst privacy concerns, Google Glass met their fate in 2014. The Museum showcases some wonderful Swedish failures too, like the Itera bicycle. Designed by former Volvo engineers in the early 1980s, it was an attempt to modernize the bike. Aside from being expensive, the plastic bike easily broke, and the frame wasn’t rigid enough making it
The Itera bike at the Museum of Failure in Hollywood. Photo © Jake Ahles
too wobbly to ride. Another Swedish failure from the 80’s is Ikea’s inflatable sofa. Designed to be inflated with a hair dryer, unforeseen problems quickly surfaced. When the hair dryer’s hot air cooled, the sofa shrunk. Other dilemmas were that the plastic material the sofa was made of meant it was a dust magnet; and the furniture was so light that if a window was open and a breeze blew in, the sofa could be tossed around the room. For more fun failures and news about upcoming shows visit museumoffailure.com.
Hemma hos
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fter cooking professionally in Boston for years I moved to Copenhagen in 2000 for a fresh start and culinary inspiration. At the time, there wasn’t much new happening in the food scene in that part of the world – many of my culinary comrades were heading to places like France and Italy to delve into European cuisines there. However, I chose Denmark after having been invited by a wonderful Danish friend I’d met years prior while attending high school in Ohio. From a food prospective, Scandinavians ate a lot of meat and potatoes, some fish, and not many vegetables. Then suddenly, a movement called New Nordic came to life, spearheaded by Noma chefs René Redzepi and Claus Meyer. It aimed to improve food culture at all levels, change food habits and promote sustainability throughout the entire Nordic region. The movement gained momentum fast. It wasn’t affecting the upscale foods served at Noma and other fancy restaurants. It was embraced by many, including governments and businesses, and before long chefs began incorporating the New Nordic principles into their restaurant menus. Some of my favorite places to dine were then born: casual eateries where vegetable-forward, local, seasonal and delicious foods were served. They inspired me to eat differently than I had up until that point, and it was a real eye-opener, and I suddenly was grateful for not having done my culinary training in other parts of Europe.
[Treats]
à la Nichole Accettola At Kantine, we make just about everything from scratch. From cured bacon to yogurt, rye bread to pickled herring and pastries. Some guests come because they want to try a new cuisine, others come because they want to revisit it, especially if they have traveled in Scandinavia and grown fond of that way of eating. Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches are always on our daily menu. Here is one tasty variation of a list of our best sellers. Hope you enjoy! By Nichole Accettola www.kantinesf.com
So when I moved to San Francisco about five years ago and witnessed what sublime ingredients could be found here, I integrated many of the same New Nordic ways into my Scandinavian restaurant Kantine.
Beet Root Tartare Open-faced Sandwich
Ingredients: For the beet root tartare: • 2 large beets • 1 tbsp capers, roughly chopped • 1 tsp balsamic • 1 tsp grainy mustard • 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 tbsp mayonnaise For the kale pesto: • 2 large handfuls curly kale, washed and destemmed • 1 carrot, peeled and chunked • 12 almonds, toasted and chopped • 1 medium apple, cored and chunked • 1 tsp cider vinegar • 1 tbsp olive oil For the horseradish cream: • 2 tbsp freshly grated horseradish • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard • 3 tbsp mayonnaise • 1/2 c crème fraiche or sour cream Plus salt and pepper and 4 slices Danish-style sprouted rye bread
Beet Root Tartare, Kale Pesto and Horseradish Cream Open-faced Sandwich Preparation: Yield: 4 servings 1. Cook beets until tender, about 1 hour. Cool, peel and cut into irregular 1/2” chunks. Put half of the beets into a food processor with capers, vinegar, mustard, oil and mayonnaise. Pulse until mixed but not pureed (there should still be largish chunks). Mix all beets back together and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Make kale pesto. Rip kale into 1” pieces. Pulse kale and remaining ingredients in a food processor and until slightly chunky. Season with salt and pepper. 3. Make horseradish cream. Stir all ingredients together in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. 4. To serve, spread horseradish cream on each slice of bread (remember to spread evenly and all the way out to the edges). Top with a hearty layer of beet root tartare, and garnish with green kale pesto. Serve immediately.
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Swedish Press Connects
Swedish Council of America
A New Year, a New Paradigm
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hen Swedish Council of America (SCA) was founded nearly five decades ago by a group of leading American-Swedish organizations, its mission was to be the national umbrella organization for the hundreds of Swedish-American lodges, clubs, associations, museums, colleges and other groups that then existed all across the United States. Unfortunately, over the decades many of those organizations have ceased to exist and those that remain need a different type of support from their national organization. In response to these changes, SCA reorganized several years ago to become the community foundation for Swedish
SCA Executive Director Gregg White samples a crawfish at a Kräftskiva in Minneapolis where he was the host and sångmästare.
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America, and as such, made its primary focus to provide financial support to projects that promote understanding of Swedish heritage and culture in North American life and to offer scholarships to college students who seek to build stronger ties between Sweden and America. This change proved successful, as indicated by SCA reaching the onemillion dollar mark in grants awarded to Swedish causes across the continent. Now, after months of discussion and reflection, the SCA Board of Directors has decided to go one step further. In the next few months, SCA will become an all-volunteer organization with the primary job of overseeing three permanent endowment funds, each with a specific purpose in fulfilling SCA’s mission. Via the SCA Heritage Fund, SCA will continue its decades-long tradition of providing financial support to various Swedish heritage-preservation organizations and cultural institutions that are essential in ensuring that a sense of Swedishness continues in future generations. In addition, SCA’s two scholarship funds will continue to invest in youth keen on building personal and professional bridges between Sweden and America. One will support Swedish students coming to America to study and the other American students heading to Sweden. All three funds are permanent endowment funds housed in major institutions, so their financial stability is ensured. Details are on the SCA website. Change, although sometimes uncomfortable, is how we grow. This new paradigm guarantees that the efforts of SCA will continue to support Swedishness in America long after the lifetime of anyone reading this magazine. This is a good thing for Swedish America. On behalf the members of the SCA Board of Directors and myself, I thank you for your years of support – in the past and into the future! Best wishes for continued success, Gregg White, Executive Director SCA is Swedish America’s community foundation. Our mission is to promote knowledge and appreciation of Swedish heritage and culture in North American life and to strengthen contemporary cultural and educational ties between North America and Sweden. We achieve this by providing grants to organizations, scholarships to youth, recognition to leaders and communications to the community – all focused on furthering our mission. www.swedishcouncil.org
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Museum’s folk art collection returns – The Swedish American Museum’s rare collection of 18th and 19th century Bonader will be on display Dec 13 to Jan 12. These hand-painted wall hangings were created between 1782 and 1850 by farmers and laborers as pastimes during the long, dark winters. The Bonader depict motifs from the Bible and Scandinavian pageantry as paintings on linen and paper. The vegetable and mineral pigments achieve vivid arrays of color. They were sized for specific wall spaces and hung unframed. Donated to the Museum in 2000 by The Art Institute of Chicago, these Bonader represent the eighth largest known accumulation. The collection originated in 1931 among acquisitions from world traveler Florence Dibell Bartlett of Chicago. Inspired by what she viewed as a decline in creation of folk art, Bartlett acquired pieces she found in 37 countries. She was the founder in 1953 of the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
University of Washington Names Building After Swedish Physician – Hans Rosling is known internationally for his captivating analysis of global health data, for discovering a paralyzing disease in Africa and explaining its socio-economic causes, and for his intense curiosity and life-long passion for educating students, world leaders and the public. Now, Hans Rosling — a Swedish doctor, statistician, author and professor — will be a name associated with the University of Washington’s transformative work in population health. Today, the UW Board of Regents approved naming the $230 million building under construction on UW’s Seattle campus the Hans Rosling Center for Population Health. In 2006, Rosling burst onto the international stage with a widely acclaimed TED Talk titled “The best statistics you’ve never seen” (check it out on YouTube). Hans Rosling followed that success with nine more TED Talks, international speaking engagements and the best-selling book “Factfulness: Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World — and Why Things Are Better Than You Think.”
SWEA Toronto’s 38th Annual Swedish Christmas Fair: New Date, New Location – The Fair will be held on Saturday, December 7 (11 am – 5 pm) and Sunday, December 8 (11 am – 4 pm) at Daniels Spectrum located at 585 Dundas St E, Toronto. The Fair will feature hard-tofind Scandinavian food imports, artisan crafts, unique Christmas décor, Swedish design products and a café featuring traditional Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches and pastries. On-site activities include a Lucia pageant, Swedish Folk Dancing, an Arts & Crafts Workshop for kids, and an exhibition of work by the renowned Swedish glass artist Ulrica Hydman Vallien. Proceeds from the Christmas Fair go directly towards SWEA Toronto’s Scholarship program and charitable initiatives.
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Vancouver WALLENBERG-SUGIHARA CIVIL COURAGE SOCIETY
FIFTEENTH ANNUAL VANCOUVER
RAOUL WALLENBERG DAY 1:00 P.M. | SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2020
H.R. MACMILLAN SPACE CENTRE, 1100 CHESTNUT ST, VANCOUVER
Sponsored by the Estate of Frank & Rosie Nelson FILM – PERSONA NON GRATA: THE STORY OF CHIUNE SUGIHARA 杉原 千畝, a biographic drama. As Japanese vice-consul in World War Two in Kaunas, Lithuania, against his government’s orders, he saved the lives of thousands of Jews. He allowed them to escape the forces of Nazi Germany by issuing transit visas to travel to Japan, with the assistance of the Dutch honorary consul Jan Zwartendijk. Today, he is one of Japan’s revered heroes.
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KEYNOTE SPEAKER – GEORGE BLUMAN, a descendent of Sugihara visa recipients and an international expert on Sugihara’s life and courageous deeds in the face of adversity.
DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED | RECEPTION TO FOLLOW DOORS OPEN 12:30 P.M. | LIMITED SEATING GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED BY… Consulate of Sweden Sweden House Society Swedish Press Second Generation Group Yossilinks Media Jewish Independent Vancouver Shinpo Fraser Monthly 7th Art Films HR MacMillan Space Centre DOM International Garden City Bakery Peretz Centre AND… Many Hardworking Volunteers
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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 – Exhibits, “Lost Houses of Lyndale,” through Jan 5; the Museum’s collection of Bonader, Dec 13-Jan 12 Dec 7-8 – Sat-Sun: Annual Julmarknad Christmas bazaar Dec 13 – Fri 4 pm: St. Lucia neighborhood procession begins at the Museum Dec 14-15 – Sat-Sun 9 am: Pancake breakfast with Tomten Dec 21 – Sat 4 pm: Julgudstjanst traditional service at Ebenezer Lutheran Church; Julmiddag smorgasbord follows in the Museum CLEVELAND Peace Lutheran Church 3740 Mayfield Rd. Cleveland Heights OH Marty.bergman@sbcglobal.net Tel: 216-371 5141 Dec 14 – Sat 4:30 pm: Vasa Voices concert Followed by Lucia Program; Both sung in Swedish. Traditional meal to follow, including Swedish ‘butik’ and raffle opportunities. Reservations requested. $10 pp over age 12. DETROIT Swedish Club of Southeast Michigan 22398 Ruth St, Farmington Hills, MI 48336 Info: 734-459 0596 www.swedishclub.net Dec 1 – Sun 1 to 2:30 pm: Julbord. Dec 14 – Sat 3 pm: Scandia & Arpi Chorus X’mas Concert, Lucia Pageant & After Glow. Jan 12 – Sun 1-2:30 pm: Buffet & AGM LOS ANGELES SWEA Los Angeles www.swea.org/losangeles Dec 8 – Sun 10 am to 5 pm: SWEA LA Annual Swedish Christmas at Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance, CA 90503. MINNEAPOLIS American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 Tel: 612-871 4907 | www.asimn.org Dec 7-8: Sat 10 am to 5 pm, Sun 11 am to 4 pm: Julmarknad – ASI’s Holiday Market & Festival. 8
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Dec 14 – Sat 10 am and 1 pm: Luica Celebration – morning and afternoon concerts set in Larson Hall. PHILADEPHIA American Swedish Historical Museum 1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145 | Tel: 215-389 1776 | info@americanswedish.org | www.americanswedish.org Dec 6 – Fri 6 to 10 pm: Julbord Dec 7 – Sat 11 am to 4 pm: Lucia Fest and Christmas Market. PORTLAND Nordic Northwest Nordia House, 8800 SW Oleson Rd., Portland, OR 97223 | Tel: 503-977 0275 www.nordicnorthwest.org Dec 7-8 – Sat 10 am to 5 pm and Sun 10 am to 4 pm: ScanFair at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland’s Rose Quarter. Dec 14 – Sat 3 pm: New Sweden's Lucia Fest at First Presbyterian Church,1200 SW Alder St., Portland. SEATTLE Swedish Cultural Center 1920 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: 206-283 1090 | www.swedishclubnw.org info@swedishculturalcenter.org Dec 8 – Sun: Luciafest with UW Scandinavian Studies Department. Dec 13 – Fri: Julbord lunch and dinner. Nordic Museum 2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107 Tel: 206-789 5707 | nordic@nordicmuseum.org www.nordicmuseum.org Dec 7 – Sat 7 pm: O Yule Full of Gladness: Christmas in Scandinavia concert at Saint Mark's Cathedral Dec 8 – Sun 1 to 2:30 pm: Children's Christmas in Scandinavia WISCONSIN Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin Tel: 414-352 7890 | www.sahswi.org Dec 8 – Sun 5 to 7 pm: Swedish Lucia Celebration at Whitnall Park Lutheran Church, 5847 Lilac Lane105th and Forest Home Avenue (just east of Hwy. 100) in Hales Corners, WI. 18
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CALGARY Swedish Society of Calgary 739 20 Ave. N.W. Calgary, AB T2M 1E2 Tel: 403-284 2610 | www.swedishsociety.ca Dec 7 – Sat: Lucia Celebration at Wildrose United Church. 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 7-8– Sat 11 am to 5 pm & Sun 11 am to 4 pm: SWEA Swedish Christmas Fair at Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas Street East, Toronto. VANCOUVER Scandinavian Community Centre 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9 Tel: 604-294 2777 | info@scandinaviancentre.org | www.swedishculturalsociety.ca Dec 1 – Sun 6 pm: First of Advent Service at Danish Church at 6010 Kincaid Avenue, Burnaby. Coffee is served after the service. Dec 7 – Sat 6 pm: Scandinavian Business Club’s Annual Christmas Dinner and Dance Dec 14 – Sat 1 pm and 6pm: Lucia Celebrations at the Scandinavian Center. Jan 19 – Sunday 1 pm: 15th Annual Vancouver Raoul Wallenberg Day at H.R. McMillan Space Centre in Vancouver. WINNIPEG Swedish Cultural Assn of Manitoba 764 Erin Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2W4 | Tel: 204-774 8047 | Reservations at: svenskclub17@gmail.com Dec 4 – Wed 4:30 to 7 pm: Christmas Julbord at IKEA: Come and celebrate the holiday season at this annual Swedish smorgasbord. Please register. Dec 8 – 1:30 to 3:30 pm: Lucia – Festival of Lights; Experience this traditional Christmas celebration; enjoy watching the beautiful procession, music, dancing around the Christmas tree and Swedish treats. Please register to purchase tickets. Jan 25 – 7 to 11:00 pm: Snöfest; Dance away the chilly weather at our annual winter celebration with live music, dancing and fellowship! Please register to purchase tickets. 28
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[Ads] and Info Swedish Press Classified 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 Scandinavian Community Centre Beautiful setting for weddings, parties, birthdays, meetings and seminars. 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC info@scancentre.org 604-294-2777 www.scancentre.org Svenska Kulturföreningen Ordförande Ellen Petersson 604-970-8708. Kassör är Linda
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Olofsson, 604-418-7703 www.swedishculturalsociety.ca. Email: swedishculturalsociety.ca@ gmail.com Sweden House Society President: Rebecca Keckman Vice President: Dorothy Carlson Treasurer: Carole Walkinshaw, Email: swedenhousechair@gmail.com Swedish Canadian Village Beautiful Assisted Living Residence & Senior Subsidized Apartment Buildings Located in Burnaby, BC. Ph# 604-420-1124 Fax# 604-4201175 www.swedishcanadian.ca
Nordic Museum has moved to a beautiful, brand-new building! In Seattle, 2655 N.W. Market St., Ballard; 206-789-5707. Swedish Club 1920 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109; Tel: 206-283-1090. Open Wednesday evenings for supper and games, Friday for lunch and dinner. Pancake breakfasts on first Sundays of the month. Rental venue for meeting, parties, etc. www.swedishclubnw.org Classified
Swedish Heritage in BC 1812 Duthie Ave. Burnaby BC Laila Axen Ph# 604-526-7464. Visit us at www.swedishheritageinbc.org E-mail: swedishheritagebc@gmail. com
Advertising Sales Reps wanted Swedish Press is looking for full or part-time advertising sales representatives. E-mail info@swedishpress.com for more information.
Swedish Club of Victoria Dinners, Events and Meetings, for information contact Annabelle Beresford @ 250-656-9586 or Swedish Club of Victoria Facebook.
Antique bonad woven Swedish tapestry. Fine wool. Excellent condition 55.5”L x 25.5”W $120 CAD plus shipping. Details & photos: Monica bmdca@telus.net
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Sista ordet
“Motion Capture is similar to film ...” A Glimpse into the World of Motion Capture and Animation
By David Grice, with the support of Christie Berlin and Goodbye Kansas Studios, Stockholm
S
weden has acquired a reputation as a hub for successful game studios. Animation has changed radically over the last 20 years. Adults over 30 years of age who hear the term “animation” may relate it to cartoons (hand-drawn) or stop-motion programmes/films (featuring puppets) which they watched when growing up. Those skillsets are rarely applicable in the modern world of animation. Efficiency, time, competition and money are now, more than ever, critical factors in the entertainment business. With the rapid acceptance of computers and technology in the 1980s, animators began to integrate the forms of 3D and Motion Capture, where animation could be created in a matter of hours rather than days. The possibilities from this innovation were spectacular, to the point where the technique was adopted by most major animation, film, and game studios in order to meet the consumer demand. Motion Capture is similar to film, in that a camera is focused on an actor. However, instead of one moving camera, there are usually at least 10 static
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Swedish Press | Dec 2019/Jan 2020 30
Goodbye Kansas provided all Motion Capture to make the CG character Monky come alive © Goodbye Kansas. Below: © Apple arts Studios
cameras surrounding a defined floor space. The actor is confined to this space, or else the cameras won’t be able to capture his movements. In addition, reflective dots (known as markers) are attached to the actor’s body. The same way that a car’s headlights illuminate a cyclist’s reflective jacket at night, the 10-plus cameras see and record the reflective markers on the actor. These moving dots are joined together by computer software, like a sophisticated dot-to-dot puzzle book, in order to replicate the motion of a human figure (the actor on-set). The dots can be transferred to any character required for a movie or computer game. The Lord of the Rings (2001) is perhaps one of the earliest and most recognized instances of Motion Capture, where the movements of an actor (Andy Serkis) served as the dynamic basis for the creature Golem.
Motion Capture is entirely reliant on technology; however, it didn’t appear out of the blue or happen overnight. It evolved out of Rotoscoping, an animation technique where an artist traced, frame by frame, the motion of a human, animal or object. This in essence produced a fairly realistic, fluid motion. One of the earliest animation examples is in the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). Some animators may have considered Rotoscoping artistic “cheating”, whereas others saw it as an opportunity to quickly re-create realistic motion in a production environment. When transferring the motion of a human being to another creature or character, parts of the recording may require adjustment. For example, if a human being tries to walk like a gorilla, his body will still include humanoid movements, no matter how much he tries to imitate the animal or uses props to help enhance the performance. Animators can take the actor’s imitation of a gorilla and apply their knowledge of the animal’s shape, anatomy, weight and volume to make the behaviour of the gorilla more believable. After all, that is the purpose of animation – making believable characters. Copy and paste the following links to see Motion Capture in the making of the movie Monky: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ixSN0hzzZiw https://vimeo.com/249804699
No one does Christmas like the Swedes! FRIDAY, DEC. 6 Julbord dinner 6:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, DEC. 8 Luciafest 3 p.m.
FRIDAY, DEC. 13 Julbord lunch 12 noon and dinner 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, DEC. 20 Lutfisk dinner 6:30 p.m.
MONDAY, DEC. 31 New Year’s Eve 8 p.m.
GRO Wines
is a boutique Napa Valley wine brand founded in 2009 by husband-and-wife winemaking team Molly and Lars Björkman. Inspiration for their brand comes from years of making wine in Napa Valley, and from Lars’ Swedish upbringing – including summers in the Stockholm archipelago and at the family lake house in Södermanland. This is our wine. Det här är vårt vin.
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