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Allemansrätten – The Freedom to Roam in Sweden
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Swedish Press is the world’s leading magazine on all good things Swedish. An authority on design, business, culture and travel since 1929, Swedish Press delivers insightful news and commentary in a visually striking format. With a nod to the past, and a peek to the future, Swedish Press is your go-to source for updates and inspiration from Sweden. SWEDISH PRESS (ISSN 0839-2323) is published ten times per year (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July/Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan) by Swedish Press Inc, 862 Peace Portal Drive, Suite #101, Blaine WA 98230 for $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 ADVISORY COMMITTEE Björn Bayley, Peter Ladner, Brian Antonson, Christer Garell, Anders & Hamida Neumuller SUBSCRIPTION rates per year $45, 2 years $75, 3 years $115, 1 year abroad $115. Digital edition $32. Subscribe Toll Free at 1 866 882 0088 or at www.swedishpress.com.
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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
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Lifestyle 20 Top Sju 21 Book: Letters to the Chief Hemma Hos 22 Design: The Perspective of Hans Strand – Landscape Photographer
Business 9 Business News 10 Company File: Bovieran AB 11
Heritage An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture: Öresundsbron firar sin 20-årsdag i tillfällig motvind
Feature 12 The World’s Largest Bed & Breakfast: Sweden and the Freedom to Roam Interview 14 Anna Furness, CEO for Skogs entreprenörerna – Taking Care of the Forest and the Trees
‘Highland Gully’ , Iceland’s highland valleys. Photo: Hans Strand
24 Food: A close look at Surströmming, Sweden’s (in)famous fermented herring Road to 2045 25 Green Solutions Through Partnerships and Shared Visions Swedish Press Connects 26 ASTRA –Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America 27 SVIV – Svenskar i Världen
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Swedish Press
In the Loop 28 Calendar and Events Renata Chlumska on Mount Vinson, one of the Seven Summits. © Renata Chlumska
Global Swedes 16 Renata Chlumska – adventurer and mountain climber par excellence Heritage 18 The Birth of the Ombudsman
29 Ads and Info 30 Sista Ordet Allemansrätten – Use It or Abuse It Cover image: The province of Dalsland offers some superb walking. A fascinating choice is the the 100-kilometre Pilgrim trail, where over the centuries pilgrims have walked, en route to Nidaros in Norway. Photo Credits: Roger Borgelid/ Westsweden.com
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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. Editor, Swedish Press, I arrived in Vancouver late in October 1957. Not as an immigrant looking for work. I had a contract with a Vancouver firm, Western Cash Register Co., the agency for the popular Sweda cash register made by Svenska Dataregister AB in Sweden. My stay was supposed to be for a two-year period. The CEO of the company had written a letter to me while I was still in Sweden. He welcomed me to Vancouver and wrote that they had experienced beautiful fall weather and hoped that it would last until I arrived. And it did. The city was at its best in a golden sunshine when I was driven in from the airport by the service manager. “The Golden City of Samarkand”.... I fell in love with Vancouver, as so many have before me. The setting was so beautiful, with English Bay, Stanley Park, and the local mountains in the background. But the rain started in November and lasted until New Year’s, when it cleared up and I could see the mountains again, now with gleaming white tops. Grouse Mountain and Mount Seymour where I spent so many happy weekends skiing every winter for several years. As a service rep, I travelled all over beautiful British Columbia: by car, train, bus, and even by air because of the distances. To places like Prince George, Prince Rupert and, of course, the Okanagan with Kelowna, Pent icton, and Vernon. The shimmering beautiful Kalamalka Lake, the “lake of a thousand colors,” along the road to Vernon. Even trips by ferries from
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Swedish Press’ contributor Yvonner Gossner happily shows off her SwedishPress magazines.
Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay up along the Sunshine Coast to Powell River. Or across to Nanaimo on Vancouver Island and north to Campbell River. But more often south to Victoria, British Columbia’s capital city. And a lovely city it is. The news at that time was often about the prominent Swedish entrepreneur Axel Wenner-Green and his Peace River project. He had arrived earlier in 1957 in Vancouver, I learned from an article about him in the September 2019 issue of Swedish Press. The closest I came to the area of Peace River was when I took a service call way up north to Fort St. John. I had the opportunity to ride his monorail at the Seattle World’s Fair in 1962. I was in Vancouver until 1963, when I finally went home to Sweden for a while. George Viktorson Redmond, Washington Dear Peter, I am a long-time Swedish Press subscriber and enjoy reading it very much. Thank you so much for keeping it going. I am Swedish on both sides of my family and, having grown-up in a Swedish family in Canada (and with many relatives we keep in regular touch with in Sweden), this magazine is one
more way that helps me stay connected to my roots and to what’s going on in Sweden today. This is especially valuable now, when I don’t know when I’ll be able to visit Sweden again anytime soon given the COVID-19 situation. So, all this to say, I really appreciate the Swedish Press. Thank you! I hope you and yours are all staying safe and well. Thank you, again, for all of the care, time, and attention you put into publishing such a quality magazine for us all. It’s much appreciated! Karmen Blackwood Vancouver, British Columbia Hej Peter Berlin, Har just läst juni numret av Swedish Press, och vill gärna låta dig veta hur himla mycket det gläds mig att läsa din tidning, speciellt dina artiklar är så väldigt välskrivna och intressanta, med en härligt “wry wit”. Undrar om du skrivit någon bok, på svenska eller engelska, om så vilket bolag publiserade den? Jag kom hit som en “au pair” i 1957, för ett litet äventyr som en nitton åring, blinkade, och här är jag fortfarande efter 63 år (inte som “au pair” längre)! Tack igen för din fina tidning! En glupsk läsare av Swedish Press! Barbro Morris Westlake Village, California Hi Swedish Press, Here is our donation for Swedish Press. I hope this will be of help. My wife and I love receiving the magazine and reading it. It is full of a lot of information and we have wonderful memories of Sweden, its language and culture. Tack så mycket och ha det så bra. Paul och Dorothy Linberg Duncan Gatineau, Quebec
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from the Editor’s Desk
A Uniquely Swedish Free-for-All 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 2 as well as 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.
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he main theme of the September issue of Swedish Press is Allemansrätten, the legal right for the general public to roam on private property in Sweden. Many North Americans – and indeed many Europeans – are used to being thwarted by signs saying PRIVATE PROPERTY or NO TRESPASSING when they venture out into their own countryside. They may find the Allemansrätten free-for-all concept almost irresponsible. It may also come as a surprise that wanderers in Sweden have a legal right to pick berries and mushrooms on private property, and even to pitch a tent for overnight camping. Note that with all this freedom comes a set of written and unwritten rules of behaviour – remain out of view of the land-owner’s home, don’t pat the cows, and don’t damage crops. On balance, Allemansrätten is a great asset for the general public, and most property owners don’t seem to mind (page 12). Continuing on the subject of Swedish legislation, we think our readers will find Frank Orton’s article “The Birth of the Ombudsman” informative. As you probably know, the task of an Ombudsman is to ensure that public officials serve the citizens in accordance with the law. Both the word and the institution of Ombudsman have Swedish origins and have been implemented in many countries around the world, including in parts of North America (page 18). In addition to these legal issues, the September edition contains exclusive interviews with two prominent Swedes. The famous Swedish/Czech mountaineer and adventurer Renata Chlumska was the first Swedish woman to climb Mount Everest and was also the first person to circumnavigate 32 American states by kayak and bicycle (page 16). Anna Furness is the CEO for Skogsentreprenörerna (Swedish Association of Forestry Contractors). The Association represents 70 percent of the professional forestry contractors in Sweden, including those charged with logging, tree growth and planning (page 14). Enjoy Kristi Robinson’s article about Swedish photographer Hans Strand and his stunning aerial pictures of natural as well as unnatural features in the Earth’s landscape (page 22). You will find two interesting articles on the subject of architecture – one remembering the decision to build the majestic bridge linking Sweden with Denmark across the Strait of Öresund (page 11), and the other describing the innovative Bovieran chain of apartment complexes whose residents enjoy a yearround Mediterranean climate in Sweden (page 10). We would be amiss if we failed to cover one or the other of the Swedish autumn delicacies kräftor and surströmming. Since we didn’t have room for both, we settled for surströmming at our own risk and peril! (page 24) Once you have grasped the tradition and overcome the shock, proceed to our updates on current events in Sweden. As you might expect, COVID-19 features prominently, but there is much more happening in Sweden today, and Sofie Kinnefors tells you all in her recurring Swedes in the News (page 7), Top Sju (page 20) and Landskapsnyheter (page 8). Peter Berlin Editor Peter@Swedishpress.com September 2020
The author venturing a smile before tucking into his portion of surströmming at his neighbours’ farm on Vancouver Island.
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Political Turmoil and Travel Turbulence Migration Policy in Turmoil
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By Peter Berlin n 2016, when the influx of asylumseekers to Sweden threatened to get out of hand, the Swedish Parliament introduced laws aimed at curbing the flow. The new laws were meant to be temporary and will expire in the summer of 2021. The main provision in the 2016 laws was to deny asylum-seekers automatic permanent resident status. Instead, they were classified as temporary residents until they could demonstrate sufficient integration into Swedish society within a certain deadline. However,
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COVID-19 update: Sweden
he latest statistics of new coronavirus cases and related deaths show a dramatic drop since the beginning in July. While this may seem like good news, the underlying causes of the improvement are difficult to pinpoint. One possible explanation is better adherence by the general public to the recommended behavioral guidelines. Another possibility is the tendency of people to spread out into the countryside during the summer holidays, thereby creating “natural” social
this policy often backfired, in that the attendant uncertainty for newcomers regarding their right to remain often discouraged rather than encouraged speedy integration. Other provisions in the temporary 2016 laws were designed to further stem the influx of asylum-seekers. All eight parliamentary political parties have agreed that new permanent migration policies need to be put in place by next summer – but this is where their consensus stops. A Migration Committee was set up last year with a mandate to come up with a coherent set of policies, to which all the parties could subscribe. The Committee
failed utterly in this task and broke up in disarray in early August 2020. The big problem now for the governing Socialist Party arises not so much from the opposition parties, but rather from the Socialists’ own coalition partner, the Green Party. In a nutshell, the Socialist Party favours a continuation of the restrictive migration policies, but the Greens want to return to the more liberal and generous pre-2016 stance. The disagreements are so fundamental that they risk to split the government, precipitating a political crisis that does not bode well for the Socialists in time for the 2022 national elections.
distancing. Growing herd immunity is yet another plausible cause. As the COVID-19 situation evolves across the globe, confusion prevails as to which citizens from which countries are allowed to visit which other countries. The Nordic countries contribute to the turmoil, even among themselves. For example, since last spring Swedes have been barred from visiting Finland, Norway and Denmark due to Sweden’s relatively relaxed approach to COVID-19 lockdown. The imposed travel restric-
tions have created a certain amount of irritation among Swedes and a degree of Schadenfreude among the Finns, Norwegians and Danes. On August 1 Denmark opened up its borders to Swedish visitors, albeit with some restrictions. Swedes have to demonstrate that they have a “worthy purpose” for the visit. Such purposes include business meetings, job interviews, studies, attending a funeral, being in transit, or joining a partner who is a Danish resident. Only residents of Skåne and Halland are exempted from the obligation to show a worthy purpose and may travel freely. Norway keeps changing its policy by variously admitting and barring entry of residents from selected Swedish provinces, depending on their latest COVID-19 statistics. Traders in the border regions are finding these start-stop policy changes particularly disruptive. Only time will tell when the pandemic can be overcome, allowing free movement between countries to become the norm once again.
Number of daily coronavirus deaths. Source: www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/
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Swedes in the News
Swedish politics and celebrations Dominique turns 80
Monica Dominique. Photo: Jonna Spiik/SR
Pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, revue artist and actress Monica Dominique recently celebrated her 80th birthday. The Swedish music veteran, who studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and graduated as a music director and piano teacher, has had an impressive career. Dominique has been part of music groups “Solar Plexus” and “Gals and Pals”, written music for radio and TV, and was inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame in 2016. Recently, in an interview for Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbladet, Dominique revealed that she would host a small garden party and had wished for a flashlight, lip gloss and perfume as birthday gifts. Hellberg for Skåne Swedish composer, lyricist and Malmö native Nisse Hellberg, 61, known as singer and guitarist of Swedish rock band Wilmer X, has won the “Årets skåning 2020” prize.
“Årets skåning” is a distinction awarded annually by Scanian evening newspaper Kvällsposten (nowadays a southern Swedish edition of Expressen) together with the foundation “Skåneländska flaggans dag”. The award is usually presented in front of an audience in connection with the celebration of Skåneländska flaggans dag, but due to the current pandemic, the ceremony will be held without an audience. Hellberg said it felt fantastic being named “Årets skåning” and that he was very moved. Hellberg’s long-awaited new solo album is due in August 2020.
David Sundin. Photo: Kitty Lingmerth
up in Gimo in Uppland, has worked in advertising, and also as a stand-up comedian, blogger, script writer, and TV host for Svenska idrottsgalan (Swedish Sports Award), Kristallen (The Crystal), Melodifestivalen (“the Melody Festival”) and Bäst i test (“Best in Test”). “Se upp för Jönssonligan” is a reboot of the Swedish classic “Jönssonligan” series. Sahlin’s Memoir
Nisse Hellberg. Photo: Mattias Ahlm/SR
Sundin stars in Jönssonligan Swedish advertiser, host, comedian and writer David Sundin, 44, is juggling many balls in the air. He recently hosted “Summer on radio program P1”. He is now making his feature film debut in the role of “DynamitHarry” in Tomas Alfredson’s film “Se upp för Jönssonligan” which premieres later this year. Sundin, who grew
Mona Sahlin. Photo: Mattias Ahlm/SR
Swedish politician Mona Sahlin, 63, sums up her political life in a memoir called “Makt lös” released on September 22. Sahlin, who served as leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party between 2007
– 2011, was forced to end her 40-year-long political career when she was convicted of writing a false affidavit for her bodyguard in 2017. The memoir, written with the help of Swedish host and TV producer Henrik Johnsson, focuses on Sahlin’s life during and after her last week as party leader for Socialdemokraterna in 2011. Reinfeldt on U.S. election
Fredrik Reinfeldt. Photo: Sveriges Radio
The book “3 november 2020 ödesvalet” by Swedish economist, lecturer and former Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, 55, is being released by Albert Bonniers Förlag on September 1. The book, which Reinfeldt wrote along with his son Gustaf, focuses on the upcoming US presidential election. It discusses the factors that will determine the election results and consequences. Fredrik Reinfeldt has previously published two books by Albert Bonniers Förlag, “Halvvägs” in 2015 and “Nya livet” in 2016.
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[Landskapsnyheterna] BLEKINGE Karlskronabon Per-Anders Lindeborg mötte nyligen skådespelaren Hugh Grant i veteran-SM i tennis i Båstad – och vann! – Han hade en bra serve, men jag var nog ännu mer stabil, sa Lindeborg. Lindeborg, som spelar i klassen 60+, slog Hollywoodstjärnan Grant, som har sommarställe i Torekov, med 6 - 0 i första set och 6 -1 i andra set. – Det var ganska stort. Men vi hade trevligt, sa Lindeborg. Efter matchen tog Lindeborg tillfället i akt och bjöd in den brittiska skådespelaren till Karlskrona. – Jag har bjudit in honom till Karlskrona till vår internationella veteranturnering som vi har i augusti, så vi får se om han dyker upp, sa Lindeborg.
Karlskronabon slog ut världsstjärnan Hugh Grant ur veteran-SM. Foto: SVT
VÄRMLAND När Naturklassen NA17B från Älvkullegymnasiet i Karlstad fick beskedet att studentflak förbjudits på grund av Covid-19 restriktioner, bestämde de sig för att ta en tur längst Klarälven istället. Med uppblåsbara
När studenterna inte fick åka på studentflak föddes idén om att istället ta sig en tur längst Klarälven. Foto: SVT
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flamingos som färdmedel styrde stu denterna kosan från sitt gymnasium till Sandgrundsudden i Karlstad. Studenterna var mycket nöjda med sitt firande. – Det här är så mycket roligare än vad vi någonsin hade kunnat planera, sa studenten Anna Karvonen.
LAPPLAND NORRBOTTEN
VÄSTERBOTTEN
DALARNA JÄMTLAND
HÄRJEDALEN
ÅNGERMANLAND
MEDELPAD HÄLSINGLAND
DALARNA GÄSTRIKLAND VÄSTMANLAND VÄRMLAND DALSLAND BOHUSLÄN
Dalahästen hittades vid en utgrävning av Prästgårdshyttorna, i Falun. Foto: Arkeologerna/TT
Vid en utgrävning av Prästgårdshyttorna i centrala Falun gjordes nyligen ett riktigt gammalt fynd – en dalahäst målad med falu rödfärg och svarta detaljer. Det var Arkeologen Torbjörn Holback som upptäckte trähästen i kanten på schaktet under utgrävningen. – Strax efter ett av skoptagen såg jag en konstig kontur och rusade snabbt ner, sa han. På platsen där dalahästen hittades arbetade man från medeltiden fram till 1800-talet med kopparhantering och troligtvis kan hästen dateras till 1800-talet. Personliga ägodelar som den upphittade trähästen är ett ovanligt fynd enligt arkeologerna. ÅNGERMANLAND Härnösand kommun har till sina äldreboendes stora glädje tagit del av danska initiativet ”Projektet Cykling utan ålder”. Kommunen har beställt två lastcyklar, så kallade ”cykelrikshor”, med plats för både cyklist och passagerare. Syftet med cykelturerna är framförallt att pensionärerna ska få njuta av frisk luft och naturen. – Under corona-pandemin har det varit en svårighet att aktivera de äldre
Göteborg
UPPLAND
SÖDERMANNÄRKE LAND
Stockholm
ÖSTERGÖTLAND
VÄSTERGÖTLAND
GOTLAND SMÅLAND
HALLAND
ÖLAND SKÅNE
BLEKINGE
Malmö
på boendena. Vi ser detta som en bra lösning för en bättre social samvaro, sa Eva-Lotta Öberg, projektledare vid näringslivsenheten i Härnösands kommun. Cyklarna, som kommer att användas av äldreboendena i Härnösand, är uppskattade av pensionärerna. – Det är ju skönt att känna luften, man har ju inte varit ute på över sex månader nu, sa pensionären Gunilla Lindström. Summary in English: Per-Anders Lindeborg from Karlskrona, Blekinge recently defeated British actor Hugh Grant in a Swedish Championship tennis match for veterans. When a class of high-school graduates in Karlstad, Värmland were told that students were not allowed to parade using truck beds, they decided to celebrate their graduation by travelling on floating mattresses along river Klarälven. A dala horse from the 1800s has been found during an excavation in central Falun, Dalarna. Archeologists consider it to be a rare find. Härnösand locality is taking part of a Danish initiative offering bike rides for seniors. The rides make for a fun and healthy activity during the pandemic.
[Business] News Sweden’s economy in roller-coaster mode Sweden, COVID-19 and GDP
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By Peter Berlin he 2nd quarter of 2020 (April through June) saw the worst ravages of the coronavirus to date, and the world economy suffered accordingly.
Amazon to launch Swedish website
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n a recent press release, Amazon announced that it will establish a Swedish website – www.amazon.se. In the past, the company’s Swedish customers have been re-routed primarily to its German website. The new site will offer small businesses in Sweden an opportunity to reach a much wider customer base both in Sweden and abroad. Delivery times will also be shorter than before. At the same time, Amazon will be a formidable competitor to Swedish enterprises, especially in the areas of electronics, household appliances and sports equipment. Swedish businesses therefore view the launch of the website with a mixture of enthusiasm and trepidation. The Swedish/Danish mail distribution service Postnord is in negotiations with Amazon to become the
Compared to the 1st quarter, Sweden’s GDP fell by 8.6 percent. The equivalent preliminary figures for some other major economies were as shown in the table. The comparison suggests that Sweden’s decision to forgo strict lockdown has so far paid off as far as the
national economy is concerned. Only time will tell whether this conclusion holds steady as the pandemic continues to ravage societies and economies around the world.
latter’s primary distributor in Sweden. If the negotiations succeed, the agreement will be a lifesaver for Postnord which may otherwise have to file for bankruptcy. The decline in Postnord’s fortunes is mainly the result of the Internet replacing letters as the primary conduit of written communication. Another factor is the company’s poor track record when it comes to delayed and lost parcels. Amazon’s Prime service, on the other hand, guarantees deliveries within two working days – a performance to which Postnord will have to commit.
Swedish krona on the rebound
9.1404
Comparison chart of GDP percentage drop in the 2nd quarter of 2020 (April through June)
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fter hitting a 17-year low against the US dollar and a 10-year low against the Euro in March, the Swedish currency has strengthened 9 percent in value against most major currencies. One cause of the rebound is thought to be the fact that Swedish banks offer a higher interest rate on deposits compared to most foreign banks. Another factor is the Swedish approach to dealing with the COVID19 pandemic, which has mitigated the extent of decline of the country’s economy. Aug 13, 2020: 8.6757
SEK per USD
9.0242 8.9080 8.7919 8.6757
Jul 15
Jul 25
Aug 4
Aug 14
The strengthening of the Swedish currency over time relative to the US dollar means that fewer SEK are needed to buy one USD. Source: Oanda
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Company File
Bringing the French Riviera to the North
ow, here is an interesting Swedish lifestyle concept for anyone living along the northern latitudes. Imagine stepping out from your apartment in the morning straight into a Mediterranean landscape replete with palm trees, olive trees, exotic plants, fountains, and a babbling brook. Returning home in the late afternoon, you may opt to join your neighbors for a glass of wine in the gazebo while resting your tired eyes on the rich subtropical vegetation and enjoying the summerlike temperature. Such is life in the new Bovieran condominium complexes for the over-55’s. Bovieran is pronounced bo-vee-air-an and takes its name from “Bo” (to live) and the French Riviera. The centerpiece is the winter garden bordered on three sides by three-storey apartment blocks. The fourth side is closed off by a huge glass wall, and the whole garden is covered by a glass roof, atrium-style, creating the right climate for the winter garden. Thanks to the greenhouse effect and the clever use of vents and fans,
room temperature is maintained in the garden day and night from March through November without the need for either heating or air conditioning. In mid-winter the garden temperature is allowed to drop to as low as 10ºC (50ºF), giving the vegetation some rest. The apartments are relatively small by North American standards. Each unit measures between 64 and 87 m2 (640 – 870 sq.ft) and consists of a bedroom, a livingroom, a kitchen, and a utility room. The purchase price ranges from SEK 1.5m ($160k) to SEK 2.5m ($270k), on top of which there is a monthly charge of around SEK 4,000 ($430) to cover utilities and maintenance. There are also communal spaces, including an apartment reserved for visitors, a sauna and a club house. The club house can be used for parties, training courses, exercise equipment, doctor’s visits, etc. It is up to
the condominium association to decide how to make best use of the facility. The Bovieran concept was born in 1989 when a Swedish builder, Göran Mellberg, noted the therapeutic properties of the Mediterranean scenery and climate on the French Riviera. He was also well aware of the shortage of retirement homes in Sweden. The question he asked himself was simple enough: how to bring the Mediterranean ambience into an expanded network of retirement homes in Sweden? The answer was anything but simple, and it took until 2007 before the construction technology was mature enough to turn his vision into reality. The first Bovieran complex opened in 2009 in Partille near Gothenburg. Since then, 27 “Bovieras” are up and running primarily in the south of Sweden, plus three in Denmark, and many more are under construction. The Bovieran concept is sufficiently unique to enjoy patent protection in the European Union. How about introducing the Bovieran concept on both sides of the US/Canadian border where the climate is similar to that in Sweden? Visit www.bovieran.se for more information, along with an informative photo gallery.
Bovieran interior. Photo: Liljewall Arkitekter
Winter garden. Photo: Liljewall Arkitekter
Bovieran Teleborg, Växjö. Photo: Bovieran AB
By Peter Berlin
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Glass-covered winter garden. Photo: Bovieran AB
H E RI TAG E
An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture Öresundsbron firar sin 20-årsdag i tillfällig motvind Av Yvonne Gossner
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resundsbron har funnits i min närhet långt innan den ens var byggd. Min farbror, som då arbetade som broingenjör i Malmö stad, var en av dem som tidigt övertygade sin omgivning att en bro mellan Sverige och Danmark skulle bli en smidig länk ut till Europa. Under min skoltid debatterade jag alltid för en Öresundsbro. Miljövännerna mot denna debatt som kom ingen obemärkt förbi, då samma debatter fanns i TV-rutan. Miljöpåverkan blev emellertid aldrig så stor som först befarats, och år 1991 skrev både Danmark och Sverige under avtalet att en bro skulle byggas länderna emellan. I fem års tid (1995—2000) följde hela Skåne byggandet av den 15,9 km långa broförbindelsen med stor entusiasm. Bron kändes mer mytomspunnen än något annat (från ovan ser det ut som om bron slutar mitt på ön Pepparholmen och ännu inte är klar, men fortsätter så klart från ön till Köpenhamn via en tunnel). Våren år 2000 sökte jag ett nytt sommarjobb. I början av juni, bara en månad före broinvigningen, fick jag mitt drömarbete som skulle göra alla brointresserade gröna av avund. Jag fick nämligen jobb som broassistent på den blivande Öresundsbron. Jobbet låter inte så glamoröst, men faktum var att vår arbetsgivare Öresundsbrokonsortiet gav oss utbildning i danska språket
(vi alla våndades över det danska räknesystemet ...), och självklart var vi de första som fick åka över bron före invigningen den 1 juli år 2000, då både danska och svenska kungafamiljen skulle mötas i mitten av bron med pompa och ståt. Jag minns tiden på Öresundsbron som spännande om än något stressig. Mest stressande var att många bilister främst ville pröva på att åka över bron av ren nyfikenhet, och därmed hade de flesta med sig en påse enkronor i både dansk och svensk valuta. På den tiden fanns det ingen myntapparat, och jag fick snabbt känning av nickelallergi, så jag fick ta till Michael Jacksons vita handskar. Jag valde att sluta när universitet drog i gång på hösten igen, men att ha fått förmånen att se bron från insidan ( ja, jag har varit inne i pelarna på Öresundsbron) gjorde att det var helt klart mitt mest spännande sommarjobb någonsin. Här hade min relation med Öresundsbron kunnat sluta, även om jag ofta med glädje främst tog tåget över till Danmark för att äta smørrebrød och danska wienerbröd. I december 2010 köpte nämligen min man och jag vårt allra första hus som vi än idag bor kvar i och som vi älskar. Döm vår förvåning när vi
först en vecka senare upptäckte att vi från övervåningen hade utsikt över Öresundsbron. Varken mäklaren eller den mörka decembertiden hade uppmärksammat oss om detta dessförinnan. Vilken överraskning! Öresundsbron förtjänade att få det bästa 20-årsfirande i juli i år. Tyvärr gjorde COVID-19 att trafiken över bron aldrig har varit glesare under samma tidsperiod. Öresundsbrokonsortiet gjorde allt som stod i dess makt för att brons födelsedag skulle bli lyckad, trots blåst och irritation mellan våra grannländer hur vi hanterar coronakrisen. Längtan hos oss på svenska sidan har nämligen aldrig varit större att få åka över till vårt grannland. Det vi under 20 års tid har tagit så för givet, har fått oss att uppskatta hur tacksamma vi bör vara för förbindelsen mellan våra grannländer. Detta kan ingen epidemi i världen stoppa trots tillfällig motvind!
Summary in English: The bridge between Malmö in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark celebrated its 20th birthday on July 1. (The connection actually consists of a bridge between Malmö and the island of Pepparholmen in the middle of Öresund, and continues to Copenhagen through a tunnel.) The author has been involved with the bridge since before its inception and continues to admire it from her home in Malmö. Unfortunately, the traffic across the bridge has been reduced to a trickle due to travel restrictions triggered by the coronavirus, but this important link between Sweden and the rest of Europe is here to stay. Footnote: Yvonne Gossner är en f.d universitetsadjunkt och Swedish influencer, numera ägare av Learn Swedish Culture AB. www.learnswedishculture.com
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Swedish Press | September 2020 11
The World’s Largest Bed & Breakfast: Sweden and the Freedom to Roam By Marcus Andersson
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hree years ago, Sweden’s board of tourism partnered with Airbnb, the popular home rental website, to turn the entire country into a listing. The partnership produced a video advert, in which a narrator speaks over footage of the wild Scandinavian landscape, stating that “in Sweden we have this thing called Freedom to Roam. It is a right protected by law that allows me to sleep and eat and walk pretty much anywhere I want. And now, you can too. Because we listed the entire country on Airbnb.” For those unfamiliar with the law described in the video, it sounds like a marketing gimmick. But freedom to roam is a rough translation of allemansrätten, which literally means “every man’s right.” It is a pillar of Swedish culture and another example of Swedish exceptionalism. In its essence, the freedom to roam makes private property semi-public by giving any person on Swedish soil the right to travel almost completely freely across the
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land. One is not permitted to wander into the immediate vicinity of a household or damage cultivated enclosures, but all wilderness is open to anyone who comes across it. What’s more, allemansrätten grants a list of rights in addition to free access. Under the law, one is allowed to pitch a tent and camp for a couple of days; make a campfire, collect flowers, mushrooms and berries; catch fish in the major bodies of water; access any beach; swim in lakes; and drive on private roads, regardless of whether the area is public or owned by a property holder. This privilege is extended to citizens and tourists alike, and is guided by the maxim inte störa, inte förstöra, or “don’t disturb, don’t destroy.” The history of the freedom to roam dates back to the medieval period. In the 1200s, Sweden didn’t have the infrastructure to provide proper food and lodging for travelers, so it was generally accepted that, even on private property, travelers could set up camp, feed themselves off the
land or water sources, etc. From the mid-19th century until the 1940s, this ancient tradition was given even more explicit shape in conjunction with the rise of friluftsliv, a movement that celebrated the importance of spending time outdoors. By 1937, Sweden developed a formal articulation of allemansrätten, but it took until 1994 for it to be codified in the constitution as a foundational right. Throughout Swedish history there have been debates at the Riksdag (Parliament), with cases spanning from 1889 until 2010, where opponents of the practice have tried to regulate it. Interestingly, the freedom to roam is a constitutional right but lacks a robust legal definition outlining exactly what is and isn’t acceptable. There are minor restrictions, but even those are only loosely described. The principal regulation on allemansrätten is the idea of hemfridszon or the “home peace zone.” Travelers are not allowed to camp within an uncomfortably close proximity to a
household, and are asked to respect the owner’s zone of peace (often set at around 230 feet from the house). But Swedish law encourages individuals to gauge the appropriate distance themselves: if there’s a fence around the home, then anywhere outside the fence is reasonable. Natural boundaries that separate a traveler’s campsite from the home are also useful, such as streams, hedges, and boulders. On the west coast of Sweden, however, houses are often built close to each other. This leads to a shrinkage of the hemfridszon, meaning that, even if a property owner feels a camper has come too close for comfort, it is difficult to determine whose side the law defends. Since the freedom to roam is vague from a legal perspective, it is not surprising that it is challenging to police it. Naturvårdsverket, or the Environmental Protection Agency, is primarily responsible for disseminating information about how to take advantage of the freedom in a responsible way, offering online materials and contributing to the school system’s curriculum. NGOs also play an important part in sustaining the tradition through education and coordinating activities in Nature. Groups like Svenskt Friluftsliv, Friluftsfrämjandet and Korpen all ensure that future generations of Swedes will adhere to the philosophy of “don’t destroy, don’t disturb.”
Swedish children using the right of public access (Allemansrätten) to play in the woods. Photo: Ulf Lundin/imagebank.sweden.se
While Sweden has one of the most impressive legacies of allemansrätten, it is not the only nation to offer such an entitlement to its people. Finland has a similar history of freedom to roam, which dates back at least six hundred years. Norway passed legislation granting the right to free access sixty years ago with its Friluftsloven (outdoor laws). Denmark grants a limited version of these rights, ensuring some access to nature and strongly protected access to beaches. Iceland and Estonia also guarantee some level of freedom, and Scotland passed a law within the last decade granting similar rights to allemansrätten. Even though the idealism of freedom to roam is well intentioned, it inevitably leads to dilemmas. One such problem is tourists’ exploitation of the law, which is actively encouraged by the
aforementioned Visit Sweden/Airbnb ad campaign. Social media enable tourists to sensationalize locations in the Swedish landscape, driving high volumes of traffic through delicate ecosystems. This presents a hazard to property investment on behalf of the landowner and a sustainability issue from an environmental perspective. Another complication with allemansrätten is berry picking for profit, as harvesters have established camp sites on private property for durations that exceed the recommended couple of days. Furthermore, companies that offer horseback tours and similar ventures use private property to generate profit, since riding horses is also protected by the freedom to roam. Finally, landowners constantly have to monitor what qualifies as hemfridszon, since not all travelers follow the “don’t destroy, don’t disturb” maxim. Even though allemansrätten creates issues by keeping Swedish land semipublic, many Swedes want to protect its legacy for future generations. Compared to the US, where trespassing on private property can potentially be life-threatening, Sweden’s policies seem almost utopian. 21st-century Sweden, however, has a growing population and steady streams of tourists it needs to address if allemansrätten is to continue to flourish. The 100-kilometre Pilgrim trail in the province of Dalsland. Photo Credits: Roger Borgelid/ Westsweden.com
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Swedish Press | September 2020 13
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANNA FURNESS, CEO OF SKOGSENTREPRENÖRERNA
Taking Care of the Forest and the Trees By Sofie Kinnefors
Anna Furness. All photos: Skogsentreprenörerna
Swedish Association of Forestry Contractors (Skogsentreprenörerna) is tasked with supporting professional business owners working in and for the Swedish forest industry. Skogsentreprenörerna’s objectives are to ensure the health and well-being of an independent and profitable forest industry while respecting and maintaining Sweden’s highly regarded forestry. Swedish Press spoke to Anna Furness, CEO for Skogsentreprenörerna, about member benefits, the “Freedom to Roam“, and why she fell in love with the forest.
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ith a slogan which for many years read “Din kompis i skogen” (Your friend in the forest), it is perhaps no surprise that Skogsentreprenörerna (SE), its employees and CEO care deeply not only for its members, but also about Nature and the forest industry. The company, which currently represents 70 percent of Sweden’s professional forestry contractors within the logging, silviculture and planning sectors, offers many benefits to its members. “We operate by offering advice, support and training packages in finance, law and management to members and other actors within forestry,” says Furness. “We also advice and support member negotiations and offer access to tools to facilitate our members’ businesses.” Furness describes how being selfemployed can be quite lonely. “Through Skogsentreprenörerna, members become part of one of Sweden’s and forestry’s strongest network for small businesses. They also gain access to an invaluable network.” Skogsentreprenörerna is headquartered in Stockholm but operates out of 25 Swedish locations, or so-
called sections, ranging from Hässleholm in Skåne to Överkalix in Norrbotten. Each section has its own board and chairman. Skogsentreprenörerna’s members regularly receive current information needed to run their forest companies through Skogsentreprenörerna’s magazine, emails and letters. Members are also encouraged to participate in the organization’s fairs and to connect with employees. “Our employees offer professional guidance in questions concerning the industry,” says Furness. She has worked as CEO for Skogsentreprenörerna since 2014. Her interest in Nature developed at an early age. “My attraction for the environment started during long walks in the countryside with my paternal grandmother. We picked all the flowers we could find! I also enjoyed listening to poetry and melancholic folk songs about the forest. Visa vid midsommartid (Du lindar av olvon en midsommarkrans) is a Swedish song from 1946 by Håkan Norlén and Rune Lindström. It was, and always will be, a favorite of mine.” Furness realized she wanted to become a forester during a school visit to “Skogens hus” at Stockholm’s outdoor museum Skansen. “We were introduced to a man who told us about the forest. He was a forester. I clearly remember the relief I felt when, at the age of ten, I understood that one could actually work with forestry as an adult.” The Stockholm native went on to study to be a forester at Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, and to receive a Master’s Degree in industrial economy at The Faculty of Engineering, Department of Energy Sciences, in Lund. She also studied forestry engineering and management at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver for a year.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ANNA FURNESS, CEO OF SKOGSENTREPRENÖRERNA
“I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs. Both of my parents worked in real estate, construction and management. Entrepreneurship is in my genes, and I was fascinated when I realized that our Swedish forest value chain is based upon entrepreneurs and family enterprises. Often people think of the forest as being owned by ‘a couple of big company giants’. However, all the operative work in our forests is done by individual business owners. Forest owners and family enterprises possess half of the productive forest land in Sweden.” Before taking on her current position at Skogsentreprenörerna, Furness did research on the forest value chain at Skogforsk in Uppsala – a central research body for the Swedish forestry sector. She also worked at the Swedish Institute for Standards, SIS. When hired by Skogsentreprenörerna, Furness’ mission as CEO was clear. “My task is to create a more professional business association, and to position the forest entrepreneur as the central player it is today. I represent and showcase all of the knowledge that our business possesses, so that it benefits our entrepreneurs.” For an association of forest contractors, the environment and its well-being are crucial. The freedom to
roam (Allemansrätten), which gives everyone access to Nature in Sweden, is supported by the organization. “Skogsentreprenörerna is part of the vitally important Swedish Forestry Industry, which means that we have a huge responsibility to balance productivity and caring for Mother Nature. We work to create a sustainable and efficient forestry while considering what is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable. Protecting the environment for future generations is essential,” says Furness. She continues, “I am proud of the freedom to roam in Sweden. The right does, however, come with responsibilities which must be respected. I also wish that more people would take part in the freedom to roam and what Nature has to offer.” Like most corporations today, Skogsentreprenörerna is dealing with the current pandemic. Communicating with members about how to care for their business during the spread of Covid-19 is going to be a priority this fall and winter. “Last spring was highly uncertain for our members. We have put a major effort into giving advice and webinars via Microsoft Teams. Our focus has been supporting members in how to proactively care for their companies
in times of uncertainty. We have done better than we expected, but the future is something we can’t predict in regard to how the Swedish forest industry will be affected in the long term. We are concerned because our industry is extremely dependent today on exports, especially pulp. Skogsentreprenörerna will also focus on new general agreements and on a revision of the industry’s Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) standard.”
Furness loves spending time outdoors with her family, but also by herself. “I visit the forest as soon as I get the opportunity, preferably on a hill somewhere in Roslagen, Uppland. I’ll enjoy a coffee amongst white moss and distorted hundred-year-old pines.” Furness spent her summer vacation in the Stockholm archipelago. What the forest-loving CEO brings to read at the beach should come as no surprise. “In my beach basket lays the latest issue from the American Loggers Association. The world is not that big and we always have something to learn from each other.” For more information about Skogsentreprenörerna and how to become a member, visit www.skogsentreprenorerna.se.
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Swedish Press | September 2020 15
One of the biggest adventures is ...
Global
Renata Chlumska – adventurer and mountain climber par excellence
Renata Chlumska. Photo: Fredrik Blomqvist
Renata Chlumska is an adventurer and mountain climber. Born to Czech parents, she has both Swedish and Czech citizenship. In 1999, she became the first Swedish and Czech woman to climb Mount Everest. During 2005 and 2006 she paddled a kayak from Seattle to San Diego, bicycled with the kayak on a carriage from San Diego to Brownsville, Texas, continued kayaking around Florida to Eastport, Maine, and then bicycled back to Seattle. She was the first person to circumnavigate 32 states by bicycle and kayak. In the following interview we explore how she acquired her taste for adventure and where it is taking her next. When and how did you discover that you were an adventure athlete at heart? I think I have always been an adventurer. It depends of course on how you define “adventure”, but for me
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it means that you don’t know how it is going to end. Life is one big adventure. I have always been very curious, wanting to know what is around the corner. I have had a very active life, trying out different sports – bicycling, horseback-riding, diving, hang-gliding, martial arts, badminton – you name it. I prefer outdoor sports, and not necessarily competing. One thing I like about adventure is that it is not a competition, because you can’t win against Nature, mountains, oceans. It is more about discovering who you are and maximizing your potential, finding your inner strength which I believe we all have, and measuring it against Nature instead of against other people. One thing is doing sports out of interest, and another to have it as a profession. For me, that changed when I had an opportunity to go with a Swedish expedition to Mount Everest – not to climb, but as a base camp manager in 1996. This is when I realized that mountainclimbing is what I would like to do, and to pursue it with the passion of a profession. Why risk your life challenging Nature through mountain-climbing and kayak-paddling in all kinds of weather? This is a question I get frequently. We know that we only have one life, and for me it is important to
maximize it. When I undertake my expeditions – whether it is climbing, kayaking, or bicycling like I did from Nepal to Sweden in 1996 – you expose yourself to Nature and different cultures and people and wildlife. But when I go on an expedition I am very much prepared. I talk to different experts in the areas to gain as much knowledge as possible and understand what I will be facing. I am prepared mentally and physically. Many times during a set time frame we go on with our everyday lives as if nothing is going to happen, and that is when unexpected things occur. Even if I take a higher risk, it is for a limited period of time, and I will have done everything I can to minimize the risks involved. During a TED Talk you stated that adventure travel allows you to get to know many people and, more importantly, yourself. Please elaborate. I do a lot of motivational talks. One of the most common questions I get is “aren’t you afraid of being alone, and how do you cope with the loneliness?” For instance, when I did my round-America venture I spent a lot of time by myself paddling in a kayak. Those questions say a lot more about the people who ask them than about me. People are afraid to face themselves. Nowadays
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Putting Sweden on the Map Abroad
Swedes
it is so much easier to hide from oneself by bringing a smartphone which inundates you with so much information that disturb your thoughts. People lose track of themselves, failing to calibrate their compass, leaving no time to reflect and see if they are heading in the right direction. Then they wake up one day to find themselves completely off course. Having climbed many of the world’s most iconic mountains, you are now setting your sights on space. You are also an advocate for space tourism. What are your plans? I think everything that has to do with space is fascinating. For me, that is the final frontier. The ultimate adventure is to look at our planet from the outside. It is a life-changing view, according to astronauts I have talked to, and something I really want to experience myself. It is one thing reading about it, and another to do it oneself. I really believe that the advent of commercial space corporations and cooperation will revolutionize how we travel. We need to find alternative and more efficient ways to transport ourselves. People will not stop travelling, but we have to do it in a smarter and more sustainable way. Space, with all the new technologies that are being developed, will change how
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... being a parent we fly. I am glad to be part of it at such an early stage. I have already signed up for a flight into space on Virgin Galactic. I bought my ticket ten years ago, so I have been waiting a long time. I am passenger number 192 in the waiting line. Virgin Galactic represents new technology that pushes the boundary forward. The technology also has to be safe, of course, and that takes time. One day I would like to go to the Moon. I want to climb the highest mountain there is on the Moon! It is just a matter of time when someone will do it. For the human race it is a natural evolution to aim for the Moon and Mars. How do you finance your expeditions? Fortunately, I have over the years developed a relationship with various sponsors. That is partly how I finance my expeditions. I also do my speeches, my motivational and inspirational talks, both in Sweden and abroad. In some cases I have believed in my projects so much that I have succeeded in taking a bank loan – like when I purchased my tickets for the ride into space onboard Virgin Galactic. For me, my expeditions are an investment, and it is up to me how that investment will turn out. So far, they have turned out well. Given your cosmopolitan background, in which areas do you feel Sweden contributes most globally? I have always been very proud of
what Sweden accomplishes when it comes to technical development, science, R&D, medicine, digitalization – but also in the fields of music and art. Then there is our awareness of the environment. One person cannot change everything; we have to come together to meet the challenges. One manifestation of our environmental awareness is the Allemansrätten, the freedom to roam on private property – an amazing privilege which I value very much, and which also comes with a set of responsibilities. What lies ahead in your adventure calendar? You don’t think space is enough?? I don’t know how I can top that. I still do a lot of guiding, although that has been somewhat curtailed recently due to the pandemic. If all goes well, I am guiding a group to climb Sweden’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise, in August. Next year I have at least one trip to Mount Kilimanjaro. I was there last year with a group of climbers. I might have a trip to Everest Camp, and might also do a bit of paddling not far from Jönköping where I live nowadays. I have three children – two sons aged 11 and 10, and a daughter aged 9 – and a lot of my time is devoted to going on adventures with them. All of them have been with me on Kebnekaise. For the rest I look forward to staying at home, because one of the biggest adventures is being a parent. Interviewed by Peter Berlin
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Swedish Press | September 2020 17
H E RITAG E
‘The Ombudsman – Conscience of a Nation ...’
The Birth of the Ombudsman by Frank Orton, JK, JD h c
Frank Orton is a former Swedish Judge and Ombudsman against Ethnic Discrimination; Former Human Rights Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina; and Visiting Professor at the Györ Faculty of Law, Hungary.
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n October 1713, Sweden’s King Charles XII signed an ordinance by which he established the institution of the King’s Highest Ombudsman. The task of this Ombudsman was to ensure that the judges, military officers and civil servants in Sweden were observing
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the laws of the country and the rules laid down for them. Having at that time been away from Sweden since he left thirteen years earlier on his campaign against Russia, the King obviously felt a need to have someone monitoring things in his home country on his behalf.
Timurtasch, where the ordinance was signed, is situated in today’s Turkey, just south of Adrianople or Edirne. However, correspondence kept in the Swedish National Archives shows that the decision was preceded by thorough deliberations, including a close examination of the arguments for and against the use of the Swedish word “Ombudsman”, by then already in existence for centuries. This correspondence is undated, but it is reasonable to believe that already when the King was staying outside the city of Bender in today’s Moldova after the battle at Pultava 1709, the idea was born in his mind to set up an Ombudsman institution – a concept, according to some scholars, not only rooted in Ottoman administrative tradition as well as the Koran, but arisen even further back in the shades of history.
The reason why the Ombudsman institution, thus established by the King in 1713, sometimes is not
mentioned as the Forefather of all the world’s Ombudsman institutions, is its close connection with the executive power and not being as independent as an Ombudsman is nowadays supposed to be. Its role in relation to the development of the Ombudsman concept is nevertheless significant. Strong under King Charles and his predecessors, the monarchy became weak soon after his death in November 1718, while Parliament grew correspondingly strong. As a result, this 1713 institution – in May 1719 renamed the Chancellor of Justice, Justitiekanslern – in reality became an institution of Parliament rather than of the King. When, however, the King again became absolute ruler in the latter part of the 18th century, the institution returned to being associated with the executive. But Parliament did not forget its value.
After a coup d’état following another lost war against Russia, the new Swedish Constitution of 1809 therefore established the Parliamentary Ombudsman of Sweden, Justitieombudsmannen, as a new independent institution of Parliament. This 1809 institution is still, more than 200 years later, a well-functioning institution in Swedish society, keeping public servants in check with its inspections and its criticism in individual complaint cases; helping others with useful advice and examples of good governance; and
H E RI TAG E
seldom exercising its original role as a prosecutor bringing wrong-doers before a court of law.
It might be added that the Chancellor of Justice, too, remains an integral and well-functioning part of the Swedish constitutional framework. The first Ombudsman institution outside Sweden was the one in Finland, established in 1918 when the country became independent of Russia. The first Ombudsman institution outside the Nordic countries was the one in New Zealand, established in 1962. Today, Ombudsman institutions exist in more than 100 countries all over the world. This is particularly due to the early information activities of the first Danish Ombudsman, Professor Stephan Hurwitz, who took office as Folketingets Ombudsman in 1955.
Some other Ombudsman institutions, aside from the Nordic ones, also use the word “Ombudsman” in their names. The Ombudsman institution in Bosnia and Herzegovina is accordingly labelled Ombudsman za Ljudska Prava, The Human Rights Ombudsman. Denominations without the word “Ombudsman” are for instance in Spanish-speaking countries commonly El Defensor del Pueblo, The Defender of the People.
Other examples are the Quebec institution, which is called Le Protecteur du Citoyen, The Citizen’s Protector; the Albanian institution called Avokati Popullit; and the Moldovan one labelled The Parliamentary Advocate. A very poetic name has the Ethiopian institution, which – in English translation – is called The Guardian of People’s Tears.
In summary, it is the task of an Ombudsman to monitor that public servants are serving the citizens in accordance with the Law. By fulfilling this task, the Ombudsman will promote and strengthen Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in his or her country. However, it is a common conception in many countries, and among many ordinary citizens as well as high-level officials and politicians, that once an Ombudsman institution with a human rights mandate is established, this institution will be primarily responsible for the human rights situation in the country. This is in fact a grave misconception. The role of the Ombudsman is to supervise, to monitor, to follow, that all others, those primarily responsible, are doing their duty, and it is for the Ombudsman to take due action when this is not the case. And due action can be taken on the Ombudsman’s own initiative, for instance because of mass media reporting, but is mostly based on cost-free complaints from citizens, not duly treated according to the law.
Editor’s note: Nine Canadian provinces and one territory have parliamentary ombudsmen (sometimes called “citizens’ protector” or “citizens’ representative”) in the classical/legislative tradition, who oversee the provincial government and receive and investigate public complaints. In the United States, there is no unified federal ombudsman service. The role of handling complaints against federal authorities has to some extent been unofficially incorporated into the role of the US Member of Congress. Since 1967 at least five state legislatures and one territorial legislature have established and continued to employ a full-time ombudsman. These states are Hawaii, Nebraska, Alaska, Iowa and Arizona, and the U.S. territory is Puerto Rico. Many other states have ombudsmen appointed by, and located within, the office of the governor. It should be stressed that a paramount requirement to be considered as an Ombudsman institution in the sense here discussed is its independence in relation to government and the institutions it is monitoring. For further information, contact Frank Orton on frank.orton@tele2.se.
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Swedish Press | September 2020 19
[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
50 The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra recently opened its doors to live audiences, ending the Covid-19 restriction which has limited the popular Swedish orchestra to broadcasting concerts online from the Stockholm Concert Hall. Complying with the pandemic restrictions on crowd sizes, additional concerts have been scheduled in the Concert Hall in Stockholm. Singer, songwriter and composer Magnus Carlson is one of the guest performers. So far, in-concert attendance is limited to 50 persons. For more information visit www.konserthuset.se.
1954 Classic Margarethe bowls from Rosti are staples in many Swedish homes. Created in cooperation with Swedish prince and designer Sigvard Bernadotte (1907 – 2002) and Danish designer Acton Bjørn (1910 – 1992), and designed by Danish designer Jacob Jensen
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(1926 – 2015), the bowls were launched in 1954. Margarethe bowls, which are made of heat resistant melamine, are available in plenty of colors – most recently in a new olive-green color. The bowls come in sizes from 500 ml to 5 liters and cost approximately 109 – 359 SEK.
100 God Morgon, indeed! God Morgon® EKO Orange & Blood Orange juice consists of 100 percent organic and sun-ripened fruit picked by hand and is sure to give you the morning boost of energy you need. Other God Morgon® EKO juice flavor combinations include Apple & Strawberry, Apple & Elderberry and Mandarin & Carrot. If you prefer a smoothie, choose from God Morgon® refreshing flavors Orange, Mango, Banana or Apple, Strawberry, Black Currant. A 0.85-liter bottle of juice costs around 27 SEK and is available in Swedish grocery stores.
25 The Swedish company N!CK’S makes tasty treats using less sugar and avoiding unnecessary calories. The company’s ice cream is
sugar-free and contains only 25 percent of calories compared to regular ice cream. N!CK’S ice cream is available at Willys and Hemköp for approximately 50 SEK. Flavors include chocolate, chocolate brownie, sea salt caramel, cookies and cream, cookie dough, and vanilla bean. Enjoy guilt-free!
2 Swedish drama-comedy series “Älska mig” is back for a second season. The first season premiered on streaming service Viaplay in October 2019 and was written and directed by Swedish actress Josephine Bornebusch. The TV show’s cast includes Bornebusch herself, Johan Ulveson, Sverrir Gudnason and Gustav Lindh. As for the plot, Season 2 will pick up where the first season ended. “Älska mig” Season 2 premieres on September 13 on Viaplay.
4 “Bröllop, begravning och dop” (Wedding, Funeral and Baptism) is another well-liked drama that Swedes are devouring. The TV series is back for a second season. Directed
by English director Colin Nutley, the series was nominated for two “Kristallen” awards and features a star-studded cast including actors Helena Bergström, Maria Lundqvist, Molly Nutley, Angelika Prick, Johan H:son Kjellgren, Philip Zandén, Marie Göranzon, Andreas T Olsson, Alexander Karim, Jonathan Fredriksson, Jan Malmsjö and Peter Harryson. “Bröllop, begravning och dop” Season 2 consists of four episodes and is scheduled to premiere on streaming service C More on September 14, as well as on Swedish TV4 on September 27.
45,000 Non-profit association “Äppelmarknaden i Kivik”, whose annual apple market in Kivik, Simrishamn, Skåne has been canceled this year due to the pandemic, is creating a digital apple market via their website and social media platform. The market – which attracts 45,000 visitors – will be recreated online offering information about different varieties of apples, cider and apple wine. The association also offers visitors advice on smaller outdoor apple sales and activities in Kivik. For more information see www.appelmarknaden.se.
[Lifestyle] Book True stories of loss, heartache, happiness and reconciliation – Letters to the Chief by Judi Lifton By Peter Berlin
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n her memoir Letters to the Chief, author Judi Lifton succeeds brilliantly in recapturing her childhood mindset. Her recollections are documented as a set of letters to a family friend, Chief White Feather of the Sioux and Chippewa Nations. (The reader may find this confusing at first, because although Chief White Feather did exist, the letters did not; they are merely the literary device the author has used to format her memoirs.) She recounts her adventures and reflections while growing up in a small Swedish immigrant community in Minnesota in the 1950s. She is quite a feisty little redhead and gets herself into hilariously funny situations. Life is full of shocking surprises, like being told about cremation or how babies are made. Boys are goofballs at best, until one day she begins to find them interesting. At a midsummer fair in the Swedish tradition, she and her best friend shun the usual children’s games in favor of scary side shows
that their parents disapprove of. The constant banter between little Judi and her three siblings irks their parents and leaves the reader chuckling. In the following resumé of her childhood, Judi Lifton sets the scene for her memoir: Minnesota was a haven for Swedes. The climate was just like in the old country. There was lots of fishing, and the Kaffee Fest was an annual midsummer event. Vetted by other relatives or friends, Swedish immigrants arrived in droves to settle on Swede Hill in Willmar, Minnesota where I lived for the first thirteen years of my life. Other immigrants came from Norway and Denmark, resulting in fifteen different flavors of European Protestant churches plus one Catholic and one Unitarian. The relatives who emigrated from Sweden were my maternal grandfather Oscar Anderson, his wife Anna, and my paternal great grandfather August with wife Sofia. Their son, Nathaniel Franklin, my grandpa,
became a good friend of Oscar’s. Grandpa Nathaniel and Grandpa Oscar shared three things: church affiliations, fishing, and holding a sugar lump between their bottom lip and gum while drinking coffee. I was very close to Grandpa Oscar. He was my buddy, took me fishing and on errands, and always offered an orange candy slice that sat in a bag between us on the front seat of his car. He died when I was young. I sorely missed him, and his influence is noticed in numerous chapters of my memoir. When my family had to leave my town, I was devastated and really missed Grandpa because I knew how he must have felt leaving Sweden. To work through my emotions I wrote letters. They were not written to Grandpa because he was gone (although my closing words are to him). Instead, my memoir is presented as letters written by my fourteen-year-old-self to Chief White Feather, a terminally ill family friend who frequently travelled to my home town. He was an American Indian and storyteller/ singer and advocate for Indian rights. Thus, the idea of Letters to the Chief was born. In reality, they were “letters of the heart” and never written down until published now in my memoir – stories of loss, heartache, happiness and reconciliation. “Letters to the Chief ” by Judi Lifton, Wisdom Edition 2020. ISBN 978-1-950743-24-7. Available from www.calumeteditions.com and Amazon.
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The Perspective of Hans Strand – Landscape Photographer By Kristi Robinson
Above: The streams of silt and iron oxide flow into surreal turquoise water in the River Delta. Bottom right: An aerial photograph of the River Delta in Iceland.
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he abstractness and colors of his images take you to a place of awe and incredulity. From up to four hundred meters in the air, photographer Hans Strand captures aerial shots of landscapes with his Hasselblad camera that defy our understanding of scale, and our common perception of what the world looks like at ground level. Sitting in a small plane or helicopter, he photographs chromatic rivers, icy mountain ranges and glacial waterfalls. Yet his images taken at ground level are equally captivating, showing nature’s raw splendour. Even though he is a master in aerial photography, Hans says his favorite thing to photograph is the forest, and he feels this is where
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[Design]
his connection to nature is most intense. It doesn’t matter where the forest is, but in Sweden Hans is particularly drawn to the forests in Jämtland. Hans’ passion for landscape photography was ignited during a trip to Yosemite National Park when he was a student at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. He explained that when looking through the viewfinder he found some kind of magic. Now, almost forty years later, it appears that this magic is still with him and is channeled into his photographs for all to experience. Much of Hans’ work through the years has been focused on Iceland. He began going there in 1995 before Iceland became the popular tourist destination it is today. Making a number of trips every year, he photographs and runs photography workshops in locations off the beaten
‘Highland Gully’ captures the sombre mood of the early summer rain in one of Iceland’s highland valleys.
track. His work in Iceland has culminated in two books, ‘Above and Below’, and ‘Island’ (German for ‘Iceland’). Hans has also had a number of other books published, one of which was last year in collaboration with Swedish film producer Bo Landin titled ‘Fotavtryck” (‘Footprints’). ‘Fotavtryck’ is about the environmental footprint we are all making and discusses the obstacles we have to overcome to make the world sustainable.
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All through his years of aerial photography, Hans has tried to avoid manmade elements and only capture natural environments. After witnessing what was happening to the ground below – the destruction of plants and animals and manipulation of the wilderness into manmade land – it became virtually impossible for him to ignore it. In 2017, he began a project photographing the Rio Tinto River draining from the mine of the same name in Andalusia, Spain. His shocking and oddly stunning aerial images show toxic water making its way through the landscape, polluting everything in its path before draining into the Atlantic Ocean. Hans has also started working on a manmade land project in Spain where he photographs areas that were once so biodiverse. These have either been taken over by monocultural farming, or have become densely built up, as in Almería where the city’s peninsula has been transformed into hundreds of square miles of plastic greenhouses. Hans’ manmade project will be turned into a book, and an exhibition in Spain in 2021. Once travel becomes a possibility Hans plans to run photography workshops in Iceland, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, and the Alps. To see more of Hans’ stunning landscape photography visit www.hansstrand.se instagram.com/hansstrandofficial/
Top right: ‘Colors of Poison VII’, the most polluted river in the world, the Rio Tinto, displays its toxicity in a rainbow of colors. Bottom right: ‘Highland Colors’. An aerial shot of the Icelandic Highlands in the early summer. All photos © Hans Strand
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Food
A close look at Surströmming, Sweden’s (in)famous fermented herring By Peter Berlin
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n the early 1960s, a crate of surströmming arrived at the Port of New York onboard a Swedish freighter. Left on the dock in the summer heat for a few hours, the contents exploded – not just with a deafening bang, but also with a nose-numbing pong. The authorities promptly banned any further importation of Swedish surströmming. The following quote is taken from a Swedish cookbook published in 1896: “Surströmming is an ancient dish which nature itself has been preparing since the beginning of time. Our earliest ancestors caught a whiff of it outside the Gates of Paradise. […] Only true connoisseurs know how to appreciate surströmming, to be consumed with no other sauce than the mouth’s own saliva. They consider it to be a most exquisite delicacy; but it will never become a party food unless the host chooses to eat alone, or else to invite guests devoid of noses.” Whether Adam and Eve really caught a whiff of surströmming outside the Gates of Paradise is up for debate. In its present form, surströmming has been around since the 15th century. Only herring caught in the Baltic Sea is suited to undergo the characteristic fermentation process which takes several months. The herrings are caught during April and May as they are getting ready for spawning.
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Traditionally, surströmming is consumed in the fall. To be precise, the annual “premiere” falls on the third Thursday in August. In Sweden, fermentation replaced salt as the primary means of conserving herring, when salt became scarce after King Gustav Vasa went to war in Europe. During the fermentation process, various odoriferous chemicals are formed naturally, notably propionic, butyric and acetic acids. Please note that fermentation is not the same as rotting (although the borderline between the two is thin). Cans containing surströmming tend to bulge due to the internal pressure caused by fermentation. This ominous symptom has prompted several airlines to ban surströmming in any shape or form onboard for fear of explosion at high altitudes. What visitors to Sweden often neglect to mention when reporting on their surströmming experience is that (a) the cans are usually opened in the great outdoors; (b) the surrounding vegetation does not wilt; (c) the herring filets are
Photo: Arla.se
promptly subdued in a mix of raw onion, chives and sour cream before being wrapped in soft tunnbröd (bread the size and consistency of a basset’s ears); and (d) the consumer of the tunnbröd, thus enriched, is anaesthetized with ample quantities of high-octane aquavit. Atonal singing often follows, and almost everybody is having a jolly good time. To round off the subject of surströmming, here is another anecdote. A mischievous tenant in a German apartment block left a trail of pungent surströmming brine down the stairwell. The landlord evicted the tenant who, in turn, took the landlord to court for unfair eviction. The judge initially seemed to side with the tenant. When the landlord’s lawyer opened a can of surströmming inside the courtroom, the judge immediately endorsed the eviction. Mind you, Sweden is not the only country producing malodorous foodstuff. For example, take Korean hongeohoe, Japanese kusaya, Egyptian fesikh, Icelandic hákarl … the list goes on and on. Although that, by itself, is no excuse.
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Road to 2045
Road to 2045 Green Solutions Through Partnerships and Shared Visions By Jakob Lagercrantz
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will never forget sitting in a meeting with executives from the fuel industry in Sweden. We had invited Alberto Ayala, the former Deputy Executive Officer of the California Air Resources Board, to present some far-reaching initiatives taken by the State of California. Alberto was one of the tough regulators who discovered that Volkswagen had fitted their US diesel cars with a cheating device for faking nitrogen oxide emissions. This developed into “dieselgate” and has since cost Volkswagen more than $30 billion in fines and lawsuits.
Jakob Lagercrantz. Photo: Malin Jochumsen
and between landowners and the government on “allemansrätten” (the unique Swedish approach to the right to public access) is a Swedish way of moving things forward. The co-operation in Sweden on environmental issues is just as strong and it is surprisingly free of obstacles. Both the public and corporate worlds share the concerns for the climate effect. We formed the 2030-secretariat in 2013 as a partnership between enterprises determined to reach the political climate target of a 70 per cent decrease of carbon emissions in the transport sector by 2030. This is a unique and ambitious target, an important part of the Climate law adopted in 2017. The 2030-secretariat is made up of 70 significant partners, a “Coalition of the Willing” united in the goal of decarbonizing the transport sector. Our partners are large and small companies representing the different areas needing development: vehicle technology, fuels, and behaviour. What is unique is that we can agree to disagree in some areas while still in full agreement on the long-term goal. We welcome all technologies, as long
as they contribute to the overall goal, and we work independently of political parties.
It is strange that the climate debate remains polarized in so many countries, and that countries miss seeing the advantages of green growth. With the Green Deal in Europe we see new possibilities, and California is showing the way in the US with innovative environmental legislation supporting the leading edge of industry. There is growth, profits and innovation in green development, and a fertile ground for agreement across sectors. The Swedish 2030-secretariat was formed to support the decarbonization of the transport sector in Sweden. The secretariat is independent from political parties and technical solutions.
Alberto listened to plans for renewable fuels presented by the Swedish fuel companies, and was impressed by the open dialogue and innovation. He afterwards told me that “in California we would have threatened lawsuits and left the room.” The Swedish fuel industry has chosen to be a part of the solution rather than sticking to the fossil fuels. We still have a long way to go, but at least we have started. The Swedish co-operative approach has served us well through the years. Striking agreements across political parties, between unions and employers,
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Swedish Press Connects
Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America
Sweden Symposium 16 – 17 October 2020 By Mark Safstrom, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Augustana College | Rock Island, Illinois
Article prepared for Swedish Press as part of the Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers of America (ASTRA) feature articles on Swedish Programs in American Higher Education. The Swedish Nightingale – 200 Years: Jenny Lind and Swedish America
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he Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers’ (ASTRA) annual Sweden Symposium will be held as an online conference on October 16 and 17, with most events scheduled between 10 am and 3 pm (Central Time, USA). This symposium is geared toward Jenny Lind in the title role of Bellini’s “Norma,” by Olof Johan supporting and equipping Södermark. teachers and researchers in Swedish language and Scandinavian Studies who live and work across North America. Our events encourage the active engagement of participants in the exchange of their experiences and new ideas. In this bicentennial year of Jenny Lind’s birth, our featured speakers will present on the life of the famous opera singer, her significance as a cultural icon, and her legendary American tour. Our speakers will include:
Hélène Ohlsson, a doctoral student in theater science at Stockholm University, as well as an actress, director and author. Her lecture will explore how the opera singers Jenny Lind and Christina Nilsson each maneuvered in their U.S.
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tours and how they portrayed different senses of Swedishness and why.
Anita Olson Gustafson,
Professor of History, and Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Mercer University, Georgia, will discuss Jenny Lind’s tour in relationship to Swedish America, as well as her media reception in places like New York, Charleston, and Chicago. She will also discuss her book, Swedish Chicago: The Shaping of an Immigrant Community, 1880-1920 (Northern Illinois University Press, 2018). The symposium will include presentations on the timely topic of how to use digital humanities and historical collections in research and instruction on Swedish America, featuring representatives from the Swedish American Museum in Chicago (Karin Abercrombie), the Swedish American Archives of Greater Chicago (Andy Meyer), and the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center in Rock Island (Lisa Huntsha). There will also be opportunity for discussion of best practices in teaching Swedish during the coronavirus pandemic and the state of the field. The Sweden Symposium is sponsored by the Swedish Institute, and is co-hosted this year by the three collegiate Swedish programs in the state of Illinois: Augustana College in Rock Island, the University of Illinois in UrbanaChampaign, and North Park University in Chicago. Visit www.astra.us for updated program details and schedule, as well as to learn more about ASTRA. For questions regarding the program, please contact the program committee members, Mark Safstrom (marksafstrom@ augustana.edu), Verena Höfig (verena@illinois.edu), and Anne Marie Andreasson-Hogg (aandreasson@northpark. edu). For questions about ASTRA, including membership info, please contact Scott Mellor (samellor@wisc.edu).
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Swedish Press Connects
Making Artificial Intelligence Intelligible
Max Tegmark blev Årets svensk i världen Max Tegmark har i år utnämnts till Årets svensk i världen av organisationen Svenskar i Världen. I över trettio år har utmärkelsen förärats svenskar som på ett extraordinärt sätt har utmärkt sig inom olika områden och satt både sig själva och Sverige på världskartan. I fjol fick EUkommissionär Cecilia Malmström motta utmärkelsen.
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ax Tegmark är professor vid en av världens mest prestigefulla universitetsinstitutioner, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, där han forskar på fysik och maskininlärning. Han är också en av världens mest respekterade och tongivande uttolkare av artificiell intelligens, AI. Framstående personer som Elon Musk och nu framlidne Stephen Hawking är några av dem som har hyllat svensken som ofta benämns som världens smartaste svensk. I år föräras han utmärkelsen Årets svensk i världen. – Max Tegmark är en av de mest framstående forskarna inom AI på den internationella scenen. Med sina djupa kunskaper och pedagogiska insatser hjälper han oss att förstå och närma oss AI. Hans banbrytande arbete är viktigt inte bara för dagens forskning utan även för vår förmåga att fatta effektiva, framtidssäkra beslut baserade på en genomtänkt etisk grund. Därmed är Max Tegmark en värdig mottagare av utmärkelsen Årets svensk i världen 2020, säger Svenskar i Världens ordförande Louise Svanberg.
Framstående svenskar inom olika områden
Sedan 1988 utser Svenskar i Världen årligen en svensk som gjort framstående insatser för att profilera Sverige internationellt inom kultur, näringsliv, entreprenörskap, vetenskap, idrott eller inom det humanitära och diplomatiska området. Några av tidigare års pristagare är EU-kommissionär Cecilia Malmström (2019), Zlatan Ibrahimović (2013), Astrid Lindgren (1997) och Ingvar Kamprad (1989).
Livesänd prisutdelning
Coronapandemin resulterade i att den sedvanliga prisutdelningen, som brukar äga rum i samband med festlig lunch i Stockholm, i år ersattes med en digital prisceremoni: Årets svensk i världen LIVE.
Max Tegmark utnämns, Årets svensk i världen. Foto: Volante Förlag
Förutom pristagaren deltog Martin Lundstedt, koncernchef Volvo Group; Sara Mazur, ordförande Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP); och Erik Ekudden, Senior Vice President och Group CTO på Ericsson. Förutom diskussion om AI:s roll i samhällsutvecklingen korades Max Tegmark officiellt till Årets svensk i världen 2020 av Svenskar i Världens ordförande Louise Svanberg. Claudia Olsson, expert inom digital transformation inom World Economic Forum och grundare av utbildningsbolaget Stellar Capacity, ledde diskussionerna.
Exklusiv föreläsning
I samband med utmärkelsen lanserades SWED-talk med Max Tegmark. SWED-talk är en exklusiv föreläsning där Tegmark ger sitt perspektiv på vår framtid med artificiell intelligens. Han menar att Europa och Sverige har en världsunik möjlighet att se till att det blir en inspirerande framtid för alla människor i stället för en brutal teknikdystopi med massövervakning och extrem ojämlikhet. Årets svensk i världen LIVE och SWED-talk med Max Tegmark finns att se på www.sviv.se. Summary in English: Swedish Professor Max Tegmark is the recipient of the 2020 International Swede of the Year award by Svenskar i Världen (SVIV). Dr Tegmark is affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is one of the world’s most prominent researchers in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). He advocates the use of AI in the service of all mankind rather than as a tool for achieving mass surveillance and extreme inequality.
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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 The main exhibit, The Dream of America: Swedish Immigration to Chicago, and The Galleries are opened but the Brunk Children’s Museum will remain closed until further notice. Visit the Swedish American Museum website for updates. MINNEAPOLIS American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 Tel: 612-871 4907 | www.asimn.org ASI is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 and in-person programs are cancelled through August 31. Sept 13 and 23 – 2 pm Central Time: Virtual "Swedish Dads" Artist Talk with Johan Bävman – Join us for the first-ever virtual collaboration between the National Nordic Museum and the American Swedish Institute as we celebrate the simultaneous showing of Johan Bävman’s Swedish Dads photography exhibition. In these discussion-based talks, Johan will shed light on the stories behind the photographs and on Sweden’s generous paternal leave policy. PHILADEPHIA American Swedish Historical Museum 1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145 | Tel: 215-389 1776 | info@americanswedish.org | www.americanswedish.org Reopened to visitors since July 3 with normal operating hours. Visit www.americanswedish.org for more information. PORTLAND Nordic Northwest Nordia House, 8800 SW Oleson Rd., Portland, OR 97223 | Tel: 503-977 0275 www.nordicnorthwest.org Nordia House is now open. Visit www. nordicnorthwest.org for more information. Sept 19 – Sat 7 to 8:30 pm: Shared Horizons Concert – Portland Chamber Orchestra and Nordic Northwest collaboratively present Shared Horizons, an online streaming quartet performance of works by African8
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American and Scandinavian composers. Streaming live from Nordia House. One registration per household. SEATTLE Swedish Cultural Center 1920 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: 206-283 1090 | www.swedishclubnw.org info@swedishculturalcenter.org Sept 16 – Wed: Swedish Club Annual Meeting – elect new Board members and announce the Swede(s) of the Year! National Nordic Museum 2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107 Tel: 206-789 5707 | nordic@nordicmuseum.org www.nordicmuseum.org National Nordic Museum will be closed to the public until further notice. Sept 26-27 – Sat to Sun: Virtual Nordic Genealogy Conference – This 2020 virtual conference will be a mixture of live and on-demand keynote lectures and workshops that you can follow from anywhere in the world. Professional genealogists and subject matter experts from North America and the Nordic countries will share insights about family history research. Registration is now open at www.nordicmuseum.org/ genealogyconference. WASHINGTON, DC Embassy of Sweden 2900 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Tel: 202-467 2600 | www.swedenabroad.com ambassaden.washington@gov.se The Embassy will remain in a modified telework arrangement, offering limited consular services by appointment only. Phone hours are: Monday-Friday 9:30 am12:30 pm and 1:00-3:00 pm 202-467-2600. OTTAWA Embassy of Sweden Ottawa 377 Dalhousie Street, Suite 305, Ottawa ON K1N 9NB Tel: 613-241 2277 www.swedishembassy.ca The Government decided on 2 July to extend the entry ban until 31 August 2020. At the same time, the Government decided to ease the restrictions for more travellers. The decision was taken following a Council of the European Union recommendation. 18
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VANCOUVER Scandinavian Community Centre 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9 Tel: 604-294 2777 | info@scancentre.org www.scancentre.org The Scandinavian Community Centre commenced operation with a soft reopening of the Centre from July 6, 2020. The soft re-opening is limited to booking and hosting small scale events, activities and rentals. At this time, no walk-in visits are allowed. The Scandinavian Community Centre will accept visitors entering the building by pre-booked appointment only. Please contact by phone 604-294 2777 or e-mail info@scancentre.org. Visit www. scancentre.org. for further updates. WINNIPEG Swedish Cultural Assoc of Manitoba Scandinavian Cultural Centre 764 Erin St, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2W4 Tel: 204-774 8047 | www.scandinaviancentre.ca/sweden | Registration by email at svenskclub17@gmail.com The Scandinavian Centre remains closed at this time due to the COVID-19 outbreak. As we await further information on reopening this Fall, we continue to offer outdoor activities and events through other methods of communication. Further updates on reopening of the Centre and events can be found at our website www.scandinaviancentre.ca/sweden. Sept 18 – Fri 8 pm: Swedish Outdoor Movie Night – Wallander Series Episode; Based on the award-winning Wallander novels by Henning Mankell. Join friends under the stars to watch this interesting story taking place in Southern Sweden. Please register at svenskclub17@gmail.com for more information. Sept – Scandinavian Book Club; With much interest being expressed, a strategy meeting will be held through ZOOM in the coming weeks; contact Marilyn at old_soul_art@hotmail.com for more information. Sept – Swedish Language Classes are being considered for the Fall session with the possibility of holding classes through ZOOM media. Register svenskclub17@ gmail.com for more information. 28
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[Ads] and Info Swedish Press Classified 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 Tel: 604-294-2777 www. scancentre.org Svenska Kulturföreningen Ordförande Ellen Petersson 604-970 8708. Kassör är Linda Olofsson, 604-418 7703 www.swedishculturalsociety.ca. Email: swedishculturalsociety.ca @gmail.com Swedish Canadian Village Beautiful Assisted Living Residence & Senior Subsidized Apartment Buildings Located in Burnaby, BC. Tel: 604-420 1124 Fax# 604-420 1175 www.swedishcanadian.ca
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Swedish Heritage in BC 1812 Duthie Ave. Burnaby BC. Laila Axen Tel: 604-526 7464. Visit us at www. swedishheritageinbc.org. E-mail: swedishheritagebc@gmail.com Sweden House Society President: Rebecca Keckman Vice President: Dorothy Carlson Treasurer: Carole Walkinshaw, Email: swedenhousechair@gmail.com Swedish Club of Victoria Dinners, Events and Meetings, for information contact Annabelle Beresford @ 250-656 9586 or Swedish Club of Victoria Facebook.
dinner. Pancake breakfasts on first Sundays of the month. Rental venue for meeting, parties, etc. www.swedishclubnw.org Classified 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 Press Classified Ad Rate is as low as 50 cents per word (minimum $10). Send your ad to advertise @swedishpress.com
Washington Organizations 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
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Sista ordet
Don’t Disturb, Don’t Destroy Allemansrätten – Use It or Abuse It
ALLEMANSRÄTTEN
By Peter Berlin V
Father and son in the forest. Photo: Alexander Hall/imagebank.sweden.se
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Swedish Press | September 2020 30
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göra upp eld om det inte råder brandfara.
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vistas överallt utom på privata tomter eller odlad mark.
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plocka vilda blommor, bär och svamp.
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gå i hagar, men kom ihåg att stänga grindarna efter dig.
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ALLEMANSRÄTT OCH ALLEMANSVETT Den svenska naturen står öppen för oss alla. Men du måste vara varsam mot naturen och visa hänsyn mot både människor och djur. Inte störa – inte förstöra är huvudregeln i allemansrätten. (Den tillåter inte vad som helst).
ALLEMANSTRÄDET
rowing up in Sweden in the 1950s, my brother and I spent most weekends with our parents at their cottage in the idyllic Skåne countryside. We happily explored the surrounding meadows and played hide-and-seek among the ruins of abandoned farms. In the autumn we picked mushrooms and berries in the forests and caught crayfish in the streams. No permission asked and none needed, thanks to allemansrätten, a.k.a. the Freedom to Roam. We were of course aware that the meadows, fields, forests and streams belonged to somebody, but it never occurred to us that the proprietors would mind our presence. In fact, the whole point of allemansrätten is that property owners have no legal right to prevent the arrival of strangers, as long as the latter don’t disturb the owners or cause damage to the property. Hence the mantra Inte störa, inte förstöra, or ”Don’t Disturb, Don’t Destroy”. As an 18-year-old I travelled to America for the first time. I would
Vi får inte:
ta fågelbon eller fågelägg.
AR M
G
R Å
Vi får inte:
skada naturen, såsom levande träd och buskar.
Vi får inte:
ha hunden lös i naturen under tiden 1 mars - 20 augusti.
Vi får inte:
beträda privata tomter och odlade marker.
OLIKA REGLER PÅ OLIKA STÄLLEN Inom naturskyddade områden kan finnas ytterligare inskränkningar av allemansrätten. I vissa områden kan också kommunala ordningsföreskrifter gälla, till exempel om tältning. Kontakta respektive kommun för information
often take a Greyhound bus to some famous landmark on weekends and venture out into the surroundings. But wherever I went, my “Wanderlust” was stymied by fences and gates with signs proclaiming PRIVATE PROPERTY or NO TRESPASSING or, worse yet, KEEP OUT! Initially, my reaction was incomprehension. I asked an American friend of mine why property owners in the US were so afraid of allowing strangers like me onto their grounds. His reply: “That would be extremely dangerous! You could be an axe murderer, for all they know.” It would be misleading to portray allemansrätten as a miracle dooropener suitable for all countries and cultures. Even in Sweden it is subject to abuse from time to time – and here I have a confession to make. When my brother was 12 and I was 8, we entered a forest with a view to lighting a campfire. It was Eastertime; the ground was covered with wilted yellow grass, and juniper bushes grew among the trees. We collected dry twigs lying on the ground and cleared some grass
to form a barrier around our campfire. Then we lit the fire … which promptly jumped the barrier and set the surrounding grass ablaze. One of the juniper bushes caught fire and virtually exploded, sending hundreds of sparks into the air which the breeze carried to the grass further afield. To cut a long story short, my brother and I had accidentally started a forest fire. A nearby farmer called the fire department. The firemen quickly extinguished the blaze. They then lectured my brother and me about how incredibly irresponsible we had been, especially since there was a peat bog adjacent to the forest. Had the fire spread to the bog, it could have dug itself deep down and smouldered for years, causing new fires to erupt at unpredictable times. The fire department sent our parents an invoice for SEK 400 – a huge sum in the minds of pre-teen youngsters like us. Our dad made us empty our piggybanks to help pay the bill and learn a lesson. The only good outcome of our misadventure was that, ever since, my brother and I have always regarded nature with deep respect and viewed allemansrätten as a unique privilege rather than a fundamental right.
Mushroom picking in the forest. Photo: Alexander Hall/imagebank.sweden.se
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