Swedish News:

Sweden – most respected country in the world. Maximum 300 meters to Green areas in Stockholm. Daniel Craig on location in Stockholm. Björklund’s crusade. 

  • Sweden – most respected country in the world
    Sweden places first with Canada, Australia and Switzerland close behind as the most respected country in the world. The World Reputation Institute releases results of its 2010 country reputation study, and Sweden has earned the highest reputation ranking the Reputation Institute’s CountryRep 2010 – its annual survey measuring public perception of 39 countries around the world. “A strong country reputation builds stakeholder support, making Sweden a country people will recommend as a place to visit, invest, live and work,” says Nicolas Trad, Managing Partner of Reputation global, private advisory firm specializing in corporate reputation management. The CountryRep 2010 study measures the overall respect, trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings the public in the G8 countries hold toward 39 countries outside of their home country and how 35 of those countries rate their own nations. Findings from more than 40,000 interviews showed that Australia, Finland, and Canada gave their home country the highest ratings, providing insight into self-image around the world. The general public in Hungary rated their own country the lowest when asked about their perceptions of the following statements:
    • “The country has a good reputation.”
    • “I like the country.”
    • “I admire and respect the country.”
    • “I trust the country.”
    Sweden, the most highly respected country, landed in the top five in ten of eleven dimensions, taking the top spot for social welfare and contribution to the global community, while placing second in business environment and effective government.

  • Maximum 300 meters to green areas in Stockholm
    No person living in Stockholm shall have more than 300 meters (984 feet) to the closest green area. This is the new goal of Stockholm’s political leadership. The town building office is now mapping the inner-city of Stockholm to investigate if some people have a too long way to the closest green area. In such places in Stockholm, “green oasis” will be built.

  • Daniel Craig on location in Stockholm
    Hold on to your horses, it’s one of the most anticipated movies of all time and it’s being shot right now, in Stockholm. We’re talking about “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”, the US version of course. After it was announced Hollywood would be remaking the original Swedish adaptation of Stieg Larsson's famous novel the question on everybody's lips was who would be playing lead character Mikael Blomkvist. And now James Bond star Daniel Craig has started shooting the blockbuster on the streets of Stockholm. The 42-year-old actor was spotted shooting one of the opening scenes of the novel on the steps of a courthouse in Stockholm yesterday. Craig was also seen chatting to director David Fincher before another scene shot later in the day. There was no sign of Craig's co-star Rooney Mara, who will be playing the title character Lisbet Salander, on set, although she was pictured arriving in Sweden earlier this week before starting training for one of the film's many motorcycle scenes. And while the Hollywood version of the film is sure to be a hit, director Fincher insists he isn't trying to remake Niels Arden Oplev's Swedish film. He said in a recent interview: “There is absolutely no reason to do such a thing. Steve Zaillian has written the new screenplay and he based it on the book and made his own version. Sure, there are scenes that will resemble those in the Swedish film, but it is the book that we are filming.” Meanwhile, Fincher also confirmed that British actress Joely Richardson would be joining the cast, although he did not reveal which character she will be playing. Steven Berkoff has also signed on to the film, and is believed to be playing Lisbeth's villainous conservator Nils Bjurman. The movie is expected to be released in late 2011.

  • Björklund’s crusade
    Despite a proposal from the National Agency for Education suggesting that all religions should be treated equal in the subject “religion”, minister for education Jan Björklund wants to keep the special role of Christianity. “I’m not saying Christianity is better than other religions,” Björklund says. “But Christianity has had an enormous influence on our country.”