Sweden Today:

Stockholm marches in display of solidarity / Government presents plan for better policing / EU summit planned for Gothenburg / Ancient Viking farm in Birka / U.S. cannabis legalization provides business in Sweden 

  • The Women's March in Stockholm on Jan. 21, 2017 displays solidarity with the U.S. and world. Photo: Lisa Mattisson

  • Stockholm marches in display of solidarity
    (World) Close to one thousand men and women attended the Women’s March in Stockholm on Jan. 21. Demonstrating against the new U.S. president and standing up for human rights, protestors filled Norrmalmstorg to hear speeches from feminist liberal MP Birgitta Ohlsson, Anna Lindenfors and others. The march in Sweden’s capital was organized by Amnesty International, Svenska Freds, The Woman’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Rights (RFSL).

  • The last time a UN summit was held in Gothenburg, U.S. President George W. Bush (left) met with Swedish Prime Minister Göran Persson (middle) and European Commission President Romano Prodi at Gunnebo Slott on June 14, 2001. Photo by Paul Morse

  • Government presents plan for better policing
    (National) The ongoing police crisis was in the spotlight again on Jan. 20 during a press conference with Police Chief Dan Eliasson and Home Affairs Minister Anders Ygeman. Eliasson spoke regarding a new strategy for improving policing in Sweden, and Ygeman reiterated that the government has added to the budget and increased police forces. The police have said they had to de-prioritize certain job functions due to the increase of asylum seekers.

  • The Ansgar Cross at Birka, Björkö, near Stockholm.

  • EU summit planned for Gothenburg
    (World) An EU summit has been planned to take place in Gothenburg in November with government leaders including British Prime Minister Theresa May. The focus of the summit will be on justice, jobs and growth. “In these troubled times, we must show that we can make a difference in people’s lives,” said Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven in a press release. The last time an EU summit was held in Gothenburg was in 2001.

  • Known for providing light to large scale herb and vegetable growers, the Swedish LED light company Heliospectra is doing more business with the canabis industry as it becomes legalized in the U.S. and other countries.

  • Ancient Viking farm in Birka
    (Culture) Researchers have uncovered the remains of a Viking settlement near Birka on Björkö, showing clear traces of a 40-meter-long (131 feet) house with surrounding property. The find dates back to the Viking era but also contains evidence of older buildings. Descriptions and written resources indicate that Herigar, the king’s bailiff and most senior person on the island, may have resided there. Birka was founded in the late 700’s and has been called Sweden’s first town.

  • Swedish company Heliospectra AB won the 2013 SACC New York-Deloitte Green Award, which was presented to the company at the Royal Gala Award Dinner in New York. (L-R): SACC-NY President Renee Lundholm; Andreas Marcetic of Deloitte; Staffan Hillberg, CEO of Heliospectra AB; H.R.H. Princess Madeleine of Sweden; Steve Trygg, jury chairman and vice chairman of SACC-NY; Frederick Johansson, SACC-NY chairman.

  • U.S. cannabis legalization provides business in Sweden
    (World) Legalization of cannabis in the U.S. is providing Gothenburg company Heliospectra with an increase in demand for their LED lights for large scale pot cultivation. Originally providing lights for growers of herb and vegetable gardens and farms, the company began selling lights in 2014. The cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing industries with discussions of legalization also taking place in Australia, Denmark and Macedonia.