Sweden Today:

Sweden's first neutral cemetery / Olympic gold medal winner splits with coach / H&M queues up long lines for Kenzo collaboration / One in five Swedes afraid of death / Musical think tank for youth 

  • Sarah Sjöström poses with her gold medal at the Summer 2016 Olympics. Photo: Petter Arvidson/Bildbyrån

  • Sweden’s first neutral cemetery
    (Culture) The cemetery adjacent to Stora Tuna Church in Borlänge will be the first so-called “neutral cemetery” in Sweden, providing civil funeral services without religious symbols. In addition, symbols will not be displayed or set next to gravesites. Vicar Ann-Gerd Jansson, believes this is a way to embrace Sweden’s multicultural society and provide for different beliefs at the end of life.

  • The Royal Swedish Academy of Music was established in 1771 during the reign of Gustaf III. According to its first statutes, the Academy was to see to it “that new musical and poetical works are written and critically examined” and that “of native born Swedish youth, to select those appropriately gifted and at the expense of the Academy to teach them Composition, Singing and Musical Instruments, each according to inclination.” The Academy is in the 17th century former hotel for foreign ministers at Blasieholmstorg in Stockholm.

  • Olympic gold metal winner splits with coach
    (National) Swimmer Sarah Sjöström has announced that she is splitting from her coach of 10 years, Carl Jenner. The decision was made after the Rio Olympics when Sjöstrlm brought home a gold for the 100m butterfly, a silver and bronze in two other events. Sjöström says she is ready for new challenges. She will continue to train at Sweden’s National Elite Center under coach Johan Wallberg.

  • Sweden's first "neutral cemetery" is next to Stora Tuna Church, which already has a graveyard for Christians used for burials since the 13th century.

  • H&M queues up long lines for Kenzo collaboration
    (Fashion) Lines began forming at 5 a.m. Nov. 3 as customers waited for the release of the new H&M Kenzo collaboration in Gothenburg’s Nordstan. This marks the 13th year the retailer has teamed up with top-name designers offering collections cobranded with Karl Lagerfeld, Sonia Rykiel, Stella McCartney and last year, Balmain.

  • One in five Swedes afraid of death
    (Culture) Research firm Inizio and Aftonbladet asked Swedes about their thoughts on death and the afterlife, and discovered that only one in five are afraid of death. More than a quarter of respondents believe in life after death and a quarter are uncertain. The concerns most have are thoughts about leaving children, family and friends, or ideas of not being quite finished with life. Others believe that pain may be involved. The study also reveals that only 16 percent had given clear instructions to family on how to handle end of life arrangements.

  • Musical think tank for youth
    (Culture) Youth thinking on Music, Unga tankar om musik (UTOM), is a new project consisting of 17 members attempting to bring together young musicians working in different genres. Included are professional musicians, managers, agents, producers and education specialists who will work with youth over the course of four years. “UTOM will be a new constructive force in the cultural debate,” said Benny Andersson, mentor of the project. UTOM is sponsored by the Royal Academy of Music and is funded by contributions from various foundations.