[Embassy of Sweden in Seoul] 스웨덴 알메달렌 정치박람회 Almedalen Week in Sweden

[스웨덴 뉴스 News in Sweden]

스웨덴 알메달렌 정치박람회 Almedalen Week in Sweden

English text below ----------------

매년 여름(27주) 개최되는 스웨덴 알메달렌 정치박람회! 작년 이맘때쯤에도 알메달렌 정치박람회 소식을 전해드렸는데 기억하시는지요? ‘알메달렌 정치박람회’는 스웨덴 동남부 고틀란드섬 해변 휴양도시 뷔스비시에서 개최되는데요, 올해로 46회째를 맞이한답니다.

‘알메달렌 정치박람회’는 1968년 당시 교육부 장관이자 차기 총리로 내정된 올로프 팔메 전 스웨덴 총리가 이곳에서 처음 정치 간담회를 하면서 시작되어 현재는 스웨덴 국회의석을 가진 8개 정당이 하루씩 배정받아 아침부터 저녁까지 다양한 정치관련 행사를 개최합니다. 정당들은 정책 설명회, 당수와의 만남, 정책 세미나, 국민과의 질의시간, 정당주관 문화행사 등을 통해 국민과 하나가 되는 친숙한 프로그램으로 진행하고 있습니다. 신문과 방송이 주요행사로 보도하며, 참여하는 언론인만도 400여명이 넘습니다. ‘알메달렌 정치박람회’가 정당의 중요한 소통통로로 부상되면서 국민들도 휴가기간 동안 자유로운 복장과 휴식 분위기에서 격의 없이 정치인을 만나는 자리로 거듭났습니다.

모두에게 동등한 기회를 제공하고, 투명하며, 개방적인 사회 분위기와 시민들의 적극적인 참여와 시민의식이 ‘알메달렌 정치박람회’와 같은 시민과 소통하여 시민의 알 권리를 충족시키는 열린 채널을 만들 수 있었던 건 아닐런지요?

올해 알메달렌은 6월 29일 (일) 부터 7월 6일(일)까지 개최됩니다. 많은 관심 부탁드려요!

스웨덴정부 – 알메달렌 정치박람회(영어) : http://bit.ly/1mfXbZ5
고틀란드 – 알메달렌 정치박람회(영어): http://bit.ly/1vkFYgD

The Almedalen Week 29 June-6 July

The Almedalen Week (Almedalsveckan) is an annual event taking place in week 27 in and around Almedalen, a park in Visby, Gotland. With speeches, seminars and other political activities, it is considered to be the most important forum in Swedish politics. During the week, representatives from the major political parties in Sweden take turns to make speeches in Almedalen. In recent years, the event has grown larger, with hordes of journalists, lobbyists, local and national politicians and representatives of non-governmental organisations all coming to Visby to meet, discuss politics and socialize.

Swedish Government, Almedalen Week : http://bit.ly/1mfXbZ5
Gotland Region, Almedalen Week : http://bit.ly/1vkFYgD

The Nordic Way: Openness and Mobility

On the 16th of June, diplomats in Stockholm were invited by the Norden Association to a seminar on Nordic cooperation at the island of Biskops-Arnö, located in Lake Mälaren 60 km west of Stockholm. The seminar was supported by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Embassies of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway.

FöregåendeNästa

• Föregående
• 1/4
• Nästa

• 

The moderator of the seminar was Mr. Adrian Wooldridge from The Economist. In January last year, Mr. Wooldridge wrote a report called Northern Lights on how the Nordic countries are reinventing their model of capitalism. Experts from all of the Nordic countries participated in the seminar.

The importance of a long tradition of trust in other people and institutions was emphasized. As one ambassador participating in the seminar put it: "Swedes believe in the divine hand of government". Free access to institutions was considered as an important part of the Nordic model as well as the existence of responsible and moderate trade unions and employers' organisations: the ability to transform conflicts into compromise was thought to be a key to understanding Nordic mentality. The relative lack of corruption was also underlined as an explanation of Nordic success.

It was agreed that economic growth and competitiveness on the one hand and social protection and a welfare state on the other do not seem to be incompatible, provided that creativity and pragmatism are allowed to predominate. One panellist thought that the Nordic welfare model is the best in the world - but the Nordic countries can no longer afford it. Experience from countries like France, Germany and the Netherlands should be taken into account.

Several challenges were perceived as possible threats to the sustainability of the Nordic model however. Social tensions and less cohesion due to lacking integration of refugees and other immigrants were touched upon: will it be possible to maintain trust in biggovernment and a society based on consensus when a large part of the population comes from countries with other traditions?

The seminar was concluded by a luncheon in the Gothic Hall, a medieval hall dating from 1320.