Terrific Visit to Sweden by Secretary of State Kerry

On May 17, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Ambassador and Mrs. Brzezinski greet Secretary of State Kerry upon his arrival to Sweden.

This week, US Embassy Stockholm was honored to support a remarkable and highly productive visit to Sweden by Secretary of State John Kerry, his first visit as Secretary. Two goals were paramount for the visit:  (i) to meaningfully and constructively engage on the future of the Arctic through the Arctic Council, which Sweden chairs and of which the US is a member (ii) to engage Swedish government officials on the challenges we face together around the world.

Secretary Kerry landed in Stockholm early Tuesday morning and got underway immediately with consultations with the Swedish Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Whether it’s the conflicts in Syria and Afghanistan or the nuclear issue in North Korea (where Sweden acts as the protective power of the US), these are not just American challenges but international challenges and we are pleased that Sweden is a key partner in trying to solve them. An enormous shared opportunity is the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; we both look forward for negotiations over this agreement to get underway soon. Prime Minister Reinfeldt and Foreign Minister Bildt are incredibly gracious hosts, and the conversation reflected how genuinely close and results oriented our bilateral relationship is.

Secretary Kerry then went to the US Ambassadorial residence, where he bore witness to the US Embassy’s salute to Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who chose not to be indifferent and saved thousands of Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust. The US Embassy planted last year in front of the US Ambassadorial residence a horse chestnut tree (the same kind Anne Frank looked out over from her window in Amsterdam) in honor of Wallenberg.

Secretary Kerry then took a photo with our awesome US Marines, spending time to ask them about their service and where each came from.

Then the Secretary met with US Embassy staff members and families at the US Ambassadorial residence.  It was truly a warm, genuine and inspiring event.  Secretary Kerry immediately invited all the children on the stage with him, providing a poignant moment for the Secretary to reflect on life in the Foreign Service and speak of the great sacrifice, courage and patriotism of their parents. The Secretary took photos with all the kids, and went around the room and shook every hand. It was a wonderful and touching US embassy family moment.

After a casual lunch, in which we had the honor of being joined by US Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, who had conducted an important wildlife program in the morning, we left for the High North of Sweden, to Kiruna for the Arctic Council.

The Arctic Council was launched in 1996 to promote cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States, in particular on issues pertaining to sustainability and environmental protection.  The United States, together with Sweden, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Russia are members.

The first meeting I took part in was with the Secretary, Senator Murkowski and Alaskan Permanent Participants (including several Native American tribal leaders). The Secretary discussed the Obama Administration’s new National Strategy for the Arctic and then dove right in to discussions about social challenges and biodiversity depletion. It was an incredibly real and honest conversation about the challenges we face together in the Arctic, and what it is we can do together to solve them.

The following morning the Ministerial began, with Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt opening the conference and Minister of Environment Lena Ek reviewing the solid record of Sweden’s chairmanship. Then national statements were presented, and Secretary spoke on behalf of the United States in the most visionary and poignant way. Here are some key passages from the Secretary’s remarks:

·         “It’s an honor to be here in Kiruna, and I begin by saying that there are many areas where the eight Arctic states’ interests overlap significantly. And despite our different sizes and our different cultures, and many of the varied interests that we’ve heard today from permanent participants, we share many values and priorities. But there is nothing that should unite us quite like our concern for both the promise and the challenges of the northern-most reaches of the earth.

·         “Temperatures we know in the Arctic are increasing more than twice as fast as global averages, and they are endangering habitats and they are endangering ways of life.  Last September, the extent of sea ice covering the Arctic reached a record low, threatening marine mammal life and the indigenous and local communities that depend on them.”

·         “So we’re proud to join you today in the important work of protecting and preserving our shared Arctic, not just for the nations that touch it, but for the way that what happens here, for the stewardship that we have responsibility to execute, for the way that it touches every single person around the world and our way of life.”
The Ministerial was followed by lunch in the LKAB mine, the largest of its kind in Europe. Kiruna was founded in 1900 primarily around the extraction of iron. The mining industry remains so important to Kiruna that the town is currently in the midst of moving several large neighborhoods to a new location in order to enable further extraction.  With the local economy booming and with low unemployment numbers, Kiruna is thriving.

Secretary Kerry then returned to Washington. He returned having advanced the US interest bilaterally and multilaterally and the Embassy was honored to have had him here. We live in an ever smaller world, where problems have local roots but global reach. By engaging with our superb partners the Swedes, Secretary Kerry got us that much closer to addressing the challenges of our times.

I will end by saying that to me Secretary Kerry is a particularly inspiring leader. He speaks from the heart; has incredible military service and public service to draw from; and he shares President Obama’s great strategic perspective and vision. It was a deep honor to support his visit to Sweden.

For more pictures from Secretary Kerry’s visit to Sweden, check out the State Department’s Stockholm Flickr page and the Kiruna Flickr page of the trip!

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Ambassador Brzezinski and Abisko Station Manager Christer Jonasson at the Abisko Scientific Research Station.

Visit to Abisko: Bearing Witness to Climate Change Effects in the Arctic

On April 10, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Interest for Arctic issues has increased in the last couple of years as scientists explore, in greater depth, the effects that man-made global warming have on this pristine region.  Sweden is currently the chairman of the Arctic Council and has done a tremendous job in highlighting the challenges that the Arctic is facing.  For example, Sweden has used its chairmanship to institutionalize the work of the Arctic Council by establishing a secretariat in Tromsø, Norway.

My Embassy team and I have put particular emphasis on the Arctic in the last couple of years and collaborated closely with Sweden during its chairmanship. It is hard, however, to comprehend the magnitude of climate change without experiencing it first-hand.

Earlier this week I visited Abisko in the northernmost part of Sweden. The Abisko Scientific Research Station is located above the Arctic Circle, 96 kilometers (60 miles) north of Kiruna.  It is a center located in an ecologically sensitive part of the sub-Arctic, and gathers scientists from throughout the world.

Abisko is a member of SCANNET, a network of thirty-three bases in northern Europe and the United States that seeks to build capacity for research and monitoring in the Arctic. Abisko has gained an international reputation and is attracting scientists from a number of U.S. institutions including the University of New Hampshire, the University of Vermont and Alaskan research stations Toolik Lake and Barrow.

The station is unique in that it has one of the world’s most extensive records dating back to the early 1900s when it was founded. In the form of both data and photos, the research shows how the landscape has changed in the last 100 years.

Our host in Abisko, Station Manager Christer Jonasson, brought us to the adjacent Stordals mire where much of the research is being conducted. A mire is a wetland terrain dominated by peat-forming plants. All over the frozen Stordals mire, scientists have set up equipment — some of the instruments look like props from the Star Wars trilogy — that measure changes in the local environment. They measure variables such as climate, snow depth, ice thickness and ice duration. They monitor hydrology, water chemistry, geomagnetism and atmospheric carbon isotope composition. The research clearly indicates that there have been drastic changes pertaining to both flora and fauna over the years.

Christer explained that scientists have discovered cases where higher temperatures have created ice caps on top of the snow which is making it harder for reindeer herds to access food. Since some of the members of the indigenous Sami are heavily dependent on reindeer, these kinds of findings are extremely important. Christer and his team are working with the Sami to adapt to the changes induced by climate change.  Another recent phenomenon is that the birch forests around Abisko often experience invasions of caterpillars in the spring as it is no longer cold enough to kill off the eggs of those pests.

I would like to extend my great appreciation to Christer Jonasson and the researchers at Abisko who were generous with their time and gave us first-hand experience of how climate change is impacting the Arctic – and also gave us life time memories.

 

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Ambassador Brzezinski, US Consul General in St. Petersburg, Bruce Turner, Mrs. Natalia Brzezinski and US Ambassador to Estonia, Jeffrey Levine

Innovation in the Nordic region: A visit to Helsinki

On February 27, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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At 4am on what would become a hazy Tuesday morning, my iPhone alarm sang its sharp marimba chorus: Time to go to Helsinki!

Mark and I had been invited by U.S. Ambassador to Finland, Bruce Oreck, to attend the inaugural ribbon-cutting of the first U.S. Embassy innovation center in the world. Innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainability have been key foci for us and the Embassy team here in Sweden so it was a great opportunity to fly to Finland and support our Nordic neighbors in our collective American efforts of addressing the challenges of the 21st century with innovative solutions.

Climate change and sustainability are central priorities for President Obama in his second term and something the President highlighted in his progressive, strong State of the Union speech a few weeks ago. In this spirit, U.S. Embassy Finland’s innovation center powered by state-of-the art LED and OLED lighting, incorporating both district heating and cooling operating at over 90% efficiency, nanotechnology provided by the 3M to manage window heat (which we also have in U.S. Embassy Sweden), and even using “the most efficient elevator on the market”, according to the Embassy’s fact sheet on the building that was provided to us.

The ribbon-cutting was attended by the President and Foreign Minister of Finland, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Estonia, Jeffrey Levine, and the U.S. Counsel General of St. Petersburg, Bruce Turner. It was so fun connecting with both the American delegation and extremely high-level Finnish delegation on an issue of universal importance to us all: innovation and using entrepreneurial, commercially-driven solutions to making positive global change.

Standing on the panoramic balconies overlooking the mystical Baltic, one thing was clear to all of us: we can do so much more working together than on our own. This is something Ambassador Oreck and his fantastic Embassy team helped elucidate by gathering us in a common space around a shared challenge. Thank you U.S. Embassy Finland for an inspiring day!

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Jokkmokk!

On February 13, 2012, in Mark, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Amb. Brzezinski and Governor Eriksson give the thumbs up to cooperation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trip to the sub-Arctic I took last week with several Embassy colleagues advanced a number of priorities of my mission here in Sweden:  Working to advance the dialogue between America and Sweden to protect biodiversity and the interests of indigenous populations; connecting with young people on their priorities; and commercial diplomacy.

I was delighted to meet the leadership of the Parliament of the Sami people in the northern city of Kiruna, Sweden.  The Sami are the indigenous people who inhabit a landmass covering parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.  Our conversation quickly zeroed in on the practical challenges they face in protecting their way of life.  Reindeer herding – from summer to winter feeding and breeding grounds – is increasingly under threat as traditional migratory routes are faced with development and transport corridor building, and as climate change affects the overall biodiversity of the region. Striking a balance between the Sami people and industry will be difficult, but not impossible, and what is needed, and what I hope is genuinely underway, is open and constructive dialogue between interests that are not irreconcilable.

 
It was at the Jokkmokk Winter Conference where I felt I had an incredibly thoughtful and honest discussion with a large group of young people.  In the morning of that day, Embassy Economic and Environment Counselor Laura Kirkconnell and I went dog sledding, a truly memorable Arctic experience, in sunny weather but incredibly cold temperatures.  The thermometer was minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit (-32 C), and after an hour of dog sledding the pain from the cold was palpable.  It was telling that my guide Stina asked to look at my face to see if she could see white spots – evidence of frostbite.  Thankfully there were none – and all I was left with were incredible memories.

 
Over 200 young people signed up for the Jokkmokk Winter Conference, and I welcome the passion, creativity, public mindedness and energy that was brought to the table by participants.  It is meeting with groups of young people like this when you can’t help but have hope for the future.   I sat on a panel with the Russian Ambassador and the Canadian Chargé d’Affairs.  The questions were direct and spirited.  I welcome more such frank discussions.  I was especially proud that there were two American Fulbright scholars present, studying topics pertaining to socio-political questions the societies of the North will have to address.  The Fulbright program is one of America’s best exports: It gives rising stars a year to ask and try to answer really tough questions.

 
The last day of our trip we went to the Northern City of Luleå, where we had lunch with the Governor of Norrbotten province and the Mayor of Luleå.  The pride that these two leaders take in both the traditions of the region, but also the region’s future, was clear.  We visited the site where Facebook’s data center is under construction.  This will be Facebook’s first data center outside the USA, and I jumped at the chance to travel there. I can tell you the cool Arctic air that attracted Facebook to choose this site was very much apparent, as it was about minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit (-26 C).  I am deeply impressed that the data center will be powered primarily by renewable energy, and is being built not far from the 17,000 student Luleå University, with clear benefits derived from being close to a strong research institution and new ideas. The regional incubator – geared to bringing more creative industries – is incredibly sophisticated and globally oriented at a time when we are all connected.

 
My trip up north exposed me to great traditions, but also hopefully the bright future, of the sub-Arctic region.  Protecting biodiversity, indigenous people traditions and economic cooperation are by no means mutually exclusive goals.  Through dialogue, openness, transparency in decision-making, these goals are absolutely reconcilable.  I will remember the beauty of the landscape, the ruggedness of the people, and the strong Arctic sun which every day sheds light on the hopefully bright future of the sub-Arctic region.

See more photos from the trip on the Embassy’s Flickr photostream:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/usembsweden

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Kiruna: In the air, on land and below the Earth

On February 3, 2012, in Natalia, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Ambassador and Mrs. Brzezinski outside Esrange near Kiruna, Sweden

In the past 36 hours, I’ve observed the enormous capacity of man thousands of miles into space, and been plunged thousands of feet below the earth surrounded by molten rock and impenetrable darkness. From the Esrange Space Center to the vast LKAB iron ore mines, the impressive level of dynamism and symbiosis with nature that Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden with a population of less than 20,000 inhabitants, encapsulates is undeniable. Its strategic location makes it suitable for cutting-edge experimentation and it’s an example of a region not limited but buoyed by environmental awareness.

 
As I prepared for my trip north of the Arctic Circle (Kiruna is 145 kilometers (90 mi) north of the Arctic Circle), I was inundated with descriptions of untarnished forests, biting temperatures, and roaming reindeer. But instead of the soporific quality I expected, Kiruna is bustling with industry and linking the world from air, space and land in an amazing breadth of connectivity and information.

 
We began our trip by touring the Esrange Space Center. Started in 1964, it has become a leading research center for launching experimental sounding rockets, balloons and satellites. The center boasts more than 23 different nationalities working together on aeronautic experiments that attempt to answer the questions of the moment on ozone depletion, gravity and sustainability. As space becomes busier, more competitive and more cluttered, centers like Esrange are on the cusp of facilitating cooperation in this unregulated frontier.

 
Our first day in Kiruna turned out to be not only intellectually but also visually illuminating: the evening was capped off by an incredible display of the Aurora Borealis shining above our hotel room, with three pale green, luminescent lines like paint strokes splashed across the heavens.

 
The next morning, we toured the LKAB iron ore mines closer to the center of Kiruna. This mine alone provides 90 percent of the iron ore for the European Union, and is one of the largest iron ore mines in the world. In a true feat of modern engineering, we drove through a network of paved two-lane highways zigzagging through the rock as we spent nearly two hours viewing the facilities. The mine boasts a large conference center, multiple loading docks and layers upon layers of tunnels where massive, remote-controlled machines break rock and collect ore in record time. But for me, one of the most impressive features was that nearly fifteen percent of the employees manning the control stations were women. In one of the most traditionally and symbolically male-dominated occupations, that is a feat of engineering in itself!

 
One challenge for the city is managing the expansion of the mine and maintaining the sacred balance between man and nature that is so critical to the identity of Kiruna. This challenge will be tested this year, as the entire city must be moved to accommodate the natural growth of the mine. People, cultural landmarks and homes will be literally lifted and moved to a more stable setting, or completely razed and rebuilt. Despite the overwhelming nature of this task, there seems to be a level of trust and communication between the public and industry that will hopefully ease this transition.

 

In many ways, the Arctic region both asks the tough questions and holds the complicated answers to the future of our environment. This trip made me focus more on the potential for cooperation between man and land, and how we can create harmony through respect and awareness.

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To a great 2012!

On January 11, 2012, in Mark, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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As the new U.S. Ambassador in Sweden, I can’t tell you how enthusiastic I am about the coming year.  I want to share with you some of the events the Embassy is organizing, but first an anecdote.

 
After I was confirmed by the Senate to be Ambassador to Sweden, I had the opportunity to ask former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright for her advice on what makes a good Ambassador.  Her wise response was illuminating:

First, good ambassadors “don’t take themselves too seriously” [Good advice, and not just for Ambassadors!]

Second, she said, the way America is viewed around the world is changing and can be shaped positively by a dynamic embassy team that listens and learns and engages in a humble and inclusive way with the people and government of the country in which they are posted.

As Ambassador, I take that advice to heart, and as I plan our agenda for 2012 I am working with my embassy team to engage with the government and people of Sweden in way that helpfully interprets American priorities, policies and perspectives.  And a great agenda is beginning to materialize.
In 2012, Sweden will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg, a diplomat whose efforts to save Hungarian Jews from the Holocaust clearly demonstrate the importance of not being indifferent.  He paid with his life for that commitment.  It will be our mission at U.S. Embassy Sweden to advance the American – Swedish relationship in a way that honors that legacy.

 

At the U.S. Embassy, we have formed an internal cluster to think how best to celebrate the basic values Raoul Wallenberg stood for.  One excellent recommendation that emerged from our team – and that we will implement in 2012 at an appropriate time for planting – is to plant a horse chestnut tree in honor of Raoul Wallenberg.  That strain of tree is famous from the legacy of Anne Frank, as it was a horse chestnut in the center of Amsterdam which she mentioned in her diary.  The tree will be endowed with a Raoul Wallenberg plaque.  It will serve as a living symbol of Wallenberg’s legacy that we hope will inspire future generations of both Americans and Swedes to protect basic values as a universal imperative.

 
Sweden now holds the rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council.  Since the United States is a member of that Council, we at U.S. Embassy Sweden are enthusiastically working with Sweden to advance our common goals of protecting the environment and conserving the Arctic’s biological resources while promoting economic cooperation.  At the end of January I will travel to Jokkmokk in the northern Norbotten province of Sweden to attend and speak at the Jokkmokk Winter Conference.  It will be my goal to convey at the conference my deep personal passion for protecting the environment and biodiversity, and to listen and learn from other attendees on how we can work together to address climate change and its effects in the Arctic that are threatening the future of the North.

 
In 2012, we will be working hard to tactically implement Secretary of State Clinton’s vision of Economic Statecraft.  The Secretary has been eloquent in articulating the overlay between the commercial context and the strategic context.  Deputy Secretary of State Tom Nides also crystallized it when he said “We are living at a moment when economics is at the heart of what it means to lead in this world.”  I and the Embassy team will focus on a multi-pronged strategy when it comes to Economic Statecraft:  promoting public-private partnerships especially when it comes to socially responsible causes, and bringing in U.S. trade missions to promote business to business relationships.  In the coming year, our embassy will also work on a variety of initiatives designed to partner with Sweden to promote anti-bribery and anti-corruption overseas.  With the Arab spring, the timing has never been more ripe for engaging young people and women in entrepreneurship, sharing best practices and transferring American and Swedish values of openness and transparency.

 
Also on our agenda early in 2012 we are focusing on military ties as a top priority, because Sweden is a role model for what it is to be a helpful NATO partner.  The United States salutes the valuable contributions of Sweden in Afghanistan (where Sweden has over 500 troops) and in Libya, where as part of the coalition the Swedes deployed eight aircraft for reconnaissance purposes.  I am very pleased to say that in January we will welcome former Deputy Secretary of Defense Bill Lynn to Stockholm.  Our embassy is partnering with the Swedish think tank “Folk och Försvar” to host a lecture series, and Mr. Lynn will be presenting a lecture discussing cybersecurity and defense restructuring.  As Mr. Lynn wrote in a 2011 article in Foreign Affairs, “cyber technologies now exist that are capable of destroying critical networks, causing physical damage, or altering the performance of key systems. In the twenty-first century, bits and bytes are as threatening as bullets and bombs.”  It promises to be a fascinating discussion.

 
So we are just thrilled with the beginning of 2012 – and hope you are too — as they say here in Sweden “Gott Nytt År!” – Happy New Year!

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Hi, my name is Mark Brzezinski

On November 25, 2011, in Mark, by dunnettcg
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Hej – Mitt namn är Mark Brzezinski och jag är USAs nya ambassadör till Sverige. Jag är ytterst tacksam för detta viktiga uppdrag och jag ser fram emot att fördjupa den historiska vänskapen mellan våra länder.

U.S. Ambassador Mark Brzezinski dressed to meet HM King Carl XVI Gustaf

Hi, my name is Mark Brzezinski and I’m the new ambassador of the United States in Sweden. I am profoundly grateful for this important opportunity to further the historic friendship between the United States and Sweden. On November 24, I had the great honor to present my credentials as ambassador to His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf, thus formally beginning my representation of my country here in Sweden. I want to thank both President Obama and Secretary Clinton for entrusting me with this important mission. I’d like to share with you some photographs from that wonderful day.

I have moved to Sweden with my wife Natalia and daughter Aurora. We know Sweden has a strong reputation as a very family friendly place. We are looking forward to family life here and learning lessons about “lagom” (balance). I am very excited that my young daughter will spend a portion of her childhood in Sweden, no doubt learning the language better than me!

My wife and I are both first generation Americans, and our families are originally from Central Europe. I was born in America to parents cast on its shores by World War II. Growing up I learned the American story of hard work and opportunity. My parents taught me the importance of public service and instilled in me a love of my country. We are genuinely enthusiastic to live in Sweden.

We can see already what amazingly beautiful nature there is to explore here. I am passionate about nature and the environment, in part because I grew up in a little rural haven, within the Washington DC metropolis. We lived in a pre-Civil War farmhouse, had a horse named Strawberry and a German Sheppard named Napoleon, and my Mother – an artist – raised bees for honey. I remember my parents gardening tomatoes and herbs, and taking my brother, sister and me on “rock hunting” at rock pits in places like Colorado and North Carolina. My family and I look forward to feeding our love of the outdoors by going berry picking and hiking in Sweden’s forests during the summer, and to skiing and skating in the winter.

I am aware there is already outstanding cooperation between the United States and Sweden on environmental sustainability and alternative energy that is not only helping protect our planet, but also creating business opportunities and research collaboration for both countries. I will be a strong supporter of continuing those efforts. Since the United States is a member of the Arctic Council, I can’t wait to work with Sweden as the current Chair to advance our common goals of protecting the environment and conserving the Arctic’s biological resources while promoting economic cooperation.

Coming to Sweden at this time is a magnificent challenge. Sweden is a very important partner in the turbulent world in which we now live. Sweden has joined us in Afghanistan and Libya and continues to lead in promoting integration of the Balkans in to the EU. In Afghanistan, Sweden has been supporting the Afghan people as part of the international coalition — providing healthcare, education and other support. In Libya, Sweden’s contribution is an example of a country that is not even a member of NATO stepping up and taking a principled stand in protecting vulnerable people and universal rights. The people of the Balkans have been the recipients of the national generosity of Sweden’s development assistance programs. Not only in terms of manpower and resources, but also in terms of moral authority, Sweden is a special partner in the challenges we face.

The leadership Sweden has shown regarding the Eastern Partnership is an excellent example of how a country can quietly go about making a difference. Sweden supported the democratic aspirations of its Baltic neighbors two decades ago, and today backs those caught under the weight of oppression in Belarus, and increased development of the rule of law in Ukraine.

Let me close with a personal story: My Grandfather, Tadeusz Brzezinski, served as Poland’s consul general in Leipzig, Germany from 1931 to 1935. As Consul General, he provided Polish passports to Jews, even if they were not Polish citizens, so they could be freed from imprisonment or leave Nazi Germany. His story is part of what informs my belief that basic values are a universal imperative. In 2012, Sweden will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg, a diplomat whose efforts to save Hungarian Jews from the Holocaust clearly demonstrated the importance of not being indifferent. He paid with his life for that commitment. It will be my mission to advance the U.S.-Swedish relationship in a way that honors that legacy.

As I know Swedes do, I place the highest importance on my family. My wife Natalia and I are a strong team for each other, and we want to be a strong team in the important responsibility of representing the United States here in Sweden. That is why we thought it would be fun and useful to do this blog as a joint enterprise. We will alternate our posts, so that we can share perspectives from both of us of how we are experiencing Sweden in the various roles as: ambassador, diplomatic spouse, husband, wife, father, mother.

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