Mrs. Natalia Brzezinski at the ABBA Museum

Celebrating Swedish icons in music & design

On May 10, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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How many of us have not danced around our living room while vacuuming or sung loudly in our car to the addictive tune of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen”? I know I have. The song and the iconic band have connected generations around their addictive melodies and emotive lyrics. I remember clearly as a young girl in the 1990s watching hours of ABBA music videos—entranced by the two beautiful women, talented male singers and their fantastic costumes— alongside my father, one of the world’s biggest ABBA fans!

A few days ago, my childhood wonderment came to life at the grand opening of the ABBA Museum in Stockholm. Hundreds of people gathered in the outdoor courtyard of the museum which will also serve as a luxury hotel and a space to highlight rising young Swedish musicians. In this way, the concept of the museum acts as a conduit between the old and new— a way to learn and celebrate the past, while promoting a bright future.

The dynamic museum display located on the ground floor follows this theme. In one area we see the original sound-board used for the earliest ABBA songs, the original glittering gold costumes worn by the group in the 1970s as well as the newest technology showcasing holographic, life-size representations of each of the members that dance and sing, or computers that one can use to “mix” your own ABBA song with the tap of your finger.

The fantastic evening concluded with a surprise performance. As hundreds of guests gathered in the elegant, cobbled courtyard the rooms facing us began to light up and some of Swedish best young singers, rappers and dancers appeared in the large window balconies dancing hip-hop and singing songs ranging from traditional ABBA tunes to Swedish House Mafia. Every guest was swaying and bobbing their heads in amazement at that point, and the fireworks bursting at the end signaled a finale to an evening that Mark and I will always remember.

Later that week, I gravitated from Swedish icons in music to design. Svenkst Tenn is one of Sweden’s most famous design stores started in 1924 by Estrid Ericson and located prominently on one of Stockholm’s most beautiful and central streets facing the Baltic Sea—Strandvagen.

It’s rare to find a home in Stockholm without some element of Svenskt Tenn adorning it. Whether it’s an elegant, clean-lined plush couch or a traditional chair conceptualized by Joseph Frank— the famed long-time designer— in 1940s that’s manufactured in Sweden by a family that has passed on craftsmanship from generation to generation or paper napkins with the bright, often nature-inspired signature patterns. The dynamic spectrum of items in a wide price-range was formulated in the vision of Ms. Ericson who wanted every Swede to be able to afford something lovely and high-quality, according to CEO Maria Veerasamy.

I met Ms.Veerasamy for lunch in the tea room of the store (another part of Estrid Ericson’s vision) and we sat next to a glass-enclosed space which was the original office of the founder whose goal was to create a brand that would last for hundreds of years. In fact, each decision that is made focuses on the question: will this help us last 300 more years? Veerasamy explains the values of the company to me as long-term, extremely protective of the original clean design and tradition, and quality, quality, quality. The goal is for each piece to be made entirely in Sweden and of the highest quality in every point of the production chain.

Although the brand is typically very Swedish, there has also been a strong thread of multiculturalism interwoven into the design and corporate culture. Joseph Frank, the famed designer and creative partner of Estrid Ericson, was of Jewish descent and escaped to the United States when WWII broke out. He came back to Sweden afterwards and brought a little bit of America with him, creating “Jackson Pollock”-inspired patterns and one even called “Manhattan.”

Veerasamy herself comes from an immigrant background with an Indian father. She grew up in a smaller town and has no formal education, she often says. But she has a vision and a determination to protect the original inspiration behind Svenskt Tenn and make it timeless. In my opinion, she is an amazing face for this brand and it was a deep pleasure to spend the afternoon with her and learn more about Svenkst Tenn!

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artipelag2

Art meets the Sea at Artipelag

On April 30, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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A respect for the land and a genuine sense of harmony between man and nature are two elements I’ve noticed to be strongly present in Sweden. A sense of balance and connectivity with the earth can be seen in architecture, art, education, family life and urban planning.

Artipelag— a one-year-old art gallery located just outside of Stockholm— is a living example of these values. The sweeping structure can barely be spotted from the seafront. This was done by design so as not to disturb the seamless coastline, according to owner and one of Sweden’s most successful entrepreneurs, Baby Björn founder Björn Jakobson.

In essence, the clean lines of the building both  accommodate and celebrate the rocky archipelago, dense pine forests and slinky birch trees encasing the eclectic exhibits of both contemporary and traditional international art. Even the capricious Baltic Sea, which last year nearly froze over parts of the dock where boats can come right up to the gallery’s waterfront, plays a role as a permanent exhibit overseeing what goes on inside through the scores of towering, floor-to-ceiling windows facing the water.

The name of the gallery, “Artipelag”, is a play on Sweden’s famed rocky archipelago, one of the largest in the world. This rocky topography is interwoven literally into the gallery. A huge rock sits square in the center of the café with lean, porcelain candles buttressing the back so little climbing children don’t fall off! The owners were so attached to this massive stone that they essentially built part of the gallery around the ancient rock.

Attention to detail and raw enthusiasm for the art that lives in nature as well as in man is personified by the owner of the gallery, Björn Jakobson and his wife Lillemor. We were met by the couple, and later their daughter Josefin, who passionately described the inspiration for the gallery as a place for children and parents to come together to appreciate a diverse array of art, go for a walk along the boardwalk which is wheel-chair accessible, attend a concert in the massive auditorium or eat in the restaurant which boasts fresh local fare and a chef who won an award on the culinary team for the Olympics.

The gallery is designed to pique all the senses. In additions to the eyes, the acoustics have been adjusted to near-perfection to the point that an 800-person dinner was convened there recently and no one had to shout over the din at their respective tables, Mr. Jakobson informed us. Even the nose is scintillated by the combination of tar—in homage to the way sailors and boat-makers would protect their boats by painting them with tar— to the cinnamon floating from the café where warm kanelbulle and fresh confections are made on-site.

Almost every aspect of the art process has been attended to and can be accommodated on the grounds, including acclimatized storage and a facility that can support the weight of a huge truck hauling in sculptures or rock. A graceful flow and movement is incorporated into the exhibition rooms that currently showcase artists Paul Gernes and Cosima von Bonin. The vision of the gallery is to have a flexible model that displays a variety of genres and styles of art and appeals to families, the 55-plus age group and those who may or may not be art connoisseurs. In May, Artipelag will feature American photographer William Wegman and his collection “Hello Nature”. Mark and I are especially excited about that since Mr. Wegman’s work is largely inspired by the Maine woods. My husband has been spending summers in the northernmost part of Maine for nearly 40 years, sailing, hiking, fishing and reveling in nature. Some of our fondest family memories are hiking through Acadia National Park with our newborn daughter strapped to Mark’s chest in a Baby Björn!

In this way, our worlds of family life, art and nature collide in Artipelag and we cannot wait to explore further exhibitions and bring our family there again!

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Dialogue with Professor Muhammad Yunus

On April 15, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Professor Muhammad Yunus speaks with Ambassador and Mrs. Brzezinski

On Saturday, we were honored to host the father of social business and micro-finance, Professor Muhammad Yunus, for a two-hour dialogue on diversity, empowering women through entrepreneurship and helping society through financially-sustainable, long-term measures.

Professor Yunus’s visit to Stockholm was sponsored by the Postkod Lotteriet, and directly from here he was traveling on to Washington, D.C. where he would be receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. As a testament to his visionary status, he is only one of seven people in history to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold medal.

Beyond titles and awards, Professor Yunus radiates positive energy and lights up a room. The moment our guests began to arrive, you could sense the way they were drawn to him and the joy he took in interacting with a dynamic array of guests from some of Sweden’s most successful entrepreneurs, CEO’s and venture capitalists to governmental development aid experts from SIDA or two teenage girls from Rinkeby (a suburb outside of Stockholm with a high population of immigrants and political refugees). Our two female students from Rinkeby Akademien, budding entrepreneurs in their own right, made such an impact on the event with the articulate manner they introduced themselves and engaged in the dialogue!

Around a large dining room table, Professor Yunus described the genesis of Grameen Bank and its goal of helping the poorest people lift themselves out of poverty by providing small loans and imparting basic financial principles. Much of Yunus’s work focused on empowering women, so much so that he has been named an honorary woman in Bangladesh, a fact he shared with us smiling gleefully!

Many of our guests had the chance to ask questions ranging from how the micro-finance model can be extended to entrepreneurs in the Islamic world to the digital future of using cell phones as ways to perform ultrasounds or test your eyes in the developing world where in many nations access to nurses and hospitals is sorely lacking. Time and again, Professor Yunus interjected a common theme: one person can make a lasting impact on any social challenge through creativity and sheer determination. When youth unemployment was mentioned, he mischievously looked many of us in the eye around the table and exclaimed: one of you can hire one person, just one, and make a difference!

At a time when social entrepreneurship is the buzzword of the moment, it can be stultifying that Professor Yunus catalyzed the concept and model more than 37 years ago. In fact, he told me that in 1987 he was called up by a Governor from a very poor state in America to try to solve the challenges of poverty through a business model. That man was Governor Bill Clinton and his wife, Hillary, headed up the initiative. Yunus has had a long relationship with Clintons since then, and this is a shining example of the shared values between the U.S. and many of its global partners on the challenges we face today. For me, it was so special to host Professor Yunus in Stockholm because Sweden has such a rich legacy of generosity in development aid and strong core of social justice. What a wonderful evening we all spent being inspired by this great man!

You can see more photos from the event on the US Embassy Flickr page!

 

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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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Toca Boca Time!

On April 10, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Emil Ovemar and Mrs. Natalia Brzezinski with some Toca Boca friends!

Two Spanish, sing-song words encompass a foolproof solution for the traveling, exasperated parent: Toca Boca. The popular Swedish gaming application is not just a reliable silencer of agitated toddlers, but a celebration of the magic in every-day life.

 
The focus is just fun and letting kids be kids, according to co-founder Emil Ovemar who led us through Toca Boca’s colorful offices dotted with huge cardboard cut-outs and smiling faces of its iconic characters. At a time when kids grow up far faster than they should, Toca Boca’s creators are betting on prolonging the simple joys of childhood and learning through play. Children are encouraged to engage in interactive play that parents can feel good about Through a visual smorgasbord of never-too-perfect looking creatures— like my favorite “Bo”, a large hairy creature with a floral wreath adoring his jovial head— and simple activities like washing tea cups in a sink overflowing with suds or blow-drying the locks of a pink-haired girl with cat whiskers.

A part of the Bonnier Group, the concept was developed as a “digital toy” and launched in September 2010. The target age was originally 3-6, but today older siblings and even parents enjoy the meditative sensibilities produced by swiping away crumbs on a table meant for a bright tea set, concocting a pink polka-dot pair of pants via Toca Tailor or curling the unruly hair of a sanguine creature in Toca Hair Salon 2.

 
Today, it’s a wild success with a presence in most Swedish households and nearly 40% of its dissemination in the United States. In 2012, the game surpassed 22 million downloads and today vies with companies like Disney for top 3 status among most popular games. A strong collaboration with Apple and a prescient understanding of the times has propelled Toca Boca’s success. With most parents looking for an alternative to the violent, aggressive games that have been dominating the decade and a new generation of hands-on parents looking to cater to their child’s emotional development not only through ABC’s and 123’s. By emphasizing the simple things parents and kids do together like grocery shopping or setting the table, Toca Boca has hit a nerve.

New statistics demonstrating that Ipad play does not destroy the brains of your little ones (and in fact may enhance them!) and the focus of President Obama and many American law-makers on early childhood education may also add to the long-term social trends that will lead to the sustained success of games like Toca Boca.

 
Personally, my Ipad is replete with so many Toca Boca games that I’m even contemplating something I vowed to never do: purchase our nearly 4-year-old daughter her own Ipad.  I strongly believe in allowing children to play with whatever inspires them. If boys prefer ironing and arranging tea cups and girls enjoy strumming electric guitars and arranging train tracks (as our daughter does), so much the better for us all! The gender neutral nature of Toca Boca games is something that has always appealed to me. There are no pink Princesses with perfect blonde hair or loud, crashing cars; all the games focus on tasks that appeal to us all and characters who we can relate to.

Thank you Emil and the Toca Boca team for inviting me to your headquarters! We look forward to what creative games will be unveiled next!

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International Women's Day lunch guests listen to Mrs. Natalia Brzezinski

Celebrating International Women’s Day

On March 11, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Celebrating International Women’s Day underscores a clear fact: empowering women in leadership positions is central to a more economically prosperous, innovative and stable world.

Secretary of State John Kerry crystallized this message in an official statement on March 8th: “It is a great and too often untold global success story that so much of the political, economic, and social progress of the last few decades could never have been imaginable without the leadership and courage of strong women.”

To honor the scores of path-breaking female leaders in Sweden, I convened a lunch of 32 women, including established CEO’s, businesswomen and political leaders, matching them with younger “rising stars” in the business world. The sun finally emerged from a long absence on the Swedish horizon and shone valiantly through the large windows as women of all ages streamed into the U.S. Ambassadorial residence.

The theme of the afternoon was connecting generations of female leaders to share stories and have honest conversations on the “how” of women’s empowerment. How do we overcome long-held gender biases in the office, the promotion process and traditional leadership structures? How do we balance work and family in a way that doesn’t deplete our productivity and joy? How do we empower ourselves and each other?

To help answer those questions I asked two of my role models here in Sweden— Maria Veerasamy, CEO of Svenskt Tenn (the iconic Swedish design brand), and Eva Redde Ridderstad, CEO of Spago and former CEO of several finance firms— to share with the group how they achieved success.

Being the only child of an immigrant father who left South Africa during apartheid, Maria Veerasamy never had a formal higher education and began her professional life working with her hands as a tailor. That is how she forged a commitment with a concept that is now the cornerstone of Svenskt Tenn: quality. She began at the lowest level of another merchandise store in Sweden, always asking her employers “What’s next?” She never became complacent and maintained a laser focus on challenging herself and what potential opportunities lay ahead.

Eva Ridderstad is an effervescent woman brimming with positive energy and determination. As she described her career story, these qualities shone through and underlined the advice she gave to the group: surround yourself with positive people, do something you are passionate about and that is beneficial for the world, focus on results and have fun! Helping younger women climb the corporate ladder and believe in themselves is something she weaves into everything she does, and giving back is her key message.

An amazing thing I’ve been able to discover in Sweden is phenomenal role models and mentors both inside and outside of the U.S. Embassy. These women have been unabashed supporters, springboards for ideas and wells of confidence-boosting when I needed it.  Because of them I have never felt such a strong conviction in my identity as a woman, a mother and professional.

Sweden is a special place for women’s leadership. It’s a country that places a premium on social justice, equality, human rights and equipping both men and women with the tools they need to fulfill their goals. Both the United States and Sweden share these egalitarian values and a belief that people have the right to maximize their potential.

With this common foundation, our International Women’s Day celebration had a unique spirit, substance and joy about it.

Happy International Women’s Day to all!

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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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Kul Nordic Cool! US Embassy Stockholm Honors The Kennedy Center’s Celebration of Nordic Culture

On February 19, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Ambassador Brzezinski, Swedish Minister of Culture Adelsohn and Mrs. Natalia Brzezinski

As someone who grew in the Washington DC area, I know how special it is when the Kennedy Center devotes its nine venues for more than a month to celebrate a particular culture and art. The architectural monument sits on the Potomac River and lights up like the Aurora Borealis whenever a special cultural gala evening occurs.

This was the image I remember when the cultures and art of France and Germany were celebrated. The only cultural event I was honored to attend there was the opening night of the Kennedy Center’s celebration of Japan several years ago. Two years ago, when India was celebrated by the Kennedy Center, almost 400,000 people attended the performances and several million more were able to see it through social media. So it is awesome to be here in Sweden at a time when our Kennedy Center for Performing Arts is celebrating the art and culture of the five Nordic countries – Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland.

To give participating Swedish artists and musicians a high energy send off to Washington, Natalia and I held a reception to salute them and all the Nordic performers and to enjoy music and cuisine from this part of the world that we have come to know and love – these are societies that celebrate nature, innovation, sustainability, and it is evident in their culture as well.

Among the more than 200 eclectic guests we welcomed into the US Ambassadorial residence were Sweden’s Minister of Culture Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth, colleagues from the Nordic Embassies here in Stockholm, businesspeople, journalists, local musicians and museum curators as well as representatives from the Swedish Embassy in Washington.

Guests sampled traditional Swedish dishes such as Vasterbotten pie, Karl-Johan ragout and moose meatballs while assembling in the main room for a special treat!

To give our guests a taste of the type of performances “Nordic Cool” will present at the Kennedy Center in Washington, renowned Swedish musician Lina Nyberg performed for all of us, accompanied on piano by Ludvig Berghe. Lina is one of the many Swedish artists who will be in the United States to participate in Nordic Cool, and at our reception we were thrilled that she and Ludvig put a Swedish spin on a beloved American art form: Jazz!

The Kennedy Center plays a special role in the United States — it is a place to showcase American culture and to highlight the cultural ties between the United States and countries around the world. Music and art, after all, are universal languages.

The Kennedy Center was built to be our nation’s national cultural center, and was the brainchild of Eleanor Roosevelt. It was renamed the Kennedy Center following the assassination of President Kennedy and was officially inaugurated in1971.

There’s a small connection between the Kennedy Center and US Embassy Stockholm, in that the architect of the Kennedy Center, Edward Urell Stone, was a contemporary of the architect of the U.S. Embassy in Stockholm, Ralph Rapson.

We wish all the Nordic performers traveling to Washington a most wonderful experience at Nordic Cool. We sincerely hope that their expression conveys the beauty of life and the people of this region in which Natalia and I and our three year old daughter (who now speaks Swedish and perhaps relished the music and food last night best of all!) are so profoundly happy to live.

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A Visit to Nellis Air Force Base With Swedish Friends

On January 28, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Ambassador Brzezinski and the Swedish delegation at Red Flag at Nellis AFB.

“Red Flag”. In the world of military aviation, those words are synonymous with excellence in flying training and development. This past Thursday, I had the unique honor to accompany Mr. Carl von der Esch, the State Secretary for the Swedish Ministry of Defense, Ms. Lena Erixon, the Director General of the Swedish Defense Material Administration, Mr. Jonas Hafstrom, the Swedish Ambassador to the US, and other Swedish officials on a visit to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. The purpose of our visit was to learn about Red Flag and to bear witness to the Swedish Air Force’s participation in this elite exercise. The US Air Force’s Warfare Center hosts Red Flag, and invites foreign military participation. The Swedes brought pilots, maintenance personnel and support teams, and of course Saab’s JAS Gripen aircraft. In all, the Swedes had 112 personnel and 8 JAS Gripen aircraft taking part in this prestigious exercise. As US Ambassador to Sweden, it was really nice for me to see the JAS Gripen aircraft lined up on the tarmac, right next to our USAF F-16s.

I can not emphasize enough the following: the Swedish Air Force was not invited to Red Flag as a casual courtesy. Instead, the Swedish Air Force and their pilots earned their seat at the Red Flag table. By performing ably in operations like Unified Protector over Libya, where the Swedish Air Force performed their reconnaissance role brilliantly, the Swedes have shown their capacity and ability to produce results. At Nellis, we met with the Swedish pilots and support personnel. Talking with them, with the roar of jet engines in the background, was a memorable moment for me.

Our host at Nellis, USAF Major General Lofgren (a Swedish American!), organized a terrific program that gave us a window into the thinking that underpins Red Flag. While bad weather (it rained for the first time in months!) prevented many from flying that day, we learned so much through our interactions. And we also had the awesome opportunity to meet some of the incomparable USAF Thunderbirds and their maintenance technicians. The Thunderbirds have flown in aviation shows all over the world. I hope one day they bring their talents to Sweden.

One final word about Red Flag, as US Ambassador I am privileged to work with public servants every day. In my mind, the US military is pretty unmatchable. The sacrifice, the professionalism, and the commitment to duty of our fellow citizens in uniform is awesome. I saw that again at Nellis. I humbly salute them, and thank them for their remarkable sacrifice.

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A Road Trip To Karlstad

On September 20, 2012, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Last Friday I had the pleasure of bringing a piece of our Embassy to the region of Värmland and the city of Karlstad, in the Western part of Sweden. Packing up the car and placing a microcosm of our Embassy “in a box”, as we call our Embassy Roadshow, to travel to a new place to connect with a fresh group of people has become one of my favorite things to do as Ambassador.

 

I truly believe the best way to get to know a country and its people is by getting to know firsthand the many dimensions of its society, not just in the capital but in the four corners of the nation. Meeting new Swedes on their terrain, standing on the land they’ve worked to preserve for centuries and learning about their community firsthand from those who inhabit it is so rewarding for me and important for the great Swedish-American friendship.

 

My 317 km journey to the Delta City began before sunrise, and in fact the sun hid for the first half of the day as rain pelted the car throughout our trip to Varmland. The city has as its motto ‘Solen alltid Skiner’ (The Sun Always Shines), and I knew rain or shine, the trip would be phenomenal and full of positive energy.

 

While entering the city I was able to see the beautiful vision of two of Sweden’s great natural waterways; the 500km long Klara River and the mighty Lake Vänern. As a true nature lover, I am always awe-struck by the unvarnished, almost wild beauty of the Swedish landscape.

Upon arrival, I was Greeted by both the Mayor, Per-Samuel Nilsson and the Governor of Värmland, Eva Eriksson, who demonstrated what I have heard so frequently about Karlstad: that the people are exceedingly warm, welcoming and hospitable.

 

From the moment I stepped out of the car, I was able to meet and engage with enthusiastic citizens and inquisitive young people – that Friday I met with almost 500 young people. Having the opportunity to connect on a personal level and discuss shared values and a shared sense of social responsibility, was such a significant moment for our Embassy community. I felt we were building a vibrant foundation that would last and be cultivated over time.

 

By reaching beyond the city limits of Stockholm, we were able to connect with a dynamic community and open dialogue with more than 500 students. It is so important to us as an Embassy team to authentically connect with the young generation, to not talk at them but to truly listen and be open and responsive to their perspectives. I met some of the most impressive and informed young people that day, and was so excited to connect with them on issues of sustainability, environmental protection and other global challenges, including in the Middle East. It gave me an incredible opportunity to learn a lot from a group of future leaders.

 

On Saturday, I was given the opportunity to speak at the Swedish American Bridge
Conference. Sweden’s Ambassador to the U.S.A. (and a great friend) Jonas Hafström, and hockey legend Håkan Loob, joined me as speakers for the morning session of the conference. Here, I was able to convey America’s focus on environmentalism and the innovative things happening on sustainability in the US.

It was a great and memorable visit to Karlstad.  Here are photos of our US Embassy Road Show:

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