SomaliSummit7

Connecting Youth: The 2nd Annual Nordic Somali Youth Summit

On June 10, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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This past Friday I had the privilege of addressing the opening of the 2nd Annual Nordic Somali Youth Summit, which took place this year in Stockholm.  The Summit is a multi-dimensional work-shop driven conference with the following aims:  (i) mobilizing and promoting youth engagement and action. (ii) engaging and enhancing development of individual champions for the Somali youth cause among political, business and civil society spheres in the four Nordic countries of focus:  Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland (iii) building upon established efforts and connections made at the 2012 Nordic Youth Summit.  But one of the really valuable results of the Summit was the building of a network and advancing connections between and among Somali youth who live in Sweden and the Nordics.  Simply put, having a network and a wide array of connections is empowering, whether it be to advance professional, business, political or social goals.  Today, a friend or colleague is just an email away, and to have the opportunity to introduce oneself, share a perspective and remain in touch has great value.

In my remarks I emphasized President Obama’s message of inclusivity and the fact that America is an immigrant rich society.  As President Obama stated earlier this year: “We define ourselves as a nation of immigrants.  That’s who we are — in our bones.  The promise we see in those who come here from every corner of the globe, that’s always been one of our greatest strengths.  It keeps our workforce young.  It keeps our country on the cutting edge.  And it’s helped build the greatest economic engine the world has ever known. “

I tried to build on the President’s message by emphasizing how America is a land that really embraces immigrants.  In fact, when Americans are lucky enough to be awarded the Nobel Prize and come to Stockholm to receive it, the US Embassy always hosts a reception in their honor.  And I shared with the audience at the Somali Youth Summit the fact that 25 percent of Americans who have received the Nobel Prize have been born elsewhere.  Our country is indeed enriched by their contributions and the contributions of many other immigrants!

I was really impressed by both the music but also the words shared by Swedish American musician Timbuktu – he really drew out the audience around the questions “Who views themselves as Swedish?” and “How are you viewed by others?” and “what is it that we can do together as a community?”  Timbuktu shared the personal story of his father, who had emigrated to Lund to study years ago, at a time when there were well fewer immigrants in Sweden.  As I listened to him, I thought of my own Dad and Mom, who were born in Poland and Czechoslovakia but who were cast on the shores of America by World War II.  The struggle for inclusion is shared by all newcomers, and the immense contribution by immigrants to society is shared by both Sweden and America.

A great conference and I am so glad I had the opportunity to participate.

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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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SACC-NY Executive Women’s Conference

On April 22, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Reception for the 2013 SACC NY Executive Women's Conference

Last week I had the fortune to do something very special and close to my heart: celebrate and learn from successful female executives from both sides of the Atlantic!

The Swedish-American Executive Women’s conference is organized by the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce based in New York City. This year we commemorated the 10th anniversary of the dynamic women’s conference which this year saw tickets sell out months in advance. This is a testament to the work of the chamber’s first female President, Renee Lundholm, who has made SACC-NY into an effective vehicle for shared Swedish and American values and deepening people-to-people ties between our two nations through business.

The theme of this year’s conference was prescient and forward-thing: Making money in the 21st century. How do we evolve along with changing business models and shifting demographics to continue creating growth in our companies?

Several panels intermixed with individual speeches focused on “knowing and growing your value”, growth and leadership in a financially turbulent and constantly changing world, and even more detailed explanations of private equity versus conglomerate business models. Much of the discussions focused on trends and how to adapt those into growth. The co-existing trends of urbanization and digitalization, a quest for simplicity and essentiality, how the Internet is changing consumer behaviors and business models, and changing demographics, were topics of discussion.

Healthy renewal is central to any organization. I believe leadership and profitability in the future will rely largely in an ability to foresee challenges and adapt to change. This was the over-arching theme of my keynote remarks at the conference, which I was very honored to be able to deliver to such an amazing group of women.

My speech focused on how we can harness the unique values of the Millennial generation to create greater profitability. But beyond that, how can we use the values of openness, work-life balance and transparency to advance women’s leadership and create a more diverse, dynamic future workplace. In my opinion, there is a clear synchronicity between the values set of the young generation and women’s leadership.

I also believe that the United States and Sweden are ideal partners in promoting women’s empowerment. Lagom (work-life balance), consensus, transparency and even decentralized office spaces with the elimination of the “corner office” have been interwoven into Swedish society for several generations already. Our strong shared values and future goals for socially just societies bring us together with our Swedish friends on a very substantive level and make the possibilities for future partnership on gender equality and entrepreneurship, as well as a variety of other areas, endless.

I will end by imparting the advice that these successful women were willing to share with us in the audience on how to maximize their professional potential.

·         Build on our strengths, not fret continuously on our weaknesses
·         Women tend to say “no” more to opportunities, say “yes”!
·         Find a mentor, or better yet a sponsor, to support you over the long-term and explain the informal rules of an organization to you
·         Have passion for your job, but also for making your community better
·         Follow your gut instincts
·         Stay “employable”, always do the right thing and protect your personal brand, reputation is everything
·         Keep your pulse on how business is changing, find an area where you can be part of transformative change
·         Try out different roles and reinvent yourself, never stop learning
·         Women have something special of their own to bring to the table. Don’t feel that you need to bring the qualities a man would bring, being different is a plus!

Thank you Renee Lundholm, SACC-NY and the amazing women who participated in the conference for opening my eyes to new ways of thinking about growth and value and inspiring me to believe in myself and promote other women too!

For more pictures from the event, see our Flickr page!

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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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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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Visiting IKEA headquarters

On March 20, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Ten years ago while a first-year student at university, IKEA represented freedom, independence and a breadth of new opportunities to me. At that time in America, it had become a near requirement to purchase all of your university furnishings at the gleaming super-store.  Each piece of lightweight, streamlined furniture purchased represented one step closer to a new, exciting life!

Today the iconic brand symbolizes much more than just possibilities and potential for a fuller life. It symbolizes a core set of values— egalitarianism, sustainability and protection of the world’s resources, gender equality, social justice, philanthropy, diversity and inclusion, fiscal conservatism, a sense of community— which inform everything from its products’ “democratic design” to its style of informal, consensus-building leadership within the corporation’s management structure.

The short one-hour flight from Stockholm to Växjö, in the province of Småland, transported us to a serene, stony landscape dotted with leafless birch trees and known for its moose, and perhaps most of all, for IKEA and its founder Ingvar Kamprad who grew up there on a farm.

The land was notoriously hard to farm, thus instilling its people with a flinty hard work ethic and an aversion to waste. Kamprad brought the lessons he learned coming-of-age in a challenging setting to his vision for IKEA. A laser focus on efficiency is one of the reasons IKEA is able to provide its products at such low prices, explained CEO Mikael Ohlsson. Ensuring efficiency and strong partnerships with shared values along the entire supply chain is critical to IKEA’s success. The company has a “People & Planet Positive” goal for 2020 to make its stores, products and suppliers as sustainable as possible.

The focus on sustainable forestry is deeply impressive at a time when large timber tracts around the world are under intense pressure.  Great emphasis is placed on developing content alternatives other than just straight wood.

During our visit, we were able to see the production centers, scientific testing laboratories, design, the first-ever IKEA store and speak to designers in Älmhult. We even experienced a taste of home when we encountered an American supplier from Toledo, Ohio who was at IKEA headquarters with his wife for training and meet-and-greets, something IKEA does regularly to enhance partnerships and strengthened values transmission. When I asked Steve what he liked best about IKEA, he pointed to the strong focus on relationships.

One of the most personally exciting elements for me was their commitment to gender equality in the workplace. Many of the higher-level managers in the company started on the shop floor, and investing in employees’ productivity and development is paramount.

Today, IKEA has 42% female managers and has a short-term goal of 50%. One way they are attacking this challenge is through an initiative called “Battle of the Numbers” co-founded by Swedish media maven Eva Swartz Grimaldi  and Sofia Falk, that has received a one-year commitment from many of Sweden’s top companies (Ericsson, SEB Bank, H & M) to engage its top females in several seminars to discuss problems in gender equality within their corporation and find solutions. The solutions will later be presented to the CEO’s of all the companies to hopefully institute. IKEA’s assistant to the CEO, Fredrika Inger, an amazingly bright woman who helped guide and inform us through the visit, is directly involved in the initiative.

We ended this enlightening day in a very fitting place for Mark and me— the children’s section. Children, their development and their freedom to be and grow in every part of the home is a central value and driver for IKEA. The designers work with renowned children’s research centers to develop products that are first and foremost completely safe, even edible (as their markers are) but also lend to a child’s openness and creativity. Healthy eating and lifestyle are a key part of this message, and to underscore that we scanned reading books discussing gardening and squeezed plush toys shaped like carrots! Giving kids a healthy start is a passion and priority for our First Lady Michelle Obama and her path-breaking “Let’s Move” initiative, and many of IKEA’s values lined up perfectly with those of our President and many Americans.

Thank you Mikael Ohlsson and the IKEA family for an incredible visit! One that opened our eyes not only to IKEA, but allowed us to better understand the Swedish culture and what is important to Swedes.  Our visit places our shared values in an even stronger light!

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Women and Security: Sweden’s Nordic Center on Gender in Military Operations

On March 14, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Engaging women in security and peace-keeping is critical to advancing global stability and a safer world. Women are among the most affected by violence during conflict periods and have some of the most nuanced knowledge on how to generate peaceful consensus within their communities.  As former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in December 2011 at a speech in New York:

“From Northern Ireland to Liberia to Nepal and many places in between, we have seen that when women participate in peace processes, they focus discussion on issues like human rights, justice, national reconciliation, and economic renewal that are critical to making peace, but often are overlooked in formal negotiations. They build coalitions across ethnic and sectarian lines, and they speak up for other marginalized groups. They act as mediators and help to foster compromise. And when women organize in large numbers, they galvanize opinion and help change the course of history.”

In this spirit, on 22 February 2013, the Swedish armed forces signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Headquarters, Supreme Allied Command Transformation (HQ SACT) and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) that formalizes Sweden’s Nordic Center for Gender in Military Operations (NCGM) as lead for gender education and training by designating it as the Department Head (DH) for all NATO- led curricula concerning gender.

The cooperation established by this MoU will allow open participation from NATO, NATO nations, nations participating in Partnership for Peace (PfP), non-NATO/non-PfP nations and International Organizations / non-Governmental Organizations (IO/NGO) in accordance with NATO policy for NATO accredited courses.

As the NATO DH for gender education and training, the NCGM, will have many roles/responsibilities, but three of the highlights are as follows: (1) NCGM will translate operational requirements into education and training objectives within the subject of gender and related programs, modules and courses; (2) NCGM will establish training standards to which the NATO gender program courses will adhere; (3) NCGM will collaborate with both HQ SACT and SHAPE to ensure courses and curricula conform to NATO requirements.

This is good news for Sweden and NATO! This MOU culminates almost one year of coordination between SACT, SHAPE and the Swedish armed forces/Ministry of Defense. Sweden long ago recognized that if any Peace Support Operation (PSO) was to be successful that it would demand a comprehensive approach that involves the entire population: men, women, boys and girls. The area of gender perspectives has traditionally been neglected when planning, executing and evaluating PSOs. When ensuring the implementation of gender perspectives, the need for training and education is crucial. That is the reason that Sweden established the NCGM and then had its opening ceremony on 24 January 2012. It is just another example of Sweden’s “moral authority” that is recognized around the world.

So, congratulations to Sweden and the NCGM for their designation as Department Head for all NATO-led curricula concerning gender!

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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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A Dynamic Week: From Business Life in Stockholm to Culture in Visby

On January 25, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Visby, Gotland Photo by US Embassy

Despite the toe-curling cold, it has been an interesting and active week here in Stockholm! We started off the week with a visit to an innovative recruitment firm in Stockholm focusing partly on promoting women’s management and youth mentorship, and ended the week with a day trip to the stunning and historic island of Gotland.

On Tuesday, I was thankfully included with the Embassy team from the Political/Economic and Commercial sections to an informative lecture and lunch at Novare thanks to the CEO, Fredrik Hillelson. Novare is a human capital firm that recruits top talent for CEO and senior management positions for many of Sweden’s most successful companies. But interestingly, the company has leveraged its sterling network and accessibility for socially responsible and egalitarian-driven purposes.

This point was driven home when I walked into their sunny, open headquarters and saw several images. First, the staff all sat together in a decentralized seating arrangement with the CEO in a standard desk as well. The one difference was that his desk had an adjacent baby’s high chair nestled next to it from when he himself was on paternity leave and brought his son to work!

A large newspaper cut-out also loomed over the common area highlighting Novare’s globally-unique management program for parents on paternity and maternity leave. The image depicted three gleeful toddlers galloping and jumping on top of the shining, cherry wood conference table of a top investment fund in town. What a vivid way to tear down formality and promote inclusivity in the workplace!

Beyond just helping give parents the tools to balance work and life, Novare also supports women in the Middle East and North Africa learn how to build a business and bring it to scale, and provides training to young people age 25-35 to develop their business skills and helps businesses learn how to retain young employees.

The visit opened my eyes further to the great power the private sector has in promoting social equality, leveling the playing field for all (not just women but also young people and those with disabilities) and using profit-making structures for socially productive purposes.

Yesterday, we veered a bit from the business side to the cultural and political side with a trip to the historic island of Gotland, roughly in the middle of the Baltic Sea. I was able to accompany two superb women from the Public Affairs section. The short 30-minute flight transported us hundreds of years to the past, as Visby (the largest city on Gotland) is a UNESCO heritage site with ruins dating back to the Stone Age. The municipality symbolizes a dynamic marriage of past and future, old and new, as it is also the host of the unique and wildly popular “Almedalsveckan”.

Almedalsveckan is a week when all the political parties, along with most major newspapers, journalists, think-tanks and some businesses, travel to the island for conferences, speeches and networking across party lines. The week has a special, down-to-earth feel and it is not abnormal to see the Prime Minister waiting in line next to a junior journalist for breakfast, or the Foreign Minister in a panel with a young female entrepreneur.

Part of the purpose of the trip was for the Embassy team to begin planning for that week, as accommodations, boat tickets and even taxis are scarce and the programming is extensive. In addition to touring through the snowy cobble stone streets and feasting on local fish, we also had the honor to meet the Governor of Gotland County Cecilia Schelin Seidegård and tour her lovely residence. Thank you Governor for taking the time to greet us and I look forward to seeing beautiful Visby in July, when the sun only sets at midnight!

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To a great 2013!

On January 14, 2013, in Sweden, by Ambassador Brzezinski
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Ambassador and Mrs. Natalia Brzezinski

As a new year emerges with a very snowy January, Mark and I could not be more excited for what we know will be a new dynamic, fun and interesting year at U.S. Embassy Stockholm.

It’s still slightly surreal to imagine that we’ve been living in Stockholm for over a year now. My mind still conjures up vivid memories of our late night November arrival in 2011 with an exhausted, colicky toddler, two parents with the stomach flu and suitcases full of clothes that we quickly realized were not warm or waterproof enough for the very cold winter wonderland we arrived in. The city was frigid but the Embassy community could not have been warmer and kinder. As we stumbled around town in the darkness trying to find a grocery store or figure out where Strandvagen was, Swedes and Americans alike could not have been more helpful and genuinely kind and receptive.

Looking back on our first year, I’m amazed by all of the fresh and creative initiatives the Embassy accomplished and the diverse set of exciting visitors we received. A top highlight was the visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  We also received one of the largest Senate delegations ever to Sweden led by Swedish-American U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson.  Additionally, we welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, U.S. Ambassador-at-large for Global Women’s Issues Melanne Verveer, the legendary Paul Simon and Yo-Yo Ma and two sets of brilliant American Nobel laureates among many others. I know that I have grown personally and learned so much from following the lead of the talented U.S. Embassy team.

Our engagement flowed naturally and productively due to their hard work and also a sense of shared values that provides the basis of the strong American-Swedish relationship. A common commitment to democracy, innovation, sustainability and environmentalism, transparency and true partnership injected a special positive energy into the all of the goals and efforts by the U.S. Embassy. Through the Centennial celebration of Raoul Wallenberg, we were able to underscore the value of not being indifferent in the face of adversity and evil. It was extremely moving to be able to collaborate with the Swedish Foreign Ministry and other Swedish partners to celebrate Wallenberg.

In 2013, I’m looking forward to continuing my work in promoting diversity, youth engagement and women’s empowerment but also looking for new ways to be supportive and open within our community. Despite having a relaxing and lovely time over the holidays with my family in Chicago, Mark and I could not be happier to be back to a place and a set of people that we feel are home to us now.

Our daughter set the tone in this regard by voicing a near daily desire to go back home so she could “speak Swedish and go to dagis” to the chagrin and heartbreak of her grandparents!!

Among my many resolutions, one of the priorities is learning Swedish this year. In that hopeful vein, Gott Nytt år och God Fortsättning!

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