Latest news with #SwedeninFocus
Local Sweden
3 hours ago
- Business
- Local Sweden
'The biggest shock in Sweden was how little people talk to each other'
This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with Francisca Leonardo, founder of the tour company Xperience Stockholm. Advertisement In this week's episode we hear from Canadian entrepreneur Francisca Leonardo as she explains how she first came to Stockholm as a tourist and immediately felt it was a place she could see herself living in. In her recent conversation with The Local's editor Emma Löfgren she talks us through how she went from being a master's student in biotechnology to setting up a flourishing tour company showing visitors sides of Stockholm they might otherwise miss. And what was it like working through culture shock as first impressions gave way to a more nuanced understanding of how Sweden works? Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, out June 4th. Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers. Sign up to Membership+ now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday. Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription on a podcast platform. If you prefer to listen on the site, you can find all episodes at the bottom of our podcast page.
Local Sweden
4 days ago
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Red cottage nightmares, and is Sweden's support for Israel crumbling?
This week: Sweden calls for sanctions on Israeli ministers, and why are the Sweden Democrats promoting cookie-cutter 'Sweden houses'? For Membership+ subscribers: Will cash every make a comeback in Sweden? And what is the Migration Agency telling us about citizenship processing? Advertisement In this week's episode we ask why Swedish politicians are becoming more critical of Israel over the war in Gaza. We also discuss the government's plans to develop new kinds of pre-approved houses to make it easier for people to buy their own homes. For Membership+ subscribers we talk about what it's like trying to get by without a bank-card in a mostly cash-free country. Finally, we get our teeth into what the Migration Agency is saying about in-person meetings with citizenship applicants and changing how it prioritises which cases to process. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Becky Waterton and Richard Orange. Advertisement Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Sweden and Israel Politics Money Swedish citizenship You can listen to the free episode here: Or follow Sweden in Focus wherever you listen to podcasts. Advertisement Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday. Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription. Advertisement
Local Sweden
28-05-2025
- Local Sweden
'If you tick the boxes in Sweden it's smooth, otherwise it's challenging'
This week's episode of Sweden in Focus Extra for Membership+ subscribers features an interview with Richard Mason, a postdoctoral researcher who moved from the UK to study rivers in Sweden and never looked back. Advertisement In this week's episode we get insights into making a successful career in Sweden from Richard Mason, a scientist from Wales who now lives in Umeå where he researches rivers and their role in biodiversity. He spoke recently with The Local's deputy editor Becky Waterton about his move to Sweden and why it's a great place to be for his particular area of study. He also gives his advice for other researchers learning the ropes in Sweden, as well as talking about his experience of navigating the Swedish labour market, and why he loves living in northern Sweden. Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, out May 28th. READ ALSO: Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers. Sign up to Membership+ now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday. Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription on a podcast platform. If you prefer to listen on the site, you can find all episodes at the bottom of our podcast page.
Local Sweden
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Why Sweden is making it illegal to order OnlyFans sex
This week: A thaw in the citizenship freeze, new law bans ordering sex acts online. For Membership+ subscribers: Interview with doctor facing expulsion over alleged Migration Agency mix-up, and how to celebrate Ascension Day in Sweden. Advertisement This week we have the latest on the recent citizenship freeze and we ask: Why has there been so little interest in this story from the Swedish media? We also look at a hotly debated new law criminalising the purchase of sex online. For Membership+ subscribers we have more on immigration as we hear from a doctor who has been ordered to leave Sweden at the same time as the country is struggling with a shortage of medical professionals. And finally we examine an unusual tradition associated with the upcoming Ascension Day holiday. Host Paul O'Mahony is joined this week by regular panelists Emma Löfgren and Richard Orange. Advertisement Here are links to some of the topics discussed in the episode: Swedish citizenship Politics Immigration Swedish traditions You can listen to the free episode here: Or follow Sweden in Focus wherever you listen to podcasts. Advertisement Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sign up now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday. Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription. Advertisement
Local Sweden
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
'I love this country – that's why I'm speaking up about Sweden's diversity problems'
If Sweden wants to get serious about diversity and inclusion it must tackle some-deep-rooted problems head-on, argue Greg Fernando and Brandon Sekitto, the founders of the 1046 inclusion campaign. Advertisement In an interview for The Local's Sweden in Focus podcast, the pair explain that they started the initiative with the aim of ensuring that all of Sweden's more than ten million inhabitants felt included in the country regardless of their ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, age or disability. Brandon Sekitto says it took him a while to figure out that Sweden wasn't as inclusive as it seemed to him growing up. His family moved to Sweden from Uganda when he was just nine years old and he ended up living in Tensta, one of Stockholm's most multicultural neighbourhoods. 'It was different races, people from all over the world. It was like a mosaic of diversity.' Greg Fernando's introduction to the country was very different. Moving to Stockholm from Canada well into his adulthood and living in the affluent Kungsholmen area, he was often acutely aware of being the only person of colour within a given radius. But even though they first saw Sweden through different lenses, they both want to make the country more welcoming and have reached similar conclusions on what needs to be done. 'I'm really proud to say that we recently won a Nordic inclusion prize, we presented at the Riksdag last year in November, and this year we're really excited because we're forming a partnership with Nordiska Museum,' says Fernando. So far, 36 organisations have pledged a commitment to the initiative they founded. READ ALSO: Should Sweden collect stats on ethnicity to combat racism? While they're pleased with some of the projects they have under way, both men believe that if Swedes want diversity to be more than a buzzword people are going to need to engage in difficult conversations – and it won't be comfortable. 'Sweden has to understand that this uncomfortableness is necessary for us to be comfortable enough to make the changes we need. And it is not primarily the job of us as minorities or black people to do. It's the job of Swedes themselves to do,' says Sekitto. "I love Sweden, so don't send me hate mail," he adds. "My kids love this country. I love this country. That's why I'm speaking up." He and his co-founder are committed to facilitating these difficult conversations. As an intercultural communicator Sekittto specialises in bridging cultural differences, while Fernando founded the organisation New to Sweden as a way to help newcomers gain a foothold in a difficult job market. According to Fernando, an unwillingness to fully embrace diversity stems from a form of nationalism tied to Sweden regularly coming topping lists of the best places in the world to live. As a result, he says, a consensus has emerged among many Swedes that newcomers should adapt to the superior Swedish way of life and leave their own cultures and traditions at the door. 'They have such a terrible time adapting to anything new. And I think that's a skill set that they have to pick up, because otherwise we're just going to be doing the same old dance for the next 100 years, where they just don't think people coming from abroad bring any value to them.' READ ALSO: 'Sweden is decades behind on racism and diversity' As for the campaign's name, Fernando jokes that naming it 1046 was not their most clear-sighted moment. 'We started this project so long ago and at that time there were 10.46 million people living in Sweden. So we came up with the bright idea of naming this initiative after the number of people who are living here, not thinking ahead.' 'We would love people to join up,' Sekitto says. "Everybody can do something. We've done what we can and we welcome everybody else to join the conversation.' You can find out more about the 1046 campaign on their website and LinkedIn page. Membership+ subscribers can listen to the interview with Greg Fernando and Brandon Sekitto in the latest episode of Sweden in Focus Extra, out May 21st. Get Membership+ to listen to all The Local's podcasts Sweden in Focus Extra is a podcast for The Local's Membership+ subscribers. Sign up to Membership+ now and get early, ad-free access to a full-length episode of the Sweden in Focus podcast every weekend, as well as Sweden in Focus Extra every Wednesday. Please visit the link that applies to you and get a 40% discount on Membership+ Read more about Membership+ in our help centre. Already have Membership+ but not receiving all the episodes? Go to the podcast tab on your account page to activate your subscription on a podcast platform. If you prefer to listen on the site, you can find all episodes at the bottom of our podcast page.
