The 59th edition of Almedalen Week - the world's largest democratic meeting place for social issues - is coming to an end. It was a record year, despite a shortened week, with more than 3200 program items and 1900 organizers in five days - which is partly due to the fact that it is an election year.
FUF was on site* to spread the word about our very own “election campaign” – the one that aims to help voters navigate where the parties stand in aid and foreign policy, but also to cover several of the relatively few seminars that dealt with global development issues and Sweden's role in the world.
Among these were conversations about the increasing humanitarian needs that far exceed available funds, about the importance of diplomacy and cooperation in an era marked by everything from war to climate crises, and about the future of international law.
“We are not helped by saying that the previous world order and international law no longer apply. Instead, we need to focus on which parts of them we need to invest in to maintain,” said Red Cross Secretary General Ulrika Modéer.
Climate and sustainability issues were also on the agenda – both on the international stages and on the business stages. In addition, the Climate and Democracy Concert was arranged We are Sweden which gathered parts of Sweden's artistic elite and thousands of spectators in the harbor at the same time as the Sweden Democrats' Jimmie Åkesson gave his speech in Almedalen.
– The climate issue has become the right-wing populists' most important message, along with the immigration issue – but then it's about working towards climate change, said journalist Erika Bjerström.
A recurring theme was the role and conditions of civil society in what was described as a “post-truth society”, where facts and knowledge are increasingly questioned, while funding is decreasing. Discussions included how the legitimacy of civil society is being challenged and how political rhetoric contributes to making its actors suspicious.
The old story that everyone likes civil society needs to be nuanced, because that is no longer the case, said civil society professor Magnus Karlsson.
Several seminars also dealt with peace work – conversations that at times stood in stark contrast to the thunderous JAS Gripen flights over the park that drowned out both the conversations and the relaxed atmosphere, and to the SAAB and the Swedish Armed Forces exhibition of robot and missile systems a couple of blocks away. Archbishop Martin Modéus highlighted the importance of holding on to the perspective of peace even in an era marked by war and armament.
– I tend to think that we are not defending ourselves, but rather that we are protecting ourselves, said Modéus. He also raised his mantra, “I am doing this for the sake of peace,” as a guide in difficult decisions where it is more a matter of choosing the least bad alternative. In times characterized by war and armament, where difficult ethical dilemmas often arise, such trade-offs become necessary, he said.
Many conversations were of course also characterized by the consequences that the upcoming election may have for development aid. Both parties and youth politicians shared their thoughts and ambitions regarding development aid and Sweden's role in the world. To take part in them, you can check out the highlight "Almedalen 2026" on FUF's Instagram, where all coverage posts from the week are collected. In our Instagram feed you can also read analyses of all the party leaders' speeches this week.
Something that recurred in less formal conversations during the week – in completely different contexts and among representatives from both authorities, civil society and business – was the image that Almedalen, despite its unique role as a meeting place for different sectors of society, is still characterized by silos. Even though thousands of organizers and visitors gather in a very small area, the sectors rarely meet on the same stages, despite the common conclusion being that broad and cross-border collaborations are required to meet both societal challenges and global needs.
In the future, more actors need to take responsibility for inviting unexpected partners, taking up space on other types of stages and discussing across sector boundaries. And what is more important is that this does not stop at Almedalen, but that it also shapes how we work for the rest of the year. Otherwise, cooperation risks stopping at Call about collaborations, rather than actually leading to it.
*FUF does not have its own financial means to be present in Almedalen, but its presence was made possible – as last year – by private logistical opportunities.
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