Sweden’s Freedom of Expression – a cornerstone of democracy.Vasaloppet in Sweden – the world’s longest cross country ski race.And as I was consumed in the musical, I thought to myself, can we do it differently this time? Can we beat the negative forces in society and come out of it victorious? Or are condemned to repeat the mistakes of the past? Tagged cabaret, facism, sarah dawn finer, stockholm, Sweden, theatre 2 Comments Recent Posts ‘You are not German’ is today expressed as ‘You are not European‘ or ‘You are not Swedish’. Never has it felt more relevant than today. We see the characters numb themselves in alcohol and we see one main character bend to the norms of society by demonstratively removing his makeup – stripped of his uniqueness and his humanity. In the musical Cabaret, we see the nightclub as a metaphor of Berlin, slowly falling more and more under the influence of dark powers. Just because we are not actively and vocally against something, does it really mean that we are for it? Is it that black and white?Īs right-wing politics yet again take hold in Europe, what can we learn from the past? If we stand by and say nothing, do nothing, are we in effect accepting it? Are we saying it’s ok? And if we don’t stand up for others, who will stand up for us when we need it? Somewhat remniscent of a US President in a speech against terrorism, this hit a raw nerve. As he is confronted by the rise of Nazism he stands up against it saying ‘if you don’t stand against it, you stand with it’. One of the main characters is an American author based in Berlin. As the Nazis rise to power, and ‘Germanness’ falls into focus, the characters have to make a choice: stay or go. But slowly, even the performers cannot ignore the hardening attitudes, the anti-semitism and what is necessary to survive. As Hitler’s politics start to become more accepted, life initially goes on as usual inside the nightclub. Set in and around the decadent Kit Kat Club, the familiar story depicts the slow and insidious growth of Nazism in pre-war Germany. Starring popular singer, Sarah Dawn Finer, the story never felt more relevant. Last night I went to a performance of ‘Cabaret’ at Stockholm’s ‘Stadsteatern’. And is this an approach that Swede’s prefer in times of crisis – a no frills, humble and direct communication? Tagged anders ygeman, communication, government, politics, refugees, Sweden, terror Leave a comment This queen don’t wave He might not be charismatic, but he is clear and very direct. Often how we say something has more impact than what we say, but in Anders Ygeman’s case, it’s the opposite. What is it about Anders Ygeman that works so well in Sweden? Maybe it is a case of content over packaging. But in Sweden, it seems to work.įrom a cultural perspective, this is really interesting. In the USA, or the UK, he would probably be ridiculed. He is, in fact, the opposite of everything that a leader is said to be – inspiring, charismatic and energetic. He speaks with a very quiet voice and a very flat tone. On the face of it, Anders Ygeman should not be considered a good communicator. He also regularly informs the public on the refugee situation and the political reasons behind the government’s actions to reintroduce border controls. The minister is appearing a lot in newspapers and on the TV at the moment commenting on the tragic events of Paris and the impact terrorism has on the increasing security levels on Swedish soil. Reading on social media recently, I am struck by the amount of praise given to Sweden’s Home Secretary, Anders Ygeman. “This policy best defines who we are as a company, born out of a Swedish culture that places an emphasis on a healthy work-family balance, gender equality and the ability for every parent to spend quality time with the people that matter most in their lives.” Tagged parental leave, spotify, Sweden Leave a comment The Gentle Minister The government and the tax payer can only do so much, if they even do anything at all. It’s great to see private organisations taking responsibility for their employees. It’s GLOBALLY! For all employees everywhere in the world. The great thing about this is that it’s not just Sweden. When the employee returns to work, there is also a ‘welocme back’ month where they can work part-time and from home to ease themselves back into the workplace and from their infant. This is for either parent so is not gender, or role, specific. Parents at Spotify are allowed to take free time, or parental leave, for 6 months at full pay. Now, Swedish company Spotify has announced an upgrade to this system for employees working in their company. The payment received is equivalent to about 80% of salary up to a certain level. It’s common knowledge that Sweden has one of the world’s best systems for paid leave in connection with the birth of a child – thirteen months parental leave which can be shared between both the parents.
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