Get ready for Stockholm Pride Festival 2023

Stockholm Pride is a major LGBTQ+ festival held annually in the city. It started as a small event in 1998 but has grown significantly and is now the largest pride festival in the Nordic region. The festival celebrates diversity and aims to create a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. This year's theme is "Celebrate Diversity," highlighting the importance of acceptance and inclusion.

The festival includes various events and activities, such as Pride Park, Pride House, Pride Kinky, Pride Parade, Pride Youth, and Pride Family. Pride House offers workshops and debates, and this year, all program events have free admission. The festival tickets have a higher price this year, but organizers are working to keep it affordable for everyone.

Security is a priority for the festival, with close collaboration with the police. The program includes performances by various artists and drag shows, making it a vibrant and lively celebration. The opening of Pride Park will be inaugurated by the Speaker of the Parliament and a drag duo.

Visitors are encouraged not to miss performances by artists like Agnes and the vibrant atmosphere of Pride House, as well as the spectacular Pride Parade. Stockholm Pride aims to promote unity and acceptance while celebrating the diversity of the LGBTQ+ community.

Read more:

DN: This is how Pride Festival 2023 will be

Sweden Democrats want a new Tidö agreement

The Sweden Democrats have agreed with the government on about two-thirds of the parliamentary votes during the first year with the Tidö government. This is shown by data on the votes analyzed by DN with the help of the company Datastory .

Linda Lindberg, Sweden Democrats' group leader, is not surprised by this figure, as being in opposition allows them to utilize all available tools in parliament. They continue to pursue the parts of their policy not covered by the Tidö agreement, as they do not have full influence in the government.

Despite being an opposition party, Linda Lindberg sees Sweden Democrats as collaborative. They have reached agreements with the government on significant policy areas such as migration and crime, and they also have a budget collaboration.

Negotiations are ongoing for an update of the Tidö agreement, and any changes will be decided after the autumn budget submission on September 20. This may lead to increased unity within the right-wing coalition.

As Sweden Democrats transitions into a more responsible role, they face the challenge of attracting voters while being involved in decision-making. Linda Lindberg acknowledges that some frustration exists among voters regarding the pace of problem-solving, but she believes their supporters understand that politics takes time.

Read more:

DN: Tomas Ramberg: Can Åkesson handle the tricky balancing act?

DN/Ipsos: SD is the loser of the Tidö collaboration

DN: Sweden Democrats in negotiations for a new Tidö agreement

Sweden urged to support Israel's Democracy Movement

In response to recent political developments in Israel, where the government has passed a law limiting judicial intervention against corruption and nepotism, an open letter has been addressed to Minister of Foreign Affairs Tobias Billström. Israel's Minister of Justice himself has stated that this law is just the beginning of a series of proposals aimed at political control over the judiciary and government agencies.

The letter urges the Swedish government, along with other countries like the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom, to express strong concern for the consequences of such interference in the foundations of the rule of law in Israel. Sweden's respected international voice for democracy and human rights, along with its significant international aid and engagement in the United Nations, make it an important advocate for supporting Israel's democracy movement.

Read more:

DN: Call: Sweden must support Israel's democracy movement

Number of homeless people is rising in Sweden

This summer, the police have received numerous complaints about homeless individuals establishing living areas, leaving garbage, and attending to their needs in public streets and parks.

In Stockholm, areas like S:t Eriksgatan, Fleminggatan, and parks in Vasastan have been affected. The police have observed a rise in the number of homeless people in Kungsholmen and Vasastan, with over 100 individuals staying daily around Cityterminalen.

Business owners and passersby feel unsafe due to the presence of homeless individuals, and parents have had to deal with unsanitary situations for their children. The police have been working to assist those in need, transporting them to care facilities for detoxification and care. However, they emphasize the need for more comprehensive solutions at a political level to address the underlying issues of homelessness and substance abuse.

Read more:

Mitti: More homeless people living in inner-city parks

• Few women run their own company : New figures from the EU reveal that Sweden ranks at the bottom of the list in terms of the number of women running their own businesses. Only just over a quarter of female entrepreneurs in Sweden, compared to an average of over 33 percent in the EU, are running their own companies.

• Weak GDP figure : Swedish GDP fell 1.5 percent in the second quarter, exceeding expectations. The decline is partly attributed to the Riksbank's interest rate increases and a decrease in exports. The slowdown in growth could lead to fewer interest rate hikes and has implications for unemployment and inflation.

• Stable food prices : Despite catastrophic weather conditions, stable food prices are expected as the overall harvest in Europe is projected to be relatively good, according to the EU's latest forecast. Fluctuations in grain prices are attributed to extreme weather and disruptions in Eastern Europe due to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

• Sweden falls in volleyball final : Sweden's women's volleyball team loses to France in the final of the Challenger Cup, missing out on the Nations League. The French team dominated the match, winning three sets to one. Sweden will now prepare for the upcoming European Championship.

• Hammarby-Twente grandstand scandal : Twente supporters urged not to wear red clothes or club emblems to prevent further incidents during their upcoming football match in Stockholm, after clashes with Hammarby fans resulted in one injured person. In spite of initial considerations to ban their travel, over 1,500 supporters will still be allowed to attend the game. Precautionary measures include avoiding large groups and certain areas.

• Swedish swimmer's historic victory : Swedish swimmer Sarah Sjöström wins her fifth consecutive World Championship gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle event and sets a new world record with a time of 23.61 seconds.

• Blood donations : Party leaders call for an end to the discrimination against gay men donating blood in Sweden. The government tasks the National Board of Health and Welfare with investigating the possibility of implementing individual risk assessments for blood donations. The new assessment details will be proposed by September 29, 2024.

• Sweden considers returning stolen sculptures from Benin : A discussion is underway in Sweden about whether the country should return the plundered sculptures from Benin City collected in the early 1900s, highlighting the issue of unclear origin of objects in Swedish museums. A recent inventory estimates that at least one-fourth of the 500,000 objects held by the National Museums of World Culture have a "problematic origin."

• Daniel Ek sells Spotify shares : Spotify CEO, Daniel Ek, has sold 675,000 shares in the company, according to documents filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. This comes after the streaming service's second-quarter report, which showed an increase in paying users but underperformance in revenue, leading to a 10% drop in Spotify's stock value.

• US Rejects Australia's Plea to Free Assange : US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, confirms that the US has rejected Australia's appeal to free Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder. Blinken emphasizes the seriousness of the charges against Assange and the damage caused to US national security by the disclosures of classified information. The future relations between the Australian government and the US may be tested by the ongoing Assange case.

• Deadly bomb attack in Pakistan : Over 130 people are injured and multiple deaths reported after a bomb exploded during a political gathering in the northwestern district of Bajur. The Pakistani police have declared an emergency in nearby hospitals to treat the injured.

• Danish government summons parties for meeting on the Quran crisis : The Danish government has called for an extra meeting to discuss Quran burnings in the country that have sparked international reactions. The government aims to review how to restrict actions that go against Danish interests and security without limiting freedom of speech. The crisis staff at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is handling diplomatic relations with Muslim countries, as 15 governments have already condemned the Quran burnings in Denmark.

• EU stops all support to Niger : The EU has withdrawn all financial support to Niger and suspended all security work after a group of military personnel ousted President Mohamed Bazoum. The EU does not recognize the coup makers, and the African Union also demands the immediate release of Niger's president.

stockholm

Balancing Acts: The Tightrope Walk of Free Speech and Hate Speech

Sweden is a country known for its strong press freedom, in fact, it was the first country to write freedom of press into its constitution!

The Freedom of Press Act of 1766 made it the law of the land that the government and other authorities be transparent and held accountable. The law also outlined strong protections for journalists, protecting sources and ensuring journalists are never forced to jeopardize their source's safety. In Reporters Without Borders’ 2023 ranking , Sweden came in fourth place for press freedom.

While the right to express an opinion is important, it is not without limits. Freedom of speech, when misused, can lead to offensive language, encourage discrimination, incite violence, or result in detrimental effects on individuals and society, such as the recent burnings of sacred religious texts in Stockholm. To address suspected violations of the freedom of press or expression laws, the responsibility lies with the non-political Office of the Chancellor of Justice.

by Julia Powanda/Riedia