 The Chairmans Word
Entering into a new year offers the opportunity to stop and reflect over the time passed. 2008 was one of the most overwhelming years ever, both from a positive and a negative perspective. Although the financial crisis wasn’t unexpected, it came faster than anyone could ever expect. Even so cruel where it hit, the crisis stressed one thing very clear: how dependent we are of each other in today’s globalised world.
As the immediate threat is named Economy the awareness of climate change and other global environmental challenges is rising higher than ever all over our planet. Local sustainable initiatives are popping up everywhere. Our role at Sustainable Sweden is to bring those initiatives together and build up global networks in an emerging grass-root movement. In May 2008 we had the great honour to be one of the co-partners in arranging the first International Eco-municipality Conference ever. Participants from fourteen countries representing six continents met in Helsingborg. This year we will continue our efforts by hosting a Sustainable Sweden Tour combined with an open seminar with a focus on premises for economy and social sustainability. We believe that time is mature for a paradigm shift, where we need to rethink our economic models. Can the world once again come together in similar ways as with last year’s financial crisis – to address our time’s great survival challenge – we have good reasons to have faith in the years to come.
Welcome to Sweden in August!
Torbjörn Lahti
Chairman, Sustainable Sweden Association
| Upcoming Events: Sustainable Sweden Student Tour in March 2009!
The Sustainable Sweden Student Tour will be held during March 14-22, 2009, transecting different parts of Sweden. The main theme of the tour will be focused on sustainable planning at the local and regional level. The participants are graduate students pursuing M.A in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning at the Tufts University in Boston. For more information, please contact Sardu Bajracharya, Coordinator at sardu@sustainablesweden.org
Sustainable Sweden Tour in Aug 2009!
We are currently planning a one-week tour in Aug 2009. The tour will focus on the fourth system condition, that is on sustainable economy, local development and fundamental human needs. We will travel to Jarna in Sodertalje eco-municipality (outside Stockholm) and Hallefors eco-municipality. Arrival will be on the 22nd and departure at the 30th of Aug. Please sign up for our newsletter to keep yourself updated!
Related: Upcoming Sustainable Sweden Tour Aug. 2009 Preliminary Tour program Manfred Max-Neef comes to Sweden in August  The famous Chilean economist Manfred Max-Neef will be back in Sweden in August 2009. Max-Neef attended the International Eco-municipality Conference in Helsingborg in May 2008. He also attended the Southern part of the Sustainable Sweden Tour in May, where he gave several speeches.He will now participate on a seminar that’s integrated with the Sustainable Sweden Tour in August 2009. Max-Neef is acknowledged for his work with Human Scale Economy and Fundamental Human Needs.
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Last Year's Activities: Report from first International Eco-municipality Conference Together with SEkom and The Natural Step – Sustainable Sweden co-arranged the first international eco-municipality Conference in Helsingborg last summer.
Read more... Pilot Municipality for Sustainable Development in Kenya
In co-operation with the Eco-municipality of Robertsfors, the Kenyan municipality Machakos has started a process to become the first eco-municipality in Kenya.
During 2008 a process leader training was carried out, which was attended by politicians and officers from both Robertsfors and Machakos. The co-operation between the two municipalities is initiated by the Sustainable Sweden member Ms. Ira Sundberg. During 2009 several new projects are planned to begin between the two municipalities.
A new process leader training will be held during the spring with participants from several other Kenyan municipalities. A Network of Eco-municipalities in Ethiopia
Seven municipalities in Ethiopia have established a network, where they all want to become Eco-municipalities. A Swedish delegation including people from Sekom (The Swedish eco-municipality association), The Natural Step and Sustainable Sweden will visit Ethiopia during the spring. The plan is to start up common projects between the Swedish and Ethiopian eco-municipality networks.
Sustainable Sweden Tour attended by Two Film-Teams During the last years Sustainable Sweden Tour has been joined by two film teams.
One Canadian film team, lead by the well-known film producer Sylvie van Brabant, is doing a new documentary film called as “The Last Planet”. They have filmed on several places all around the world collecting "good examples" of sustainable development. And now they got a chance to collect some of the Swedish experiences.
A Japanese TV-team wanted to do a research for an upcoming TV-programme and attended the Tour. The team is lead by the TV Programme Leader Ms. Kamanaka. She has done many famous TV-programmes in Japan and wishes to prepare a programme around Sustainable Development with Sweden as a role model
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