Sweden’s Virtual Embassy
As stunning as the House of Sweden is all by itself, the Swedish Embassy’s latest winter exhibit takes the building one step further by creating a virtual embassy space that highlights the country’s contributions to the world.
Sweden’s “Innovation and Technology” three-month winter program is an intriguing follow-up to its fall program “Children First,” which attracted more than 13,000 visitors. Until March 16, visitors can see many of the important Swedish discoveries and inventions that make our life safer, more fun and easier. Zippers, child seats, seat belts, mobile phones, robotic vacuums, safety matches, time-release capsules, ultrasound, kidney dialysis and even monkey wrenches all come from the minds of inventive Swedes.
Visitors will not only be surprised by all the life-saving and life-enhancing Swedish inventions, but will enjoy experiencing some of these nifty creations firsthand, such as you to play Mindball interactive products designed to stimulate the mind.
“I hope you will come back to contemplate our exhibits and play Mindball,” Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafström told the huge opening night crowd that filled Washington’s only riverfront embassy on Jan. 8.
When asked if the Swedish Foreign Ministry had expected to use the House of Sweden for major exhibits this way, the ambassador replied: “Seeing is believing, and that’s why we bring our ministers here. In the last year, 16 have visited, eight in my time, and we only have 20.”
Ewa Björling, Sweden’s minister of trade, opened this particular exhibit by popping a huge balloon on the head of a performer in Cirkus Cirkor, a Swedish contemporary circus that is touring the United States for the first time next year.
“People’s perception of an embassy is a closed house,” the minister said. “Here we have openness and transparency. This is not just an architectural landmark, but a strong trademark for Sweden.”
Indeed, more than 50,000 people have visited the House of Sweden since it opened. And Ambassador Hafström and his team want to make sure those visitors understand what Sweden is contributing to our world.
Part of that of course is showcasing Sweden’s innovation and technology. Ericsson, the huge 125-year-old Swedish electronics company, has a colorful display here tracing communication from the original 30,000-year-old cave paintings to today’s wireless life—including glimpses of how we will be communicating with each other in the future. Another exhibit pays a beautiful tribute to the work of the great Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus with Edvard Koinberg’s rich photographs.
The Swedish Institute also plays a big part here with its “Second Life” display, a virtual House of Sweden that spotlights Swedish culture, history and science. You can visit and experience this three-dimensional world in person or online if you have a computer with a broadband Internet connection. There’s a free account waiting for you at www.sweden.se/secondlifereg. Just download and install the free “Second Life” client software and then log on.
Likewise, the “Quality of Life” display, based on Kjell Sedig’s book “Swedish Innovations,” is impressive. But don’t leave this room without playing Mindball, the fascinating game designed by the Swedish Interactive Institute that lets two players control a physical ball by using only their brain—not their arms or legs. The most interesting thing about this game is that the player who is most relaxed and focused wins! Participants wear headbands that detect what each person is thinking. Once the brain waves are analyzed, the results are manifested in the movement of the ball.
The opening seminar on Jan. 9, “Leadership Through Innovation,” covered the role of innovation in an emerging global world and how innovation helps to create leadership not only for corporations but countries.
On January 16, the House of Sweden’s first “Science Café” will be launched from 6:30 to 8:30 in the evening. These cafés are a continuation of the 2007 Linnaeus Tercentenary celebrations whereby Swedish and American researchers debate important science and technology issues. This program will discuss the public understanding of science, and participants include Jan Riise of the Götenborg Center for Public Learning and Understanding of Science, as well as Matthew C. Nisbet of American University’s School of Communication, with Nils Bruzelius, a science editor at the Washington Post, moderating.
For more information on the Science Cafés on Jan. 29, Feb. 13 and Feb. 27, as well as other updates on these winter exhibitions and seminars, please visit the Embassy of Sweden’s Web site at www.swedenabroad.com/washington.
Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafström poses with a performer from the Cirkus Cirkor troupe at the opening of the “Innovation and Technology” winter program at the House of Sweden, which also features photographs by Edvard Koinberg, which pay tribute to the work of Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (front page).
Photos: House of Sweden
Finland Celebrates 90th Birthday
 Finland is celebrating its 90th anniversary of independence this year and Finnish Ambassador Pekka Lintu is especially proud of how his country has transformed from a poor, rural country “somewhere up North that no one knew” into one of the world’s most respected, competitive and advanced nations in the world.
“This is quite a story,” he said. “In the aftermath of World War I, it was a very different time for all of Europe. Fifteen European countries borrowed money [to recover], but Finland was the one who paid her debts back on time.
“During World War II, we defended ourselves and honored our commitments,” he continued, “when the world was politically divided by the Cold War and much of Europe was in economic ruins.”
He added: “Now as members of the European Union, Finland is a strong international partner … and we really value our friendship with the United States.”
How did Finland complete this dramatic transformation? “We are all amazed and proud of Finland. In Finnish, we would give you a one-word answer, ‘sisi,’ or, as you would say, ‘guts,’” the ambassador said. “That’s what we have. We didn’t give up. We made the impossible possible with guts and determination.”
Finnish Ambassador Pekka Lintu (front page) hosted a reception in honor of Finland’s 90th anniversary of independence, which was attended by Virpi Kuusisto Croby and Tuula Piiaranen, the embassy’s second secretary, seen above in their native Finnish dress.
Hungary Rewards Communism Victims
Hungarian Ambassador Ferenc Somogyi hosted an awards ceremony for the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom late last year in which several people important to Hungary received medals from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOCMF), inaugurated by President Bush on June 12, 2007.
VOCMF Chairman Lee Edwards presented the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom to U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), a strong congressional supporter of the Communism Memorial in Washington, and economy professor and Hungarian freedom-fighter János Horváth, the doyen of the Hungarian Parliament. The award was also presented posthumously to the late south Vietnamese human rights activist Tran Van Ba, who was executed in Hanoi in 1984.
The ceremony was followed by Ambassador Somogyi’s presentation of the Hungary’s own Hero of Freedom Medal to Chinese-American human rights activist Harry Wu, who was imprisoned by the Chinese authorities for 19 years. That sentence was imposed on Wu after he made a statement as a university student that the Soviet invasion of Hungary in October 1956 was a breach of international law. Ambassador Somogyi stressed that “the Hungarian people are grateful to the hero who stood by the freedom of Hungary and paid a terrible price for it.”
Nancy Goodman Brinker, former U.S. ambassador to Hungary and current U.S. chief of protocol, attended the reception along with the ambassadors of Estonia, Latvia, the Philippines and Slovakia, as well as leaders of Hungarian-American organizations and 1956 Hungarian freedom-fighters.
Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOCMF) Chairman Dr. Lee Edwards, left, presents the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom to Dr. Tran Van Tong, who accepted the award for his late brother Tran Van Ba, a south Vietnamese human rights activist who was executed in Hanoi in 1984.
Front page: Recipients of the Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom, which is awarded to individuals who have worked to fight communism, were lauded at the Hungarian Embassy by former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, leader of the Hungarian communist opposition movement.
Save The Date!
 The Latino Student Fund, which helps Latino students achieve their academic dreams, is holding its annual benefit gala, titled “Encanto Guarani,” on March 6.
The title refers to the indigenous culture of Paraguay, and this year’s diplomatic gala chairs are Paraguayan Ambassador James Spalding and his wife Cecilia. The festive event will be held at the Organization of American States and will feature Latin music, cocktails, dinner and dancing, as well as a live auction and an intriguing silent auction.
By the way, in 2009, the diplomatic chairs will be Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and his wife Verónica Valencia. For tickets for this colorful evening of Latin fun, please call the Latino Student Fund at (202) 244-3438.
From left, wife of the Mexican ambassador Veronica Valencia, Latino Student Fund (LSF) founder and President Rosalia Gutiérrez-Huérte Miller, and Cecilia Coello de Spalding, wife of the Paraguayan Ambassador and the 2008 LSF gala chairwoman attend a reception for the fund, which provides educational opportunities for Latino students.
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