New Delhi: Sweden will celebrate its National Day, digitally. The 90-minute long celebration of all things Swedish will be streamed on www.swedeninindia.com, the official Facebook page of the Embassy of Sweden on Sunday June 6, at 13:30 and at 23:30.
The National Day programme, which is created by the Swedish Institute, is an attempt to bring a sliver of joy and lift spirits of the viewers, many of whom are affected by the devastating pandemic. In order to be able to spread the joy further and reach a higher number of Indians, the capsule will be shown with Hindi subtitles.
The event will be graced by the Crown Princess of Sweden, HRH Victoria and her family. The Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms Ann Linde, will also be addressing the attendees with her remarks on National Day. Not only will the guests get an insight into the history and traditions of Sweden, but also an immersive experience of witnessing Swedish culture in the comfort of their own homes.
This year’s celebration is a deep dive into Swedish culture, it’s people and lifestyle. There will be musical performances by José González , one of Sweden’s biggest stars, with a billion plus streams on Spotify. Léon, Sweden’s rising international star with an unmistakable voice, shall also be performing from Benny Andersson’s (of Swedish iconic group ABBA) studio at Skeppsholmen in Stockholm. Amason, who was named best alternative pop act at the 2020 Swedish Grammis music awards, will perform from the legendary Ingrid studio in Stockholm.
Apart from music, the event will also witness a dance performance by Cullberg, a contemporary dance company in Sweden, continuously co-creating to make cutting-edge dance; Comedian Liam Kalevi has packed in a some good laughs with his insightful digs at Swedes and Swedish traditions.
There’s more! Food blogger, recipe creator and Instagram influencer, Camilla Hamid will be baking a beautiful strawberry cake in her kitchen; cookbook author Jessica Frej shall prepare a delicious potato salad with grilled fish, and Gustav Johnson who is a vegetarian-turned-vegan, wants to show people that plant-based food can be oh-so-tasty. During the course of the programme he will show how to make a proper Swedish ‘smårgåstårta’.
Right from The Cantores Sofiae choir singing ‘En vänlig grönska’ to Swedish Football fans singing the National Anthem of Sweden, the virtual event has a little something for everyone.
Lastly, for the virtual guests to understand more about Sweden, they shall also be greeted by people from different walks of life, showcasing the cross section of different cultures, languages, and professions that creates Modern Sweden.