The Swedish Ambassador H.E. Ms. Helena Sångeland was one of the speakers at the ”Creative Culture Series” in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday 28 April. The theme of the event was creativity and it was organised by the magazine Aestehetics. The actress Jo Kukathas and the independent filmmaker Linus Chung were also invited speakers at the event.
In her speech, the Ambassador talked about creativity in the context of the development of Sweden. She said that creativity and innovations had played a vital role for the development of the Swedish society, both economically and socially.
The Ambassador also mentioned that Sweden has been ranked as one of the most creative countries in the world. Innovative companies, famous Swedish inventions and a recognised music and design industry have further contributed to form the perception of Sweden as a creative country, the Ambassador said.
Asked why Sweden has become such a creative country the Ambassador stressed the investments in new technology and commitment to education which encourages critical thinking. Another important factor is tolerance, the Ambassador said. Tolerance towards other people and minorities facilitates the exchange of ideas and the creation of new ones, she said. “When tolerance and democratic values are respected, the room and scope for creative people grows larger. The number of new ideas in a society also increases when everyone has the right to express themselves.”
