The Nature of Swedish Culture
When you grow up in the Copenhagen area, you are very lucky to be extremely close to another country, culture and language: Sweden.
The cultural ties between the two countries are very strong.
The proximity of Sweden and the Swedish language are important and a great asset. When growing up in the sixties and seventies, there was only one Danish tv-channel, but Sweden had two.
Two channels with wonderful programs in Swedish.
The trip to Sweden only takes a short while. My favourite route is via Elsinore by ferry bypassing Hamlet’s emblematic castle Kronborg on your way out of the Elsinore harbour.
The sphere of Sweden hits you immediately, the ambience, you imagine this huge and beautiful country and you feel that you are just at the beginning of an immense civilization – in the ultimate South of Sweden. Just look North.
Having worked with Selma Lagerlöf’s literature and followed the Swedish museum and art scene, it was a privilege to become head of the Danish-Swedish Cultural Foundation.
It makes a lot of sense to promote and to focus on the cultural and artistic exchange between the two countries, as we are able to interact with the milieus in both countries.
Naturally, there is a familiarity between the countries, but also differences, which make it the more charming to investigate and find out about the nature of Swedish culture.
Catherine Lefebvre 