Every summer, the small island of Gotland becomes the epicentre of big ideas. Almedalsveckan (Almedalen Week) is Sweden’s most important democratic meeting place, where politicians, business leaders, civil society organisations, academia, and curious citizens come together to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and shape the country’s future.

With hundreds of seminars, panels, and mingles taking place across Visby, the week offers a unique blend of high-level policy dialogue and grassroots engagement. The atmosphere is informal, but the conversations are far from superficial, covering everything from healthcare to sustainability, innovation to social services.

First Two Days in Almedalen

The team from The Park, represented by our CEO and Founder Mikael Ahlström and our Head of Community Armando Cázares-Körner, jumped into the week with energy and intention. They started at Folkhälsodalen, where Minister for Social Services Camilla Waltersson Grönvall opened with a strong message on strengthening social care and protecting children’s rights. The session brought together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders around a shared mission: better public health.

In just two days, they’ve taken part in innovation panels, networked at spontaneous mingles, and had powerful exchanges about life science, community building, and Sweden’s global competitiveness. At Almedalen, context-switching is part of the experience; one moment you’re diving deep into healthcare policy, the next you’re sharing insights over a sustainability fika.

It’s inspiring and deeply productive.

It’s such an honour to be part of this energetic and thought-provoking environment, and we’re excited to see what the rest of the week brings.