Sweden’s National Day

The Embassy of Sweden in Cairo celebrates the “National Day of Sweden” by honouring the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA.

Every year on June 6, Sweden celebrates its national day. The day highlights two historical events. The first one happened on June 6, 1523, when Gustav Vasa was elected King of Sweden, and the second was the approval of an important Constitution on this day in 1809. Both occasions are important milestones in the history of the kingdom and laid the foundation of Sweden as the modern European nation state it is today.

This year’s National Day celebrations had a special significance as 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA. ABBA took the world by storm after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo” in 1974. Since then, ABBA’s music has spread across the world, truly highlighting the important role culture plays in fostering dialogue and creating mutual understanding.

To mark the anniversary, the Embassy of Sweden in Cairo hosted a grand event at the Ambassador’s Residence on June 5. The event celebrated the magnificent band, the Swedish music exports industry and the Swedish innovation.

Present as guest of honour was the Egyptian Minister of Health and Population, Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar. The celebration was also attended by Dr Ahmed El-Sobky, Chairman of the Egypt Healthcare Authority.

In his speech, the Swedish Ambassador, Mr. Håkan Emsgård, said that “The region is currently witnessing many challenges and crises, most notably the wars in Gaza and Sudan. Sweden supports Egypt’s efforts towards a ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid.”

He underlined the need to respect international humanitarian law. Sweden continues to support the people in Gaza, as we are contributing $50 million in humanitarian aid as well as remaining a key contributor to UNRWA.

The ambassador then continued: “In times like these, culture plays an important role in bridging countries, transcending borders, and fostering understanding among nations. Today, we are celebrating the National Day by commemorating the 50th anniversary of ABBA, one of the most prominent bands in the music history. ABBA has paved the way for a vibrant Swedish music export industry that plays both an economic as well as cultural role for the country.”

The welcome remarks were followed by a word from Dr Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Minister of Health and Population where he said: “Sweden and Egypt have a longstanding and distinguished relationship, Sweden is an essential partner for Egypt to jointly investigate prospects for technology transfer and offer innovative solutions to meet healthcare challenges. This partnership is based on the exchange of knowledge through high-level visits, and collaborative research projects.”

The minister stressed that the health care system in Sweden focuses on preventive care and approaches that target the patient’s general health, in addition to innovative research. These are the same pillars that the Ministry of Health and Population is working on, so it is important to explore opportunities for Egyptian-Swedish investments in infrastructure and human resources, and technology, which paves the way for a more comprehensive healthcare system.

The celebration featured an exhibition by 18 of the Swedish companies operating in Egypt where they showcased their innovative products and services. Guests had the opportunity to engage with industry leaders, learn about Sweden’s expertise in various sectors, and explore potential collaborations. The exhibition highlighted the significant contributions made by Swedish businesses to Egypt’s economic progress.

Sweden’s National Day celebration was organised in collaboration with the following Swedish companies: ABB, Absolut, AstraZeneca, Atlas Copco, Electrolux, Elekta, Ericsson, Gamma Knife Centre, Getinge, Hitachi Energy, IKEA, Nordic Water, Söderhub, Swedish Group, Tetra Pak, Transcom, Volvo Cars [Ezz Elarab] and Volvo Bus [Ghabour Auto].