A warm welcome from the Speaker of the Riksdag

The EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, human rights, freedom, the rule of law and democracy, and it aims to promote peace and European values. National parliaments are the fundamental base of any democracy, and it is our duty to stand up for our values and ensure a well-functioning Union.

To put it more poetically, in the words of the Swedish Nobel laureate Harry Martinson in his epic poem "Aniara":

There is protection from near everything,
from fire and damages by storm and frost,
oh, add whichever blows may come to mind.
But there is no protection from mankind.

No, there is no protection from ourselves if we do not stand up – every parliament and every one of its members – to form a shield of light to defend humanity and democracy.

The Riksdag celebrated one hundred years of Swedish democracy between 2018 and 2022. During the period 1918–1922, several Riksdag decisions led to the democratic breakthrough that brought universal and equal voting rights for both women and men. In other member states, the path to democracy was different. In all member states democracy is worth defending.

We very much look forward to organising dynamic, interparliamentary conferences and welcoming members of parliament from all over the Union to our beautiful Riksdag. The building was inaugurated in 1905 and is located on a small island in the centre of Stockholm, where there used to be first a monastery and later the Royal stables. Some conferences will take place in the current Chamber itself, which was first used in 1983, while other conferences will take place in the Former Second Chamber. The Former First and Second Chambers were used until the introduction of the unicameral parliament in 1971.

Welcome to Stockholm this winter and spring.

[The lines from the poem Aniara are translated from the Swedish by Stephen Klass and Leif Sjöberg.]