Being one of the countries that embrace technology, it is no wonder that Sweden is known as the startup hub of Europe (think Spotify & Skype).
In this episode of Swedishness, Kattis and Phillip interview experts in the Swedish startup arena to discover what the Swedish startup scene is all about.
So what? Well, I suppose maybe young people may not appreciate free press and being able to say anything, including the truth. It seems that more and more the freedom of the press is being weighed down by untruths and bias that many are struggling to figure out what is real and what isn’t.
I didn’t know Sweden had the world’s oldest freedom of the press, dating back to 1766. In Swedishness podcast #4, Kattis and Phillip interview Ola Larsmo, the president of Sweden’s PEN chapter which promotes and literature and freedom of expression.
Sweden knows its awesomeness, and is ready to share it with the world! Has been for awhile, with great sites like Sweden.se. This year the Swedish Institute has launched a new podcast called Swedishness.
Here is a little information about the podcast:
Together with co-host Philip O’Connor, an Irish journalist who has lived in Sweden for 18 years, Kattis Ahlström interviews Swedish and non-Swedish experts. The podcast is in English and will be released in seven episodes about everything from parental leave and digital technology to Swedish tradition, Swedes and happiness.
In this first episode, Philip and Kattis tackle parental leave in Sweden.
In Sweden, parents of a newborn are given 480 days of leave to split between them to look after their child. Most of the days are paid up to 80 per cent of the parent’s salary and can be taken until the child turns eight. Paid by the state, the system encourages both parents to take time off to spend time with their child. What is it like to have all that time with your child, and what is it like to get back to work after so many months away? Soundcloud
What do you think, Swedish Freaks, about this episode and the new podcast in general?