Today is the start of #Almedalen - Probably the largest open event in Europe for Media, PR, NGO, Politics, Lobby....

Today is the start of the amazing Almedalsveckan in Visby, Gotland. This is a week when almost everyone who is someone, wants to be someone, or wants to see someone who is someone, goes to Visby, Gotland.

The park of Almedalen becomes center of the universe for a week. 
More than 1500 Open Seminars are published in the official catalogue which is one of the legs of what this event is resting on. 
The other leg is the speeches of the leaders of the political parties. 
The Almedalsveckan is arranged by the political parties of Gotland.
I'll give you an introduction to the Swedish political scene.
Name - abbreviation - my guess of current % of sympathies  - English translation of name - my comment

• Vänsterpartiet (v) 5% -Left party - previouslly communist, now against all change
• Socialdemokraterna (s) 35% Social Democrats - A bit lost as the Moderaterna stole their visible ideas, and as they forgot their values, they don't really know what to do.
• Miljöpartiet (mp) 10% (Greens) - Only party that is navigating outside of the traditional right-left paradigm
• Folkpartiet (fp) 5% (Liberal) - Previously social liberal but currently profiling in negative talk about our school system even though the party leader is minister of education
• Centerpartiet (c) 5%  - Kind of liberal but with rural history - Might select a 28 year old woman next partyleader 
• Kristdemokraterna (kd) 5%  Kind of liberal with religous history. Unlike countries like the US and Iran it is not adviceable here to make religion your profile.
• Moderaterna (m) 30% Now very liberal, previously conservative. Has stolen the welfare language from (s)  The Treasury minister has become the rockstar of recovery as Sweden has hardly been affected by the current financial crisis. 
• Sverigedemokraterna (sd) 5%- Xenophic party targeting muslims as source of all evil.  For that purpose now embracing groups they previously hated, like gays, who they hope will hate muslims as some islamists hate gays.

Each night for 8 days a political party leader holds a speech in the park of Almedalen.  The speech is broadcasted direct on national television and afterwards it is analyzed by political commentators. 
This is only part of the story.  As it has become, "everyone" goes there, so the event is now a gigantic arena for seminars and exhibitions for anyone who wants to influence the future of Sweden our place in the world.  More than 1500 seminars are arranged under theses conditions.

1. Any participant is welcome.  You are not allowed to exclude someone.
2. All seminars must bee free of charge. No entrance fee
3. You are not allowed to sell something at the seminar.

Tomorrow I will work the whole day, documenting a full day of seminars for the Swedish Association of Plastics & Chemistry Companies.  It will be a vision day where the current time is set to year 2030 and Sweden has become world leading in Sustainable Development.  More about that after tomorrow.  I will now be a happy daily commuter from Fårö to Visby