Known as the rock concert of politics, Almedalen Week is an annual event taking place in the first week of July in and around Almedalen, a park in the city of Visby on the Swedish island Gotland. With speeches, seminars and other political activities, it is considered an important forum in Swedish politics.
During the week, representatives from the major political parties in Sweden take turns to hold speeches in Almedalen.
The origins of the Almedalen Week are the speeches held by Olof Palme every summer in Visby, beginning in 1968. The first official Almedalen Week took place in 1982, when the Social Democrats started to organise economic seminars. As a response, the other political parties started to take a more active part. In recent years, the event has grown larger, with hordes of journalists (350 2008), lobbyists, local and national politicians and representatives of non-governmental organizations, all coming to Visby to meet, discuss politics and socialize.
After everything is said and done, there are a few reminders left behind.
