Sweden's ambassador speaks at the University on European Union day

Jonas Hofström, ambassador of Sweden to the United States, addressed students, faculty, and international professors in celebration of European Union day at the Alice Campbell Alumni Center.

Before introducing Hofström, speakers including Chancellor Richard Herman recognized the University’s growing focus on international affairs and the importance of having several internationally focused groups on campus.

“Here in the ultimate American heartland, we work tirelessly to help students understand their global community,” Herman said.

Hofström shed light on the economic and environmental goals of the European Union, including its relations with the United States.

“Sweden has a constant evolving relationship with the United States,” he said.

Hofstöm talked about the everlasting trade relations between the United States and Sweden. He said that in today’s global economy, cooperation is needed from both countries to boost its health.

The European Union economy as a whole is expected to drop by four percent next year, and the global economy is to rise by only three percent, said Hofström. In order to induce more growth, he emphasized that free trade should be implemented throughout the world.

“This is the time to push the trade agenda forward,” Hofström said.

A main priority of Sweden is to spread global climate change policies, said Hofström. He said that more political leadership is needed in this realm, and leaders need to “climb out of the trenches and rise to the problems.”

Hofström said that Sweden has one of the best global climate plans in the world, and the government of Sweden plans to to promote the global climate issue at the European Union Summit on November 3rd.

“Even if nothing is achieved, at least you get the right building stones for further agreement,” Hoström said.

The European Union is becoming more popular on the map, said Hofström, as many more countries are asking for membership into the Union. Countries such as Croatia and Iceland have already admitted applications for membership.

“We know how to build civilian societies; we are known for reconciliation.” Hofström said.

Because of this, Hofström said that countries are becoming more attracted to the European Union.

Chancellor Herman thought highly of Hofström’s speech and the University’s European Union Center, the organizer of the event, “is a great source of pride for the University.”

Although the chancellor has resigned, he plans to stay active with groups such as the European Union Center.

“As needed, it would be my pleasure to reach out to all of these people,” Herman said.

European Union day has been going on for nine years now, and an invitation is extended to the ambassador of the country holding the main seat in the European Union Council that year, said Lynda Park, associate director for the European Union Center.

“We’ve never had an ambassador not show up or turn us down,” Park said.

Park said it takes about a year to plan the event, including extending invitations to the ambassador and the scholars from the ambassador’s country.

Robert Pahre, director of the European Union Center, said the visiting ambassador usually talks about the European Union as a whole in addition to his or her own country, and Horfstrom spoke well in regards to that.

“Sweden doesn’t represent (only) Sweden anymore,” Pahre said.

From a student’s perspective, fourth year graduate student Alexandru Balas found the speech interesting, but expected much of the content.

“I felt that he hit all of the important points,” said Balas, who is studying political science. “It was very diplomatic, but that was expected.”

Balas said it was good to have a current European Union ambassador visit the University, mainly because many people are unaware of who Hofström is.

Many more events occurred throughout the day to further celebrate the event.