Last night we celebrated the Swedish yearly tradition Lucia. As every year it was a lovely evening spent with Embassy partners and friends. We would like to thank everyone for a wonderful year and fruitful collaborations. Ambassador Henrik Cederin stated in his speech "this celebration very much marks the end of the year. Looking back on our efforts during 2018, we are happy to see how new ties are emerging between Sweden and Zambia and how old connections are strengthened and developed." We are looking forward to see what 2019 has in store for us.
Read Ambassador Cederin's full speech:
11 December 2018, Swedish Residence
Speech by Ambassador Henrik Cederin
I am very happy to once again stand on this stage and welcome you all to our Lucia celebration.
This is the fourth time that I have the privilege of hosting this joyous event. Celebrating Lucia is a very strong tradition in Sweden and it plays an important part in the build-up to Christmas.
There has been intense activity here at the Swedish residence the last week to get all preparations under way and already here at the outset I wish to thank all of you who take part.
We are very fortunate to have so many colleagues, accompanying spouses, and children – Swedish as well as Zambian, together with other friends in Lusaka, who again and again join to form the choir for this yearly event.
Even if I know that you can’t hear these words of appreciation, waiting impatiently as you are in the background ready to very soon take centerstage, you should know that we are eagerly awaiting your procession.
Likewise, the kitchen has been very busy putting together snacks and finger food that we hope will give you a tasty experience of Swedish cuisine. There is the cured salmon, the Christmas ham, the meat balls and the Jansson’s temptation – don’t ask me to explain the recipe for that one, but you should be able to notice in it a fair amount of anchovies. Also, there are ginger snaps and saffron buns being passed around. You might already have tried the Swedish glögg – a hot wine punch with almonds, raisins, spices – maybe even with some aquavit.
Our tradition of celebrating Lucia goes back a long way, to pagan days. The pagan tradition was then merged with the celebration of St Lucy – that is Lucia of Syracuse – a young Christian martyr who died in the year of 304. This saint is celebrated in Italy, but also in the rest of Europe and throughout the Christian world. To the peoples of Scandinavia, her memory is especially dear.
Some even believe that 13 of December, the Lucia Day, is the Swedish national day. If you happen to think so – I forgive you. Considering the importance that we Swedes attach to the yearly Lucia celebration you could very well have been led to believe so.
Also, this celebration very much marks the end of the year. Looking back on our efforts during 2018, we are happy to see how new ties are emerging between Sweden and Zambia and how old connections are strengthened and developed.
Our bilateral development cooperation is very much at the heart of what we do in Zambia and we now have a new strategy in place that will take us all the way to 2022.
Our programs are aimed at improvements in the following three areas:
1) Human rights, democracy, the rule of law and gender equality
2) Equitable health, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and nutrition
3) Environment, climate, renewable energy and sustainable, inclusive economic development and livelihoods
We are very pleased to be working on these issues, adding value to national efforts undertaken. There are plenty of challenges ahead. Developments achieved need to be defended, not least when it comes to democratic space and media freedom where Zambia must not jeopardize her leading regional role as well as live up to the expectations of her citizens.
We work with civil society to help efforts to hold government accountable and we wish to assist in building capacity in governments institutions with a similar mission. Combating corruption and strengthening accountability is one the objectives in our programs. Tomorrow we sign a new three-year agreement with the Office of the Auditor-General. Our experience this year in the social cash transfer program has not been a good one.
With the challenges presented by climate change, the importance of achieving a sustainable development cannot be but underlined. We continue our well-established tradition of support in agriculture and renewable energy.
Not only do we work with sexual and reproductive health and rights bilaterally in Zambia, we also have a regional team at our Embassy who covers all of sub-Saharan Africa pursuing these important issues.
We also want to broaden our relations and here trade promotion plays a key role. We are pleased with those delegations that we have received and we are looking forward to participating at AgriTech in Chisamba in April.
We also have a hard-working migration section, which I know helps many of you with obtain visa for travelling to European countries.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue our cooperation and exchange in the many areas in which we are active. Many of our partners – from all sectors – government as well as private – are here tonight and I wish to thank all of you for the work done during 2018.
In Sweden, mid-December is the darkest time of the year. The Lucia celebrations are very much about the return of light.
This you will experience now when our Lucia choir enters the open space here in front of us.
Please remain quiet and please give the choir the space that they need to be able to move freely. We are all excited but please stay on the grass enabling the choir to move along the pathway without interference.
Lastly, together with Alexandra, and with all my colleagues at the Embassy of Sweden, I want to wish you all an enjoyable holiday period, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
Let us all raise our glasses for a toast. Skål.
