Malmö will host its first Democracy Week from June 12-18, 2026, featuring international speakers including British author Laura Bates and Swedish comedian Messiah Hallberg. According to a press release from Malmö city, the event called 'Demokrativeckan Malmö möts' will include 250 program points across approximately 20 locations throughout the city, with a free conference at Malmö Live from June 15-17 serving as the central hub.
The week-long event aims to strengthen democracy through meetings characterized by courage, hope, and new solutions. Karin Karlsson, overall project manager for Malmö möts, stated that the conference format is often exclusive for a select few, but they are making it accessible to everyone. 'With a program marked by courage, hope and new solutions, we want to increase knowledge and strengthen democracy,' Karlsson said.
With a program marked by courage, hope and new solutions, we want to increase knowledge and strengthen democracy
International participants include Geoff Mulgan, professor of collective intelligence at University College London, who will speak about democracy and AI. Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism Project, will discuss technology and leadership, while Messiah Hallberg will address satire as a necessary tool for democracy. Other speakers include Annika Winsth, chief economist at Nordea, and Ola Rosling from Gapminder.
The event will feature various formats including keynotes, satire, humor, workshops, conversations, and activities. Thirteen libraries will host in-depth conversations and exhibitions about democracy, while Folkets Park will organize association and youth center days with democracy themes. The full program with times and locations will be published on April 20, 2026.
Malmö möts is described as a politically unbound event organized by Malmö city with the goal of strengthening democracy through meetings. The press release notes that only seven percent of the world's countries are currently considered full democracies, according to the Varieties of Democracy Institute at the University of Gothenburg.