SweDev at Almedalen 2026 

This year’s Almedalen Week in Visby, Gotland, will take place 22–26 June. It is an intense week of important discussions and dialogue, and this year is no exception, with Sweden’s general election taking place in September. SweDev is co-organising two events and will be represented through the participation of two of its members: Emma Elfversson, Director of SweDev and Associate Professor at the Department of Peace and Conflict Research at Uppsala University, and Magdalena Eriksson, member of SweDev’s Executive Committee and Associate Professor (Docent) at Wexsus. The seminars are organised in collaboration with GlobeLife. 

Tuesday 23 June, 13:00 – 13:45: Global Health in a Time of Climate Change – What Role Does Sweden Play?  

This seminar explores the consequences of climate change for citizens’ health around the world. However, those most affected are often the ones who have contributed the least to it. What role can – and should – Sweden play in addressing this? 

This panel is part 1 out of 2 on global health, focusing on the severe consequences of climate change. Increasing levels and intensity of heat, drought, wildfires, flooding, air pollution, and ecosystem changes, alongside a growing risk of armed conflict, are forcing people to flee their homes, and the number of displaced people has doubled over the last decade. Despite this, financial support through aid and climate adaptation is decreasing. 

How can Swedish actors play a constructive role in evidence-based climate adaptation and in addressing the needs of those affected? 

The panel will be held in Swedish.  

Participants (TBC): 

• Stefan Swartling Peterson, Health Advisor, UNICEF Sweden; Professor, Karolinska Institutet  
• Emma Elfversson, Director, SweDev; Associate Professor (Docent), Uppsala University  
• Pernilla Baralt, Secretary General, UNICEF Sweden  
• Ulrika Modéer, Secretary General, Swedish Red Cross  
• Marie Trogstam, Head of Department for Sustainability and Infrastructure, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise 

Tuesday 23 June, 14:00 – 14:45: Strengthened Mutual Knowledge Exchange and Capacity Building in Global Health.  

This panel explores how today’s complex societal challenges call for mutual learning across different contexts. Current models of knowledge exchange are often one-directional, reinforcing dominant perspectives and established practices. This can limit the ability to adapt, innovate, and improve existing systems and infrastructure.  

This panel is part 2 out of 2 on global health. Achieving long-term, sustainable, and effective research collaborations between Sweden and African countries requires approaches that support genuine two-way knowledge exchange. To address today’s complex challenges – such as those facing healthcare systems – it is essential to draw on practical, everyday experiences across different contexts and disciplines. 

This panel brings together perspectives from higher education leadership and social scientists engaged in collaborative projects that take a bottom-up approach. It opens up a broader discussion on how Sweden can support and contribute to more reciprocal knowledge exchange as part of its development cooperation and research funding efforts. 

How can knowledge exchange become more diverse and inclusive, and what lessons can be learned from past experiences? 

The panel will be held in Swedish and English. 

Participants (TBC): 

• Claudia Merli, Associate Professor (Docent), Uppsala University  
• Jaran Eriksen, Associate Professor (Docent) / Co-lead, GlobeLife, Karolinska Institutet 
• Sten Hagberg, Professor, Forum for Africa Studies / Uppsala University  
• Carla Braga, Associate Professor, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique  
• Magdalena Eriksson, Associate Professor (Docent), SweDev / Wexsus  
• Jakob Wernerman, Head of Department, Humanitarian Department, Sida