Sweden’s prime minister calls for end to ethnic enclaves in big cities
August 24, 2022, 8:56 am

Sweden’s prime minister calls for end to ethnic enclaves in big cities

Sweden-Stockholm-Old town/Pixabay

Sweden’s prime minister called for an end to “ethnic clusters” in the country’s big cities Tuesday (August 23), saying there should be no Little Italy-type ghettos of immigrants.

Swedish should be spoken in all areas of the country, Magdalena Andersson told the Dagens Nyheter daily, adding: “We do not want to have Chinatowns in Sweden, we do not want to have Somalitowns or Little Italies.”

The move follows criticism of a proposal by Migration Minister Anders Ygeman that Sweden seek to limit the concentration of people with immigrant backgrounds in the most troubled areas of cities.

Expressing support for neighboring Denmark’s policy of seeking to limit immigrant concentrations, Andersson underlined, however, that this does not have to mean "forcibly moving people," as happened in Denmark.

Andersson said there are other ways to implement this, including building attractive cooperative housing.

"Then you get a mixed population,” she told the newspaper.

Sweden’s prime minister calls for end to ethnic enclaves - Photo. Pixabay

Leading Swedish experts in immigration and integration as well as many other political parties reacted strongly when Ygeman suggested that there should be a limit on non-Nordic inhabitants in Swedish cities.

But Andersson stood by the proposal and said there is nothing controversial about it, though it should have been implemented much earlier in order to prevent segregation.

Sweden warns citizens against travel to Iran after trial of Iranian official ends

But the immigration and integration experts expressed skepticism.

The effect of this policy would be to categorize people ethnically in terms of Nordic, “basically speaking, white people or non-Nordic, which would include large number of immigrants coming from non-European countries, the Middle East, Africa, and so on,” Charles Westin, a sociologist at Stockholm University, told Anadolu Agency.

Saying that this is not the way to deal with integration, Westin called it “a racist approach.”

“What comes to mind is the (former) system of apartheid in South Africa or other kinds of state racism,” he added.

Source: aa

UNICEF: Drought in parts of Africa puts children "one disease away from catastrophe" Dinosaur tracks revealed after Texas drought dries up river

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.