Sweden’s first national strategy to strengthen Jewish life and combat antisemitism

The national strategy to strengthen Jewish life and combat antisemitism is a 10-year commitment for the period 2025–2034 in which several parts of society need to be engaged. 

– Jewish culture is a natural part of our Swedish cultural heritage and our society – past, present and future. Being able to feel safe and be open about one’s identity, regardless of the context, should be a matter of course for us all – including Swedish Jews. With this strategy, the Government aims to strengthen the conditions for Jewish life in Sweden, says Minister for Culture Parisa Liljestrand. 

– Various expressions of antisemitism pose a threat not only to individuals but to democratic society as a whole. Antisemitism has a unique ability to adapt to new forms, contexts and places, and has caused fear and lack of freedom for centuries. We have seen many signs of a resurgence in antisemitism in recent years. It is our joint responsibility to counteract this development, says Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life Nina Larsson.

– This year marks the 250th anniversary of Jewish life in Sweden. Jewish life is a valuable and natural part of our society. It should be entirely normal for Jews in Sweden to wear a Star of David or a kippah openly, with joy and pride. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. More initiatives are needed to ensure that Jews feel safe and able to express their identity without being subjected to hate, threats or violence, says Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health Jakob Forssmed.

The national strategy focuses on the following three areas considered central to strengthening Jewish life and combatting antisemitism:

•  knowledge, education and research about Jewish life;

•  Jewish culture and Swedish-Jewish cultural heritage;

•  safety and openness – efforts to combat antisemitism.

Each focus area is accompanied by specific objectives. 

The strategy builds on the report: Strengthened Jewish life for future generations – the national strategy to strengthen Jewish life in Sweden 2025–2034 (SOU 2024:3). It also builds on the Government’s action plan to combat racism and hate crime (A2024/01394).

When the strategy was adopted, the Swedish National Archives, Living History Forum, Swedish Police Authority and Swedish Defence Research Agency were tasked with contributing to its implementation.