Democracies are becoming fewer. People’s freedoms are being curtailed. And in Sweden, ten per cent of the country’s young population believe that democracy is unimportant. “That’s why we don’t just need one, but a bloody great number of Åsadalen!”

So says author and commentator Birger Schlaug, one of the participants when Åsa organised a panel discussion at this year’s Folk och kultur convention in Eskilstuna.

The programme item was titled “Starting a democracy festival – Åsadalen”. With this, the school wanted to develop the ideas behind last year’s event – which is being continued this year – but also to gather perspectives on the importance of the democracy festival and how it can be further developed.

Vital for democracy
In addition to Schlaug, the panel included former course participant Emelie Nord, Moderate party member Jan Heiniö who chairs the Regional council of Sörmland’s committee for culture, education and outdoor activities, as well as Åsa teacher and commentator Linus Larsson.

The school’s principal Daniel Berton served as moderator, and opened by asking why initiatives such as Åsadalen are needed.

Former Green party member Schlaug saw several reasons. He boiled them down to the steadily deteriorating state of democracy, both at the individual level and geopolitically.

– Democracy as an idea has become increasingly alien to many people. Ten per cent of those under the age of 29 in Sweden think that democracy is not very important, he said, citing a report from the Swedish Agency for Youth and Civil Society.

Distance deters
Schlaug warned of the forces that are hollowing out popular sovereignty and steering society in an increasingly authoritarian direction.

– That’s why we don’t just need one, but a bloody great number of Åsadalen.

One reason democracy is not a given for many young people may be the wide gap between their everyday reality and political decision-makers.

The lack of forums where citizens and politicians can meet in constructive dialogue is widespread. That is why an event like Åsadalen can make a difference, according to Emelie Nord.

Last year, she observed that classmates who were generally put off by politics partly changed their attitude after meeting politicians at Åsadalen.

A force for growth
– The work done at Åsa strengthened my confidence and my desire to get involved. I also noticed it among other course participants, who grew through the conversations – including on political issues, said Emelie Nord.

Linus Larsson believes that the way Åsadalen is structured makes greater and much-needed mutual understanding possible, even when political opinions diverge.

– Without the conversations we have at this kind of democracy festival that Åsadalen is, I sadly think we will continue to drift further apart.

A scarce commodity
Jan Heiniö was one of the politicians who took part in last year’s festival. What he appreciated most was precisely the conversations – not least his meeting with researcher and public commentator John Lapidus.

– We didn’t start from the same assumptions, but we were still able to have a rewarding conversation about an economic world order different from the one we are familiar with. That way of talking is a scarce commodity today.

Birger Schlaug hopes that Åsa folk high school will continue to organise and develop Åsadalen without diluting its meaning.

– Above all, ‘ordinary’ people should feel welcome and not feel stupid for taking part. That is, after all, the very idea of the folk high school.

See the programme for this year’s Åsadalen take shape on the democracy festival’s website.

Text and photo: Henrik Wising