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Crown Princess Victoria was honored with the Swedish Woman of the Year Award this week. Princess Christina of Sweden presented her niece with the prize on Thursday, Sept. 9, at Millesgården in Lidingo. The future Queen admitted in her remarks that she was “both happy and moved” to have been chosen by SWEA International for the award.
“It has been more than 40 years since SWEA was founded by Agneta Nilsson in Los Angeles. Ever since then, your association has been responsible for a concrete and long-term commitment to Sweden,” Victoria said in her speech. “On various trips around the world, my family and I have many times had the privilege of meeting representatives of your association. It‘s always nice.”
“SWEA offers something that I know means a lot to many residents abroad. And it is the access to a community, a network, which extends all over the world and where one can find both friendship, support and competence,” Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar’s mother continued. “All of you who are members and who engage in SWEA are, in various ways, ambassadors for our country. This is an important assignment, and I would like to thank each and every one of you for your efforts to promote Swedish culture, Swedish traditions and the Swedish language.”
SWEA International, which is an association for Swedish and Swedish-speaking women who live or have lived abroad, announced in March that Victoria had been voted Swedish Woman of the Year 2021. Barbro Osher, who nominated the royal, said in a statement at the time, “The Crown Princess stands for everything that SWEA identifies with, a contemporary, modern Sweden with openness, inclusion, environmental thinking and care. Features that we Sweor bring with us into the world in a global cross-border sisterhood, where we now welcome our Crown Princess.”
Suzanne Langeland Southard, president of SWEA International, added, “It is extra fun that this year it is exactly twenty years since HM Queen Silvia was named Swedish Woman of the Year. This year it was our dear Crown Princess, and we are happy to give these fantastic women and role models the tribute they so well deserve.”
Since 1989, the award has been presented to Swedish women who have been “ambassadors” for Sweden abroad.