A FAREWELL MESSAGE FROM H.E. MR. FREDRIK JÖRGENSEN, AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN
H.E. Mr. Fredrik Jörgensen, Ambassador of Sweden
Dear friends,
After almost five years in beautiful Prague, it’s time to turn the page. The Jörgensen family is now heading home again. And, of course, we are leaving with mixed feelings. Grateful for everything we have experienced and knowing how much we will miss all our friends here in Czechia.
Sweden and Czechia have a very strong and close cooperation in our official relations, in the cooperation on the State level. But the foundations for this are the strong bonds that exist between our peoples, and between us as individual human beings.
Swedes and Czechs have very much in common in their daily lives. Even if we come from different parts of the continent, with different experiences, we tend to have very much the same outlook on life. We tend to appreciate the simple things in life.
In essence, we are modest people. To generalise a bit, Czechs and Swedes are not extremely extroverted, rather a little reserved and cautious. But when we create friendships, we look for a long-term companionship.
These similarities provide a strong point of departure for further strengthening our ties.
In facing the challenges of Europe today, we have very similar perspectives. Sweden and Czechia are big enough to make a difference in European affairs, but small enough to understand the need for cooperation with others.
We both want (and need) to nurture our partnerships.
MuchoftheEmbassy’sactivities here in Czechia therefore can be summarised under the heading “benchmarking”. By comparing notes and learning from the best examples, we have been able to go forward jointly in many areas, combining our efforts. The best example here is perhaps the “Czech-Swedish Healthcare Innovation Platform”.
Swedish companies are also working in this manner, aiming for long-term partnerships.
But much more can be done, and we now see how Czech companies are considering the same type of direct investments in Sweden.
The Czech presidency of the European Union in 2022 was a vivid reminder of how much can also be achieved by – or especially achieved by – slightly smaller (medium sized!) member states.
I salute Czechia’s handling of the parallel crises of the COVID-19, the energy crisis, and the war in Ukraine. The generous reception of the Ukrainians fleeing from the war has been exceptional, and Czech society as a whole has set an example to follow.
The continued support for Ukraine – economic, humanitarian, and military – is now a top priority for both our countries, and we are looking forward to working closely together with Czechia, now as NATO-members. The Czech skies are still patrolled by the Swedish JAS Gripen, and the recent acquisition of the infantry fighting vehicles CV 90 has meant an important strengthening of the Czech army. In bolstering our defences, we are also close allies.
Indeed, I will miss working with these topics in beautiful Prague. But when leaving, I cherish all the manifestations of the strong human bonds between us.
Thank you, Czechia, for the warm reception and all the beautiful memories. And it is not goodbye. Uvidíme se znovu!
Fredrik Jörgensen
Ambassador of Sweden to the Czech Republic (September 2020 – June 2025)