The speech by The Swedish Minister of Culture Marita Ulvskog most of all highlighted the situation for the artist. Below is a resume of the most important parts.

With Stockholm being the Cultural Capital of Europe, Marita Ulvskog's notes that there is a global focus on Stockholm which Swedes are not accustomed to. This offers great chances, she said.

As this conference has already discussed Culture in Conflict Areas Marita Ulvskog focused on other areas, only mentioning another conference on this theme, taking place April 23 to 26 in Stockholm. The conference called "Shaking Hands and Solving Conflicts" has been organized with the help of the Foreign ministry. The participants will come from the Baltic region including countries such as Ukraine.

Money

On the status of the artist, as far as money goes, Marita Ulvskog said:

"I've tried to raise the importance of this issue in both my speeches at the UNESCO conference. There would be no culture if there were no professional artists. The artists must also have the means to pay their rents and make a living. I hope to get back to that during the conference. In Sweden we recently proposed a bill to the parliament regarding the financial terms for the artists. The artist and the citizen are mutually dependent on one another, otherwise creativity in our society will wither away. Without an audience, the artist will not be heard. This is an issue which can not be submitted to supply and demand. The basic idea is that the artist should not be dependent on subsidies but to receive descent wages for his or her job. In this the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Labor has for the first time joined hands," she stated.

One important task is to improve the meeting between artists and consumers, i.e., to give the consumer a higher level of 'cultural consumption power'. This is partly achieved, according to Marita Ulvskog, through a new state subsidy to non-commercial art galleries.

Focus on literature

One of the most important things the Swedish government has achieved is to focus on literature and reading. Giving everybody the opportunity to read and write is the basis for their right to express themselves freely.

"This is not only an issue for countries in the Third World, but in Sweden also. It is very important that the coming generation really learns how to read. They certainly have the desire for literature. This is not a conflict between new technology and reading and writing or libraries. We will not be able to really use the new technology if we lose our language," Marita Ulvskog said.

A recent bill from the Swedish government to the parliament on reading abilities stresses the importance on how to improve the distribution of books.

"If you don't have a language, then you will be handicapped for the greater part of your life."

Design and architecture

Another area the Swedish government is focusing on is design and architecture, and Marita Ulvskog recommended a visit to the new Museum of Modern art and the Museum of Architecture. Architecture and design should have adequate support. Therefore, a paragraph regulating aesthetic values was included in the legislation regarding building and architecture.

Returning once again in her speech to the UNESCO conference, Marita Ulvskog stated the importance of making the political decision makers aware of what is happening in the cultural field:

"If culture is to have the chance to be on the center stage, it must be courageous, but you already know that."

"Those were the first words uttered by The Swedish minister of culture when arriving at the World Conference on Culture in Hässelby.

Ulvskog was referring to the current UNESCO conference and what – possibly – could be the outcome of it.

Marita Ulvskog stressed the importance of the conference in Hässelby and other NGO initiatives taking place besides the UNESCO conference.

"There is important work taking place in many places which is not necessary reflected in the plenary discussion but which is of equal importance", she stated.

"I think that this interaction between participants at the different conferences is something very fruitful. So I believe that something very important could be the outcome of this. At the same time there is always a risk that there will be 'to many words but very little language', as a Swedish poet, I think it was Thomas Tranströmer, expressed it".

One theme at the World Conference on Culture is The Economic status of the Artist. Isn't that something quite petty compared to the big issues such as the role of the culture in solving conflicts?

"No", says Marita Ulvskog. "Without artist being able to work professionally who can support themselves on their work, all of us in society will suffer", she said.