Interview with Mia Stuhre

Hello Mia Stuhre,

We want to check the pulse of Almedalen Week 2026 – and who better to speak with than Mia Stuhre, who orchestrates Sweden's perhaps most intense and complex meeting place. Mia holds operational and strategic responsibility for the entire week, positioned at the intersection of politics, business, and society. In short, she's the central figure.

How did you become involved in Almedalen Week – and what drives you in your role today?

I have followed Almedalen Week since 2001, when I shared a corridor with my predecessor, Karin Lindvall. I observed how her stress levels built up in the weeks leading up to the event. In the mid-2000s, I participated as an organizer, and in the 2010s, as a regional employee resource, for example, in the press center. Since 2017, I have held the role of operations manager for Almedalen Week.

What drives me is the interaction with and among committed people. People who genuinely want to make a real difference 🧡

How do you feel about 2026? What does the current booking situation look like?

We are seeing significantly greater interest from organizations and individuals who wish to participate in the democratic discussions. More people are attending our digital information meetings, and we have a record number of new organizations getting the opportunity to highlight their societal issues within 'All Voices Must Be Heard.' Currently, 45 events are being organized by groups that have not previously arranged anything in the official program. Region Gotland covers the costs for the stage and technology, while participating organizations are responsible for the content and societal issues.

What are the most significant changes you've observed in Almedalen Week since its restart after the pandemic?

Almedalen Week returned after the pandemic shorter, more compressed, and a week earlier, which we believe has benefited the perception of its relevance. The signals we are receiving from our organizers this year indicate that Almedalen Week will be highly anticipated, intense, and likely more strategically important. This is primarily due to election year interest, but also because Almedalen Week in recent years has evolved back to its core: a politically charged, engaging, and content-rich forum.

When you summarize the week before going on vacation – what three words do you think will describe Almedalen Week 2026?

Warmth, joy, and energy!

Is there anything specific you would like to convey to organizers and visitors for this year's week?

We have set the theme for the opening day – Diversity of Democracy. I would like to urge all organizers to consider diversity when planning their events. Diversity on the panel, but also diversity in the audience. The more voices that meet in the conversation, the stronger we become. Our focus in recent years has been on bringing more young voices into democratic discussions, for example, by booking a young expert from one of our 34 youth organizations that we have gathered under the initiative 'Book a Young Expert'.