european magazine
When the days get colder and shorter in Sweden, it affects many people. With a campaign, the industrial town of Lulea encourages people to greet each other in a friendly manner. Does that help against the gloom?
Anyone who lives high up in the Swedish north should be weatherproof. The first snow is already there. You can only go out the door with a thick jacket, hat and gloves.
Maybe it’s also because the Swedes are not considered the world champions of small talk. A simple hello – Hej in Swedish – could have a big impact, says Åsa Koski.
“There is research that shows that greeting each other has a positive effect on well-being and health,” explains the 44-year-old, who works for the municipality in Luleå. “So we felt we had to do something!”
Feelings of loneliness – no exception
According to a survey by the health authority, one in four people in Sweden feels lonely. Older people are particularly affected. Actress Eva-Britt Tjernquist appears in a video from the campaign that encourages friendly greetings.
She has been living alone for a long time and hopes that people, not just in Luleå, will become closer again through a little “Hej”.
Nobody likes to talk about loneliness. I miss the conversations. You come home and have no one to talk to. But then I pull myself together and call someone, say something and ask what the other person thinks. So you have to do something, find new solutions.
A conversation about daily interaction – even students notice that we often overlook each other in everyday life.
No question of age
In any case, Kosaki and Tjernquist are now setting a good example on the streets of Luleå and warmly greet everyone who passes by. On the way, Koski explains that 16 to 29 year olds now often feel alone.
So in the afternoon she stops by a high school to talk about the topic. “Do you greet your classmates in the hallway?” Koski wants to know. The group of young students in front of her look a little embarrassed. “When someone walks past me, I look up. But many people just keep walking with a stubborn look,” says one.
The icy bath brings many people together in Lulea.
Then it’s off to the sauna – to sweat and relax.
Ice bathing can also connect
Sometimes you have to break your habits, like the first ice on the Baltic Sea. Pontus Wikström saws a hole in the frozen bank. Despite the sub-zero temperatures, they want to get into the water straight away. The Swede founded an ice bathing club in Luleå. Most of the 500 members come on weekends. After bathing in the ice-cold water, you go into a small sauna.
There is almost always a place, says Pontus. Sweating together and bathing in the ice – nothing helps combat loneliness better. “It’s a good opportunity to make new contacts. Also for many people who suffer from involuntary loneliness. They feel better here, at least for a while.”
Up here, just a few kilometers from the Arctic Circle, the darkest time of the year is now coming. By mid-December the days are getting shorter and shorter. There are many ways to avoid having to go through this alone. A friendly “Hej” on the street, for example, can help in Luleå.
You can see these and other reports in the Europamagazin – on Sunday at 12.45 p.m. on Erste.