Ambassador's Visit to Gothenburg
02.10.2026
Ambassador Karolina Ostrzyniewska visited Gothenburg, the capital of the Västra Götaland region, on 24-26 September 2026 to attend this year's Gothenburg Book Fair (Bokmässan) and accompanying events. This was her second study visit to the city.
The Gothenburg Book Fair is the largest event of its kind in the Nordic region, attracting more than 100,000 visitors and 800 exhibitors in 2026. This year’s 40th edition coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Witcher universe. A special guest was Andrzej Sapkowski, whose participation was organised and coordinated by the Polish Institute in Stockholm.
The Ambassador began her visit by attending a formal lunch for Book Fair guests at City Hall, hosted by the Mayor of Gothenburg, Aslan Akbas, and the Director of the Book Fair, Oskar Ekström.
Together with the Polish Institute in Stockholm, the Ambassador co-hosted a dinner with Swedish publishers and literary experts, with Andrzej Sapkowski as the guest of honour. Embassy representatives also attended a panel discussion on Poland’s wartime experience, featuring Artur Szulc, who presented his latest book, “Hitler’s Lawyer: Hans Frank”, and British journalist and author Jack Fairweather, who heads the Pilecki Institute in New York.
Another highlight was the panel discussion “What is happening in our part of the world – Northern Europe?”, held at City Hall with the ambassadors of Poland, Finland and France. The event was co-organised by Poland’s Honorary Consul Göran Hult and his Finnish and French counterparts, the University of Gothenburg and the City of Gothenburg. In her remarks, the Polish Ambassador highlighted the threats posed by Russia’s hybrid warfare and the need for cooperation among countries in the Baltic Sea region. She stressed the strategic nature of Polish–Swedish relations, the importance of defence and economic cooperation, and opportunities for cooperation with Gothenburg and southern Sweden.
The programme also included business and academic engagements: a visit to the Polish company KUBO International AB and discussions with Cecilia Malmström, former European Commissioner and Swedish Minister for EU Affairs, and Martin Nilsson Jacobi, President of Chalmers University of Technology.
On the final day, the Ambassador and Consul A. Jach met representatives of the local Polish community from the associations Linkultur and Polskie w Szwecji. Discussions focused on their current activities, Polish–Swedish cooperation and the challenges facing the Polish community in Gothenburg and the surrounding region. Their hosts also showed them the city during a walk and a boat trip through picturesque Gothenburg and its harbour.
Embassy representatives also met members of the Polish choir Chorus Polonicus Gothoburgensis, established in 1999, and its conductor, Wojciech Głuch. The meeting took place at Hjällbo Church and concluded with a wonderful concert.
Thank you for the warm welcome, generous hospitality and wonderful concert!
