The Swedish Women's Educational Association, referred to as SWEA but officially designated SWEA International, Inc., is a global non-profit organization and a network for Swedish and Swedish-speaking women who reside or have resided outside of Sweden.
SWEA is represented in many locations throughout the world and plays a major role in the Swedish State Department's emergency management plan.
SWEA is a politically and religiously independent organization.
Organization SWEA International is the largest non-profit organization promoting Sweden outside of Sweden with the goal of promoting the Swedish language and spreading Swedish culture and tradition.
Each year, SWEA International awards three scholarships of US$15,000 each: The Scholarship for Research Related to the Swedish Language, Literature, and Society The Agneta and Gunnar Nilsson Scholarship for the Study of Intercultural Relations The Sigrid Paskell Scholarship in the Performing Arts In addition, SWEA International selects a Swedish Woman of the Year annually.
Locally, SWEA International's chapters make donations and present scholarships that total about 2 million Swedish kronor (US$250,000) per year.
SWEA International offers its members assistance during the process of relocating and transitioning between countries. Additionally, the organization welcomes and provides support to members upon their return to Sweden.
SWEA International has approximately 6,000 women members in approximately 70 local chapters in about 30 countries on five continents.
SWEA International's chairman since 2024 is Charlotte Rigby Fors.
History In 1979, SWEA International was founded in Los Angeles by Agneta Nilsson. Princess Christina Mrs. Magnuson is the association's honorary president.
Swedish Woman of the Year Since 1989, SWEA International has selected a Swedish Woman of the Year (abbreviated ÅSK, for Årets Svenska Kvinna) annually. The recipient is announced during SWEA's annual meeting each spring and is recognized during the annual "Sweden dinner" organized each summer by one of the chapters located in Sweden. The recipient must be a Swedish woman who, through her accomplishments, has represented and brought attention to the Sweden of today in the greater world.
The following women have been recognized as Swedish Woman of the Year: 1989: Ulla Wachtmeister 1990: Birgitta Wistrand 1991, 1992: Undistributed 1993: Anne-Marie De Geer and Ingrid Croneborg-Bergman 1994: Lise-Lotte Lübeck-Erixon 1995: Ingrid Karlsson 1996: Undistributed 1997: Ulla-Brita Palm 1998: Dorothea Rosenblad 1999: Kerstin Nordquist-Lane 2000: Maria Nyström Reuterswärd 2001: Drottning Silvia 2002: Eva Olofsson 2003: Ewa Kumlin 2004: Barbro Sachs-Osher 2005: Ingrid le Roux 2006: Tina Nordström 2007: Marianne Forssblad 2008: Inger Schuberth 2009: Agneta Nilsson, founder of SWEA International, Inc. 2010: Kjerstin Dellert 2011: Christina Lampe Önnerud 2012: Filippa Knutsson 2013: Mona Henning 2014: Nina Stemme 2015: Petra Wadström 2016: Maria Strømme 2017: Nikoo Bazsefidpay 2018: Ulrika Hydman Vallien 2019: Greta Thunberg 2020: Pia Sundhage 2021: Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden 2022: Undistributed 2023: Anne-Marie Eklund Löwinder 2024: Lise Tamm 2025: Elly Reinolds
Sources
External links SWEA, SWEA International's website