Morning Coffee: Irene Oskarsson on the Rural Affairs
Parliament and decisiveness

When the Rural Parliament brings together participants from all over Sweden in Skellefteå, the focus is on issues related to local development and collaboration. During the Morning Coffee session, Irene Oskarsson, chair of Hela Sverige ska leva, spoke about the organization’s work and the importance of giving people the opportunity to influence development in the communities where they live.

The morning began with Municipal Director Kristina Sundin Jonsson and Municipal Commissioner Joakim Wallström speaking about Skellefteå’s development journey and the work being done to build resilient communities through dialogue with residents, associations, and villages.

Society Expo Project Manager Helena Renström then welcomed the morning’s guest, Irene Oskarsson. As Chair of Hela Sverige ska leva, she leads the organization behind the Rural Parliament – Sweden’s largest forum for rural development.

Hela Sverige ska leva was founded just over 35 years ago out of a desire to strengthen local engagement and give people greater opportunities to influence development in their communities. Today, Hela Sverige ska leva brings together local development groups, associations, and organizations from across the country with a shared focus on sustainable community development.

This year’s Rural Parliament will convene in 2026 in Skellefteå with the theme Focus on Action, and according to Irene Oskarsson, it is precisely people’s engagement, trust, and willingness to contribute that are crucial for creating vibrant communities.

– What we need right now in this country is trust. It’s dialogue and conversation, face to face. And if there isn’t local support and confidence, the will and the opportunity, then none of it will come to fruition, Irene Oskarsson explained during the conversation.

During the Rural Parliament, around 650 participants from all over Sweden gather in Skellefteå and Västerbotten. The program includes seminars, study visits, panel discussions, and exchanges of experiences, with a focus on how local initiatives can contribute to sustainable development.

Morning Coffee is a Society Expo 2026 discussion series where project manager Helena Renström meets with politicians and others shaping the society of the future.