Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh

"I want you to see Malmö as a brave city"

- We are a young population that is growing fast. 40 percent of the residents are under 29 years old. We are also one of the world's most international cities. We have over 180 nationalities and a population fluent in the world’s languages with connections all over the globe. It's a strength. But we are also a fast-growing city in a small area and we need to work to promote safety, to foster equality, and to ensure that everyone gets to take part in all the positive things Malmö has to offer. No one should ever have to hide who they are. These are also issues that many Malmö residents are involved in and care about.

- There are gaps here, but Malmö is also well integrated. In other cities, the geography is greater and more spread out. We are almost 350,000 residents who move in a fairly small area. So even if we are segregated at the neighbourhood level, we still meet and interact.

- For many years, we have worked with urban planning to break down barriers as a way of trying to break segregation. It’s something that people in Malmö are committed to and take pride in. Building an open and inclusive city requires the commitment of the people of Malmö, and we must take advantage of that power.

- I became politically involved when I was at university. The issue that got me active was social bias. We students all looked the same. I wondered where everyone else was and what we lose when we are so homogeneous. It became clear that we have societal structures that hold people back.

- There are strong forces, both nationally and internationally, fighting the openness that Malmö stands for. They look for things that reflect negatively on Malmö and use them for their own purposes. I think I am the chairperson of a municipal board in this country who is most often asked to interpret the image of their city. But I am not trying to change how people see Malmö, I’m trying to change the reality.

- I want you to experience Malmö as a brave city where you can make a difference and be just the way you are. It is an important part of Malmö's identity. I get happy when someone tells me that they have moved to Malmö because they can be themselves here.