SWEA International - Årets Svenska Kvinna

What Årets Svenska Kvinna is

You receive a diploma and a silver pendant with the SWEA symbol, plus public recognition at a ceremony during SWEA Sverige Sommardagar in August. SWEA International has given this honorary award each year since 1989. SWEA is a worldwide non-profit for Swedish and Swedish-speaking women living abroad. The award honours a Swedish woman who represents and promotes modern Sweden internationally. Past recipients include Queen Silvia (2001), Crown Princess Victoria (2021) and NASA astronaut Jessica Meir (2026). This is an honour, not a cash scholarship: no money is attached.

Who can be honoured

• Who qualifies: You are a Swedish woman who stands out for representing and promoting present-day Sweden internationally, directly or indirectly.
• Age and life stage: Any age and any career or life situation. There is no age limit.
• No political agenda: SWEA is non-political, so you must not pursue a visible political agenda.
• SWEA membership: You may be a SWEA member, but you do not have to be.
• How you get into the running: You cannot nominate yourself. A SWEA member or local chapter must nominate you.

How nomination and selection work

SWEA members and chapters worldwide submit nominations through the official online form between 1 August and 15 November. A committee then checks that candidates meet the criteria and picks four to five finalists. The finalists are presented to members on 8 March. All paying SWEA members vote for their favourite between 8 March and 8 April, one vote each. The winner is announced in August.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a single annual honour decided by a vote among roughly 6,000 SWEA members, so it is highly selective. It goes to women with a strong, visible international profile. You cannot put yourself forward: someone inside SWEA must nominate you. Realistically, it recognises an already notable body of work rather than being something you apply for in the usual sense.