Dear Readers,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2020 to you.
Gothenburg is aglow with festive mood: lights in public spaces, and candles and stars in many households especially in the window sills, sharing one’s joys and sorrows with one’s nearest and dearest ones. One need not give an expensive gift to one’s nearest and dearest one: a handwritten card, a phone call, or an invitation to spend time together will suffice.
“Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.” –Robert Louis Stevenson
The churches across Gothenburg have special ceremonies with music for Christmas and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2020: Wednesday, 1 January especially Haga and Domkyrka.
QUADRICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY: 2021
Gothenburg gears up to celebrate its 400th anniversary, quadricentennial anniversary, in 2021. The countdown has begun. The City of Gothenburg or Göteborgs Stad and its Göteborg & Co has many plans to involve the residents directly and indirectly in the celebration of quadricentennial anniversary. www.gothenburg-400.com shall strive to report about the events and happenings, interviews with those in public administration and artists, and reportage about those who do to make Gothenburg sustainable, life-affirming and eco-friendly.
400 EXPERIENCES: To Do, To Feel, To Know, To See in Gothenburg
www.gothenburg-400.com has published stories about calls for action on climate change to a coffee school started by an Australian, about politicians and politics, about diverse cultures and interesting snippets of information among others during 2018 and 2019. We have published more than 400 stories with text, photos, videos and podcasts: thank you for encouragement and feedback. Which news story or which feature published on the website will gain traction or will not gain traction is beyond our control and imagination: it is evident if you look at the most popular stories on the website. In 2020, www.gothenburg-400.com has planned to publish more articles especially ‘400 Experiences: To Do, To Feel, To Know, To See in Gothenburg. If you have any suggestions, please do write to us: gothenburg.400@gmail.com
2020: Bring Out that Light in You
Winter Solstice, the shortest day of daylight is behind us. Prior to it the city celebrated Saint Lucia (of Syracuse): the bringer of light and peace. Nya Örgryte Kyrka was packed for St Lucia Day: 13 December. Vivianne Wetterling the priest of the church told that more than 400 people attended the church and all the tickets for the occasion celebrated with hymns, songs and music were sold out. With the light of Saint Lucia, we can start to look at the New Year to cope winter with kindness and consideration, with renewed optimism, and with that promising light around us and in us and in you.
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year 2020
