“We are talking about interpersonal intimacy”

Has Gunnarsbyn in Boden Municipality found the recipe for a living environment that can really attract immigrants? – Others talk about local life, we talk about interpersonal closeness, said Micke Engström, Gunnarsbyn Village Association, when the North Sweden Green Deal project held a conference in the area.

With openness and inclusion, entrepreneurial spirit and investments in culture, many new residents have moved in and put down roots – not only in Gunnarsbyn itself but also in neighboring villages. For the more than 80 conference participants, they shared their recipe for success.

In fact, it seemed like almost the entire village joined in and helped with the venue Folkets Hus, refreshments and guiding. But that's how they are used to it. The villagers' ability to organize themselves, collaborate, make things happen and take care of new people was the very reason why North Sweden Green Deal chose to hold the conference there, forty kilometers from Boden.

The participants represented most of Norrbotten's municipalities and other actors in the sustainable social transformation in Norrbotten and Västerbotten. The meeting with Gunnarsbybygden can sow a seed that can grow into increased attraction in other villages, communities and cities in both counties. Because there is something we know for sure: we must become more, otherwise there will be no green transition.

The first snow of the winter fell when groups of conference participants set out on a guided hike in Gunnarsbyn. Photo: Pär Bäckström

A fairly new iron globe in the middle of the village bears witness to the journey the village has made. It has been given flags that represent the places that the villagers now come from. There are the flags of the Nordic countries, South Africa, England, Germany, Kenya, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. The village's river school has grown from 20 children to 35 in a few years.

- There was a time when a lot of English was spoken at school, said Svante Naess, originally from Stockholm.

The new globe with flags has room for many more. Gunnarsbyn's journey has only just begun. Photo: Pär Bäckström.

He spent many years in Kenya, raised a family there and moved to Gunnarsbyn a bit on a whim when the family wanted to try something new. The years have passed and they are still there.

- I was asked to join in and help with various things, and gradually I realized that everyone works with everything in the village.

Svante Naess was one of the guides who guided conference participants on a hike between different locations in the village, where they met villagers, were treated to refreshments and learned more about how they had "cracked the attraction code".

Svante Naess entertained with anecdotes from his life in Gunnarsbyn. Photo: Pär Bäckström

At Blombergs Guesthouse, Jonas Gejke welcomed him. He has worked in the hospitality industry in Kenya and was the one who attracted Svante here. There, he was served a Kenyan meat stew with salad and pickles.

In the bakery next door, Nancy and Iréne offered freshly baked soft cakes. Micke Engström, Gunnarsbyn Village Association, said that the bakery was not only used for baking bread but also for children's parties and other smaller gatherings.

- Here in Boden people talk a lot about closeness, but we are talking about interpersonal closeness, he said.

Micke Engström also spoke about the association's future plans, which include a solar park. Photo: Pär Bäckström

At Forsberg's Wholesaler's Villa, a time capsule from the 1930s, priest Mogens Amstrup Jacobsen, who moved from Denmark 19 years ago, welcomed and spoke about the value of social meeting places, "elk meal prayer" with the hunting team and church services on the ice before the ice skating competition.

- We picked up the church ladies with snowmobiles and took them out onto the ice.

Today he owns Forsbergs Gamla Handelsbod & Grosshandlarvilla, a venue for cultural events and a summer café. Visitors are offered guided tours of the preserved home from the early 1900th century, with a fascinating history.

Mogens Amstrup Jacobsen stepped in when the Church of Sweden had difficulty finding a priest for the Gunnarsbyn parish. The two-year contract ended a long time ago, but he is still there. Photo: Pär Bäckström.

Folkets Hus is a hub for local cultural offerings. It is a functioning cinema with two film screenings every Sunday. But streamed performances and concerts can also be shown there.

– We showed Coldplay live from Buenos Aires, for example, says Hasse Eriksson, who lives in the neighboring village of Sörbyn.

In the Gunnarsbybygden area, the cultural events at Folkets Hus naturally contribute to the attractiveness of nearby villages. The association that runs Folkets Hus collaborates with other local associations, such as Riksteatern and Boden Arr, to provide a wide range of events. When North Sweden Green Deal was there for a conference, a photo exhibition was going on at the same time, and the night before there was a cinema screening.

– It's almost difficult to keep up with everything that's happening, said Monika Eriksson, who also hosted at Folkets Hus.

RÅEK has several contracts for assignments and services for the municipality of Boden, and also provided a multi-arena for Älvskolan in the village. Photo: Pär Bäckström.

Jenny Engström, operations manager at RÅEK (stands for Råne älvdals council in Gunnarsby parish economic association) received at the Service Point in the village. Among other things, she highlighted the entrepreneurial spirit that lives in the village.

- Attracting people to move here and enjoy themselves is one thing, but we also want the companies. We had a company breakfast in Sörbyn the other week and there were 70 people there. You can understand the interest in meeting and networking! Boden is a successful municipality when it comes to collaborating with the countryside.

Text: Sara Stylbäck Vesa

READ ALSO: "How can we create a village feel when we build new residential neighborhoods?"

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The North Sweden Green Deal is an initiative to realize a sustainable societal transition, in the wake of the new industrial establishments.

The project is run by Region Norrbotten and Region Västerbotten together with a number of other actors. It is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).