The day began at Björkestaskolan, where visitors were served a preparedness-themed lunch cooked without electricity - a reminder of the importance of resilience in everyday life. The seminar continued at Nykvarn's Folkets Park, bringing together local leaders, businesses, and civil society to discuss innovative approaches to strengthening civil defence.

During the visit to Björkestaskolan. Photo: Edvin Landvik

A preparedness-themed lunch. Photo: Edvin Landvik

The panel was opened by MSB Director General Mikael Frisell and moderated by Professor Martin Carlsson-Wall, Head of SSE's Center for Security and Resilience (CfSR). Participants included Märtha Dahlberg, Chair of the Nykvarn Municipal Council, Steinunn Ásgeirsdóttir, Nykvarn’s Chief Executive, Mathias Larsson Carlander, Chair of Nykvarn’s Floorball Association, and Jimmy Dale, CEO of Adcuris AB. The discussions highlighted how municipalities must balance preparedness, innovation, and collaboration to ensure vital societal functions can continue even under crisis.

Steinunn Ásgeirsdóttir, Nykvarn’s Chief Executive. Photo: Edvin Landvik

The Utvecklingskommuner concept

The Utvecklingskommuner (Innovation Municipalities) initiative is part of the newly established Center for Security and Resilience, and builds on lessons from Ukraine, where municipal resilience has been critical to national survival. The idea is simple but powerful: by working closely with municipalities of different sizes - Stockholm (large metropolitan), Linköping (regional university city), Borlänge (mid-sized), and Nykvarn (small) - researchers and practitioners can test and develop practical solutions for civil defence and community resilience.

Led by three SSE research centers - the Center for Security and Resilience, the Center for Municipality Governance, and the Center for Sports and Business - the initiative aims to combine academic research, outreach, and practice. Each municipality will serve as a “living lab” for testing policies and strategies that strengthen total defence and societal preparedness, from emergency response and cyber resilience to health, education, and community wellbeing.

By linking cutting-edge research with the everyday realities of local governance, Utvecklingskommuner seeks to transform ideas into action. The ambition is not only to strengthen Sweden’s civil defence, but also to provide a model for how municipalities worldwide can contribute to building resilient societies in uncertain times.

Mikael Frisell, MSB Director General. Photo: Edvin Landvik

During the launch of "Utvecklingskommuner" in Nykvarn. Photo: Edvin Landvik


Anna Laurell Nash. Photo: Edvin Landvik