IFWEA Executive Committee Vice-President Helén Pettersson has stepped down from her role as President of affiliate ABF Sweden, after nearly 13 years of what she describes as an “historic honour”. Saliem Patel, IFWEA Secretary General, is very happy to note that “ABF has asked Helén to remain on the IFWEA EC until the GC in 2027. Viva ABF!!”
She ends her term as President of ABF with inspirational words for all worker-educators:
“It is almost 13 years since I got the great, and historic, honour of becoming chairman of the ABF. Historic – because I was the first woman in the post in our then 100-year history. When I became President, Obama was President of the United States. Reinfeldt was the Prime Minister of Sweden. It was the year that Wanja Lundby-Wedin resigned as chairman of LO, and Håkan Juholt resigned as party chairman of the Social Democrats. Henke Lundqvist made his first dandruff shampoo commercial. No one was against public education from a political point of view. On the contrary. A lot has happened since then.
The whole world is really different, and challenging in a completely new way today. We as an organisation will manage it. That’s the essence of our union. Dealing with the challenges of society. One of my predecessors, ABF’s founder Rikard Sandler, said that the purpose of our association was: “To see society as it is, and as it should be”. We are still there. We will give people the tools to see ours as it is, and the tools to help them make society what it should be. What they want it to be. We will be there to make people’s dreams come true.
Whether it’s a replacement venue for a future musical prodigy, or any average drummer in need of community. If it is a future artist, or someone who needs to be allowed to vent out their emotions in a craft. If you want to talk to your neighbours about how to act in a crisis situation. If anyone wants to be a super chef, or learn how to cook when their partner passes away. If anyone wants to become independent and learn how the iPad works with bank ID, or read the newspaper when it is no longer delivered to your mailbox. If anyone wants to learn to swing a chairman’s club, write and perform speeches, write exercises. If you just need a community to break loneliness and isolation. Or if you want to learn the language you need.
We have a big task in community building. We always have. We take that task seriously. Even when we have governments working against us. That is when our task is most important. We never give up. With that being said, thank you for lending the leadership of the organisation for these thirteen years. It’s been a pleasure to be surprised. I am so impressed with you guys. On and on. Staff, circle leaders and elected officials. You perform small miracles every day for people. Make the voice of the unheard heard. Give back courage and hope where it was lost. You are heroes, all of you. I will miss you guys. Thank you for having me. We’ll see you at the barricades.”