How the Government's Decision Affects SR – and a Week of Drama from Srebrenica to Srinagar

It’s one of those weeks where you feel you could do with a couple of extra ears. Back home in Sweden, the entire public service broadcasting sector is waiting for word from the government that could shape the future of SR. Meanwhile, events unfolding around the world give one pause for thought – from the gritty alleyways of Srinagar to the memorial services in Srebrenica. And in the midst of it all, a reminder that there are other ways of looking at things.

A price tag no one wants to talk about

You shouldn’t underestimate the feeling of sitting around waiting for a bill you never asked for. That’s exactly what’s happening in the corridors of Sveriges Radio right now. The question of funding for its broadcasts – that huge price tag hanging in the air – awaits a decision from the government. No one wants to predict the outcome, but everyone knows this will be one of the toughest decisions for the culture minister to handle. Because it’s not just about numbers in a budget, but the very backbone of our media landscape. I’ve sat through enough meetings over the years to know that when politicians drag their feet, it’s because something’s about to give.

While we wait for the Swedish decision, the world keeps turning. A few days ago, Iceland unveiled its first national defence strategy – a document that on paper is about security policy, but in practice signals something to the rest of us in the Nordics. And down in Eastern Europe, Swedish-donated vessels heading for Ukraine aren’t making it as planned. It’s a reminder that even the best intentions can get bogged down in the swamp of bureaucracy and logistics. Much like this decision about SR, actually. It’s all connected.

From Kashmir to Bosnia: Images that leave a mark

I can’t help but think about how different places around the world reflect the same thing: that history is never really history. Take Srinagar in Kashmir. There, it’s not just politics that determines what tomorrow looks like, but also the falling snow and the quiet protests in the backstreets. I’ve followed developments there for years, and every time you think things have calmed down, it flares up again. It’s a place where life goes on amid it all – shopkeepers setting up their saffron stalls, kids playing cricket on narrow lanes. But beneath the surface, the question of who really calls the shots always remains.

And then there’s Srebrenica. A few weeks ago, people gathered to remember what happened there almost three decades ago. It’s a weight that’s impossible to put into words. The same ritual every year, yet it feels like time makes the pain more complex, not less. Standing there listening to the names being read out is a reminder that here in Europe, we still carry wounds that will never fully heal. It’s a kind of gravity that almost takes your breath away – especially when you hear at the same time that tensions are rising again in the region.

• Srinagar – where political deadlock meets the resilience of everyday life.
• Srebrenica – a memory that refuses to fade, and is now becoming increasingly significant for the next generation.
• Srikakulam – a place along India’s eastern coast where nature recently showed its full force, reminding us of our vulnerability.

A basketball star and an ancient philosophy

Sometimes names pop up that make you stop and take notice. Jayson Tatum, for instance. For those who don’t follow basketball, he’s one of those players who makes even non-fans raise an eyebrow. Right now, all of America is talking about his performances in the playoffs, and sure, it’s entertainment. But it’s also a story about being in the spotlight when everyone expects you to fall – and still delivering. I like those kinds of stories, because they remind me that character is forged under pressure, whether on a basketball court or in a newsroom waiting for a government decision.

And now for something completely different: Sramanism. It’s one of those topics that makes you realise how much we in the West have forgotten. The ancient Indian tradition, often confused with Buddhism and Jainism, but with its own sharp philosophy centred on asceticism and letting go of material things. When I read that more and more young people in India, especially in cities like Srikakulam, are starting to rediscover this worldview, it suddenly feels very contemporary. In a time of threats of war and political budget negotiations, maybe that very ability to step back is the greatest strength.

Because what are we really waiting for back home? A decision on funding for SR to ensure the radio continues to reach every village, from Kiruna to Ystad. At the same time, people in Srinagar watch over their homes, and Srebrenica erects new memorials. And in the midst of all this, a philosopher from thousands of years ago said that perhaps it’s precisely in not possessing that one finds freedom. I don’t know if I fully buy that – I like my radio and my morning paper too much. But it does make you stop and think, and that’s never a bad thing.