Voksenåsen and the 2027 Book Fair: Democracy as Knowledge, Encounter, and Responsibility

Democracy as Knowledge, Encounter, and Responsibility

Democracy must be understood, practiced, and renewed

In 2027, democracy will be the main theme at the Gothenburg Book Fair. For Voksenåsen, this is both a priority and a natural fit. As Norway’s national gift to Sweden, with a mission to strengthen Swedish-Norwegian understanding and create spaces for knowledge, culture, and dialogue, Voksenåsen takes a long-term approach to issues related to democratic literacy, historical knowledge, Nordic cooperation, and youth participation.

Democracy is not something we achieve once and then take for granted. It must be understood, practiced, and constantly renewed by every generation, every day. In an era marked by war, AI-driven disinformation, declining trust in institutions, and growing divisions in public discourse, the need for knowledge, education, and cross-border dialogue is becoming increasingly clear. The Book Fair is one of the Nordic region’s most important venues for literature, freedom of expression, public education, and social debate—and the 2027 theme of democracy will provide an opportunity to bring together many different stakeholders around one of the most crucial issues of our time.

Voksenåsen is proud to be part of this effort, together with the Book Fair, Natur & Kultur, the Teachers’ Foundation, and other partners. The theme of democracy needs to be supported by many voices and perspectives: culture, education, research, the media, civil society, the public sector, and international networks. We look forward to contributing to a broad, relevant, and engaging program—and to forging more partnerships with organizations committed to strengthening democracy both in the Nordic region and around the world.

2027 Democracy Is the Main Theme at the Gothenburg Book Fair

01 The VoksenåsenPerspective

People aren't born democrats

Voksenåsen’s unique approach to the theme of democracy focuses on democratic competence for young people, a distinct Nordic perspective, and the connection between culture, education, and societal resilience. We are guided by the conviction that people are not born democrats. Democratic competence is learned, practiced, and developed—through knowledge, experience, dialogue, participation, and responsibility.

We are particularly interested in issues such as:

How do we equip children and young people with the knowledge, confidence, and tools they need to participate in democracy?

How can we strengthen reading, language, general knowledge, and critical thinking as fundamental prerequisites for democracy?

How can historical knowledge help young people understand contemporary conflicts, propaganda, dehumanization, and disinformation?

How can Nordic experiences and perspectives contribute to the conversation about democracy, preparedness, and resilient societies?

How can we create spaces where young people themselves can articulate their questions, experiences, and visions for the future?

Lessons We've Learned

Through initiatives such as Hågkomstresor, the Voksenåsen Music Academies, and the Nordic Youth Conference for Democracy, Voksenåsen is already fostering connections between young people, culture, history, and civic engagement. For the 2027 Book Fair, we want to bring these experiences into a broader context and contribute to conversations that deepen understanding, challenge assumptions, and inspire action.

A forum where people not only talk about democracy, but also have the opportunity to practice it.

Voksenåsen on the Theme of Democracy 2027

02ANordic Contribution to the Theme of Democracy

With the Nordic region as our starting point, and our gaze turned outward

Voksenåsen takes the Nordic region as its starting point in its work on the 2027 democracy theme, but with its gaze directed outward. For us, the Nordic perspective is not about describing the Nordic region as complete or flawless, but about examining the experiences, conflicts, opportunities, and responsibilities that result from our social models—and what could potentially threaten our democratic systems. Trust, civic education, linguistic understanding, civil society, equality, and strong institutions are central elements of the Nordic democratic tradition, but even these must be nurtured, discussed, and developed as we face new challenges.

We therefore want to contribute to a program where Nordic voices meet international perspectives, where historical experiences are linked to today’s crises, and where issues such as freedom of expression, reading, youth participation, preparedness, and the future of democracy are brought together. Our ambition is for the theme of democracy to become a space where people not only talk about democracy but also have the opportunity to practice it: through conversation, listening, disagreement, curiosity, and shared responsibility.

Trust
Adult Education
Language Comprehension
Community Organizations
Equality
Strong Institutions

03Collaborations

We want to join forces with everyone who wants to strengthen democracy

Voksenåsen wants to partner with all relevant stakeholders who wish to help make the Book Fair’s theme of democracy strong, relevant, and sustainable. We are interested in collaborating with organizations, institutions, research communities, government agencies, schools, cultural organizations, foundations, media outlets, and civil society actors working on democracy, freedom of expression, youth participation, the promotion of reading, historical knowledge, Nordic cooperation, emergency preparedness, and societal resilience.

Together, we can create a program that reaches a wide audience, deepens the conversation, and puts young people’s democratic competence at the center.