Wallström’s Segerstedt lecture

The Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallström was this year’s Torgny Segerstedt lecturer. In her lecture, held at the University of Gothenburg on February 15th, she highlighted Torgny Segerstedt’s contribution to the struggle for freedom of expression.

Margot Wallström reminded the audience of Torgny Segerstedt’s famous statement that the existence of press freedom is “a matter of life and death” in turbulent times, but added that it is not just journalists who have a duty to defend democracy and human rights.

“I am sure Torgny would have agreed with me that in times when populism and extreme right-wing movements are once again gaining ground all around Europe, we should all take a moment to consider what our responsibilities are. Not only the media and academia have a responsibility to speak out against injustice and fanatics – all of us have this responsibility,” she said.

 

Read Margot Wallström’s lecture here.