The delegation from Folk och Försvar (Society and Defence), consisting of ten future Swedish decision makers, visited the Centre on October 14th. Director Jānis Sārts briefed the members of the delegation on the results of the Centre’s first substantive projects, and its plans for research and training. The group discussed regional developments and their implications for security and other emerging security challenges, as well as the Centre’s research on the weaponisation of social media, the manipulative techniques of Russian TV, and the DAESH information campaign and its influence on NATO countries.
Folk och Försvar is a politically and religiously independent association of nationwide democratic organisations in Sweden. Folk och Försvar was founded in 1940 to "build a bridge between the society and defence". During that time, at the beginning of the Second World War, there was a need for an increased understanding of defence policy amongst Swedish citizens. Folk och Försvar was established on the initiative of Swedish political youth leagues, labour unions and voluntary defence organisations.
Folk och Försvar has 77 member organisations today, including defence organisations, political youth organisations, NGO’s, trade unions, and representatives of Swedish business, trade, and labour federations.