JAMESTOWN, N.Y. — Urban Ahlin, Sweden’s ambassador to the United States, visited SUNY Jamestown Community College last week as part of a two-day stop in Chautauqua County.
Urban, accompanied by Congressman Nick Langworthy and Chautauqua County executive PJ Wendel, met with members of JCC’s administration, including President Daniel DeMarte, and learned of the college’s role in preserving and promoting cultural ties between the Jamestown community and Sweden.
JCC has a long history of promoting campus and community ties to Swedish culture. The college developed a Swedish exchange program for students in 1983. The success of that initiative led to the birth of a Scandinavian Studies program that grew scholarships for student exchanges and bolstered relevant resources at the Jamestown Campus Hultquist Library.
For years, the Jamestown Campus hosted the region’s Scandinavian Folk Festival and Scandinavian Christmas Market for the area’s vast Swedish population.
This past spring, JCC began a series of Saturday Scandinavian Culture Days that focus on Swedish culture and the Swedish American experience, including presentations, activities, and cuisine.
“It was an honor to welcome Ambassador Ahlin to our campus,” DeMarte said. “Our longstanding connection with Sweden is a point of pride for JCC and our community. We are proud to serve as a bridge for cross-cultural exchange and look forward to strengthening important international relationships in the future.”