SANDSBRO SUMMER ACADEMY

NATURE MEETS CULTURE

NB: This plan which proposed to develop a program for a regional nexus of cross-disciplinary competence, was abandoned due to a number of private, public and legal decisions that made any implementation of the idea in Kronoberg County unsuitable or impossible. (Oct. 21, 2015). This site now appears merely as a record of a historic project proposal. (Oct. 30, 2015).

Sandsbro Summer Academy is an initiative to implement the concept of "the interplay of sciences and arts in society" in the form of a network to be anchored in a regional competence cluster of Kronoberg County, southern Sweden. It intends to establish a transdisciplinary dialogue arena for integrative knowledge production in topics that bridge across sciences, arts and entrepreneurship in current and future society; and to develop an attractive site for accommodation of senior guest professors on "active summer vacation" at lakes Helgasjön and Toftasjön. A novel network of regional, national and international collaboration coordinated at Linnaeus University in Växjö and Kalmar with invited regional organizations in Smaland, within the framework of EU Horizon 2020 is envisioned with the aim of reinforcing the existing competence cluster and linking the region to leading centers.globally. The vision embodies a renaissance of a post-Linnaean research infrastructure for strategic innovation using productive dialogue on creativity and integration across sciences and arts for the benefit of business and citizens in our future society.

Nils-Göran Areskoug

Nils-Göran Areskoug in Sandsbro Växjö, August 2015 (Smålandsposten Sept 26 2015. Foto: Urban Jansson)

MEDIA: Read more about the Sandsbro Summer Academy idea and concept:

"Vill förena kreativitet med vetenskap" (cover) and "Vill se ett forskningens hus" (article) on the project (in Swedish) by Anna-Stina Stenbäck, published on July 30, 2015, in the weekly newspaper Magazinet.nu (circulation ca. 62.000 in Kronoberg County, Sweden)
"En musikalisk gränsöverskridare", a portrait of Nils-Göran Areskoug by Per Lindbladh in Smålandsposten Lördag, on September 26, 2015, page 13
"Drömmen lever kvar för Nils-Göran" by Anna-Stina Stenbeck, in Magazinet.nu, October 1, 2015, page 11
"Linneuniversitetet behöver en ny akademi" (Smålandsposten, Jan 29, 2009).

DOCUMENTS: Concept Proposal (Sandsbro Sommarakademi) (2014-08-18), Arena for Dialogue (Sandsbro Sommarakademi) (2014-08-18).

IMAGES: Hällkistevägen 9 (pictures, pdf). Nils-Göran Areskoug "Musiken i hjärtat" and improvising (image, pdf).

LINK: Conference site (according to plan): Villa Vik.

PARTNERS: Potential partnerships under development: Sigtunastiftelsen and Agora for Biosystems, Forneboda Foundation (Fornebodastiftelsen), and Tulseboda Brunn, Kyrkhult (Olofström Kommun: "Kulturbrunn Forneboda").

RECENT ACTIVITIES: Lecture at Fornebodastugan on its founder Alma Areschoug (1839-1923) and the Arreskow cultural heritage , on Sept. 24, 2015:

Forneboda 2015-09-24. Nils-Göran Areskoug on its founder Alma Areschoug (1829-1923)

Speech at Forneboda Foundation on 24th September 2015

COMMENTS: Your opinion counts (opinion expressed on the project...). You are welcome to contact us.

See the proposal to establish a cross-disciplinary forum for dialogue across generations: The idea was proposed by Dr. Nils-Göran Areskoug, a Swedish musician, medical doctor and interdisciplinary scholar. What happened to his proposal? How are talents treated in Sweden?

Re: the withdrawal of the nexus of planned activity and future basis of existence ("Sandsbro Summer Academy") in Växjö, Sweden.

On Sept 17, 2015, the property intended as convention nexus at Lake Helgasjön and guest houses for invited lecturers was auctioned by forced property sale through order of Växjö District Court, executed by a trustee at a real estate firm in Växjö.

What is the emerging response from the academic community?

The same morning Nobel Laureate Torsten Wiesel deplored that the proposed "intellectual center" - "Sandsbro Sommarakademi" - could not be implemented: It was "a good idea", he says. Professor Wiesel is considered a nestor of Swedish brain research, for many years a global academic leader active as senior emeritus at Rockefeller University, N.Y., USA:

"Dear Nils-Göran,

Jag förstår helt din känsla av frustration över att dina drömmar om ett intellektuellt center inte kan förverkligas. Men idën var god och som med våra experiment vi lyckas inte alltid men kämpar på ändå.

Vänliga hälsningar, Torsten"

An experienced business consultant across the street at Hällkistevägen in Sandsbro at Lake Helgasjön, Mr. Lave Bergh, highlights the need for a serene place of retreat and recreation for guests and emerited professors at Linnaeus University:

"Du har det idealiska konceptet för en retreat med gästboende för seniorprofessorer vid LNU och en fristad för deras återhämtning genom skapande i en rofylld och avstressande miljö."

The President of Linnaeus University, Professor emeritus Dan Brändström, equally deplores the situation:

"Bäste Nils-Göran,

Det finns ett gammalt välkänt begrepp: ”Det är inte lätt att bli profet i sin fädernebygd”. Detta gäller väl i högsta grad här också. Tyvärr inte mycket jag kan göra åt denna sak arbetande på distans som ordförande vid Linnéuniversitetet.

Med varma sensommarhälsningar, Dan"

Dr. Areskoug had applied to Mr. Ingvar Kamprad (owner of IKEA) and his foundations at Linnaeus University, Växjö, and in the Netherlands, but was rejected:

For a second opinion, read Dutch foundation law expert Dr. Ineke Koele, who wrote (by mail to Dr Areskoug on 9th July 2015):

"On another note, it is unbelievable that the Dutch foundations of Mr Kamprad are not willing to fund your scientific program (and buy the house as an institution for these purposes) since it is estimated that the overall funds of the dutch foundation within the IKEA structure amount to ca 50 billion Euros." /Dr Ineke Koele/ italics mine/

On behalf of the Director of The Swedish National Heritage Board, Mr Leif Green gave advice regarding the validity of the UNESCO Convention for cogent National law and imperative respect and preservation of cultural heritage. Strict application would make the documentation of the Arreskow family history, already included in Swedish Biographical Dictionary (SBL) and stored by The National Archives (Riksarkivet), compulsory according to Swedish law.

This was only to bring to your attention the severity of the situation for intellectuals, even in the motherland of the Nobel Prizes: How far have policies deteriorated recently? Are we already on the verge of manifest persecution of talents in present day Sweden?

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PERSONAL DIARY

From the diary of the Stone Cist think tank (Ur dagbok för "Hällkistan"):

"Nu är dagens arbete uträttat och jag får återgå till musiken.

Det är märkligt hur min musik blir djupt påverkad när jag sitter vid flygeln och låter blicken vila vid horisonten över Helgasjön.

Ibland blir det riktigt bra i Guds sköna natur och borde spelas in.

Musiken jag gör i stan blir också bra men på ett lite annat sätt. Stadens musik är av människohand och den är präglad av mina begränsningar. Med den utforskar jag oss människor och våra ofullkomligheter.

Men i naturens sköte släpps alla hennes krafter loss och jag vet inte vems musik som spelar genom mig. Den är fri och återspeglar naturens eviga lag."

The Convention Site for Integrative Dialogue (Images)

Meeting of Music and Nature