People often think about Gotland as an isolated island. They look at the sea as a broad border of water. And somehow they want it to be like that. They want to keep their inner pictures of Gotland as a remote place filled with nostalgic dreams. A place for escape, freedom and peace.
But Gotland has always been a place for meetings as well. People from countries around the Baltic Sea have met on Gotland to exchange goods and ideas. Today we have visitors from around the world, including the USA, Japan, and Zambia. I see the surrounding water as a contact area.
Every place needs to exchange ideas with people outside local groups to gain energy and knowledge for development. I believe Gotland is in a much better position than small municipalities on the Swedish mainland. Our geographical location makes it easy for others to see us. Every year, we welcome many tourists, students, artists, filmmakers, politicians, and journalists, which provides us with a great deal of creative input. I really like that.
Can we do more to use Gotland as a meeting point? Yes, we can! I think we should have much more exchange with the countries around the Baltic Sea. They are like our sisters and brothers. We share so much in history. I dream of the day when ferries and planes run from Gotland to all these countries.
