Älskade Araby receives an award

Växjö municipality's diversity award is presented to highlight Växjö residents, entrepreneurs, organizations, associations and workplaces within Växjö municipality's administrations and companies that have done purposeful work for diversity, cohesion and equal treatment of people. The 2020 award goes to the Blekinge-Kronoberg Region Theater for the stage performance Älskade Araby with Maria López, Iman Hussein and Ellie Stjerna as actors and Andreas Dahl as director.

– I am so proud and happy that the show is getting attention and is being given this fine and important award. It feels great, especially when I think of all the Araby residents who have participated and put their soul into the performance. Their voices have made a difference, for real, says Andreas Dahl.

This year's recipients were announced at the local council's meeting on Tuesday. The prize consists of a diploma and a sum of money.

– The regional theater Blekinge-Kronoberg is a worthy winner of the Växjö municipality's diversity award. With the show Älskade Araby, space was given for an important discussion about inclusion and exclusion in society, says Magnus P. Wåhlin (MP), chairman of the municipal council's sustainability committee.

The award also pleases Therese Willstedt, CEO and Head of Performing Arts at the Blekinge-Kronoberg Regional Theater.

– I am incredibly pleased that the policy in Växjö recognizes, with this award, the great and heartfelt work that we at the Regional Theater have put and put into the civic scene - where we, through culture, engage and strengthen civil society. It also makes me proud that we as an enterprise are hereby demonstrating what the culture can do in other important societal issues. This is further proof that the culture must not be taken for granted, says Therese Willstedt.