Nominees for Swedish Woman of the Year 2026
Who will be named Swedish Woman of the Year 2026? Will SWEA International’s award go to one of the world’s most influential leaders in global development and economics, an astronaut and commander in space, a celebrated cultural figure and journalist who leads one of Sweden’s most important cultural institutions abroad, or a pioneering aerospace engineer developing the next generation of spacecraft for the exploration of Mars?
SWEA International has nominated four outstanding women for the prestigious Swedish Woman of the Year 2026 award. The prize is awarded to a Swedish woman who, through her work and dedication, has put Sweden on the global map. The nominees are:
Anna Bjerde - Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank and one of its three most senior operational leaders. She is among the most influential Swedish leaders in global development and international economics.
Jessica Meir - Astronaut at the NASA Johnson Space Center and commander of Crew-12 on the International Space Station (ISS). On February 13, she returned to space and is expected back on Earth this fall.
Kristina Kappelin - Journalist, author, and director of the cultural center Villa San Michele, one of Sweden’s most important cultural institutions abroad. She also serves as Sweden’s Honorary Consul in Anacapri.
Tove Ågren - Aerospace engineer at NASA Ames Research Center working at the forefront of international aerospace technology. With expertise in flight dynamics and the development of rotorcraft for Mars, she contributes to some of the most advanced engineering projects in the world.
Read more about the nominees (in Swedish): Swedish Woman of the Year – SWEA International
Video Presentation (in Swedish): Meet the Nominees
The winner of the Swedish Woman of the Year 2026 will be announced on Saturday, May 16 at 4 p.m. CET.
The award ceremony will take place during SWEA Sweden’s Summer Days on August 6 in Malmö.
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Background Information
Swedish Woman of the Year is SWEA International's highest honorary award and has been presented to 35 women since its founding in 1989. Through their work and expertise, all recipients have served as ambassadors for Sweden on the global stage. One of the key criteria for the Swedish Woman of the Year award is that she distinctively represents and promotes Sweden in the world. This means that she directly or indirectly enhances Sweden internationally and creates curiosity about the country. Through her actions, Sweden's reputation and standing abroad are strengthened. The Swedish Woman of the Year award aims to showcase the diversity of women's achievements and expertise, inspire growth and development regardless of life circumstances, and recognize both well-known and lesser-known Swedish women.
SWEA International is a global network for Swedish and Swedish-speaking women who live – or have lived – abroad. With approximately 5,700 members in around 70 chapters worldwide, SWEA is the largest nonprofit organization promoting Sweden outside of Sweden. Every year, SWEA awards scholarships and donations totaling more than 2 million SEK.
Media Contact
Marita Holmkvist Lendenfelt
media@swea.org
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