| Hej Främling! | |
| Formation: | November 2013 |
| Type: | Charity |
| Headquarters: | Östersund |
| Leader Title: | Co-founder |
| Leader Name: | Anne Lundberg |
| Leader Title2: | Co-founder |
| Leader Name2: | Emma Arnesson |
| Awards: | Nansen Refugee Award (2017, regional finalist) |
Hej Främling! (English: Hello Stranger) is a Swedish charity that introduces refugees to Swedish cultural events. In 2017, the group was the European finalist for the Nansen Refugee Awards.
Hej Främling! was informally co-founded in Östersund in November 2013, by Anne Lundberg and Emma Arnesson. Official charitable registration occurred in September 2015.[1] Initial activities included teaching cross-country skiing to 300 of the refugees being housed in a former army base in Grytan municipality. After initial success, the Hej främling activities expanded beyond Östersund to Farsta, Dals-Ed, Höga Kusten, and Uppsala and activities expanded to the provision of sporting equipment and clothing, and bicycle lessons.[2]
A 2020 academic study undertaken at Stockholm University indicated that the groups' activities generally improved refugees perceptions of being included in the surrounding community.[3] In 2017, the group was the European finalist Nansen Refugee Award.[4]