Awards

Gothenburg has several recognitions from the EU. Read more about Gothenburg's Awards below.

Capital of Diversity and Inclusion 2022

Gothenburg was awarded the silver award in the first ever edition of the EU award Capitals of Diversity and Inclusion during a prize ceremony in Brussels on the 28th of April 2022. Gothenburg won in the category of local authorities above 50.000 inhabitants.

The honour was awared Gothenburg by DG JUST after an independent jury reviewed Gothenburg's application. During the ceremony, Commissioner Dalli presented the award to Deputy-Mayor Nina Miskovsky who accepted the award on behalf of Gothenburg and its citizens.

The Commission used the following justification when awarding Gothenburg the silver:

"Gothenburg is Sweden's second largest city, a place that almost 600 000 people call home. With 27% of its residents born abroad and over 80 languages spoken in the City, it’s a fast-growing and diverse place. This silver is in recognition of its overarching programme promoting diversity and inclusion: the ‘Equal City’ programme. Using data analysis of demographic and socio-economic divides, the programme identifies groups at risk of individual and structural discrimination, whether by disability, sexual orientation, gender, racial or ethnic origin, religion or age. Long-term policy initiatives, administrative engagement and participative approaches underpin impact. Gothenburg ensures an ownership of actions taken, by engaging with target communities through specialised councils. Participation is enabled through remuneration of and supports to individual members involved, helping make the councils truly meaningful."

Fostering Roma Inclusion 2022

During the first ever edition of the EU award Capitals of Diversity and Inclusion Gothenburg was awaded a second silver award in the special category for local authorities fostering Roma inclusion. This prize was awarded in conjunction with the award ceremony for the Capitals of Diversity and Inclusion in Brussels on the 28th of April 2022.

The honour was awared Gothenburg by DG JUST after an independent jury reviewed Gothenburg's application. During the ceremony, Vice-President Jourouva presented the award to Deputy-Mayor Nina Miskovsky who accepted the award on behalf of Gothenburg and its citizens.

The Commission used the following justification when awarding Gothenburg the silver:

"This silver recognises the City’s commitment to Roma inclusion, through an approach that is strategic, with a focus on Roma in its plan for national minority issues, and participative with a range of key structures for Roma engagement. The Council for the National Minority Roma facilitates democratic participation, inputting on proposed City plans and programmes. The Romano Centre in the West, opened in 2015 and now under City management, serves as an information and citizens' support office for Roma, acts as a bridge with the education sector and supports Roma people to complete their studies, and enables City employees to enhance their engagement with Roma. The Centre received an equality award in 2021. In 2021 the Centre took part in the ‘Frihamnsdagarna’ policy discussion forum, with an event on antigypsyism and Roma history, and in Pride week, with an event on Roma/LGBTQ+ discrimination."

European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020

Gothenburg (Sweden) and Málaga (Spain) have been selected as the 2020 European Capitals of Smart Tourism, following a European Jury meeting in Helsinki on 8 October 2019.

The title is awarded by the European Commission and aims at rewarding cities with the smartest, most innovative and inclusive approaches to tourism development.

This year, 35 cities from 17 EU-countries took part in the competition that evaluates candidates from four categories: sustainability, accessibility, digitalisation and culture & creativity.

In the entry for The European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 award, Gothenburg focused on strengths in all four categories and on being ready to share best practices and learnings with other destinations.

European Entrepreneurial Region 2020

Business Region Göteborg has this year received the 'European Entrepreneurial Region Award 2020' (EER Award 2020).

“We are so delighted and proud of the award! It is a confirmation of the progress made by the business strategy programme being run by Business Region Göteborg,” says Pia Areblad, head of Industry and Commerce Strategic Development Programme Business Region Gothenburg.

“It is so exciting to see the commitment among all those involved in the work processes. The fact that we are now also rewarded with this prize will provide even more motivation to continue working on really achieving all our ambitious goals,” says Pia Areblad.   

Ulrike Firniss, Director of EU Affairs at Business Region Göteborg and the author of the application, also highlights the award as confirmation of the progress of the business strategy programme. 

“The region’s attractiveness for businesses benefits from this challenge-driven, cohesive and inclusive strategy. The influx comes from the experts themselves, i.e. the region’s companies. We have linked their views to a holistic approach, based on the vision of being one of the most innovative regions in the world. The holistic approach contributes to the region’s attractiveness and innovative power. I am looking forward to the response that this award will produce in Europe, where we have a strong voice” she says. 

Axel Josefson, chairman of the municipal Executive Board in Gothenburg, makes the following comment about the award:  

“The European Entrepreneurial Region Award 2020 makes us proud, indeed. Business Region Göteborg has one of the best European strategies for entrepreneurship! The core treasure however is the Region’s ability to open up and listen to the entrepreneurial community, to address challenges together with no less than 35 stakeholders, and to act together in order to achieve and maintain a favourable business climate. This precious ability to co-operate will lead to 120 000 new workplaces by 2035. Inspired and motivated by this significant award, we will persistently hold on to one of Europe’s best strategies for entrepreneurship.”

The award ceremony took place on 26 June 2019 at the European Parliament in Brussels, with Business Region Göteborg’s CEO Patrik Andersson, Axel Josefsson and Pia Areblad in attendance. The prize was awarded by Markku Markkula, first Vice-President of the European Committee of the Regions.  

Read Gothenburg's application

Access City Award 2014

'''A city for everyone!' – this is Gothenburg's slogan. Having won this year's Access City Award goes to show that for Gothenburg this is more than just a slogan. The city's inclusive approach of integrating people with all disabilities into society has helped Gothenburg becoming this year’s winner. People with disabilities still face too many barriers in everyday life, but cities like Gothenburg are leading the way in making life more accessible for all." — Vice-President Viviane Reding, EU Justice Commissioner

The Access City Award recognises and celebrates a city's willingness, ability and efforts to become more accessible, in order to guarantee equal access to fundamental rights, to improve the quality of life of its population and ensure that everybody – regardless of age, mobility or ability – has equal access to all the resources and pleasures cities have to offer

The Access City Award is an award recognising cities that have worked to become more accessible for their citizens. It is an EU initiative that

recognises efforts by cities to become more accessible
promotes equal access to urban life for people with disabilities
allows local authorities to promote and share their best practices

The award is organized by the European Commission together with the European Disability Forum.