History.

Early years (1988–1995).

The Sweden Democrats party was founded in 1988 as a direct successor to the Sweden Party, which in turn had been formed in 1986 by the merger of (BSS, in English: "Keep Sweden Swedish") and a faction of the Swedish Progress Party. SD claims 6 February 1988 as the date of its foundation, although observers tend to see the party's foundation as part of a complex decade-long series of events, with some even calling into question whether a meeting took place on 6 February.  According to "Expo", it is generally agreed that the Sweden Democrats has never been a Nazi party, although some of the SD's early members

Moderation and growth (1995–2010).

In 1995, Klarström was replaced as party chairman by Mikael Jansson, a former member of the Centre Party. Jansson strove to make the party more respectable and, after photographs surfaced of some members posing in Nazi uniforms at party meetings, the wearing of any kind of uniform was formally banned in 1996. During the early 1990s, the party became more influenced by the French National Front, as well as the Freedom Party of Austria, the Danish People's Party, German The Republicans and Italian National Alliance. SDreceived economic support for the 1998 election from the French National Front, and was active in Le Pen's Euronat from the same time. By the end of the decade, the party

Entrance into parliament (2010–2014).

In the 2010 general election, SDwon representation in the Swedish Riksdag for the first time, with5.7% of the vote and 20MPs.  Sweden Democrat MP William Petzäll was persuaded to leave the party on 26 September 2011 while still retaining his parliamentary seat. This was done because of Petzäll's substance abuse and the problems this might cause for SD'spublic image. Petzäll later died of an overdose and his seat was turned over to Stellan Bojerud in September 2012.  In November 2012, videos from August 2010 were released, in segments, over the course of three days by Swedish newspaper "Expressen" (a year earlier, "Expressen" had released the same videos without making much noise). This came to be known as the Iron pipe scandal, although the same videos had already been released on YouTube by Erik Almqvist in 2010. The videos, recorded by MP Kent Ekeroth, featured him along with fellow Sweden Democrats MP Erik Almqvist and Christian Westling. The videos show Almqvist arguing with comedian Soran Ismail: Almqvist is referring to Sweden as "my country, not your country", as an insult to Ismail. They are also shown arguing with a drunken man.

Rise in national support (2014–2018).

In the European election of 2014 SD received 9.67% of votes, winning two seats in the European Parliament and becoming the fifth party of the country. The party later joined the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe and the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group.  In the 2014 election the Sweden Democrats received 12.9%of the votes, doubling their support and becoming the third-largest party. The party remained big in Scania and Blekinge; for example in Malmö the party received 14% of the votes, in Landskrona it received 19% of the votes and in Sjöbo a total of 30% rendering the party the largest in that municipality. Other parties, however, remained firm in their decision to isolate them from exerting influence. Out of 29 constituencies electing parliamentarians, the party was the

Entering mainstream politics (2018–present).

On 2 July 2018 the two Sweden Democrats MEPs left the EFDD group and moved to the European Conservatives and Reformists group.  In the 2018 general election, the SD increased its support to 17.5% of the vote, though it did not grow as much as most polls had predicted. According to Emily Schultheis of "Foreign Policy", the SD won an ideological victory, as it "effectively set the terms for debate" and forced its rivals to adopt immigration policies similar to its own, and other reporters made similar observations. The SD performed particularly well in Skåne County, having the highest number of voters in 21 out of the county's 33 municipalities. An SVT analysis of the results found that at least 22 seats in

Ideology and political positions.

The Sweden Democrats' party programme is based on nationalism and social conservatism. Its ideological basis is described in the party's manifesto, first published on 4 May 2003 during the Jansson leadership and then revised on 8 May 2005 (one day after Åkesson became the new chairman). Nordic Studies scholar Benjamin R. Teitelbaum has called them radical nationalist. The party has been described by sociologist Jens Rydgren and others as xenophobic, racist and right-wing populist. In 2013 a Sveriges Radio journalist called the party xenophobic, which resulted in a complaint lodged to the broadcasting regulator. The Swedish Broadcasting Commission determined that this description was acceptable to use. The party itself disuptes the far-right label while placing itself in the political centre. The party rejects Nazism and in recent years has increasingly distanced itself from other European ultra-nationalist or far-right parties.

Climate change.

The Sweden Democrats desire to combat climate change by expanding

Immigration.

The Sweden Democrats believe that the current Swedish immigration and integration policies have been a national failure. They oppose integration because they believe that integration involves "meeting in the middle" and do not think that the Swedish people should have to bear the burden of what they claim is a reckless immigration policy. SDfeels that the current situation, with a large number of immigrants living in cultural enclaves, is not beneficial for the country. They argue that the immigrants themselves are rootless, that there have been rising antagonistic tensions between various population groups (socially, ethnically, religiously and culturally), and the immigration in itself, SD says, has caused social and economic strains on the country.  As the party considers Sweden to have had too much immigration in recent years, which it claims has seriously threatened national identity and societal cohesion, SDwants to reinstate a common Swedish national identity, which in turn would mean a stronger inner solidarity. SDrejects the policy of multiculturalism. SD wishes to strongly restrict immigration, and give generous support for immigrants who instead of wanting to assimilate in Sweden voluntarily prefer to emigrate back to their

The elderly.

SD wishes to lower the tax rate for the elderly, as well as increase subsidised housing for the elderly. SD also wishes to allocate additional resources

Sami people.

The Sweden Democrats are critical of the special rights given to the indigenous Sami people of northern Sweden. In 2008 the party accepted a motion against the rights to reindeer husbandry. They have argued that those "who do not involve themselves with reindeer husbandry

Views on national identity.

In an interview for "Dagens Nyheter", Second Deputy Speaker of the Riksdag and then-party secretary Björn Söder elaborated on the SDparty programme with respect to its views on national identity by saying that he personally did not think people with dual national identities in Sweden would necessarily identify themselves as Swedish. Although an immigrant of any ethnic background in theory can become a Swedish citizen, they would have to adapt and be assimilated in order to be considered Swedish in the

Law and order.

SD wishes to instate the possibility of life without parole for the worst crimes

Foreign policy.

In its foreign policy, the Sweden Democrats are against further EU integration. The party rejects joining the Economic and Monetary Union of the European Union, aims to renegotiate Swedish membership of the Schengen Agreement, reduce Swedish financial contributions to Brussels,

Defence.

The party has stated that it would seek to

Culture.

The Sweden Democrats advocates a cultural policy that would strip funding for multicultural initiatives and strengthen support for traditional Swedish culture. This agenda has often manifest as opposition to state funding of immigrant cultural organisations and festivals, and support for traditional Swedish craft, folk music, and folk dance groups. The party also tends to oppose state support for cultural initiatives deemed provocative or elitist. A 2014 letter signed by 52Swedish anthropologists,

Family and LGBT.

The Sweden Democrats considers children raised in a traditional nuclear family as the preferred option for the child's development. Those not raised by their biological parents should have the right to associate with or at least find out who they were. SD previously opposed government sanctioned adoption to single people, same-sex couples and polyamorous relationships unless the adopting party are close relatives or already have a close relationship with the child. Insemination for same-sex couples and polyamorous groups is also discouraged. The party supports keeping same-sex marriage and unions legal but the decision to perform ceremonies should be decided by each religious institution rather than the state.  Although SDhistorically strongly criticised what it calls a "Homosex Lobby", the party claims that it is not hostile to homosexuals. Party leader Jimmie Åkesson expressed concern that what he describes as Islamisation of Sweden will eventually lead to the rights of sexual minorities being violated. However, SD-Kuriren (the official

Environment.

The party argues that other countries should reduce their emissions instead of Sweden which they

International relations.

Early on in the SD's history the party was loosely associated with movements such as the National Democratic Party of Germany and during the 1990s it became linked to the French National Front and Jean Marie Le Pen through his "Euronat" initiative, but otherwise the party did not actively seek formal relationships outside of Sweden. Following the European election of 2014 the

Controversies.

During the 1990s many outspoken far-right and Nazi advocates were involved with the party. It was founded by, among others, the Swedish Waffen-SS veteran Gustaf Ekström and members of both older Nazi and neo-Nazi organisations. The party had flyers printed by the French National Front in the 1998 general election, and was financially backed for the 2004 European election by Belgian Bernard Mengal. The party was a member of the "Euronat" initiative which was set up by Jean-Marie Le Pen. However, as part of the moderation process, the Sweden Democrats have subsequently sought to distance themselves from far-right parties in Europe, including turning down an invitation to join a grouping in the European parliament with the National Front in 2014, instead choosing to ally themselves with more moderate parties during the 2014 and 2019 European elections.

Media boycott.

The Sweden Democrats have complained about difficulties buying advertising space due to the media banning the party from advertisement, which

Muhammad cartoon debate.

After the Danish daily newspaper "Jyllands-Posten" published twelve cartoons depicting Muhammad and ignited a controversy during the2005 autumn and winter, the Sweden Democrats gave their unreserved support to the publication with reference to the freedom of speech. SDstated that it saw no reason why a Danish newspaper should be forced to abide by Muslim rules and prohibitions regarding expression. When the boycott of Danish products was launched in the Middle East, SDlaunched a "Buy Danish" campaign in support of Danish workers. In 2006 SD entered the Muhammad cartoon debate by publishing a cartoon depicting Muhammad on its youth league (SDU) and "SD-Kuriren" websites. The cartoon showed Muhammad from behind holding a mirror in front of his face. However, instead of any facial features, the mirror showed only a blank head. The cartoon was captioned "Muhammad's Face" ().  The publication attracted the attention of the Swedish government, which informed internet service provider "Levonline" about the SD's publications.

Racist incidents and expulsions.

The Sweden Democrats have, among all Swedish parliamentary parties, had the largest share of elected municipal representatives resign since the 2010 elections (27.8%). Many of these resignations were brought on by racist statements or actions by these representatives.  In November 2012, party spokesperson Erik Almqvist resigned after he had been caught on tape making racist and sexist statements. Another video later surfaced, showing how Almqvist, in addition to party spokesperson Kent Ekeroth and party official Christian Westling were arming themselves with iron pipes before they sought out a confrontation with Soran Ismail, a Swedish comedian of Kurdish descent. (Iron pipe scandal)  In November 2012, parliamentarian Lars Isovaara resigned after

Lobbying.

The Sweden Democrats came under fire in 2015 for changing their position on profits made by private welfare companies. Before the election in 2014 they favored having restrictions on the amount of profit that welfare companies could take and use for

Voter demography.

According to the Statistiska Centralbyrån (SCB) 2017 party preference survey the Sweden Democrats (SD) have a stronger support among men than among women. There is no noticeable difference in support for the party among different age groups. The support for SD is greater among native born than among foreign born. Since 2014 the SD has substantially increased its support among both foreign-born and foreign-background voters, becoming the third largest party in Sweden also among this demographic by 2017. Sympathies are greater for the party among persons with primary and secondary education than among those with a higher education. The 2018 party preference survey of the SCB show that SD has twice as much support among men than among women.

The Sweden Democrats or Swedish Democrats (, SD) is a populist political party in Sweden founded in 1988. The party describes itself as social conservative with a nationalist foundation. The party has been characterised by others as right-wing populist national-conservative, anti-immigration, or far-right. Jimmie Åkesson has been party leader since 2005.

瑞典民主党(),是瑞典右派民粹主义政党,瑞典国会第三大党。


History.

Comprehensive school.

In 1842, the Swedish parliament introduced a four-year primary school for children in Sweden, ""folkskola"". In 1882 two grades were added to ""folkskola"", grade 5 and 6. Some ""folkskola"" also had grade 7 and 8, called ""fortsättningsskola"". Schooling in Sweden became mandatory for 7 years in the 1930s and for 8 years in the 1950s. In 1962 the first version of the current compulsory school was introduced with Swedish children having 9 mandatory years in school – from August the year the child turns 7 to June the year the child turns 16.  The 1962 curriculum included two different study paths vocational and preparatory, this was however abolished in the 1969 revision. In 1980 came another major revision increasing the emphasize on the theoretical subjects. In 1994 the grading system was changed and in the latest revision from 2011 the grading system was changed yet again this time also introducing grades from year 6.

Secondary school.

In 1905 "realskolan" was introduced for students wanting to continue studying after "folkskolan" it had varying length between 3 and 6 years.  In 1968 "gymnasieskolan" was introduced with a similar structure to the current version. 22 different programmes some of which were vocational and some preparatory. These programmes lasted from between 2 and 4 years something that was changed in 1991 making all programmes 3 years long.

Preschool.

Preschool is offered to all children whose parents are working, studying, unemployed or on parental leave from the age of one. From the age of 3, all children are eligible for at least 3 hours of preschool education every day for free. Fees for children being at preschool for more than 3 hours a day or under 3 years of age are based on family income and number of children. Prices range from free to a maximum of 1 425 SEK (€135 or US$150) per month with exact rates set by the municipality.  It is intended to free up parents to work, establishing a foundation for children going into the comprehensive school and promote fundamental values such as the equal value of all people. This is achieved through pedagogical activities prepared by preschool teachers often involving things such as play, singing and drawing. The preschool teachers should incorporate multiple educational moments each day.

Comprehensive school.

The educational system in Sweden is based on a nine-year long comprehensive school ("Grundskola"), with mandatory attendance between 6/7 and 15/16 years of age.

Subjects.

In the Swedish compulsory school each student take 16 compulsory subjects which are, sorted by time allocated: Swedish, Mathematics, Physical Education, English, Handicrafts, Music, Visual arts, Technology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Social Studies, Religion, Geography and Home Economics. All of these subjects are taken in all three school stages, lower stage (grades 1–3), middle stage (grade 4–6), and upper stage (grades 7–9).  In sixth grade students can also choose a non-compulsory foreign language course. Over 85% of grade 9 students studied a third language in 2017. All schools have to offer 2 of the languages Spanish, French, and German. Many schools also offer additional help in the core subjects English and Swedish instead of the language course. Taking the language course can improve the students final grade score significantly and for some more competitive Upper Secondary Schools be required.  There is also a compulsory, non-graded Student's Choice subject ("Elevens Val") where the student can choose from various activities facilitated by the school. Student's Choice has been criticized for potentially being a bad use of the students and teachers time.

Grading.

In Sweden students start receiving grades from year 6 with proposals of changing it to year 4. Before grade 6 students receive an Individual Development Plan ("Individuell Utvecklingsplan (IUP)") containing the teachers assessment of the students knowledge. Students have regular development talks with their teachers discussing how to improve based on their IUP and grades.  The grading system in compulsory school uses the grades A, B, C, D, and E as passing grades and F as failing. B and D work as filling grades, for when a student hasn't reached all objectives for C or A but has reached most of them. If the student can't be graded, e.g. extensive truancy, the student will receive a dash instead of an F. A dash is not considered a grade. If a student is on the verge of receiving an F in a certain subject/course, the teacher responsible for that subject will notify the student and the student's parents. If a student is given an F, they will receive a written review of how to improve themselves.  The pupil's total score, which is used for application to upper secondary schools, is calculated by taking the pupil's subject grades and numerically adding them together, with the following letter to number conversion: E = 10, D = 12.5, C = 15, B = 17.5, and A = 20. This yields a maximum possible score of 340 for students taking 17 subjects. Pupils can have either 16 or 17 grades depending on if they take an additional language course on top of the 16 compulsory subjects. Pupils who don't study any foreign language or instead study extra Swedish or English will only have 16 grades and cannot receive a score higher than 320.  The sixteen subjects used to calculate the total must include the three core subjects – English, Swedish, and Mathematics. If the pupil fails any of the core subjects, she or he lacks qualification to attend secondary school. However, the student can still attend the secondary school introduction program ("introduktionsprogram"), either to gain competence in the core subjects and start a secondary school programme or gain skills to enter employment.

National tests.

In grades 3, 6 and 9 national tests are administered to all students in the Swedish grundskola. The primary aim of these tests are to ensure all students are assessed equivalently. The test results should be given special consideration by teachers when setting the students final grade.  In grade 3 the tests are framed around a story involving two children encountering Math and Swedish in everyday situations to make the test situation less intimidating. Only Swedish and Math has national tests in year 3. The results from the tests are not used for grading, as students do not receive grades before year 6.  In grade 6 and 9 there are tests for all three core subjects Swedish, Math and English. These tests consist of both oral and written components. In grade 9 one science subject(Physics, Biology or Chemistry) and one social science subject(Civics, Religion, Geography or History) are tested as well.  Skolverket also provide tests similar to the national tests for the purpose of assisting teachers with assessing students. These are sometimes confused for national tests however these tests are not mandatory and available for a greater variety of year levels and subjects.  The tests and mark schemes have several times been spread on the internet before the test date resulting in wide spread cheating. In these cases substitute tests are to be used, however these tests have been accused for not giving results consistent with the non substitute tests by the Swedish Teachers' Union and can not be used in Statistics Sweden's reports. The Swedish National Audit Office published a report regarding "The unauthorised dissemination of national tests" in 2018. The audit found the Swedish National Agency for Education's new guidelines for handling the national tests satisfactory, but implemented too late. The report recommended the Swedish School Inspectorate to monitor individual schools compliance with these new guidelines.

Violence guidelines.

In 2014, the National Agency for Education published guidelines to staff on how to act during incidents of armed violence. In the 2012–2017 period, the number of reports of physical violence in schools increased 129% and reports of threats increased with 46% in the same period according to the Swedish Work Environment Authority. The latter reports include all reported physical violence and threats, not only armed violence.

Other types of primary education.

There are various types of primary education including the Sami-schools, with special accommodations for the indigenous Sámi people, special needs schools for students with intellectual disabilities, and special schools for students with other disabilities such as deafness.  There is also komvux, adult education at primary or secondary level, and introductory programmes for students who failed compulsory education. Homeschooling is only permitted for students who for some reason, usually severe sickness, can't participate in normal classroom education.

Upper Secondary education.

Upper Secondary school, called "gymnasieskola", usually lasts for three years. It's elective, but with a 99% enrollment rate (OECD 2018). It is divided into 18 different national programmes with different educational focus. The system is course based with the same courses being used for multiple programmes. There are also introductory programmes for students who don't satisfy the requirements for the national programmes. A significant number of these students are immigrants learning Swedish.

National programmes.

The national programmes are divided into two categories: preparatory and vocational. All national programmes give basic qualification to attend university, but preparatory programs typically also satisfy the additional requirements needed to study university courses in specific subject areas.  In 2018 approximately one third of students studying a national programme were studying a vocational programme while two thirds were studying a preparatory programme.

Courses.

All students take at least 2500 points worth of courses. Some of these courses are universal for students in all programmes. These courses are the first course in each of the following subjects: English, Swedish, Mathematics, Religion, Civics, Natural Science and Physical Education. In preparatory programmes additional English, Swedish and Mathematics is also included as core courses.  There are also programme specific and orientation specific courses. Orientation specific courses are the courses that a student elects to take by selecting an orientation inside of their programme. Finally, individually selected courses are courses that the student freely selects for herself/himself.

Diploma project.

In all programs in the upper secondary school, all students are required to do a diploma project. The diploma project is a project where the students are required to plan, execute and reflect on a bigger project related to something they have been studying. This project have two grading options, which is receiving an E (pass) or F (fail). The diploma project is not included in the students merit value that is used towards further education.

Eligibility.

To be eligible for upper secondary education the pupil need to pass 8 out of 16 subjects for the vocational programmes and 12 out of 16 for preparatory programmes. The pupil also need to pass the three core subjects Math, Swedish and English.  In 2018, 15.6% of pupils who left compulsory education did not qualify to proceed to upper secondary education. This is a significant increase from 2011, the first year with the current syllabus, where 12.3% of pupils did not qualify. The group not mastering compulsory education are predominantly boys and pupils with foreign origin.  Pupils who did not qualify for upper secondary education can still proceed to an introductory programme("Introduktionsprogram") which help students gain eligibility for the national programmes.

Admittance.

The prospective student applies to attend a certain program at a certain school, competing for entrance based upon his/her elementary school grades. In a few cases, such as the arts program ("Estetiska programmet") at certain schools, the student applies for both the program and the orientation. Some programmes, generally the arts programmes and certain more specialized programmes/orientations, have some form of entrance exam in addition to the elementary school grades.

Introductory programmes.

For students who did not qualify for the national programmes, most often by failing Swedish, English or Math. There are different types of introductory programmes the most common of which being language introduction for immigrants learning Swedish and individual alternative, a highly individualized programme intended to help students who did not satisfy the eligibility requirements for the national programmes to gain eligibility for them.

Higher education.

After upper secondary school, students can apply to university in order to receive tertiary education. General academic degrees are offered by public universities and university colleges that tend to attract students on a regional basis. Besides general academic degrees, the higher education system also provides a number of professional degrees at a bachelor's or master's level in fields such as engineering, law and medicine. Independently from the Bologna Process-compatible university system there is a system of higher vocational education where subject areas such as, Business Finance and Administration, IT, and Hospitality and Tourism are being taught.

Types of degrees.

Swedish degrees are incorporated in the Bologna Process, the European higher education framework. In this system degrees are divided into three cycles, corresponding to bachelor's level, master's level and doctoral level. In Sweden, there are two general qualifications for each cycle of different lengths and various professional degrees and various professional degrees at bachelor's or master's level.

Basic level ("grundnivå").

To be admitted to a programme at the basic level, a student must complete an education at the "gymnasieskola" level or its equivalent. The degrees that can be obtained at the basic level are:

Advanced level ("avancerad nivå").

To be admitted to a programme at the advanced level, a student must have obtained a three-year Swedish degree at the basic level or a corresponding degree from another country or some corresponding qualification. The degrees that can be obtained at the advanced level are:  Both degrees require completing a thesis.  The Degree of Master (Two years) is a new degree that is intended to be closely linked to continuing education at the graduate level.

Doctoral level ("forskarnivå").

To be admitted to a programme at the doctoral level, a student must have obtained a Swedish degree at the advanced level or completed at least four years of full-time study with at least one year at the advanced level or a corresponding degree from another country or equivalent knowledge. The degrees that can be obtained at the doctoral level are:  Postgraduate academic titles are associate professor ("docent") and professor.

Grading.

The grading system used vary between different universities and university colleges. There are currently five different systems in use all of which are criteria-referenced. The three most common systems are the seven-grade scale (A–F, Fx), the three-grade scale VG, G, U which is very similar to the pre-2011 compulsory and upper secondary grade system and the pass or fail system G/U. The grades from all systems can be converted to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) for grade comparison with other universities across Europe.

Language requirements.

Before being accepted to a higher education programme in Sweden, all applicants must demonstrate a minimum proficiency in Swedish and English. For international applicants, the Test in Swedish for University Studies is used to test Swedish language proficiency and Test of English as a Foreign Language or the Cambridge First Certificate in English exam may be used for English.

SweSAT.

The Swedish Scholastic Aptitude Test ("Högskoleprovet") is a standardised test used as one of the means to gain admission to higher education in Sweden. The test itself is divided into a mathematical part and a verbal part, which both contain 4 subdivisions, in total 160 multiple-choice questions. Apart from the English language reading comprehension test, all sections are taken in Swedish. To gain admittance to courses or programmes using the SweSAT students need to independently fulfill the eligibility requirements.

Student aid.

Swedish students receives help from the National Board of Student Aid (CSN) while studying. CSN is a Swedish Government authority that is sending out financial aid for studies. This includes loans and grants for students that is studying in Sweden or abroad in another country.  As of autumn semester 2011, higher education is free of charge only for Swedish, EU/EEA, and Swiss citizens.

Anti discrimination work.

All universities are required to have guidelines how to handle cases of discrimination. They are also required to work together with the Equality Ombudsman to ensure admission, tuition and examinations are fair.

Higher vocational education.

Post-secondary vocational education usually consist of many 1–2 year long subject specific programmes consisting of roughly three quarters theoretical and one quarter workplace experience. Higher vocational schools cooperate with various employers to improve employment prospects of the students. The system is independent from the other types of higher education in that it is not Bologna compatible, does not award a bechelor's or master's degree (while professional degrees do) and is not thought by universities or university colleges.

Independent schools.

Prior to the 1990s, there were only a handful of private schools in Sweden, mostly tuition-funded boarding schools, whereof Sigtunaskolan and Lundsbergs skola are the most well known. A major education reform in 1992 allowed privately run schools offering primary or secondary education to receive public funding for each student, at a level similar to what public schools receive. These are called "independent schools" ("friskolor"), and in 2008 there were around 900 of them.  The "independent schools", similar to charter schools in the United States or academies in the United Kingdom, are funded with public money ("skolpeng") from the local municipality, based on the number of pupils they have enrolled, in the same way Swedish public schools are. Consequently, they are not allowed to discriminate or require admission examinations, nor are they allowed to charge the students any additional fees. They are, however, allowed to accept private donations. Regional economic differences directly affect how much money each municipality can provide per pupil.  Anyone can start an independent for-profit school, or a chain of such schools, in Sweden. Many of them offer an alternate pedagogy (such as Montessori), or a foreign/international, religious or special needs (such as hearing-impaired) profile. There are also several secondary schools with an elite sports profile. Internationella Engelska Skolan and Kunskapsskolan are the two largest "independent school" chains. In 2008, more than 10% of Swedish pupils were enrolled independent schools.

Opinions.

The independent school system has divided public opinion in Sweden, especially regarding religious schools and for-profit schools. During the 2018 election several parties, including the Moderate party and Socialdemocratic party, suggested some kind of limit to profits, while the Liberals and Centre party opposed such a limit. A ban on religious independent schools has also been suggested with support from the Left party and Socialdemocratic party, while the Moderates, Green party, Christiandemocrats and Centre party are satisfied with the current system banning religious elements in the classroom, but allowing it during breaks or before lessons start.  The Swedish model has been put forward as a possible model for similar solutions in both the United Kingdom and the United States, where Per Unckel, County Governor of Stockholm and former Conservative Minister of Education, in 2009 summarized the advantages of the Swedish system in an opinion piece produced by the Libertarian think tank Pacific Research Institute: "Education is so important that you can’t just leave it to one producer. Because we know from monopoly systems that they do not fulfill all wishes".  In February 2013, "The Guardian" published an article by a former political advisor to the Swedish Ministry of Education, Karin Svanborg-Sjövall, on the independent school system: "Sweden proves that private profit improves services and influences policy. Even education unions came on board when private provision was introduced into Swedish schools", citing the paper on average educational performance made by research institute under the Swedish Ministry of Employment, IFAU, which found "that an increase in the share of independent-school students improves average performance at the end of compulsory school as well as long-run educational outcomes". However, in June 2015, another article by the education correspondent from "The Guardian" quoted then Education Minister, Gustav Fridolin, as saying that the system was "a political failure" and stated that standards in learning had dropped dramatically over the years and were in a state of "crisis".

PISA and PIRLS results.

Swedish results in the Programme for International Student Assessment were in 2015 close to the OECD average. The Swedish scores were declining between 2006 and 2012, which was heavily reported and adopted as an important talking point for many political parties, including the Alliance and the Social Democratic Party.  In the 2015 PISA report, the Swedish scores increased for the first time since the programme started in 2006. Both the Moderate Party and the Social Democratic Party have suggested actions to improve education and increase PISA scores in the future.  Sweden’s performance in the international forth-grade reading assessments (PIRLS) dropped by 19 points from 2001 (561) to 2011 (542) and recovered by 13 points in 2016 (555).  The influx of immigrants to Swedish schools has been reported as a major contributor to why Sweden's score dropped more than any other European country by a National Agency of Education report.

Education in Sweden is mandatory for children between ages 6 and 15. The school year in Sweden runs from mid/late August to early/mid June. The Christmas holiday from mid December to early January divides the Swedish school year into two terms.

瑞典实行9年义务教育,相当之年龄为7到16岁。瑞典每个学年从8月到次年6月,按照从新年假期(12月中旬到1月),共分为两个学期。


瑞士联邦铁路Re460型电力机车

Assignment.

When SBB was split up on 1 September 1999, Re 460 079–118 were assigned to the freight division, later becoming SBB Cargo. It was seen as an advantage to use all Re 460, which had been designed for 200 km/h, for passenger service. The passenger division passed the Re 6/6 to SBB Cargo and bought 079–095 on 1 January 2003, 096–102 2004 and the rest 2005.

Advertising.

Due in part to their large, mainly flat bodysides, Swiss Federal Railways were approached early on with requests for the Re 460 to be used as mobile advertising hoardings. Despite opposition from some quarters, the money that could be earned swayed the decision and the first such locomotive, Re 460 015 was unveiled in 1994 in Agfa livery. Today no other loco type in Switzerland carries so many different liveries.

Naming.

Almost all Re 460 locomotives are named, with the names being applied below the cab window at one end.  List of names:  List of alternate names due to special liveries:

Accidents and incidents.

On 20 February 2015, locomotive No. 460 087-0 was involved in a collision with S-Bahn Class 514 electric multiple unit 514 146–2 at.

BLS.

Swiss company BLS operates 18 similar locomotives, designated Re 465. These locomotives have efficiency modifications and individual axle control rather than individual bogie control which allows for slightly higher starting tractive effort, but are otherwise identical to the Re 460. Numbered 001–018, all are named. These locomotives are used for both passenger and freight duties by BLS. List of names:

Usage abroad.

The MTR also operates two Lok2000 variants for its cross-boundary service from Hong Kong to Guangzhou. They were introduced in 1998 when the service was operated by the KCR; accordingly, the train is called the KTT, which stands for "KCR Through Train". These long-distance trains have ten double-deck carriages and are equipped with knuckle couplers, instead of buffers and chain couplers. While the train has two locomotives, it is not operated in push-pull mode.  The 46 Sr2 locomotives of VR (Finnish Railways) are closely based on the Re 460, as are the 22 NSB El 18 class used by Norges Statsbaner of Norway. Indian Railways WAP-5 electric locomotives are also based on the Re 460. Iran Railways TM2 electric locomotives are also based on the Re 460.

References.

"This article was mostly translated from the of December 2006."

The Re 460 (popularly known as the Lok 2000) series are modern four-axle electric locomotives of the Swiss Federal Railways. Upon their entry into service in the early 1990s, they replaced the, Ae 4/7 and series units, and displaced many of the Re 4/4 series into lesser duties.

Re 460型电力机车,又称Re 4/4型电力机车(初期命名)、Lok 2000或瑞士糖,是瑞士联邦铁路(SBB)使用的电力机车车型之一,由SLM及ABB等公司制造。Re 460型是瑞士联邦铁路最大批量的现代化电力机车,也是第一次按瑞士联邦铁路的功能技术任务书设计制造的铁路机车。机车采用交流传动,设计最大速度达230公里/小时,为客货通用机车,但实际运用中以牵引客运列车为主。而属于改进型的Re 465电力机车,则主要由BLS股份公司使用,较多用于牵引货列。


Observance in Mexico.

History.

The Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico developed from ancient traditions among its pre-Columbian cultures. Rituals celebrating the deaths of ancestors had been observed by these civilizations perhaps for as long as 2,500–3,000 years. The festival that developed into the modern Day of the Dead fell in the ninth month of the Aztec calendar, about the beginning of August, and was celebrated for an entire month. The festivities were dedicated to the goddess known as the "Lady of the Dead", corresponding to the modern La Calavera Catrina.  By the late 20th century in most regions of Mexico, practices had developed to honor dead children and infants on November 1, and to honor deceased adults on November 2. November 1 is generally referred to as "Día de los Inocentes" ("Day of the Innocents") but also as "Día de los Angelitos" ("Day of the Little Angels"); November 2 is referred to as "Día de los Muertos" or "Día de los Difuntos" ("Day of the Dead").  In the 2015 James Bond film, "Spectre", the opening sequence features a Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City. At the time, no such parade took place in Mexico City; one year later, due to the interest in the film and the government desire to promote the pre-Hispanic Mexican culture, the federal and local authorities decided to organize an actual "Día de Muertos" parade through Paseo de la Reforma and Centro Historico on October 29, 2016, which was attended by 250,000 people. This is an example of the pizza effect.

Beliefs.

Frances Ann Day summarizes the three-day celebration, the Day of the Dead:

Altars ().

People go to cemeteries to be with the souls of the departed and build private altars containing the favorite foods and beverages, as well as photos and memorabilia, of the departed. The intent is to encourage visits by the souls, so the souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed to them. Celebrations can take a humorous tone, as celebrants remember funny events and anecdotes about the departed. Plans for the day are made throughout the year, including gathering the goods to be offered to the dead. During the three-day period families usually clean and decorate graves; most visit the cemeteries where their loved ones are buried and decorate their graves with (altars), which often include orange Mexican marigolds ("Tagetes erecta") called (originally named, Nāhuatl for 'twenty flowers'). In modern Mexico the marigold is sometimes called ('Flower of Dead'). These flowers are thought to attract souls of the dead to the offerings. It is also believed the bright petals with a strong scent can guide the souls from cemeteries to their family homes.  Toys are brought for dead children (, or 'the little angels'), and bottles of tequila, mezcal or pulque or jars of for adults. Families will also offer trinkets or the deceased's favorite candies on the grave. Some families have in homes, usually with foods such as candied pumpkin, ('bread of dead'), and sugar skulls; and beverages such as. The are left out in the homes as a welcoming gesture for the deceased. Some people believe the spirits of the dead eat the "spiritual essence" of the'food, so though the celebrators eat the food after the festivities, they believe it lacks nutritional value. Pillows and blankets are left out so the deceased can rest after their long journey. In some parts of Mexico, such as the towns of Mixquic, Pátzcuaro and Janitzio, people spend all night beside the graves of their relatives. In many places, people have picnics at the grave site, as well. Some families build altars or small shrines in their homes; these sometimes feature a Christian cross, statues or pictures of the Blessed Virgin Mary, pictures of deceased relatives and other people, scores of candles, and an. Traditionally, families spend some time around the altar, praying and telling anecdotes about the deceased. In some locations, celebrants wear shells on their clothing, so when they dance, the noise will wake up the dead; some will also dress up as the deceased.

Food.

During Day of the Dead festivities, food is both eaten by living people and given to the spirits of their departed ancestors as ('offerings'). are one of the most common dishes prepared for this day for both purposes.  In addition to food, drink is also important to the tradition of Day of the Dead. Historically, the main alcoholic drink was pulque while today families will commonly drink the favorite beverage of their deceased ancestors. Other drinks associated with the holiday are and, warm, thick, non-alcoholic masa drinks.  Jamaican iced tea is a popular herbal tea made of the flowers and leaves of the Jamaican hibiscus plant ("Hibiscus sabdariffa"), known as in Mexico. It is served cold and quite sweet with a lot of ice. The ruby-red beverage is called hibiscus tea in English-speaking countries and called (water of hibiscus) in Spanish.

"Calaveras".

Those with a distinctive talent for writing sometimes create short poems, called "calaveras literarias" (skulls literature), mocking epitaphs of friends, describing interesting habits and attitudes or funny anecdotes. This custom originated in the 18th or 19th century after a newspaper published a poem narrating a dream of a cemetery in the future, "and all of us were dead", proceeding to read the tombstones. Newspapers dedicate "calaveras" to public figures, with cartoons of skeletons in the style of the famous "calaveras" of José Guadalupe Posada, a Mexican illustrator. Theatrical presentations of "Don Juan Tenorio" by José Zorrilla (1817–1893) are also traditional on this day. Posada created what might be his most famous print, he called the print "La Calavera Catrina" ("The Elegant Skull") as a parody of a Mexican upper-class female. Posada's intent with the image was to ridicule the others that would claim the culture of the Europeans over the culture of the indigenous people. The image was a skeleton with a big floppy hat decorated with 2 big feathers and multiple flowers on the top of the hat. Posada's striking image of a costumed female with a skeleton face has become associated with the Day of the Dead, and Catrina figures often are a prominent part of modern Day of the Dead observances.  A common symbol of the holiday is the skull (in Spanish "calavera"), which celebrants represent in masks, called "calacas" (colloquial term for skeleton), and foods such as sugar or chocolate skulls, which are inscribed with the name of the recipient on the forehead. Sugar skulls can be given as gifts to both the living and the dead. Other holiday foods include "pan de muerto", a sweet egg bread made in various shapes from plain rounds to skulls, often decorated with white frosting to look like twisted bones.

Local traditions.

The traditions and activities that take place in celebration of the Day of the Dead are not universal, often varying from town to town. For example, in the town of Pátzcuaro on the Lago de Pátzcuaro in Michoacán, the tradition is very different if the deceased is a child rather than an adult. On November 1 of the year after a child's death, the godparents set a table in the parents' home with sweets, fruits, "pan de muerto", a cross, a rosary (used to ask the Virgin Mary to pray for them) and candles. This is meant to celebrate the child's life, in respect and appreciation for the parents. There is also dancing with colorful costumes, often with skull-shaped masks and devil masks in the plaza or garden of the town. At midnight on November 2, the people light candles and ride winged boats called "mariposas" (butterflies) to Janitzio, an island in the middle of the lake where there is a cemetery, to honor and celebrate the lives of the dead there.  In contrast, the town of Ocotepec, north of Cuernavaca in the State of Morelos, opens its doors to visitors in exchange for "veladoras" (small wax candles) to show respect for the recently deceased. In return the visitors receive tamales and "atole". This is done only by the owners of the house where someone in the household has died in the previous year. Many people of the surrounding areas arrive early to eat for free and enjoy the elaborate altars set up to receive the visitors.  In some parts of the country (especially the cities, where in recent years other customs have been displaced) children in costumes roam the streets, knocking on people's doors for a "calaverita", a small gift of candies or money; they also ask passersby for it. This relatively recent custom is similar to that of Halloween's trick-or-treating in the United States. Another peculiar tradition involving children is La Danza de los Viejitos (the dance of the old men) when boys and young men dressed like grandfathers crouch and jump in an energetic dance.

Observances outside of Mexico.

Americas.

Belize.

In Belize, Day of the Dead is practiced by people of the Yucatec Maya ethnicity. The celebration is known as which means 'food for the souls' in their language. Altars are constructed and decorated with food, drinks, candies, and candles put on them.

Bolivia.

"Día de las Ñatitas" ("Day of the Skulls") is a festival celebrated in La Paz, Bolivia, on May 5. In pre-Columbian times indigenous Andeans had a tradition of sharing a day with the bones of their ancestors on the third year after burial. Today families keep only the skulls for such rituals. Traditionally, the skulls of family members are kept at home to watch over the family and protect them during the year. On November 9, the family crowns the skulls with fresh flowers, sometimes also dressing them in various garments, and making offerings of cigarettes, coca leaves, alcohol, and various other items in thanks for the year's protection. The skulls are also sometimes taken to the central cemetery in La Paz for a special Mass and blessing.

Brazil.

The Brazilian public holiday of "Finados" (Day of the Dead) is celebrated on November 2. Similar to other Day of the Dead celebrations, people go to cemeteries and churches with flowers and candles and offer prayers. The celebration is intended as a positive honoring of the dead. Memorializing the dead draws from indigenous, African and European Catholic origins.

Ecuador.

In Ecuador the Day of the Dead is observed to some extent by all parts of society, though it is especially important to the indigenous Kichwa peoples, who make up an estimated quarter of the population. "Indigena" families gather together in the community cemetery with offerings of food for a day-long remembrance of their ancestors and lost loved ones. Ceremonial foods include "colada morada", a spiced fruit porridge that derives its deep purple color from the Andean blackberry and purple maize. This is typically consumed with "wawa de pan", a bread shaped like a swaddled infant, though variations include many pigs—the latter being traditional to the city of Loja. The bread, which is wheat flour-based today, but was made with masa in the pre-Columbian era, can be made savory with cheese inside or sweet with a filling of guava paste. These traditions have permeated mainstream society, as well, where food establishments add both "colada morada" and "gaugua de pan" to their menus for the season. Many non-indigenous Ecuadorians visit the graves of the deceased, cleaning and bringing flowers, or preparing the traditional foods, too.

Guatemala.

Guatemalan celebrations of the Day of the Dead, on November 1, are highlighted by the construction and flying of giant kites. Guatemalans fly kites in the belief that the kites help the spirits find their way back to Earth. A few kites have notes for the dead attached to the strings of the kites. The kites are used as a kind of telecommunication to heaven. A big event also is the consumption of "fiambre", which is made only for this day during the year. In addition to the traditional visits to grave sites of ancestors, the tombs and graves are decorated with flowers, candles, and food for the dead. In a few towns, Guatemalans repair and repaint the cemetery with vibrant colors to bring the cemetery to life. They fix things that have gotten damaged over the years or just simply need a touch-up, such as wooden grave cross markers. They also lay flower wreaths on the graves. Some families have picnics in the cemetery.

Peru.

Usually people visit the cemetery and bring flowers to decorate the graves of dead relatives. Sometimes people play music at the cemetery.

United States.

In many U.S. communities with Mexican residents, Day of the Dead celebrations are very similar to those held in Mexico. In some of these communities, in states such as Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, the celebrations tend to be mostly traditional. The All Souls Procession has been an annual Tucson, Arizona, event since 1990. The event combines elements of traditional Day of the Dead celebrations with those of pagan harvest festivals. People wearing masks carry signs honoring the dead and an urn in which people can place slips of paper with prayers on them to be burned. Likewise, Old Town San Diego, California, annually hosts a traditional two-day celebration culminating in a candlelight procession to the historic El Campo Santo Cemetery.  The festival also is held annually at historic Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston's Jamaica Plain neighborhood. Sponsored by Forest Hills Educational Trust and the folkloric performance group La Piñata, the Day of the Dead festivities celebrate the cycle of life and death. People bring offerings of flowers, photos, mementos, and food for their departed loved ones, which they place at an elaborately and colorfully decorated altar. A program of traditional music and dance also accompanies the community event.  The Smithsonian Institution, in collaboration with the University of Texas at El Paso and Second Life, have created a Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum and accompanying multimedia e-book: "Día de los Muertos: Day of the Dead". The project's website contains some of the text and images which explain the origins of some of the customary core practices related to the Day of the Dead, such as the background beliefs and the "offrenda" (the special altar commemorating one's deceased loved one). The Made For iTunes multimedia e-book version provides additional content, such as further details; additional photo galleries; pop-up profiles of influential Latino artists and cultural figures over the decades; and video clips of interviews with artists who make "Día de Muertos"-themed artwork, explanations and performances of Aztec and other traditional dances, an animation short that explains the customs to children, virtual poetry readings in English and Spanish.

California.

Santa Ana, California, is said to hold the "largest event in Southern California" honoring Día de Muertos, called the annual Noche de Altares, which began in 2002. The celebration of the Day of the Dead in Santa Ana has grown to two large events with the creation of an event held at the Santa Ana Regional Transportation Center for the first time on November 1, 2015.  In other communities, interactions between Mexican traditions and American culture are resulting in celebrations in which Mexican traditions are being extended to make artistic or sometimes political statements. For example, in Los Angeles, California, the Self Help Graphics & Art Mexican-American cultural center presents an annual Day of the Dead celebration that includes both traditional and political elements, such as altars to honor the victims of the Iraq War, highlighting the high casualty rate among Latino soldiers. An updated, intercultural version of the Day of the Dead is also evolving at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. There, in a mixture of Native Californian art, Mexican traditions and Hollywood hip, conventional altars are set up side by side with altars to Jayne Mansfield and Johnny Ramone. Colorful native dancers and music intermix with performance artists, while sly pranksters play on traditional themes.  Similar traditional and intercultural updating of Mexican celebrations are held in San Francisco. For example, the Galería de la Raza, SomArts Cultural Center, Mission Cultural Center, de Young Museum and altars at Garfield Square by the Marigold Project. Oakland is home to "Corazon Del Pueblo" in the Fruitvale district. "Corazon Del Pueblo" has a shop offering handcrafted Mexican gifts and a museum devoted to Day of the Dead artifacts. Also, the Fruitvale district in Oakland serves as the hub of the "Día de Muertos" annual festival which occurs the last weekend of October. Here, a mix of several Mexican traditions come together with traditional Aztec dancers, regional Mexican music, and other Mexican artisans to celebrate the day.

Asia and Oceania.

Mexican-style Day of the Dead celebrations occur in major cities in Australia, Fiji, and Indonesia. Additionally, prominent celebrations are held in Wellington, New Zealand, complete with altars celebrating the deceased with flowers and gifts. In the Philippines "Undás", "Araw ng mga Yumao" (Tagalog: "Day of those who have died"), coincides with the Roman Catholic's celebration of All Saints' Day and continues on to the following day: All Souls' Day. Filipinos traditionally observe this day by visiting the family dead to clean and repair their tombs. Offerings of prayers, flowers, candles, and even food, while Chinese Filipinos additionally burn joss sticks and joss paper ("kim"). Many also spend the day and ensuing night holding reunions at the cemetery, having feasts and merriment.

Europe.

As part of a promotion by the Mexican embassy in Prague, Czech Republic, since the late 20th century, some local citizens join in a Mexican-style Day of the Dead. A theater group conducts events involving candles, masks, and make-up using luminous paint in the form of sugar skulls.

The Day of the Dead () is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere. The multi-day holiday involves family and friends gathering to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died, and helping support their spiritual journey. In Mexican culture, death is viewed as a natural part of the human cycle. Mexicans view it not as a day of sadness but as a day of celebration because their loved ones awaken and celebrate with them. In 2008, the tradition was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

亡灵节()类似万圣节,家人和朋友团聚在一起,为亡者祈福。在墨西哥,亡灵节是一个重要的节日。庆祝活动时间为10/31至11/2,与天主教假期万圣节(11月1日)和万灵节(11月2日)相同。传统的纪念方式为搭建私人祭坛,摆放有糖骷髅、万寿菊和逝者生前喜爱的食物,并携带这些物品前往墓地祭奠逝者。


History.

In return for a promise to pay off debts owed to the United States by the Bauan chieftain, Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the Australian-based Polynesia Company was granted of land, of it near what was then the village of Suva, in 1868. The original intention was to develop a cotton farming industry, but the land and climate proved unsuitable.  Following the cession of the Fiji Islands to the United Kingdom in 1874, the colonial authorities decided to move the capital to Suva from Levuka, Ovalau, Lomaiviti in 1877, as Levuka's location, between a steep mountain and the sea, made any expansion of the town impractical. The transfer was made official in 1882. Colonel F.E. Pratt of the Royal Engineers was appointed Surveyor-General in 1875 and designed the new capital, assisted by W. Stephens and Colonel R.W. Stewart.  Following the promulgation of the Municipal Constitution Ordinance of 1909, Suva acquired municipal status in 1910. The town initially comprised one square mile; these boundaries remained intact until 1952 when the Muanikau and Samabula wards were annexed, expanding its territory to. In October that year, Suva was proclaimed a city – Fiji's first. Tamavua was subsequently annexed; the most recent extension of the city boundaries has been to incorporate the Cunningham area to the north of the city. Urban sprawl has resulted in a number of suburbs that remain outside of the city limits; together with the city itself, they form a metropolitan area known as the Greater Suva Area.  The city hosted the 2003 South Pacific Games, being the third time in the event's 40-year history that they had been held in Suva. As part of the hosting of the event, a new gymnasium and indoor sports centre, swimming pool, and stadium; field hockey pitch; and stands were built in the area around Suva, funded by the government and a $16 million People's Republic of China aid package.

Geography and physical characteristics.

Suva is the capital of Fiji and is a harbour city built on a peninsula reaching out into the sea. It has a mix of modern buildings and traditional colonial architecture.  The city is perched on a hilly peninsula between Laucala Bay and Suva Harbour in the southeast corner of Viti Levu. The mountains north and west catch the southeast trade winds, producing moist conditions year round.  Suva is the commercial and political centre of Fiji, though not necessarily the cultural centre. It is Fiji's main port city.  Although Suva is on a peninsula, and almost surrounded by sea, the nearest beach is 40 kilometres (25 mi) away at Pacific Harbour and the nearby coast is lined by mangroves. A significant part of the city centre, including the old Parliament buildings, is built on reclaimed mangrove swamp.

Central.

The Central Business District encompasses an area known as the Central Ward; one of Suva's six wards, Central occupies close to the whole south-western side of the Suva Peninsula.

City wards.

The city's six wards beginning from the city centre, then north, then clockwise rotation.

Suva–Nausori Corridor.

Suva sits in the middle of an urban conurbation that stretches from Lami, to the immediate west of the city, along the Queens Highway and Nasinu town, on its eastern border all the way to the Rewa River, along the Kings Highway. This conurbation, sometimes known as the Suva Urban Complex, continues till Nausori, over the Rewa River. The north of the city to its northeast contains the rainforest park areas of Colo-i-Suva and Sawani, along the Princes Road, connecting at the Rewa River Bridge. This entire conurbation, is generally referred to by locals as Suva, although it contains four local government areas. In formal reference, this complex has come to be known as the Suva–Nausori Corridor (where Lami is generally excluded) and is the most populous area in Fiji, with over 330,000 people.

Climate.

Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Köppen climate classification. However, as a trade-wind climate which besides knows occasional cyclones, it is not equatorial. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year, with no true dry season due to no month having an average rainfall below. Suva averages of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging. In fact, during all 12 months of the year, Suva receives substantial precipitation, such that the term "fine weather" in a weather report simply means "not actually raining". Like many other cities with a tropical rainforest climate, temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, with an average high of about and an average low of about.  Suva has a markedly higher rainfall than Nadi and the western side of Viti Levu, which is known to Suva citizens as "the burning west". The second Governor of Fiji, Sir Arthur Gordon, allegedly remarked that it rained in Suva like he had seen nowhere else before and that there was hardly a day without rain. The most copious rainfall is observed from November to May, while the slightly cooler months from June to October are considerably drier.

Demographics.

Suva is a multiracial and multicultural city. Indigenous Fijians and Indo-Fijians, the two principal ethnic groups of Fiji, comprise the bulk of Suva's population, and the city is home to the majority of Fiji's ethnic minority populations, which include Rotumans, Lauans, Rambians, Caucasians (Europeans or "Kaivalagi"), part-Europeans (of European and Fijian descent), or Kailoma" and Chinese, amongst others. The most widely spoken language is English, but Fijian, Hindustani, and other languages are also spoken by their respective communities.  Suva boasts having representation of all major indigenous Pacific groups, and is sometimes referred to as the “New York of the Pacific". The city's reputation as a major economic centre in the region, and also its hosting of the University of the South Pacific's main campus has led to an influx of Pacific migrants who study, work and live in the city and its boroughs.

Municipal government.

Suva has municipal status and is supposed to be governed by a Lord Mayor and a 20-member city council. The Suva City Council is the municipal law-making body of the city of Suva, Fiji's capital. It consists of 20 Councillors, elected for three-year terms from four multi-member constituencies called wards. Councillors, who are elected by residents, landowners, and representatives of corporations owning or occupying rateable property in Suva, elect a Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor from among their own members; they serve one-year terms and are eligible for re-election.  In 2009, the Military-backed interim government dismissed all municipal governments throughout Fiji and appointed special administrators to run the urban areas., elected municipal government has not been restored. The special administrator of Suva, along with nearby Nasinu, is Chandu Umaria, a former Lord Mayor of Suva.

Landmarks.

A well-known landmark is the Suva City Carnegie Library, built in 1909 as well as many other colonial buildings.  The government buildings complex sits on what was once the flowing waters of a creek. It was drained in 1935 and over five kilometres of reinforced concrete pilings were driven into the creek bed to support the massive buildings to be erected. After the foundation stone was laid in 1937, the building was completed in 1939; a new wing was completed in 1967. Parliament, however, was moved to a new complex on Ratu Sukuna Road in 1992.  Government House was formerly the residence of Fiji's colonial Governors and, following independence in 1970, Governors-General. It is now the official residence of Fiji's President. Originally erected in 1882, it had to be rebuilt in 1928, following its destruction by lightning in 1921.  The Suva campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) occupies what was once a New Zealand military base. It is the largest of the many USP campuses dotted throughout the South Pacific and the largest university in the Pacific Islands outside Hawaii. It offers courses which are internationally recognised and endorsed.  The Fiji Museum, in Thurston Gardens, was founded in 1904 and originally occupied the old town hall, but moved to its present location in 1954. The museum houses the most extensive collection of Fijian artefacts in the world, and is also a research and educational institution, specialising in archaeology, the preservation of Fiji's oral tradition, and the publication of material on Fiji's language and culture.  Suva has around 78 parks, these include the new Takashi Suzuki Garden, Apted Park at Suva Point which is a popular spot for viewing sunrise and sunset, Thurston Gardens which was opened in 1913 and has flora from throughout the South Pacific.  Suva has many shopping and retail areas, notably Cumming street, which has since colonial times been a vibrant and colourful shopping area. Features of these streets include the original colonial buildings and narrow roads. More modern shopping malls, such as the Suva Central Shopping Mall, Mid-City Mall as well as MHCC are all part of the developments to give the city a modern and sophisticated look.  In December 2009, there was an addition to Suva's skyline with the opening of TappooCity valued at US$25.7 million (FJD50 million) a joint venture six-storey low-rise building project by FNPF & Tappoo Group of Companies as Fiji's (and South Pacific's) largest department mall at present outside Australia & New Zealand.  Construction work began in January 2011 for a FJD30 million mini-mall complex at Grantham Road behind the Sports-City Complex and close proximity to University of the South Pacific, which will house restaurants, retail outlets and cinemas. Although construction was scheduled for end 2011, this complex will now be ready mid-2012.

Economy.

Unlike most cities and towns in Fiji and indeed many around the world, Suva did not grow around one industry but has gradually developed as a hub and the largest and most sophisticated city in the Pacific Islands. Fijians of Indian descent have largely shaped the economy of Fiji, contributing immensely to the growth of Suva and its status as the economic and political capital of Fiji. Suva is the commercial center of Fiji with most banks having their Pacific headquarters here, including ANZ and the Westpac Bank. Most national financial institutions, non-governmental organisations and government ministries and departments are headquartered here. At one point both Air Pacific (now called Fiji Airways and Air Fiji) were headquartered in Suva.  A large part of Fiji's international shipping is conducted at Suva's Kings Wharf as well as docking of international cruise ships, which has led to a growth in Suva's tourism industry. Many services are provided in Suva and is the basis of Suva's industrial and commercial activity.  There are large industrial areas, the largest being at Walu Bay, where there is a saturation of factories and warehouses and import and export companies. This area contains many shipyards for ship building and repairs as well as container yards. There is a brewery and many printeries. Other notable industrial zones are located in Vatuwaqa, Raiwaqa and Laucala Beach.  There is a large commercial and shopping scene in Suva with streets such as Cumming Street and Victoria Parade being popular. There are many shopping complexes to visit and many markets.

Institutions.

Suva is host to more international and regional intergovernmental agencies and NGOs than any other Pacific Island capital. Some of the bodies with a presence in Suva are:

Entertainment and culture.

Suva is the cultural and entertainment capital of Oceania, and is host to many regional, national and local events. The city has very developed and advanced entertainment and event infrastructure, and hosts a busy calendar of events every year.

Venues.

Suva has many multipurpose venues, the main ones being:

Parks and gardens.

Suva has a number of parks and a few gardens. Albert Park, in the City centre, is famous as the stage for many national-historical events such as the Independence of Fiji, the landing by Kingsford Smith on the Southern Cross and many parades and carnivals. Sukuna Park, also in the CBD is a popular recreational park and has many performances and events on a weekly basis. Thurston Gardens (named for Governor of Fiji John Bates Thurston) is the city's main botanical garden and the location of the Fiji Museum. Queen Elizabeth Drive is popular as a scenic walk along Suva's foreshore. Many city residents go to the Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve, a short drive from the city centre, to swim under the waterfalls.

Music.

Many concerts are held in Suva, some coming from other countries to enjoy world-class performances. Concerts and shows are usually staged at one of the above-mentioned venues on a monthly basis. Some of the famous music artists to hold shows in Suva include UB40, Lucky Dube, O'Yaba, Sean Kingston and many others. Due to a favoured interests in Bollywood by all, some prominent singers and actors have held shows in the capital which includes singers like Shaan, Sonu Nigam, Sunidhi Chauhan and movie artists like Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Johnny Lever, Dino Morea, Rajpal Yadav, Sunny Leone and the like.

Food.

Suva offers a varied and interesting culinary experience where almost every if not all major cuisines are represented. Particularly popular cuisines are Fijian, Indian, Chinese, American and foods from other cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Fijians of Indian descent have influenced Fiji's cuisine, in the process creating the uniquely Fiji Indian curry. Indentured labourers brought with them spices, chilies and other herbs and vegetables which now are part of the Fijian culinary experience.

Festivals.

During the course of the year, arts, music and trade festivals are held in Suva, albeit on a small scale. There are a few large and notable festivals that occur annually and these include the Hibiscus Festival (largest carnival in the South Pacific islands), the New Years Street Party, and the Fiji Show Case tradeshow that includes carnival rides, food as well as magic and circus performances.

Night life.

Suva has a vibrant nightlife where most nightclubs and bars open in the late afternoon and remain open till 5 am. Suva's nightlife caters to all tastes, moods and likes. Food stalls are open throughout the night and the city is well policed at night. Apart from nightclubs, there are lounges and bars that cater to those seeking low-key entertainment.  The seedier side of Suva is Victoria Parade where night clubs such as Signals Night Club, East Court Restaurant, and Angel Night Club are located in the same stretch.

Cinema.

Downtown Suva has one main cinema complex, Village Six, owned by the Damodar Brothers. The Regal and Phoenix theatres, once prominent cinema/theatre haunts before the new millennium owned by the Sharan Brothers, have since closed down. A second cinema complex is the Damodar city complex (also owned by the Damodar brothers), in the shopping area of Laucala Bay, which has a further six screens, along with shopping and eating outlets and cafes.  Another interesting feature of Suva is the increasing number of Bollywood films being shot in the capital.

Sports.

Suva plays host to many regional and national sporting events, most notably at the ANZ National Stadium. A special highlight is the Coca-Cola Games, the largest secondary school athletics meet in the world. The Capital City is represented in major sporting events by its respective rugby, netball and soccer teams.  Suva was the host of the first Pacific Games, in 1963. Forty years later in 2003 the Games returned to Fiji's capital, with a full program of 32 sports introduced for the first time. Suva held the games for the second time in 1979. Having hosted the event three times, Suva has held the Pacific Games more often than any other city.

Mass media.

Headquartered in Suva are the three main national television stations, Fiji One, FBC TV and MAI TV along with the Fiji Ministry of Information, which produces government programs as well as national news and current affairs bulletins. Fiji One produces and airs its evening 'National News' bulletin from its studios in Gladstone Road in Central; FBC TV airs its 'FBC News' bulletin from its studios, also on Gladstone Road. Sky Pacific and Pacific Broadcasting Services Fiji are the two pay satellite television company headquartered here.  Suva is home to the national radio broadcasters Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) and Communications Fiji Limited (CFL), between them providing 12 of the national radio stations.  The two dailies, "The Fiji Times" and "The Fiji Sun" are printed here (and, formerly, the "Fiji Post"). Many other weekly newspapers are headquartered and published in Suva, including "Inside Fiji", "Nai Lalakai" (iTaukei language weekly), "Shanti Dut" (Fiji Hindi weekly), national magazines such as "Repúblika" and "Mai Life" as well as regional magazines such as "Islands Business".

Shopping and fashion.

Suva is one of the most shopper friendly cities in the Pacific. The city offers its shops in a cluster that is referred to as Suva Central. Areas like Cumming Street and Marks Street are for clothing, jewellery, food, electronics, pharmaceuticals and more. Terry Walk and the Flea Market offer handicrafts and local ware. Close by, huge, new shopping complexes dominate the canal area, such as MHCC (Morris Hedstrom City Center), Tappoo City and Suva Central. There are telecommunication and electronic stores, as well as sporting gear stores in the outer areas of this radius.  Suva also hosts the headquarters of the Fashion Council of Fiji, the regions most significant fashion organisation. The Fijian Fashion Festival, the regions largest trade and consumer fashion platform, occurs annually at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva.

Transportation.

Nausori International Airport caters mainly to the domestic market, connecting Suva with Fiji's other international airport, Nadi International Airport, and serves smaller international aircraft, at one time servicing Brisbane and Sydney routes. As of August 2010, Fiji Airways will operate a twice weekly flight from Nausori International Airport to Auckland, New Zealand to complement its 13 weekly flights from Nadi to Auckland, furthermore, the Nausori – Sydney route has resumed. The airport provides services to its immediate Pacific neighbours Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu as well as the dependency of Rotuma.  Suva has a public transport system consisting of buses (Central Transport Co.) and taxis servicing the metropolitan area as well as the cities of Nasinu, Nausori and Lami town. There are bus services connecting Suva with other towns and cities on Viti levu by way of either the Kings, Queens or Princes highways, all originating within Suva, although the latter terminates at Rewa Bridge in Nausori.  There is a domestic ferry services from the Princess Wharf to the outer islands of Fiji as well as Vanua Levu. International ships and cruise liners dock at Suva's Kings Wharf.

Notable residents.

This is a list of famous people who are either currently living in, or are originally from Suva.

Suva () is the capital and largest metropolitan city in Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Rewa Province, Central Division.

苏瓦(,)是斐济的首都,也是斐济最大的城市。苏瓦位于维提岛的东南部,属于中部专区,人口约77,366人。1877年苏瓦正式成为斐济的首都。


Early life.

McFadden was born in Dublin, Ireland, and was raised Catholic. Throughout his younger years, he always had an interest in singing, dancing and football. Along with his sister Susan, McFadden attended the Billie Barry Stage School in Dublin, which led him to doing stage and TV roles, including a role in the Irish TV show "Finbar's Class", a comedy revolving around a group of student-swingers. In early 1998, he formed a pop-R&B group with his friends Tim and Darragh, called "Cartel", and performed live gigs in Dublin pubs. When the band passed their credentials to prominent Irish music manager Louis Walsh, McFadden was asked to come to the audition for the formation of a new band that would later be called Westlife.

Music career.

1998–2004: Westlife.

In June 1998, McFadden auditioned for Irish male band Westlife and was against another blond Nicky Byrne and eventually both joined the group alongside Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, and Shane Filan. After joining, he changed the spelling of his name from Brian to Bryan to make it easier to sign autographs. With McFadden as part of the group, Westlife were under the music mogul Simon Cowell and released their first single, Swear It Again, which was the group's first and only single to have charted in the US in 2000, four Irish No. 1 studio albums, and a No. 1 greatest hits album. They also released seventeen Irish top 5 singles including the hit single "Uptown Girl," which peaked within the top 10 in seven European countries and also in Australia and New Zealand. In March 2004, McFadden left the group to spend more time with his family and work on solo projects. He subsequently began a solo career and decided to revert the spelling of his first name back to its original, "Brian." Before launching his solo career, he co-wrote the song "If My World Stopped Turning," which was sung by Ireland's entry Chris Doran in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004.

2004–2006: "Irish Son".

Following his departure from Westlife, McFadden signed to major record label, Sony BMG. In September 2004, he released his debut solo single "Real to Me," which became his first solo No. 1 single in Britain, Ireland, Denmark and Norway. His second single and title track, "Irish Son," peaked within the top 10 on the British and Ireland Singles Charts. Following the release of the two singles, McFadden released his debut solo album, "Irish Son," in November 2004 and it peaked within the top 10 on the Irish Albums Chart. McFadden co-wrote most of the songs on the album with Guy Chambers, best known for his successful collaboration with Robbie Williams and INXS. The third single "Almost Here," a duet with Australian singer Delta Goodrem became McFadden's second No. 1 single in Ireland as a solo artist and his first in Australia and gained a platinum accreditation there. The fourth and final single, "Demons" peaked within the top 30 on the charts in Ireland and Britain. McFadden continued writing songs for artists such as Il Divo and Girls Aloud, as well as co-writing the theme song "Together We Are One" for the 2006 Commonwealth Games. That same year, McFadden collaborated with American singer LeAnn Rimes on the song, "Everybody's Someone."

2007–2008: Label change and "Set in Stone".

While working on the second album, McFadden's record label, Sony BMG insisted that he work with an A&R man, after disappointing sales of his last album, which only sold 800,000 copies worldwide. However, there were claims that McFadden's A&R man did not want McFadden to work with Guy Chambers, who had previously worked with McFadden on his last album and fought about his songs and musical direction. His A&R man wanted him to make songs like James Morrison, Paolo Nutini, and the Scissor Sisters but McFadden insisted he make songs that are of his style. It was later revealed in March 2007 that McFadden parted ways with Sony BMG. Later that year, he set up his own record label under the name of BMF Records and released his new single "Like Only a Woman Can" in Ireland, through the label. "Like Only a Woman Can" became his third Irish No. 1 single as a solo artist. In early 2008, McFadden signed to Universal Music Australia and released the single there in April 2008, which peaked within the ARIA top 15. Following the release of "Like Only a Woman Can," McFadden released his second studio album, "Set in Stone." The album peaked in Australia at No. 5 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Other singles were released from the album: "Twisted," which peaked within the top 30 on the ARIA Singles Chart and "Everything But You," which failed to chart the ARIA top 50.

2010: "Wall of Soundz".

In April 2010, McFadden released "Just Say So," which features American rapper Kevin Rudolf. The single debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at No. 1 and stayed there for three weeks. It spent seven weeks in the ARIA top ten and thirteen weeks in the ARIA top 50 and gained a platinum accreditation. Following the release of "Just Say So," McFadden released his third studio album, "Wall of Soundz," in Australia on 23 April 2010. The album was originally going to be released as a side-project McFadden embarked on with American songwriter Rob Conley but both decided to release it as McFadden's third solo album. It debuted at No. 27 on the ARIA Albums Chart and spent only three weeks in the ARIA top 50. "Chemical Rush" was the second single released from the album in June 2010 and peaked at No. 12 on the charts. In September 2010, McFadden released the third single entitled "Mistakes," a duet with his then fiancée Delta Goodrem. McFadden also recorded a duet with Ronan Keating on Keating's duet album, a cover of the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody."

2011–2012: Just The Way You Are and the controversy.

On 25 February 2011, McFadden released a new single "Just the Way You Are (Drunk at the Bar)." The song was criticised by some as a glorification of date rape, as a result of which he cancelled the shooting of a proposed pop video for the song, asked that the song not be played on the radio and pledged via his Twitter account to donate all proceeds from the song to rape victims. "Just the Way You Are (Drunk at the Bar)" debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number sixty-one on 8 March 2011, and peaked at number forty-nine the next week.  In June 2011, McFadden appeared on Australian radio show "The Kyle & Jackie O Show" to launch both of his new singles "Come Party" and "That's How Life Goes", which was co-written by multi-platinum singer, songwriter, and producer Ray Ruffin. Despite heavy promotion and appearances on TV shows such as "Dancing With the Stars", the new singles failed to impact the charts at all, which was surprising considering his high-profile appearances on "Australia's Got Talent". Some of this has been attributed to the negative press surrounding his previous single "Just the Way You Are (Drunk at the Bar)." This, as well as his much-publicized split with Delta Goodrem, appear to have had a negative impact on his music career.  McFadden released his new single "Wrap My Arms" on 20 January 2012 in Australia. The song was used in a promo for Home and Away and it managed to peak at 70 in the ARIA top 100.

2012–present: "The Irish Connection" and reunions.

On 13 September 2012, McFadden announced the release of his fourth studio album, "The Irish Connection", featuring covers of his favourite Irish songs as well as duets with Ronan Keating and Sinéad O'Connor. The album was recorded in both Sydney and Dublin. This album features none of McFadden's past five single releases, which have not appeared in an album format to date.  On 18 September 2012, Ronan Keating announced that McFadden would be joining him on his 2013 UK Fires Tour. He toured with Keith Duffy, formerly of Boyzone, as a supergroup named Boyzlife in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Television and radio career.

In 2008, McFadden took on the role of television presenter as co-host of FOX8's "Football Superstar" in Australia. He reprised his role for the second season in 2009. In August 2009, McFadden appeared as a guest judge on "Australian Idol".  In 2010, McFadden became one of the new judges on "Australia's Got Talent" replacing Red Symons alongside Kyle Sandilands who replaced Tom Burlinson and Dannii Minogue. He was a judge for three years, but was not asked back for the seventh season. In season 6, McFadden had a controversial dismissal of Owen Campbell, after a small argument where it appeared that McFadden did not understand the outlaw style genre of the contestant and persona he was portraying which may have played a part in his ratings drop which led to him leaving the show.  In late 2008, McFadden teamed up with singer Ricki-Lee Coulter and former "Big Brother" host Mike Goldman to present the "Summer Breakfast Show" on 2Day FM. In September 2009, McFadden returned to radio by co-hosting on the breakfast show on 2dayFM with Jackie O and Andrew G, replacing host Kyle Sandilands for a short period of time.  2013 saw McFadden and his former wife Vogue Williams come in second place on ITV dancing show "Stepping Out", hosted by Davina McCall.  In 2014, McFadden co-hosted the Channel 5 dating game show "Stand By Your Man" alongside former "Freshly Squeezed" co-host Laura Jackson.  In September 2014, McFadden began hosting daytime ITV series "Who's Doing the Dishes?" The show returned for a second series in September 2015 and a third in September 2016. In January 2015, McFadden took part in celebrity talent show "Get Your Act Together". In December 2015, McFadden and Vogue Williams took part in a celebrity couples edition of "Catchphrase".  In 2016, McFadden participated in the third series of "The Jump" on Channel 4. He was the fourth celebrity to be eliminated from the show.  In 2019, McFadden took part in the eleventh series of "Dancing on Ice", alongside professional partner Alex Murphy. He finished in fourth place, after a skate-off with Saara Aalto.

Personal life.

McFadden married then-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona on 5 January 2002 in Rathfeigh, County Meath, Ireland. They have two daughters. They divorced in 2006.  In 2004, McFadden began dating Australian Pop Singer Delta Goodrem, with whom he collaborated on the duet "Almost Here". They were engaged but the pair ended their relationship in April 2011.  He wed Irish model Vogue Williams in 2012 in Florence, Italy. They separated in 2015 and divorced in 2017.  In 2018, McFadden received a £450 fine and was banned from driving for six months at a Nottingham court after accruing 12 penalty points for four separate speeding offences.  In December 2019, McFadden announced his engagement to PE teacher Danielle Parkinson on Twitter after three years of dating.

Brian Nicholas McFadden (born 12 April 1980) is an Irish singer, songwriter and television presenter who rose to fame in 1998 as a member of the Irish boy band Westlife. Following his departure from the group in 2004, McFadden released his debut solo album, "Irish Son." He has since released four studio albums: "Set in Stone", "Wall of Soundz", "The Irish Connection", and "Otis".

布莱恩·麦克法登(Brian Nicholas McFadden,1980年-4月12日)是爱尔兰的一位歌手和电视节目主持人。他曾经是爱尔兰男孩团体西城男孩中的一员,2004年单飞后,发展自己个人的演艺事业,创作自己喜欢的音乐风格,发行过自己的音乐作品。麦克法登出生在都柏林,成长在天主教家庭。


Biography.

Early life and career.

Li Changchun was born in February 1944 in modern-day Dalian, Liaoning, then administered by the Empire of Japan as "Dairen", Kwantung Leased Territory. He joined the Communist Party of China in 1965 and graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from the Harbin Institute of Technology in 1966. In 1983, at age 39, he became the youngest mayor and Party secretary of a major city, of Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning. In 1982, he was also made an alternate member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China at the age of 38, the youngest member of the body at the time. In 1987, he became governor of Liaoning province, a post he kept until 1990. As governor, mainland China's first expressway was built in the province, linking the cities of Shenyang and Dalian. In addition, Li pushed for the reform of state-owned enterprises, aiming to decrease state involvement in their operations.  After General Secretary Zhao Ziyang was purged from the party leadership in 1989 during the fallout from the Tiananmen Square protests that same year, Li was initially also thought to have been removed from the leadership because he was a supporter of Zhao. Li's appearance on state television weeks later showed that this was not the case.  In 1990, Li was transferred from his job in Liaoning province to central Henan province. In his memoirs, Li recounted that he was ill-prepared for his new assignment and felt homesick. The central authorities had not given him much prior notice about his transfer, and did not inform him why he was being moved or facilitate an orderly transition process. Li, as a result, was somewhat critical of the party's transfer process but nonetheless duly accepted his new assignment. He had succeeded then-Henan governor Cheng Weigao, who had been transferred to Hebei province as part of a three-province 'leader swap' orchestrated by the party's leaders. Henan, a populous agricultural province without a strong industrial base, presented Li with significant challenges, and Li had experienced unease settling into his new home.  Two years later, in 1992, Li was promoted to party chief of Henan. It would be Li's first job as "first-in-charge" of a province. Being accustomed to serving in government administration, Li's tenure in Henan was his first taste of being in charge of party affairs. Li said that initially being the top leader in the province made him uncomfortable as he had to shoulder all responsibility, especially at a time when other regions were developing economically at a pace much faster than that of Henan. Overall, his tenure in Henan was seen as mediocre. Rural incomes remained stagnant during his term, and his government was also blamed in a scandal involving tainted blood which led to the spread of AIDS in the province.

Guangdong.

Li was promoted to the Politburo of the Communist Party of China in 1997, largely due to having secured the patronage of the paramount leader and Party General Secretary Jiang Zemin. In his memoirs, Li said that he was surprised at having been appointed to the Politburo. In 1998, Jiang dispatched Li to serve as Guangdong Party Secretary. It was said that Jiang wanted to use Li as a counterbalance to the entrenched local political establishment composed mostly of people native to the province. In Guangdong, Li cracked down on corruption to "put the house in order." In the wake of the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997-98, Li set up a special task force to evaluate what to do with non-performing loans owed by two of the province's largest financial companies. He appointed former central bank deputy governor Wang Qishan to oversee the task force. Li shook up the local banking sector and closed a plethora of local credit unions and agencies. He also increased access to the legal aid system for the poor in the province. His tenure in Guangdong was seen as largely successful, having averted the brunt of the Asian Financial Crisis and also bringing Guangdong back to the political control of the central leadership under Jiang Zemin.  Li's tenure in Guangdong made him one of Jiang's favourites and as such Jiang was preparing to groom him for succession for the premiership upon incumbent Premier Zhu Rongji's scheduled retirement in 2003. However, Zhu had been favouring Wen Jiabao for the Premier office, and criticized Li over his handling of an "export rebate fraud" scandal in the coastal city of Shantou in 2000, which took place during Li's term as Guangdong party chief. Li's intention to promote Huang Liman, a female friend of Jiang's who was considered incompetent, to the party chief position in the coastal city of Shenzhen became a sticking point for Jiang's political opponents.

Politburo Standing Committee.

As expected, Li was named a member of the Politburo Standing Committee after Jiang's departure as General Secretary of the Communist Party in 2002. By then, Li was seen by political observers as firmly belonging to Jiang's camp. He was considered one of Jiang's major 'patronage appointments' to the top ruling council along with other staunch Jiang loyalists such as Jia Qinglin and Huang Ju. Li was ranked eighth in the party hierarchy out of the nine members of the new PSC, given the portfolio of supervising the Party organs that dealt with propaganda and ideology while taking on no other official party or state titles.  Li was the first propaganda chief to preside over the growth of the internet in China, and as a result was largely seen as having been the forerunner in developing the internet censorship regime that became increasingly extensive over the course of his tenure. In October 2007, at the 17th Party Congress, it was announced that Li, then aged 63 (below the unofficial age of retirement for PSC members, 67), would serve another term as propaganda chief. In addition, Li was elevated from eight position in the protocol sequence to fifth, in front of Hu Jintao's putative successor Xi Jinping.  There were high hopes among some in media circles that Li would signal a more liberal change from the strictures of former propaganda chief Ding Guangen. Li had made a major speech advocating that media stay "close to the public" and to real events, "instead of mechanically following Party directives." In addition, Li was also seen as a leading reformer due to his legacy in Guangdong, where he was not afraid to take on entrenched interests and introduce further market economic reforms. The hopes were short-lived however, though, after the Central Propaganda Department began closing newspapers, firing journalists, and would not allow foreign companies to produce content for TV stations in China. Many editors were punished and Li Changchun "started sounding and acting like another Ding Guangen."

Propaganda work.

In his position as China's propaganda chief from 2002 to 2012, Li was said to have contributed heavily to China's censorship campaign and frequently ordered media to downplay or not report on certain events. In 2006, he told the members of the All-China Journalists Association to "closely encircle the overall work of the party and state". Li approved the construction of the National Museum in 2006 after a series of disputes and delays about the building of the museum. He was the guest of honor at the opening of the National Center for the Performing Arts.  Li has put his support behind a number of creative projects that might otherwise have been censored by the government. He supported "Zen Shaolin", a music, dance and martial arts show intended to increase tourism that opened in 2007 in Henan, despite the producers' concerns that a celebration of religion and sacred music would be opposed by the government. Li allowed a 2009 movie "Nanking! Nanking!" by Lu Chuan to continue running in theaters in the face of strong pressure from nationalists who objected to the sympathetic characterization in the film of a Japanese soldier. The film was one of ten chosen to help commemorate 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.

Personal life.

Li is married to Zhang Shurong (), his college sweetheart. Zhang was an engineer.

Li Changchun (born February 1944) is a retired Chinese politician and a former senior leader of the Communist Party of China. He served on the Politburo Standing Committee, the Communist Party's top leadership council, and as the top official in charge of propaganda, between 2002 and 2012. He also served as Chairman of the CPC Central Guidance Commission for Building Spiritual Civilization, "de facto" head of propaganda and media relations. Li had a widely varying political career spanning three provinces, first as Governor of Liaoning, then Party Secretary of Henan, and then Party Secretary of Guangdong, before being promoted to the national leadership in 2002. He retired in 2012.

李长春(1944年-2月),辽宁大连人,前中国共产党的主要领导人之一,第十六、十七届中共中央政治局常委,曾经担任中央文明委主任,主管意识形态工作。