Welcome to Beyond Borders: Uniting Women in Defence - UK-Sweden Cultural Dialogue! Join us for a virtual gathering where women from the UK and Sweden come together to discuss and collaborate on defense strategies. This event aims to foster cultural exchange and strengthen ties between the two nations. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and contribute to a more inclusive and diverse defense community. Register now to be part of this empowering dialogue!

What connects women in defence across borders beyond their shared work in the sector? Are there common experiences or different lessons we can explore to better support and learn from each other? In this lunch hour conversation on Monday 2nd December (12pm GMT/1pm GMT), experts from Women in Defence UK and Femme Defence (Sweden) will virtually come together to discuss positive changes for women in the sector, what barriers still exist which hinder women progressing into leadership roles, the impact of diversity on operational effectiveness and more.

Moderated by Tara Zammit, Women in Defence UK Leadership Team, our speakers include:

Angela Owen OBE, Founder of Women in Defence UK

Vendela Runold, Chairwoman of Femme Defence

Dr Eluned Lewis, Team Leader Survivability, QinetiQ Senior Fellow and three times Women in Defence UK Awards Finalist

Captain Frida Linehagen, PhD, Military Teacher in Department of Leadership and Command & Control, Swedish Defence University

Femme Defence:

Femme Defence, founded in 2017, is a nonprofit organization empowering young women in the defence and security sector. It bridges the gap between women starting their careers and experienced female leaders. Femme Defence strengthens members' competence through mentorship, lectures, and study visits, while enhancing leadership skills through workshops and meetings with established leaders in the industry. The members in, from both private and public sectors, share a commitment to defence and security issues.

Our Swedish participants:

Frida Linehagen holds a PhD in Risk and Societal Safety and is a commissioned officer with extensive experience in gender equality work within the Swedish Armed Forces. In her doctoral dissertation, Frida analyzed the Swedish Armed Forces' gender equality initiatives, bringing valuable expertise in both risk management and the challenges faced by security organizations in promoting gender equality.

Vendela Runold, Chairwoman of Femme Defence

The chairwoman of Femme Defence and a PhD student at Uppsala University in political science, working on security politics. Has a background working with crisis management and civil preparedness, as well as gender mainstreaming in civil preparedness.