SFI is a national language education programme available to all immigrants in Sweden. Yet many don’t attend the courses, making it harder to integrate into society. Over time, this has contributed to a divide between fluent Swedish speakers and those still learning the language. One challenge lies in how Swedish works because what is said and what is meant are not always the same. So, SFI set out to make the language more accessible and easier to engage with.

We took the language out of the classrooms into the streets. By interpreting Swedish idioms literally in real-world environments. In libraries, at the bus station, the local falafel shop and many more places. Each idiom was explained with textbook examples in multiple languages. People could practice where they already were, making the Swedish language accessible all over town.

The initiative drove a nationwide debate on how language is key for integration. The executions themselves were widely shared and picked up, especially in channels targeting non-Swedish-speaking audiences. Site visists to SFI’s website increased by 93% and the campaign helped build understanding of how the Swedish language works. And why it can be difficult to learn.