Friends och Swedbank
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Join the match against bullying - Be no spectator

Every year 60,000 children are exposed to bullying, and even more people are watching. To remind us that this is the difficult life of many children - 25 bronze sculptures have now moved into Friends Arena. This was also why the Swedish national football team, ahead of the game against Chile on March 24th, entered the field with miniature sculptures in their hands instead of children. The sculptures are now permanently in the arena to remind us all about our responsibility to fight bullying! Read more about the initiative below and how to support the work of Friends. Be #nospectator

”Jag är bara 12 år men jag vill inte leva längre.”

”Det är som om de vill att jag ska få skit”

”Jag är inte tyst för att jag är blyg”

”De säger att det är jag på bilderna men det är det inte.”

”Det värsta är när de säga elaka saker om min bror”

”Alla såg vad de gjorde men ingen sa något”

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A moment, frozen in time, cast in bronze

Swedbank, in collaboration with The Friends Foundation, has installed a unique artwork at Friends Arena. The work, comprising 25 bronze sculptures of children, forms part of ‘The Arena Children’ project. The sculptures, together with the name of the arena, are a permanent reminder that no child should ever have to experience being bullied.

Together against bullying

For many children in Sweden, the day begins with a sick feeling in their stomachs. Some days, it means violence and abuse; other days, the child will face silence and derisive looks. 60,000 children are bullied every year - together, they would fill the entire Friends Arena.

In 2002, Swedbank join The Friends Foundation in their fight against bullying as their main sponsor. In 2012, as an extension of this collaboration, Swedbank named Sweden’s national arena in Stockholm to ‘Friends Arena’. The idea was for the arena to become a physical manifestation against bullying and a reminder that no child should ever have to be bullied.

60 000 children are bullied every year - together, they would fill the entire Friends Arena.

Support Friends in their fight against bullying

Despite the widespread attention it has attracted and measures introduced to address it, bullying still remains a problem. But together we can prevent it. In the schools that The Friends Foundation work with the levels of bullying have declined substantially. The Friends Foundation gives children, adolescents and adults the support and the tools they need to prevent it - to stopping bullying before it starts.

If you want to support Friends in their fight against bullying please visit www.friends.se to make a donation or to find out more about how you can get involved.

Swedbank’s engagement in society

Social engagement has played a key role through Swedbank’s history for more than 200 years. Not only does Swedbank work to prevent bullying, it also educates children and young people on the subject of personal finances and works to lower the labour market threshold for young people and academics born in other countries. Swedbank also works in partnership with Junior Achievement Sweden to provide entrepreneurial training for young people.



The artist Maria Ängquist Klyvare about the artwork

“See me” is the name of my artwork for Friends. It is a representation of every child's plea be seen and treated with respect. The presence of the children within the arena landscape becomes a physical experience. We see the child – and maybe our own inner child too. I want the depiction to be a permanent manifestation for the fight against bullying - a manifestation that can provoke thoughts and evoke feelings, but which also can give soul and identity to Friends Arena.”