Norrman himself has been an opera singer. But his thoughts on Europe have little to do with artistic pipe dreams:

• European politics? Europe, Norrman states, is far from being perceived as a political unit internationally – and how could it be. "In India or China no diplomat would ask what Europe thinks, but people would be very interested to know what Germany thinks, and France, and Britain." Plus, according to Norrman embarking on the path of enlarging Europe has made it physically impossible to increase cohesion between the member countries at the same time, and thus to create a common position and a strong Europe in the world.
  

• European education? EU strategy papers from 2000 (Lisbon Agenda) and 2010 (Europe 2020) do state the goal to make Europe if not a political global player then the most competitive economy in the world in terms of knowledge and innovation. "That didn't happen of course", Norrman states soberly. "And both in 2000 and in 2010 my colleagues and I have been lobbying Mr. Barroso: where is culture in your damned strategy?"

• European culture? Americans would probably disagree on the notion that culture is a condition for competitive education, economy or politics to emerge. And cultural connections can be found between a lot of countries without making their governments political allies automatically, nor their citizens countrymen.

• So what else has Europe to offer? In the eyes Mr. Norrman "Europe more than anything else is a social democratic project. A vision of a socially acceptable life for every single one of its citizens." European sociality? "Having said that", Norrman adds, "one has to be aware of the fact that globally, the differences between rich and poor have been extended to a disastrous and scandalous extent."

In contrast with the case of Sweden, some depressing movies, an embarrassing pop group and some strangely-named furniture do not seem to be enough to sell Europe to the rest of the world. Good to have Swedish Europeans like Karl-Erik Norrman to go for it.

The ICD, founded in 1999 by Mark C. Donfried, is the world's first institution running cultural diplomacy on a strictly transnational and non-governmental basis. Its main goals are research and education in the field of cultural diplomacy as well as supporting and encouraging so-called 'leadership initiatives' fostering intercultural exchange and mutual understanding – initiatives similar to that of E&M.