The Government proposes that Malmö Municipality be given a grant for a feasibility study into the prospects of establishing a national democracy and migration museum. The grant should also be used for an international academic conference in Malmö in spring 2016 to provide the starting point for the feasibility study. The proposal is based on an agreement between the Government and the Left Party.
Migration has been a relevant topic throughout history as people in all periods have had cause to move to new areas, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. Famine, war, persecution and lack of jobs are some of the reasons forcing people to leave their local communities. During the 1800s and early 1900s, approximately 1.5 million Swedes chose to emigrate to find a better life. Since the Second World War, people have come to Sweden to find protection or because they have been offered work. Many of these people settled in or passed through Malmö and they carry valuable stories of their experiences that can contribute to greater understanding for the conditions of migration and democracy.