It is as Swedish as the Midsummer pole and pickled herring and the famous theme song – played exactly 1 pm every day between June 25 to August 21 – takes me back to a warm and lazy summer’s day in Sweden within seconds. I’m talking about the radio program and institution “Sommar” (Summer) who has been airing every summer since 1959. The concept is simple. 57 different hosts – celebrities, politicians, musicians, sportsmen, scientists… – are given one and a half hour each to tell their story and play their favourite music. The hosts are kept  secret until a big press conference on June 1 and it’s considered a great honour to be given your own slot.

Because of the program’s long history, the archives kind off works as a reflection of the Swedish society and what has been going on in the world. Easy and inoffensive family fun during the 60ies, lot’s of  politics and propaganda during the 70ies, younger hosts to attract a younger audience during the 00ies… And boy, the archive is packed with some fantastic material and some world famous Swedes! Astrid Lindgren, Ingmar Bergman, Robyn, Anitha Ekberg, Ingvar Kamprad…Almost 2 000 Swedes have hosted “Sommar” and in fact, the noun “sommarpratare” (summer speaker) actually made in into the Swedish dictionary in 2007. (Read more about the history here)

This year, I’m particularly looking forward to listening to brilliant musician Freddie Walding (July 10), Sweden’s foreign minister Carl Bildt (July 17), the fantastic author Sara Stridsberg (July 21) and the designer and musician Daniel Adams-Ray (August 9). The good thing about the program is that you can listen to it anytime, anywhere – every show is archived here – but it’s also broadcast live on the web here.

1 pm. Every day all summer. The perfect Swedish lesson?