The Swedish Number is an unusual campaign from the Swedish Tourist Association. From now on you can call the number in the video and get connected up to a random Swedish resident (who will have to sign up through an app to ‘volunteer to chat’ for Sweden). Via ABC News:
The phone number was set up to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Sweden becoming the first country to abolish censorship. The Swedes who take the calls download a special app on their smartphones, when they have the app turned on they will receive a call from anyone who decides to call the number.
So the Swedes taking the calls have become unpaid ambassadors for their country.
The number has proven popular, with so far over 9,000 calls made since it began on April 6, clocking over 16 hours of chat time between callers and a random Swede.
Among the suggested topics of conversation are: northern lights, hiking, suicide rates, gay rights and darkness.
Along with other Swedish residents, some known signups to the app include the AP bureau chief of Sweden and the Swedish Prime Minister, Stefan Löfven:
Naturally not every caller believed that it was really Stefan, with one person asking him to prove it. Great concept!