Lars Karlsson: CapacityNow

I am in one of the most beautiful and famous cities in the world, Paris. For a very short stay this time, but still. I arrived yesterday, have some important meetings today and I fly to Dubai tonight. 

I have visited Parc des Princes – the legendary stadium of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) many times. But unfortunately not this time in Paris though. However I am always equally impressed when the PSG crowd chant powerfully ‘Ici c’est Paris’. This is Paris.

That famous PSG motto, telling everybody “don’t come here and think that you are somebody, that you can best us, that you are greater than us…” is so French. And I love it. I love the French mentality, the spirit, the self-confidence, the pride. We should have more of that, all of us. We should conquer it back from some elements that have sometimes kidnapped national pride and our flags. 

I have the fortune since many years to spend some of my free time in France since we have a place in the South of France. I love to be there and I love our French friends and neighbors. The French people. That is why I was so deveasted when terror hit Paris. And so equally determinded to continue to work for more security and safety in the world, fighting terrorism and organized crime – which nore and more is the same thing. 
So even only spending a few hours in Paris, is something special. When I took a very nice walk last night in a beautiful spring-Paris, talking to people on the street, I felt again. Ici c’est Paris.

It was time to return to Paris. I have important meetings here tomorrow. 

Tonight I visited friends. 

It was as always a great pleasure to return to one of the most important cities in the world. I love Paris. 

“A working Class Hero is something to be”.  Today is International workes day, May 1st. All around the world workers marches the streets and fiery speeches are given in the defence of workers and the working class. It is still necessary. In some places. Almost everywhere. A well functioning labour market is depending on fair rules and regulations, otherwise it will not work. There are a lot of research supporting that. 

My father was a working class man. He worked with his hands, a self-made man who could anything. He always worked. Also on May 1st. Maybe not always for somebody else, many times he worked for himself and his family on May 1. He just liked to work. He was a hard worker. Even though his hard work made it possible for me to do the journey through the classes – I have followed his work ethics. I always work. I believe walking the talk. To do what you say. I learned that if tou want to go places, nobody will ask you to come or bring you along. You have to do it yourself through hard work.  Or as John Lennon said: “If you want to be a working class hero just follow me”.