MOVING A HEART: WHEN 672 Tonnes of HISTORY BECAME A GLOBAL STORY

Building Trust on Shifting Ground

The relocation of Kiruna Church was a central part of a massive urban transformation driven by the mining industry.

• Background: Ongoing iron ore mining required the 672-tonne church to be moved 5 km to avoid ground movements at its original site. The total weight of the rig would reach 1,200 tonnes.

• The Challenge: LKAB needed to make the project of moving the church – a symbol of generations of local memories – a postive experience for the residents of Kiruna.

• The Goal: The primary objective was to make the relocation a cause for celebration – not least as a show of gratitude to the local Kiruna residents, for experiencing major construction, moves and other changes in the community for a number of years. The secondary objective was to spread the word of the move in global media.

• The Scale: Preparations had to accommodate up to 15,000 spectators in a city of only 17,000 residents.

A Unified Experience for a City in Flux

While LKAB managed the technical engineering of the building's move, More Alliance was responsible for the entire public-facing celebration, safety, and narrative framing. Our mission was to make history accessible, whether you were standing in the city square or watching from across the globe. Participating agencies were Revolve Concept Management and Rubrik.

Overcoming Infrastructure Volatility

The greatest logistical challenge was the “living” nature of the site. Kiruna was transforming in real-time; between planning visits, entire houses vanished and established roads were rerouted or closed.

• Constant Recalibration: Revolve had to rethink basic infrastructure – power, internet, water, and waste – for every site, every single time the landscape shifted.

• Adaptive Site Management: Viewing areas were strategically placed along the entire 5 km route, requiring the team to manage safety and accessibility on a “moving” target.

Engineering a Shared Experience

To turn a 1,200-tonne industrial move into a community celebration, Revolve designed multiple layers of engagement:

• The Church Run: A 5 km race on the newly constructed relocation road allowed 1,000 participants to be the first and last people to ever run that specific path.

• Broadcast Integration: Revolve built a full broadcast studio in City Hall Square. By integrating their own footage with SVT’s national feed, they delivered over 30 hours of live coverage that felt like a major sporting event rather than a construction project.

• Inclusive Accessibility: The Alliance model allowed a core team of five to scale up to over 100 volunteers, ensuring the event was accessible to everyone, regardless of age or physical ability.

“We had to create our own starting points because there was no fixed timeline or direction initially. It was a classic Revolve assignment – combining logistics, storytelling, and human experience into a production where people could take part in history, not just watch it pass by.” – Daniel Jonzon, Project Director, Revolve

9.7 Billion Reasons to be Proud

The result was a four-day celebration that strengthened the bond between industry and community.

• Public Sentiment: 93% of the public understood exactly why the move was necessary, and 54% remained overall positive toward the project.

• Trust Maintained: 58% of respondents reported no change in their trust for LKAB, while 26% actually reported an increase in confidence following the event.

• Global Reach: The event generated over 5,100 articles with a potential reach of 9.7 billion, including non-stop hits on the BBC.

• World Record: The festivities were marked by royal attendance and the official setting of a World Record for “Church Coffee”.

“LKAB's communication regarding the church relocation ... demonstrates how a company can handle a deeply emotional and symbolic project with respect, transparency, and strong storytelling.” – The Super Communicator Jury

“The pictures were absolutely mind-boggling... it got you the international breakthrough you deserved.” – Erica, BBC