Press release 11 September 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the murder of Folke Bernadotte

Folke Bernadotte was shot in Jerusalem on 17 September 1948. He was the first mediator ever to be sent by Sweden and the UN to the newly established state of Israel and Palestine in an attempt to mediate in the conflict that had arisen about the establishment of the new state.

Folke Bernadotte was given this UN assignment as a follow up to the assignment that he is best known for today - the rescue mission with the white buses. In spring 1945, he succeeded in rescuing more than 15 000 people, many of whom were Jews, from German concentration camps. These people reached Sweden in the white buses.

In connection with the official opening of the Riksdag, the only remaining and functional white bus will be on display in Stockholm. This bus is to remind us of Folke Bernadotte's achievements and by doing so, draw attention to his ideas about dialogue, cooperation, mediation and peaceful solutions even when the difficulties seem insurmountable.

Between 13.15 and 13.40 Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt will visit the bus exhibition.

The event has been made possible thanks to cooperation between the Swedish Red Cross, the House of Humanity in Malmö and Uppland Museum.