
FBA's International Research Working Groups form an important part of the agency's evidence-based approach. From left: Mathilda Lindgren, FBA; Corinne Bara, researcher; Sara Lindberg Bromley, researcher.
Folke Bernadotte Academy – Swedish agency for peace, security and development
Folke Bernadotte was already well-known internationally through the White Buses Operation during the final months of the Second World War, when he successfully negotiated with the Nazi regime in Germany to secure the release of thousands of concentration camp prisoners who were transported to Sweden. As Vice-Chairman of the Swedish Red Cross, Folke Bernadotte had a wide international network.
His effort as a mediator for the UN started well. Only two weeks after he took on the mission a month-long truce was declared on June 11, 1948.
While Folke Bernadotte devoted a great deal of energy to organize the monitoring of the truce, he was deeply committed to the Palestinian refugees. Through the humanitarian work that he initiated, he formed the basis for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNWRA).
Protected by the truce Folke Bernadotte proceeded to formulate a proposal for a more sustainable solution to the conflict, and drafted a roadmap to peace. According to the plan the formerly British mandate Palestine should become a union between Jews and Arabs, where the Jewish part would consist of Israel and the Arabic part would consist of the Kingdom of Transjordan (today’s Jordan).
The plan caused outrage among both parties and was turned down by Israel as well as all Arab states except Transjordan. As soon as the truce formally ceased to be valid on July 9 the acts of war were resumed. Following repeated requests Folke Bernadotte got a number of monitors on the ground. Thus laying the groundwork for the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) designated to monitor ceasefires and supervise armistice agreements in the region.
Folke Bernadotte then began to work on a new proposal for a peaceful solution to the conflict. But he never had a chance to present it to the UN General Assembly. When Folke Bernadotte travelled in a convoy of three cars on his way to negotiations in Jerusalem in the afternoon on September 17, his car was stopped by men dressed in camouflage uniforms. One of them ran over to the car where Folke Bernadotte sat, inserted a handgun and shot him in the chest. The French Colonel André Serot, who sat next to Folke Bernadotte in the back of the car, was also hit and died in the attack.
Some members of the Stern Gang, a Jewish underground terror organization in Israel, were imprisoned for a short while but no one was convicted for the murder. In May 1949 the Israeli government stated in a report to the UN that no individuals had been tied to the crime even though indicators pointed at the Stern Gang. After the statute of limitations for the murder had expired in 1968 several members of the Stern Gang eventually came forward and admitted that they had been involved in the murder of Folke Bernadotte.
Folke Bernadotte’s plan for a political solution died with its author. At the same time Folke Bernadotte’s effort in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict made him famous as one of the first initiators of international peace operations, and the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) is named in his memory.
FBA’s coat of arms symbolizes among other things the legacy of Folke Bernadotte. The Bernadotte family’s coat of arms contains a bridge and in FBA’s heraldic shield the bridge symbolizes a connection between conflicting parties, conflict prevention and international crisis management.
The globe in the weapon represents an institution in an international environment. The three crowns constitute the national emblem of Sweden and the big crown at the top means that the agency is subordinated the government.
FBA’s slogan ‘Instead of Arms’ is also inspired by the book with the same title written by Folke Bernadotte a short time before he was assassinated.
MORE FROM HOME
Participating in FBA’s International Research Working Groups offers a unique opportunity for researchers to contribute to the work for peace, security, and development. The thematic scope is now expanding with five new groups, inviting interested scholars from around the world to apply.
2025-03-13 16:49Gender equality is both a goal and a prerequisite for sustainable peace and development. FBA’s Gender-Responsive Leadership (GRL) Initiative is designed to support leaders and managers within organizations such as the EU, UN, ECOWAS, OSCE and the African Union to fulfill their central role in enabling gender equal peace, security and development work.
DocumentsWhen I joined the Leadership and Cooperation Unit at the Folke Bernadotte Academy in August 2018, after working many years mainly in the private sector, I had a feeling that this job really would offer me an opportunity to use my skills and experiences to make a difference, and at the same time grow as a professional. FBA was at the time already working actively with leadership development support for leaders in key functions within the ... Read entire post »
2021-06-03 10:54Part One of this post highlighted the importance of the rule of law in supporting crisis response in countries struggling with the effects of conflict. One of the most important rule of law principles in such settings is accountability, particularly “downward accountability”, in which state authorities focus on serving citizens dependent on them.
Corruption and poor governance can lead to excessive upward accountability directed toward political superiors, leaving a gap between the state and ordinary citizens. Civil ... Read entire post »
The post Civil Society as a Critical Partner: Rule of Law and Accountability in the Liberian COVID-19 Response, Part II first appeared on FBA-bloggen.
2021-02-15 13:43Right before the winter break, 236 women and men from 105 different organizations and 46 countries around the world joined our International Dialogue on Gender-Responsive Leadership, to discuss an absolutely critical and often missing part of the gender equality puzzle: gender-responsive leadership.
After twenty years of struggling to achieve the commitments of the global women, peace and security agenda, we at the FBA have learned that executives and managers are essential to success. Not just as supporters, ... Read entire post »
The post Time for a joint vision on gender-responsive leadership first appeared on FBA-bloggen.
2021-02-10 16:09FBA has both increased and adapted its work in Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion.
FBA in UkraineKlara Grenhagen works as a specialist at FBA's Africa unit with a focus on dialogue, reconciliation and peace processes.
More about our expertsFBA is part of Sweden’s development aid within the area of peace and security
Read more about the countries where we workOur site, like most other web sites, works best when you allow us to use cookies. When you visit our site, we may send and store a cookie on your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Read more about cookies.