Raoul Wallenbergs Day occurs on 27th of August, the national day for equal rights, and civil courage

Raoul Wallenbergs Day occurs on 27th of August, the national day for equal rights, and civil courage. This is the first national day in Sweden to commemorate and honor a civilian. During the day, the Raoul Wallenberg Prize is awarded to a person in Sweden who is working in the spirit of Raoul Wallenberg, mainly through increasing knowledge among children and youth regarding xenophobia, intolerance, and equal rights. ‘Ungt Kurage’ is also awarded on Raoul Wallenbergs Day, this is a prize for five youths that have acted with civil courage to create a more humane society. These youths are awarded with a trip to Budapest, where they follow the footsteps of Raoul Wallenberg and learn how important civil courage still is today and how they can keep inspiring other youths to also act with civil courage. Raoul Wallenberg was a young man who went his own way. As a Swedish diplomat, he worked at the Embassy in Budapest during the final stages of World War II. His deeds in Budapest are unique; through courage, knowledge, organizational skills, audacity, and ingenuity, he was able to save tens of thousands of Jews from the Holocaust.

Raoul Wallenberg was born in Stockholm in 1912. In 1944 he was recruited by the American War Refugee Board to travel as a Swedish diplomat to Budapest. By that time, the Nazis had already sent over 435,000 Jews from the Hungarian countryside to the concentration camp in Auschwitz. In Budapest, 230,000 Jews remained, who were restrained to live in certain houses and forced to wear the yellow star of David visibly on their chests. In Budapest, Wallenberg issued protective passports and sheltered Jews in buildings designated as Swedish territory. This way, he could save tens of thousands of Jewish lives. As the Red Army arrived in Budapest towards the end of the War, they captured Raoul Wallenberg. His fate is still unknown. No Swede has had so many schools, streets, and parks, named after him as Raoul Wallenberg. There are monuments in his honor all around the world. He is an honorary citizen in a number of countries.

Addad News Agency -Sweden Raoul Wallenberg Academy