2017-01-30 Mon

“For us, democracy is a question of human dignity. And human dignity is political freedom.”
Born on January 30th, 1927 Olof Palme was the 26th Prime Minister of Sweden. He is well known internationally as a promoter of democracy, peace and human rights. His political career started when he was appointed as the Personal Secretary of Prime Minister Tage Erlander. He believed there was a need for a new economic world order and believed in a strong society where full employment and the public sector were two of the most important means to increase equality between different social groups as well as between men and women.

After Tage’s death, he became Chairperson of the Social Democratic Party and later the Prime Minister of Sweden in 1969 and 1982. He also acted as a UN mediator for the Iran-Iraq War, became President of the Nordic Council and supported many third world liberation movements. He was awarded the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in 1985.

Olaf and his wife were shot by a gunman on 28th February 1986 while walking home without security guards from a cinema; Olof was proclaimed dead on arrival while Mrs. Palme survived. To this day the murder remains unsolved.

Russian Post issued this 10 Russian Kopek commemorative stamp of Olof on 1st August 1986.