Lisbet Palme

Lisbet Palme
Spouse of the Prime Minister of Sweden
In office
14 October 1969  8 October 1976
Prime Minister Olof Palme
Preceded by Aina Erlander
Succeeded by Solveig Fälldin
In office
8 October 1982  28 February 1986
Prime Minister Olof Palme
Preceded by Solveig Fälldin
Succeeded by Ingrid Carlsson
Personal details
Born Anna Lisbeth Christina Beck-Friis
14 March 1931
Stockholm, Sweden
Political party Social Democrats
Spouse(s) Olof Palme
(1956-1986; his assassination)
Children Joakim Palme
Mårten Palme
Mattias Palme

Anna Lisbet Christina Palme, née Beck-Friis (born 14 March 1931) is a former chairperson of UNICEF, educated as a child psychologist. She is the widow of late Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. They married on 9 June 1956.

UNICEF

She has been chairwoman of the Swedish UNICEF Committee since November 1986,[1] in which role she has campaigned against the sexual exploitation of children[2] and was a member of the Organisation of African Unity committee of investigation into the Rwandan genocide which reported its findings in 2000.[3] She was worldwide chairwoman of UNICEF in 1990–91.[4]

Assassination of Olof Palme

Olof Palme was shot and killed in central Stockholm on 28 February 1986 while walking home with his wife after a late night movie - without bodyguards. Lisbet Palme was also injured in the shooting by a shot that stroke her back.

Two years after the event, Christer Pettersson, a small-time criminal and drug addict, was arrested, identified by Mrs Palme. He was tried and convicted for Palme's murder. Pettersson's conviction was later overturned on appeal. As a result, the crime remains unsolved and a number of alternative theories as to who carried out the murder have since been proposed.

References

  1. Pace, Eric (1987-04-27). "LISBET PALME, IN U.S., TALKS OF AN UNDIMMED VISION". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
  2. "SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IS UP, EXPERTS SAY". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. 1996-06-08. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
  3. Brittain, Victoria (2000-07-07). "Africans say UN must pay for genocide". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2008-06-12.
  4. "Officers of the Executive Board, 1946-2006". UNICEF. Retrieved 2008-06-12.