Count Folke Bernadotte af Wisborg (1895-1948) is recognized by many as one of the founding fathers of peacekeeping.

 During the final months of World War II, as vice chairman of the Swedish Red Cross, he led the “white buses” expedition to Germany. In this rescue operation, some 30 000 concentration camp prisoners were saved.

In May 1948, Folke Bernadotte was appointed UN mediator in Palestine. He succeeded in achieving a truce in the first Israeli-Arab war, and laid the groundwork for both UNTSO (the UN Truce Supervision Organization) and UNWRA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees).

On 17 September 1948, a few days before his second plan for a political solution was to be presented to the UN, Folke Bernadotte was assassinated in Jerusalem.