War veterans from the war in the former republic of Yugoslavia to be honoured on 29 May

Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters – 28 May 2024 kl: 14.52

On Wednesday 29 May, Sweden will honour all who have served in international missions on behalf of Sweden. This year’s Veterans Day will be held at the National Maritime Museum in Stockholm. It will be broadcast on YouTube and celebrated on several other locations all over the country.

Veterandagen 2023 på Gärdet i Stockholm. Restare.
Veterandagen 2023 på Gärdet i Stockholm. Restare.
Photo: Niklas Englund/Swedish Armed Forces

“Veterans Day provides an opportunity to honour Swedish veterans and pay tribute to those who lost their lives in wars and conflicts around the world”, says Joakim Karlquist, head of the Veterans Centre in the Swedish Armed Forces.

This year, special attention is given to the veterans who served in the Balkans during 1991-2000. During this period, Sweden contributed nearly 10 000 individuals to Bosnia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia, Albania and Hungary.

The area is enclosed this year and extends towards the Djurgården Canal. Veterans Day starts with the raising of flags at 8 a.m. at the Parliament and at the National Maritime Museum. At the end of the day, the flags will be lowered at 9 p.m.

In connection with Veterans Day, the first episode of a documentary on the Swedish Armed Forces’ efforts in the war in the former republic of Yugoslavia will also air on the Swedish Armed Forces YouTube channel. The second episode will be released on 5 June.

Approximately 5 000 visitors are expected to attend the wreath-laying ceremony at the National Maritime Museum and the event will be broadcast live from 1.30 p.m.