HR1085 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1085 LRB095 20473 KXB 48314 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to honor Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafström, who was recently honored at a luncheon given by the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce and held at the Trump Tower in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Jonas Hafström was born in Stockholm; he earned a LL.B. from Lund University in 1974; in 1975, he was elected chairman of the Student Body at Lund University; and

WHEREAS, From 1976 to 1979, he served as a District Clerk at the District Court in Nyköping, Sweden; in 1979, he was employed at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm and from 1979 to 1981, he served as press secretary to then Minister for Justice Håkan Winberg; from 1982 to 1984, he was First Secretary at the Swedish embassy in Teheran, Iran, and from 1984 to 1987, he was First Secretary at the Swedish embassy in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, From 1987 to 1991, Ambassador Hafström served as press secretary and foreign policy advisor to then chairman of the Moderate Party, Carl Bildt; during Mr. Bildt's tenure as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994, Mr. Hafström served as an assistant Under-Secretary and foreign policy advisor to him; from 1994 to 2000, Ambassador Hafström was head of the International Bureau of the Moderate Party and foreign policy advisor to Carl Bildt; from 1998 to 1999, he was a member of the Swedish Defense Committee; from 2000 to 2004, he was Deputy Director-General and head of the Department for Consular Affairs and Civil Law at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs; and

WHEREAS, From 2004 to 2007, he served as the Swedish ambassador in Bangkok, Thailand; he received accolades for his work during the tsunami disaster of December 2004; in January of 2008 he was awarded H. M. The King's Medal (8th size) from King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden for his efforts during the tsunami disaster in South East Asia; since the autumn of 2007, he has served as the Swedish ambassador in Washington, D.C.; and since 1987, he has been a non-commissioned reserve captain in the Swedish Army; and

WHEREAS, Ambassador Hafström and his wife, Eva Hafström, have three children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we honor Ambassador Hafström and offer him our best in his continued work between our country and Sweden; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Ambassador Hafström as a symbol of our respect.