Swedish American of the Year (SAY) / Årets Svensk Amerikan is an annual award program of the Vasa Order of America which is run by the two Sweden District Lodges - District 19 and District 20.
Contents
Origin
Since 1960, the Vasa Order of America has selected a prominent American citizen of Swedish birth or descent to become Swedish-American of the Year. Every year the two Sweden District Lodges of the Vasa Order of America select an American of Swedish descent to be The Swedish-American of the Year.
Swedish American of the Year Awards
The Swedish-American of the Year is honored during Sweden-America Days in various places in Sweden. A tablet containing the names of all award recipients is kept in the Swedish Emigrant Institute (Swedish: Svenska Emigrantinstitutet) in Växjö, Småland, Sweden.
Recipients are honored with a Golden Plaque, a diploma, and their name added to the commemorative Swedish American of the Year tablet, which is kept in Växjö. They are feted with several celebrations in Sweden, including lunch at the Foreign Office, a reception at Stockholm’s City Hall, activities at Skansen, a dinner hosted by Vasa, and (sometimes) a reception at the American Embassy. (Courtesy Swedish American Council of America).
Anyone is welcome to suggest a candidate, also an organization and welcome suggestions of candidates from the USA/Canada. Recipients can be either Swedish or American by birth, but must have made significant contributions to the relationship between the two countries.
The present year recipient of the award is official in March/April.