Letter from Tom Lantos to President Kirchner

Buenos Aires, June 16th, 2005

Mr President of the Republic of Argentina
Dr Nester Kirchner
Buenos Aires

Dear Mr. President

On June 11th, I had the opportunity to organize a concert in Washington DC in memory of Raoul Wallenberg, with the purpose of creating awareness of an almost unknown illness that affects one of my dearest grand-daughters, among many other people.

My grand-daughter, Charity Sunshine, as a soprano has accompanied US Secretary of State, Mrs. Condoleeza Rice who played a selected repertoire on the piano, including compositions by Mozart, Verdi, Copland and Jerom Kern. Among the attendants were Raoul Wallenberg’s niece, Nane Annan, and her husband the UN General Secretary Mr. Kofi Annan.

I had the pleasure of sharing that evening with the Argentine Mr. Baruch Tenembaum, with whom I created ”The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation”. This educational institution is named after the Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands lives in Hungary during the holocaust, among which are my own life and my wife’s, Annette.

Mr. President, it is a great honor to congratulate you for your decision to abolish the secret and discriminatory Resolution #11 as well as for the removal of a plaque (from the Foreign Affairs Ministry building), which made no justice at all to the historical truth.

Unfortunately, my friend Baruch Tenembaum, who worked tirelessly to achieve those issues, was not able to travel to Buenos Aires to share with you this remarkable event.

Together with the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, I cheer for the Human Rights. In this opportunity, thanks to you, a human being who acts rightfully.

I hope to meet you some time in Buenos Aires. Me, as one of the persons being saved by Wallenberg and you, initiating a new era of dignity, looking with courage to the past and with hope to the future.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Lantos
Congress Member

Translation: Cristina Mendez