Jean Pierre Bendahan and Rodrigo Rendo, volunteers of the programme that aims at promoting the values of solidarity and civil courage, ethical pillars of the Saviours of the Holocaust, received the award. The ”Wallenberg at School” Programme started its activities in 2001 and is sponsored by the City of Buenos Aires.

”Education is the main topic that summons us on a daily basis. We share the principles of the World Conference that deal with ”Education for everyone”, particulary the one that refers to education as the essence of any strategy that aims at reducing the levels of poverty in the world. We know that when people have greater access to education they obtain a deeper understanding of their rights”, said Edgardo de Vincenzi, President of AAPE.

Furthermore, professor Beatriz Montes de Oca, directive of the AAPE, stressed that ”We share the ideals and projects based on the value of education. That’s why we find appropiate today to renew our hope in the goodness of our work in order to remain on this noble road.”

The Programme ”Wallenberg at School” is expected to expand its presentations to more schools as of the year 2005, incorporating new pedagogical and communication tools.

Translation: Clarisa Fernandez

On behalf of the Wallenberg Foundation, the award was received by its president, Father Horacio Moreno; the vice-president, Natalio Wengrower; and Ricardo and Israel Faerman, both Directors of International Relations of the organization founded in Argentina. The prize also went to the IRWF, for the importance of its cultural and educational enterprises. Moisés Korin, Cultural Director of the AMIA and Lyor Haiat, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Israel, were the persons in charge of giving out the prizes.

The film directors Vivian Imar and Marcelo Trotta, selected by Tenembaum in 1992, were rewarded with the Prize Argentores 2004, together with other national and international recognitions, due to their ability in directing the film. They were grateful to Ana Weinstein, Director of the Centre of Information and Documentation on Argentine Judaism belonging to the AMIA, for her valuable collaboration in contributing historical documents.

”Legacy. I never left my Village”, is a documentary film which narrates the saga of the Jewish colonization in Argentina, edited in a DVD format and it can be bought with subtitles in English and French.

Shifra Lerer, mythical Argentine actress of the Idish theatre, who has been living in the United States for many years, received a special mention. Shifra, who is 91 years old, became world known in 1997 when she played one of the leading parts in the Woody Allen film ”Deconstructing Harry”.

In ”Legacy” Mrs. Lerer’s voice is used for the part of a grandmother who remembers her arrival to Argentina on the ship ”Wesser”, in 1889. Her ”voice over” creates the central story which branches out, giving form to the whole narration. The actress Cristina Murta is Esther’s voice, her granddaughter.

The documentary is just one of the links of the chain of cultural events which have taken place during four decades of uninterrupted work by the IRWF and its associated interconfesional organizations. Between these achievements we must mention, the Memorial Mural for the Victims of the Holocaust and of the criminal attacks against the AMIA and the Israeli Embassy; installed inside the Metropolitan Cathedral of Buenos Aires, and inaugurated in 1997 by the Cardinal Antonio Quarracino. This monument, with no precedents the history of Jewish-Christian relations, has been admired, since its inauguration, by more than five million people and the Argentine Central Post Office has issued a stamp to commemorate it. In November 2004 a replica was inaugurated in Berlin. We must also remember the fresco ”Basílica de la Anunciación (Basilica of the Annunciation)” painted by the great artist Raúl Soldi in 1968, in the Basilica of Nazareth, Israel. This painting is a tribute to the Virgin of Luján, it is situated in the Holy Land and is a symbol of the necessary understanding that must reign between the sons of the three great monotheistic religions.

The Parish Priest, Annemarie Werner, has sent a letter of thanks from Berlin, in which she announces a special prize granted to the film, awarded by her congregation, due to the exaltation of the values of dialogue and Jewish-Christian understanding.

Translation: María Pensavalle

Raoul Wallenberg was the Swedish diplomat who disappeared in January 1945 after saving the lives of tens of thousands condemned to certain death by the Nazis in Hungary during World War II. He was captured by the Soviet troops who took control of Budapest in January 1945, and was never seen again.

On October 5th 1981, Raoul Wallenberg became the second person in history to be awarded Honorary U.S. Citizenship.

The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation is a public non-profit non-governmental organization with branches in New York, Buenos Aires and Jerusalem. Its mission is to develop educational programs and public awareness campaigns based on the values of solidarity and civic courage, ethical cornerstones of the Saviours of the Holocaust.

The Foundation recently launched the international campaign ”Let’s Bring Raoul Home,” which calls for distinguished personalities to write letters directly to Vladimir Putin, asking for the release of vital information on Wallenberg’s case. Letters have been written by Nobel Prize Laureates, Heads of State and Wallenberg’s family. The initiative also counts with the support of more than 22,000 signatures of individuals who signed the ”100,000 names for 100,000 lives saved by Wallenberg,” aimed to uncover Wallenberg’s fate.

More than one hundred Heads of State, Nobel Prize Laureates, Governors and distinguished personalities from all walks of life accompany the IRWF in this singular enterprise that aims at educating the younger generations on the exemplary behavior of the Saviors of the Holocaust.

In his speech, President Mesic said, ”It is a privilege for a head of any state to express recognition and gratitude of a country which he is leading through an award to individuals who have achieved notable, even outstanding, results in the activities they perform. This is a privilege, but a responsibility as well. To select those who truly stand out from thousands, hundreds of thousands, and millions of others who are also active and creative, is no simple task. In the case of the individual whom I am presenting with a high Croatian decoration – however – this was not a difficult task at all”.

In turn, after receiving the honor Mr. Tenembaum said, ”Dear friends, we celebrate the lives of the Croatian nuns, sister Cecilija and Caritas, both from a Catholic convent in Split. These brave nuns had devoted their lives and their love to humanity and they did show that these feelings transcend religious barriers”.

Mr. Domingo Cullen, the Ambassador of Argentina, Mr. Haroldo Valladao, the Ambassador of Brazil, Ms. Mira Martinec, the Ambassador of Croatia to Argentina, as well as the representatives of Croatian Jewish Community were in attendance.

During his stay in Croatia, Mr. Tenembaum met with community, educational and religious authority, Cardinal Josip Bozanic Archbishop of Zagreb, Mayor of Zagreb Mr. Milan Bandic and Rabbi Kotel DaDon among others.

In July of 2008 the IRWF organized the exhibit ”The Righteous of Croatia” in Argentina which is planned to be presented in different languages and countries. The IRWF is an educational NGO with the mission to disclose the values of solidarity and civic courage represented by the great deeds of the Rescuers of Holocaust. More then one hundred of Heads of States and Nobel Prize laureates are among the Foundation’s Honorary Members.