Do Research. Read the news in search of articles about the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and human rights issues.
Make Connect. Find the connection between the article you read and Wallenberg’s disappearance, his actions to save people and the quest for his fate, as well as our request from President Putin to open the archives that contain information on his fate.
Be Fast. Write to the publication while the issue is still fresh. Try to send your letter within 24 hours of publication if the article comes from a daily publication, or a week if it is from a weekly publication.
Be Specific. Identify the article you are referring to by its headline and the date it was published (Re: Name of the article, date of publication).
Be Clear. If you cannot summarize your message in one or two sentences, it’s not clear enough in your mind. Avoid unambiguous terms that could misrepresent what you want to communicate.
Be Concise. Do not write letters longer than 200 – 250 words.
Stay Focused. It is better to fully explain one point than to inadequately cover five.
Keep it Exclusive. Do not send the letter to several publications at the same time. Editors want exclusive letters. If the publication does not publish it, you can then send the letter to another one.
Have a goal in mind. Ask the media to address Wallenberg’s fate issue in future articles.
Be Respectful. Preserve the integrity of our campaign by keeping your comments clean and respectful. Hostile or overly emotional language is counter-productive. Accusing the media of will always be met with great resistance.
Maximize the Impact. Send a copy of your letter not just to the editor, but also to the reporter, foreign editor, publisher and even members of Russian Government. And of course, to us.
Contact. Include your full name, title (if applicable), address, and daytime phone number. Most media outlets will call and verify that you wrote the letter.
Follow up. Call and ask if your letter will be published. If the editor doesn’t remember your letter, offer to read it over the phone.
Inform us. Send us blind copies of the letters you sent out. If you receive a response to (other than an automatic one), send as a copy at: irwf@irwf.org
Tips Adapted from HonestReporting.org and Camera.org
Here we show you an example:
To the Editor
I am writing regarding Alex Rodriguez’s article, ”Putin Chides U.S. for Hypocrisy,” published on May 11, 2006. President Putin spoke of Russia’s great victory against Nazism, racism, and xenophobia, however the whereabouts of Raoul Wallenberg, a man fighting exactly that and who is still missing in Russia, have never been disclosed.Sixty-one years ago, Wallenberg risked his life to save tens of thousands from Nazis. On January 17, 1945, he was taken by the Soviet army and to this date his fate remains unknown.
We believe President Putin can solve this injustice. Since the Soviet Union is no more, there is no reason for the Russian government to conceal what actually happened to Wallenberg.
This is an opportunity for President Putin to show that Russia values freedom, democracy, and human rights. Wallenberg is a universal hero and the truth about his fate deserves to be uncovered, not only for the benefit of Wallenberg’s family and the tens of thousands he saved during the Holocaust, but also for the advocates of human rights around the world.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Surach
New York NY – USA
