Governor Pawlenty of Minnesota Officially Declares October 5, 2007 Raoul
Wallenberg Day in Minnesota.
New York City, NY – October 4, 2007 – In honor of the bravery, heroism and courage of Raoul Wallenberg, Governor Tim Palwenty of Minnesota has officially declared October 5, 2007 as Raoul Wallenberg Day in the state of Minnesota. The official proclamation, as suggested by the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF), declares that Wallenberg ”has become a symbol of the compassion and selfless action one human being can give to help another life” and that ”his commitment to fighting for justice and understanding is worthy of recognition and emulation.” This is the first time that Raoul Wallenberg Day has been declared by the state of Minnesota since 1999.
Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat sent to Hungary in June 1944. During just a six-month stay in Budapest, he rescued more than 100,000 Jews. Wallenberg was never seen again in the free world after January 17, 1945, when the Soviets imprisoned him.
The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF) is a non-governmental organization with the mission to develop educational programs and public awareness campaigns based on the values of solidarity and civic courage, the ethical cornerstones of the Saviors of the Holocaust. The IRWF initiated the proclamation of ”Wallenberg Days” in U.S. states on October 5th; the day Wallenberg was awarded Honorary U.S. Citizenship by President Reagan in 1981.
The newest initiative of the IRWF is ”Documenting Wallenberg – an Archive
of Testimonies”, a project with the objective of gathering testimonials of
those who experienced the courage of Raoul Wallenberg. The Foundation is
seeking Holocaust survivors who were saved by Raoul Wallenberg to be
filmed telling their personal story of survival. Relatives of survivors
are also welcome to participate in the project. The collected testimonies
will ensure that the legacy and heroism of Raoul Wallenberg will never be
forgotten. ”Wallenberg was responsible for saving so many generations of
people who now live all over the world,” said Ester Mejer of Borough Park,
Brooklyn, who was only 13 when Raoul Wallenberg saved her from the hands of the Nazis. ”It’s so important that people know about Wallenberg’s
courage because persecution does not just happen to Jews. This is
happening to other nations now too like in Darfur, Sudan, so we must
continue the story of Wallenberg to spread the inspiration and courage to
do something about it.”
If you or someone you know was in Budapest, Hungary from 1944 until 1945, call our office at 212-737-3275