Past Events from 2007

JANUARY 17



  • Remembering Raoul Wallenberg: Holocaust Survivors Share Their Stories. New York. USA. Park East Synagogue and The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation invite you to a special  event on occasion of the 62nd  Anniversary of Wallenberg’s disappearance with a  musical performance of «Prologue» & «Messages for Raoul Wallenberg» by composer Terry Winter Owens, featuring Soprano Patricia Sonego with Reizen Ensemble. Wednesday, January 17th 2007, at 7.30 p.m. at Park East Synagogue at 164 East 68th Street – (Between Lexington and 3rd Ave.) – New York. RSVP:  email: irwf@irwf.org – Tel: (212) 737-3275 / email: info@pesyn.org – Tel: 212.737.6900
  • Mass in Honor of Raoul Wallenberg. New York. USA. Following a suggestion of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, the Church of Sweden will dedicate a mass to Raoul Wallenberg on the anniversary of his disappearance. The church is located at 5 East 48th Street, New York. For more information, please contact the church at 212-832-8443 / 8444.
  • Wallenberg is remembered in his native country. Stockholm, Sweden. The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation and the Holocaust Survivors of Sweden will hold a ceremony at the Raoul Wallenberg Memorial in Stockholm. For more information, please contact Livia Frankel at livia.frankel@swipnet.se.
  • Raoul Wallenberg remembered in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation organizes a homage near the statue of Raoul Wallenberg located in Figueroa Alcorta Ave. and Austria St., Buenos Aires. Rabbi Sergio Bergman will talk on Wallenberg´s honor on the occasion of the 62 anniversary of his disappearance.
  • «Raoul Wallenberg, one man can make a difference,» Paris, France. Symposium dedicated to the actions and ideals of the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg who, in the last months of WWII, saved thousands of Jews in Budapest. The symposium will be held at the Swedish Center, located at 11, rue Payenne, F-75003 Paris, from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.
    A sculpture dedicated to Raoul Wallenberg, and signed by Gustav and Ulla Kraitz, will be inaugurated at the Hotel de Marle patio during the occasion.
  • «Good evening , Mr. Wallenberg» (Godafton, herr Wallenberg), Paris, France. The film narrates the actions of Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who fights to save a group of arrested Jews while trying to stop the total destruction of the Jewish ghetto. The screening of the movie will take place at 7:00 pm at the Swedish Center, 11, rue Payenne, F-75003 Paris. 
  • Raoul Wallenberg Day Commemoration. The Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and Gray Academy of Jewish Education have developed a program to commemorate Raoul Wallenberg Day.  This year, students will acquire experience and knowledge about human rights abuses in Sub-Saharan Africa.
    More Info:     http://www.jewishwinnipeg.org/content_display.html?ArticleID=205310
  • 62nd Anniversary of Raoul Wallenberg’s Disappearance – Budapest,  Hungary. A commemoration organized by the Raoul Wallenberg Association of Hungary will take place at Wallenberg street, at the Raoul Wallenberg memorial plaque, at 4.00 pm. Mr. Gyorgy Kaiser, member of the Association’s executive board will deliver a speech.
  • International Rescuer Day 2007. Jerusalem, Israel An event in honor to Raoul Wallenberg will take place in Jerusalem. Speakers include Israeli author Aharon Applefeld;  Dr. Mordecai Paldiel, Director of Yad Vashem’s Righteous Among the Nations project; Larry Pfeffer, Jerusalem Working Group, and Dr. Becky Kook. A musical performance of Yiddish songs written during the Holocaust will complement the speakers. For more information, contact Larry Pfeffer at pfeffer@actcom.co.il
  • Exhibit dedicated to remembering of Raoul Wallenberg. Berlin, Germany. Barbara Ehrt’s paintings will be accompannied by Pastor Willibald Jacob’s lecture about his work with the Adivasis in India. Pastor Jacob and Ms. Ehrt could have been disciples of Raoul Wallenberg, as their activities and dedication for righteousness and respect for humanity and understanding show. Both are involved – with intensive dedication – to interfaith dialogue and cultural understanding. The event will take place at 7 pm at Vaterunser-Church located at Detmolder Street 17, Berlin – Wilmersdorf.
  • Wreath laying. Wednesday, January 17th 2007 at 11.00. On occasion of the 62nd  Anniversary of Raoul Wallenberg’s  mysterious disappearance in front of the monument dedicated to him Between Raoul Wallenberg & Habarzel Streets, at Ramat Hachayal – Tel Aviv

JANUARY 21



  • Screening of «Good Evening, Mr. Wallenberg» – Vancouver, Canada. The Swedish and the Jewish communities join forces in a tribute to the Swedish diplomat and hero, Raoul Wallenberg, who saved the lives of as man as a hundred thousand people during World War II. An honorary citizen of Canada, USA and Israel, he would have celebrated his 95th birthday this year. The day Wallenberg disappeared, as well as his birthday, are marked in many places around the world, so The City of Vancouver has marked the
    occasion by proclaiming a «Raoul Wallenberg Day.» Deputy Mayor Kim Capri will speak as will a member of «The Second Generation» Jewish group of relatives to Holocaust survivors. The event is sponsored by Consulate of Sweden, Second Generation Group, Swedish Charitable Association and Liberty Bakery. January 21, 2007, 2pm, Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver.

January 27



  • Holocaust Remembrance Day

February 5



  • «Partners of Hope» at Carnegie Hall. New York. USA. A special artistic program to commemorate the Holocaust and recognize those who displayed extraordinary courage to save Jews from genocide. Among the performers who will play compositions of special significance in commemoration of the Holocaust will be Bulgarian-born soprano Anna Veleva, Israeli singer David Broza and The Westfield Symphony Orchestra, conducted by its music director, David Wroe. «Partners of Hope. Honoring Bravery and Humanitarianism: The Rescue of Bulgarian Jews» will take place on February 5, 2007, at  Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium at 8 PM. You can buy tickets  online at www.carnegiehall.org or call Carnegie Charge at 212-247-7800. Box Office at 57th Street and Seventh Avenue. For more information, please visit: /especial/partners.htm



February 27



  • Opening of the exhibit «Diplomats of Mercy.» New York, USA. The exhibit’s goal is to acknowledge with gratitude the extraordinary deeds of diplomats representing nations from around the world who were able to save thousands of Jews. The exhibit is curated by Rabbi Isidoro Aizenberg and organized by the Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center and Archives. At Queensborough Community College, 222-05 56th Avenue, Bayside, New York 11364. at 7.00 pm. To assist, please contact the Center at (718) 281-5770.



February 21 – March 10



  • «Light in the Darkness: Raoul Wallenberg and the rescue of the Budapest Jews 1944/45.» Springe, Germany. Organized by the Raoul Wallenberg Committee of Germany, the exhibition has been shown at over 30 places in Germany since 1994, including the Bundesarchiv in Koblenz, the parliament-buildings in Mainz and Hannover, the German Library in Leipzig and the synagogue in Cologne. Otto-Hahn-Gymnasium (school). Auf dem Bruche 3, 31832 Springe, Germany. For more information visit www.ohgspringe.de.



March 1



  • Seminar about the Life and Symbolic Fate of Raoul Wallenberg. Budapest, Hungary. With the Participation of Ambassador Cecilia Björner, Embassy of Sweden, Budapest; Paul A. Levine, Uppsala University; István Rév, OSA Archivum; László Karsai, University of Szeged; Gábor Kádár, Eötvös Loránd University; András Kovács, Central European University; and András Mink, OSA Archivum. The seminar is sponsored and hosted by the Swedish Institute in Stockholm, the Embassy of Sweden, Budapest, and the OSA Archivum. To see the program. The seminar will take place at OSA Archivum: Arany J. u. 32. – Budapest. 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm.



March 2



  • Pedagogical Seminar «Raoul Wallenberg – One Man Can Make a Difference.» Budapest, Hungary. The seminar will touch subjects such as Wallenberg in the world today, Wallenberg in film and Wallenberg as a moral and pedagogical symbol, as well as methods of Holocaust Pedagogy. The seminar is organized by the Swedish Institute in Stockholm, the Embassy of Sweden in Hungary, the OSA Archivum and in partnership with the Raoul Wallenberg Association in Hungary, the Holocaust Memorial Center, the Jewish Museum of Stockholm. To see the program. The seminar will take place at Central European University, Auditorium – Nádor utca 9 – Budapest. 9:30 am to 5:30 pm.



March 2 – April 29



  • Exhibition «Raoul Wallenberg – One Man Can Make a Difference.» Budapest, Hungary. The exhibition will be opened by Dr. Gábor Demszky, Mayor of Budapest. Keynote speakers include Ms. Louise von Dardel – Niece of Raoul Wallenberg, Mr. Olle Wästberg – Director of the Swedish Institute and Ms. Cecilia Björner – Ambassador of Sweden to Hungary. The exhibition is organized by the Swedish Institute in Stockholm, the Embassy of Sweden in Hungary, the OSA Archivum and in partnership with the Raoul Wallenberg Association in Hungary, the Holocaust Memorial Center, the Jewish Museum of Stockholm. To see the program. The exhibition will take place at OSA Archivum’s Central Gallery: Arany J. u. 32. – Budapest.



March 5



  • Ben Olander at R. W. Academy for Young Leaders, Göteborg Gymnasieskola, Sweden. Swedish folk musician Ben Olander will discuss the Holocaust and present Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, as an example of courage and what one person can do to prevent everything that comes between harassment and genocide.



March 11



  • Screening of «Searching for Wallenberg.» Brooklyn, USA. Organized by the Holocaust Memorial Committee, the screening will take place following their annual Purim Breakfast. The film, produced by Robert Kimmel contains newly discovered archival material and exclusive interviews about the life of Raoul Wallenberg. Manhattan Beach Jewish Center. 60 West End Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11235 – 9:30 am.



March 15 – May 6



  • «Light in the Darkness: Raoul Wallenberg and the rescue of the Budapest Jews 1944/45.» Bretteb, Germany. Organized by the Raoul Wallenberg Committee of Germany, the exhibition has been shown at over 30 places in Germany since 1994, including the Bundesarchiv in Koblenz, the parliament-buildings in Mainz and Hannover, the German Library in Leipzig and the synagogue in Cologne. Melanchthon House Bretten. Melanchthonstraße 1, 75015 Bretten, Germany. For more information visit www.melanchthon.com.



MArch 16



  • «One Person can Make a Difference.» New York. USA. Presentation of the educational program «One Person can Make a Difference» to middle school social studies teachers. The program was developed by the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation. The presentation is organized by the Direction of School Improvement & Social Studies of the Regional Learning Support Center 3 of the New York City Department of Education.



March 19



  • 63rd Anniversary of German Occupation in Hungary. On March 19th, 1944, German forces occupied Hungary. As a result, Hungarian Jews were ordered to concentrate in ghettos. Over 500,000 Jews died under German occupation.



March 22



  • Screening of the documentary: The Dead Are Good Men. Budapest, Hungary. Loránd Tamáska bears witness to Hungarian history, between 1944-1957, from his special perspective: the dissection table. Director: János Fuzik, 1994. 50 min.


  • Lecture «From the murder of Wallenberg to the Jewish trials in Budapest.» Budapest, Hungary. The lecture will be given by András Mink following the screening. To see the program. The event will take place at OSA Archivum: Arany J. u. 32. – Budapest. –  6 pm



March 26



  • Presentation of New Book on Wallenberg. Moscow, Russia.
    Professor Paul A. Levine presents his coming book «Raoul Wallenberg in Budapest: A Critical Re-evaluation of a Holocaust Hero» at the Embassy of Sweden in Moscow. Professor Levine is Research director of The Uppsala Programme for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Uppsala University. He is the author of many books about the Holocaust, among them «Tell Ye Your Children…». He will also be responsible for the seminars, which are to take place during the exhibition about Wallenberg to be opened in Moscow in September at the Andrei Sacharov Museum. Place: Embassy of Sweden, Ulitsa Mosfilmovskaya 60 – 16.00 pm.



March 30



  • Carl Lutz was born in 1895. As chief of the Swiss Legation’s Department of Foreign Interests in Budapest and as an engaged Christian, Carl Lutz felt he had to protect people persecuted by the Nazis. When deportations to Auschwitz began, Lutz decided to place the staff of the Jewish council for Palestine under his diplomatic protection. With the aid of volunteers, Lutz issued tens of thousands of «protective letters» and placed part of the Jews protected by Switzerland – about 30,000 people – in 76 protected houses. Carl Lutz helped 62,000 Jews to survive.



April 3



  • Aristides de Sousa Mendez died in 1954. As the Consul of Portugal to Bordeaux, France, Sousa Mendes allowed the rescue of 30,000 people by providing them with visas. The Consul created a «line of assembly» with his sons, his secretary and Rabbi Chaim Kruger. The free visa marathon lasted three days and included the Austrian Imperial family, the Habsburg. Sousa Mendes traveled together with the terrified crowd that ran way towards the south and while Salazar was sending officials to stop him, the Consul continued stamping his name in Biarritz and Hendaye, already on the border and even on the bridge. Once caught, Sousa Mendes was removed form office and his name prohibited for decades. 

April 5



  • Ben Olander at Förenade Well Kappa AB Företag and Plönningegymnasiet, Halmstad Gymnasieskola, Sweden.
    Swedish folk musician Ben Olander will discuss the Holocaust and present Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, as an example of courage and what one person can do to prevent everything that comes between harassment and genocide.

April 12 



  • Lecture «New trends in Raoul Wallenberg Research.» Budapest. Hungary. Commemorative Research Session by the Holocaust Memorial Center and Memorial Collection Public Foundation. Lectures include The Hungarian Relations and Connections of Raoul Wallenberg by János Botos and Colleague of Raoul Wallenberg – The Life of Vilmos Langfelder by Szabolcs Szita. A discussion will follow. 4 pm
  • Lecture «Wallenberg memorial places.» Budapest, Hungary.
    A lecture with screenings by András Mink about Raoul Wallenberg statues, commemorative tablets and public squares in Hungary- 6 pm. To see the program. Both lectures will take place at OSA Archivum: Arany J. u. 32. – Budapest.

April 15



  • Yom HaShoah Film Marathon. New York. USA. The JCC and the IRWF honor Yom HaShoah 2007 with a special marathon of films remembering the righteous saviors of Jews during the Holocaust. This year the program will focus on resistance and honor these heroes with a unique series of films followed by special guest speakers.
    3:30 pm: «Poumy.» FILM SCREENING, DISCUSSION WITH THE FILMMAKERS and DVD LAUNCH: Poumy, an acclaimed documentary, recounts the World War II adventure of a young Jewish mother who escaped the Nazis and joined the French Resistance. Andrée «Poumy» Moreuil, 91-years-old at the time of filming, reflects on how the very act of resisting oppression transcends isolation and fear. Directed by Sam Ball of Citizen Film. Produced by Marian Scheuer Sofaer. Special offer for high school and JHS educators: FREE copy of the film on DVD (a $99 value with discussion and research guides, maps, graphics and more) and free admission for the first 20 rsvp’s to     poumy@citizenfilm.org
    6 pm: «The Darien Dilemma.» The saving of 1000 Jews from Vienna. Special NY screening with Director Erez Laufer from Israel! For tickets and information, call 646.505.5708 or visit jccmanhattan.org/film. The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan – The Samuel Priest Rose Building – 334 Amsterdam Ave. @ 76th St.

April 16



  • Yom HaShoah Film Marathon. New York. USA.
    3:30 pm: «Poumy.» A young mother fights in the French resistance.
    7:30 pm: «Weapons of Spirit.» The story of a unique conspiracy of goodness. Pierre Sauvage’s award-winning documentary, Weapons of the Spirit, tells the story of Le Chambon-sur-Lignon, a French village whose residents saved the lives of 5,000 Jews during the German occupation. German-born Rudy Appel was 16 years old when he found shelter in this Huguenot village in Southeastern France and will join us for this Yom HaShoah program to speak about his years in this extraordinary village. In lieu of an admission fee, Rudy has requested a donation to the Le Chambon Foundation.
    For tickets and information, call 646.505.5708 or visit jccmanhattan.org/film. The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan – The Samuel Priest Rose Building – 334 Amsterdam Ave. @ 76th St.
  • Survivor shares her story with students on Yom Hashoah. New York, USA. Kayla Kaufman, saved by Raoul Wallenberg when she was only a young girl, will share her experiences with students of Yeshiva Har Torah during the school’s commemorations of Yom HaShoah. A candlelight ceremony will take place following the presentation. Yeshiva Har Torah, 250-10 Grand Central Parkway, Queens – 1:30 pm.
  • Luiz Martins de Souza Dantas died in 1954. During twenty years Souza Dantas was in charge of the Brazilian diplomatic mission in France. Moved for what he later called «a Christian feeling of mercy», he challenged both dictatorships at the same time. He granted diplomatic visas to enter Brazil to hundreds of people who, from the point of view of the Brazilian immigration policy, were considered undesirable. They were Jews, communists and homosexuals who were running away from the horror of Nazism. With his actions, Souza Dantas saved about 800 people from extermination.
  • Remembering Luiz Martins de Souza Dantas. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rabbi Darío Bialer will give a lecture about Luiz Martins de Souza Dantas on the anniversary of his death and on the day in which the Holocaust is commemorated around the world. Rabbi Bialer hopes to inspire a critical debate among Jewish and non Jewish students about the Holocaust, as well as elevate the value of life and civil courage above the indifference, violence and corruption of contemporary leaders. ORT Rio de Janeiro – 7:30 pm. 
  • An Homage to João Guimarães Rosa. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Brazilian diplomat and writer, whose centennial will be commemorated in 2008 saved the life of hundreds of persecuted people during his appointment at the Consulate of Brazil in Hamburg. Liturgical ceremony conducted by the Rabbis and Cantors. A panel discussion «While the majority remained in silence, a righteous acted» with Vilma Guimarães Rosa Reeves, daughter of the writer; Rabbi Sergio Margulies and Arnaldo Niskier, member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters will follow. The event will take place at Asociacion Religiosa Israelita (ARI) – 7:30 pm. 

April 18



  • Hofstra Hillel dedicates its Yom HaShoah commemoration to Raoul Wallenberg. New York. USA. Kayla Kaufman, saved by Raoul Wallenberg when she was only a young girl, will share her experiences with Hoftra University students.  Hofstra Hillel, Student Center 213-A, 200 Hofstra University, Hempstead , NY 11549.

April 19



  • Inauguration of exhibition about Spanish diplomats and the Holocaust. Madrid. Spain. On occasion of the 90º anniversary of the first Synagogue of Madrid, the exhibit «Visas for Freedom: Spanish diplomats and the Holocaust» will be inaugurated, with the participation of Ana Salomón, Director of Casa Sefarad-Israel. The exhibit was curated by  Arancha Gorostola and produced with the support of Casa Sefarad-Israel and of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – 7:00 pm. The opening of the exhibit will followed by the screening of the documentary «Visas for Freedom» – 8:30 pm. CJM: Balmes, 3 Madrid. Spain.

APRIL 26



  • Tribute to Raoul Wallenberg. New York. USA. Nachas Health and Family Services, 1310  48th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219 – 11:00 am.

May



  • Jewish American Heritage Month. USA. In an official declaration, President George W. Bush proclaimed May 2007 as Jewish American Heritage Month, «Throughout our history, Jewish Americans have contributed to the strength of our country and the preservation of our values. The talent and imagination of these citizens have helped our Nation prosper, and their efforts continue to remind us of America’s gift of religious freedom and the blessings of God’s steadfast love.» Read the complete proclamation

May 5



  • Ben Olander at Lidingö kyrka Församling, Djursholms Gymnasium Gymnasieskola and R.W. Academy for Young Leaders, Stockholm Gymnasieskola, Sweden. Swedish folk musician Ben Olander will discuss the Holocaust and present Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, as an example of courage and what one person can do to prevent everything that comes between harassment and genocide.

MAY 16


25th anniversary of the naming of Elementary School PS 194 as The Raoul Wallenberg School. New York. USA.

May 22



  • Screening of documentary about Wallenberg’s partner and friend. Budapest, Hungary. The Raoul Wallenberg Asociation of Hungary presents the film «With Raoul Wallenberg in Budapest» about the life of Per Anger at the Holocaust Documentation Center,  following their annual meeting. Per Anger was a young diplomat for the Swedish legation in Budapest in 1944 and assisted Raoul Wallenberg in the struggle to save Hungarian Jewry. After Wallenberg was taken prisoner by the liberating Soviets in January of 1945, Anger dedicated his life to discovering the fate of his partner, a fate still unknown. Páva u. 39. H-1094 Budapest – 6:00 pm.

MAY 22



  • Congressional Human Rights Caucus briefing on Wallenberg. Washington, DC. USA
    Congressman Tom Lantos; former Congressman Richard Gephardt; Swedish Ambassador Gunnar Lund; Professor William Korey; and attorney Morris Wolff will be among the speakers at the event, aimed at discussing the latest developments in the mystery of Raoul Wallenberg. Tuesday, May 22, 2007 – Room 2200 Rayburn House Office Building – 1:30 pm. For more information: http://lantos.house.gov/HoR/CA12/Human+Rights+Caucus/HRC+Hidden+Content/05-22-07+Wallenberg+Briefing+2007.htm

JUNE 1



  • Souza Dantas was named «Righteous Among the Nations»
    Souza Dantas was in charge of the Brazilian diplomatic mission in France for 20 years. Moved for what he later called «a Christian feeling of mercy», he granted diplomatic visas to enter Brazil to hundreds of people who, from the point of view of the Brazilian immigration policy, were considered undesirable. They were Jews, communists and homosexuals who were running away from the horror of Nazism. With his actions, Souza Dantas saved about 800 people from extermination.

JUNE 3



  • Anniversary of Angelo Roncalli’s Passing
    Roncalli – who would become Pope John XXIII – played a pivotal role in saving the lives of thousands of Jews while serving as the papal representative to Turkey during World War II. Roncalli first heard about the plight of Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe when he met Jewish refugees fleeing Poland in September 1940 and helped them reach Palestine, then a British colony. As the persecution increased, Roncalli accelerated his activities. With the help of Bulgaria’s King Boris,  Roncalli used the Red Cross to save thousands of Slovakian Jews who had been deported to Bulgaria prior to extermination and  he used diplomatic couriers, papal representatives and the Sisters of Our Lady of Zion to transport and issue baptismal certificates, immigration certificates and visas -many of them forged- to Hungarian Jews.

JUNE 14



  • Screening of Legado – Montreal, Canada.
    Yiddish Cafe presents the documentary film Legado by Vivían Imar and Marcelo Trotta in Spanish and Yiddish with English subtitles. The documentary Legado chronicles the life of Russian-Jewish refugees who fled the pogroms of the 19th century, to begin new lives and develop a vibrant cultural life as gauchos judíos in Argentine agricultural collectives. Legado is a production of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation and the Centro de Investigación Cinematográfica, with the support of the National Institute of Cinema. The screening will take place at the Jewish Public Library, 5151 Côte Ste-Catherine, Montréal, Quebec H3W 1M6 – Canada – 8:00 p.m. Tickets & Info: (514) 345-2627 , ext. 3006. See the Flyer
  • Tribute to the Saviors of the Holocaust at the Embassy of Austria in Buenos Aires.
    On Thursday June 14th, at the Embassy of Austria in Buenos Aires, the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation and the Embassy of Austria, presented the  «The Righteous of Austria» exhibition which pays tribute to those people who practiced values of solidarity and civic courage to assist to people who were persecuted by the Nazism during the period of the Holocaust.

July 9



  • Sousa Mendes served as Consul of Portugal to Bordeaux, France in the spring of 1940. He disobeyed the orders of Prime Minister Salazar of Portugal, and with the help of Rabbi Chaim Kruger, issued false transit visas that allowed at least 30.000 refugees to escape persecution in France. Sousa Mendes was determined to follow what he called a «divine power» to assist all those in need, regardless of the personal sacrifices he would make. In 1941, Prime Minister Salazar, who maintained Portugal’s neutrality in the war, but was a Nazi supporter in the fight against Communism, gained knowledge of Mendes’ actions. Sousa Mendes was stripped of his title, and the utterance of his name forbidden. He died in disgrace in April 1954, and was not remembered properly until 1987 when Portugal awarded him the Order of Liberty, and officially dismissed all charges in 1988.

July 20th



  • 115th Anniversary of the Birth of Mexican Savior Gilberto Bosques Saldívar (1892-1995). During his diplomatic mission in France, Gilberto Bosques helped persecuted Jews and other war resistants to escaped to Mexico. In 1943, his work as Consul was interrupted by the Nazi army, who vanished his rescue activity and captured him in the German village of Bad Godsenberg for a year. Later on, he served as the Ambassador of Mexico in Portugal, Finland, Sweden and Cuba.

July 31



  • The Congressional Human Rights Caucus Special Briefing on Wallenberg – Washington DC, USA. The briefing included a viewing of Raoul Wallenberg from «60 Minutes» with Dan Rather and counted with the presence of Mrs. Annette Lantos, rescued by Mr. Wallenberg, who is the wife of the Honorable Congressman, Tom Lantos, Democratic M.C. of the 12th District of California. After the viewing, IRWF representative Kayla Kaufman spoke of how Raoul Wallenberg saved 100,000 Hungarian Jews including herself, her parents, two younger sisters and a baby brother during the Holocaust.

August 2



  • Having lunch with Mirtha Legrand – Buenos Aires, Argentina. Historian Jose Ignacio Garcia Hamilton, representative of the IRWF, participated of the renowned Argentinean TV Show «Having lunch with Mirtha Legrand» to commemorate Raoul Wallenberg.

August 4



  • Raoul Wallenberg’s birthday. The IRWF commemorates this date through a variety of events that celebrate Raoul Wallenberg’s legacy. Volunteers and staff of the Foundation visited the Wallenberg Memorial in front of the United Nations, where they laid flowers aside the monument. Also visited was the nearby Wallenberg Walk street sign – marking the section of road where the monument stands.    Children aged 8-10 at the Manhattan JCC Summer Camp were treated to a celebration during their afternoon activities, during which they were able to participate in a dramatization of Wallenberg’s life, decorate a banner declaring «Happy Birthday Wallenberg», design and write about their own ideas of what a ‘hero’ might be. Visits to other summer camps are planned during the month of August.
  • Raoul Wallenberg Day – Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Legislative body of the City of Buenos Aires passed the Act 2,307 through which it was ordered that a Raoul Wallenberg Day be included in the educational agenda of the city.
  • Raoul Wallenberg Day – Iowa, USA. The Governor Iowa, Chet Culver, proclaimed August 4, 2007, Raoul Wallenberg Day. Cedar Rapids will be honoring the memory of Raoul Wallenberg as part of their Saturday morning services.

August 13



  • Raoul Wallenberg’s birthday at Camp Young Judea – New Hampshire, USA. With the direction of Abigail Tenembaum, the children at the camp performed scenes from Raoul Wallenberg’s life. Some children told the stories of survival of their own grandparents, many saved by anonymous rescuers. Wayne Goldstein of camp Young Judea concluded that «if of all the Judeic program at the camp the one thing the children take with them is the notion that, like Wallenberg, they can make a difference and should not stay silent when faced with injustice, I am very happy.»

August 30



  • International Day of the Disappeared. An annual commemoration day created to draw attention to the fate of individuals imprisoned at places and under poor conditions unknown to their relatives and/or legal representatives.

September 5, 2007 – October 21, 2007



  • Raoul Wallenberg Exhibit at the Sakharov Museum and Center in Moscow, Russia. The exhibit «Raoul Wallenberg – One man can make a difference» will open in Moscow accompanied by a pedagogical seminar and a series of lectures on the life and actions of the Swedish diplomat.

September 5



  • Raoul Wallenberg exhibit Official Opening and Press Conference with Jurii Samodurov, Director, Sakharov Museum and Center, Johan Molander. Ambassador, Embassy of Sweden, Moscow, Olle Wästberg, Director-General, Swedish Institute, Louise von Dardel, niece of Raoul Wallenberg, Ilya Altman, Director, Russian Holocaust Center, Sergei Kovalev, Memorial, and Laureate of the Council of Europe in 1995. At the Sakharov Museum and Center, Zemlyanoi val 57, Bld 6, Moscow

  • Ben Olander at R.W. Academy for Young Leaders, Stockholm Gymnasieskola, Sweden. Swedish folk musician Ben Olander will discuss the Holocaust and present Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, as an example of courage and what one person can do to prevent everything that comes between harassment and genocide.

September 6



  • Seminar for Teachers and Pedagogues: How to Teach the Dark Sides of History: Methods and Tools. At the Sakharov Museum and Center, Zemlyanoi val 57, Bld 6, Moscow. – 9:00am-5:00pm.

September 7



  • Scholars Seminar: The Historic and Contemporary Significance of Raoul Wallenberg. At the Library of Foreign Literature, ulitsa Nikoloyamskaya 1. – 9:00am – 4:00pm.

September 18



  • Film showing: The Case of Raoul Wallenberg – Savior and Victim, by Klaus Drexel. At the Sakharov Museum and Center, Zemlyanoi val 57, Bld 6, Moscow – 7:00pm.


September 21



  • International Day of Peace. An annual day established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. Beginning on the 20th anniversary in 2002, the UN General Assembly set 21 September as the now permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

October 5




  • Raoul Wallenberg Day – USA. The annual campaign to ask US Governors to proclaim October 5th as Raoul Wallenberg Day in their States is on its way. This would be the 3rd year that the IRWF embarks in this initiative. So far, Governors of Nebraska and Michigan proclaimed a 2007 Wallenberg Day. In previous years, Governors of Minnesota, West Virginia, New Jersey, Nevada, Illinois, Maine, Connecticut and Maryland followed our request.
  • Ben Olander at Smurfit Kappa AB Företag, Sweden. Swedish folk musician Ben Olander will discuss the Holocaust and present Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, as an example of courage and what one person can do to prevent everything that comes between harassment and genocide.

October 18



  • Seminar and Film «Nina´s Journey» by Lena Einhorn. This drama-documentary is based on the story of the director’s, mother, and describes her survival during the Holocaust, including her flight from the Warsaw ghetto. At the Sakharov Museum and Center, Zemlyanoi val 57, Bld 6, Moscow – 5:30pm.

October 27



  • Roncalli was elected pope (1958)

October 28



  • Nostra Aetate

November 5



  • Ben Olander at Walterska Gymnasiet, Halmstad Gymnasieskola, Sweden. Swedish folk musician Ben Olander will discuss the Holocaust and present Swedish diplomat, Raoul Wallenberg, as an example of courage and what one person can do to prevent everything that comes between harassment and genocide.

November  25



  • Birth of Angelo Roncalli (1881)

December 11



  • Conference on Raoul Wallenberg – Stockholm, Sweden. The initiative is being organized by The Swedish Institute of International Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden