Dear Mr Eurnekian,
Allow me to take this opportunity to express my heart felt gratitude to you and the Raoul Wallenberg International Foundation for awarding posthumously the Raoul Wallenberg Medal and plaque honoring my father.
Truth to tell, it was only upon the publication of Frank Ephraim’s book that I was made aware of what my father had done for the Jewish refugees. Although it was admittedly a heroic act with potential grave political consequences for him given that the United States itself did not look favorably on it, he did what he thought was right and made no fuss about it, even to his own family.
My family is honored that more than sixty years later, his compassion is recognized and celebrated by a prestigious international foundation such as yours. Furthermore, I know that our fellow Filipinos take pride in having been able to provide a warm welcome to those in need at the time. It speaks to the fact that humanitarian actions are universal and beyond time and boundaries.
May the award inspire the present and future Filipinos to stand by humanitarian principles even in the face of difficulties.
Very truly yours,
Zeneida Quezon Avancena
August 31, 2015
