NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS "VISAS FOR LIFE: THE RIGHTEOUS DIPLOMATS" EXHIBIT

Press Release

NOTE TO CORRESPONDENTS ‘VISAS FOR LIFE: THE RIGHTEOUS DIPLOMATS’ EXHIBIT

TO OPEN AT HEADQUARTERS 3 APRIL

A series of events will take place at Headquarters in connection with the opening of the exhibit "Visas for Life: The Righteous Diplomats" on Monday, 3 April. The exhibit honours more than 80 diplomats who risked their lives and livelihoods to rescue Jews and other refugees during the Holocaust, 1938-1945. Many of these diplomats acted against the orders of their governments and suffered reprimands, dismissal and/or retaliation by the Nazis. Of the four still living, two -- Jan Karski, former Consul General of Poland, and Selahattin Ulkümen, former Turkish Consul General to Rhodes -- will attend.

The exhibit and programme are co-sponsored by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in cooperation with Visas for Life: the Righteous Diplomats Project. Other co-sponsoring organizations include the Committee for Righteous Deeds, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti- Defamation League, the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, the Jewish National Fund, the World Jewish Congress, the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority.

At 9 a.m., there will be a press conference in the Visitors' Lobby, followed by informal press interviews with Mr. Karski and Mr. Ulkümen, as well as members of the families of diplomats and survivors. At 3:30 p.m., there will be a screening of the film "Sugihara: Conspiracy of Kindness" in the Dag Hammarskjöld Library Auditorium. At 5:30 p.m., there will be a special viewing of the exhibit for invited guests and families of both the diplomats and those they rescued, followed by a convocation in the General Assembly Hall at 7 p.m.

Nane Annan, wife of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, will speak at the convocation. Mrs. Annan's uncle, the late Raoul Wallenberg of Sweden, is among the diplomats being honoured by the exhibit. Gillian Sorensen, Assistant Secretary-General for External Relations, will deliver a statement on behalf of the Secretary-General; and Bacre Waly Ndiaye, Director, New York Office, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will deliver a statement on behalf of the High Commissioner. Mr. Karski and Mr. Ulkümen will speak, and members of other diplomatic families will be acknowledged.

- 2 - Note No. 5605 30 March 2000

Other speakers include Rudolph Giuliani, Mayor of New York City; Yehuda Lancry, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations; Maria Jesus Barroso Soares, former First Lady of Portugal; Israel Singer, President, World Jewish Congress; Elie Wiesel, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor; Ron Lauder, President, Jewish National Fund; Avner Shalev, Director, Yad Vashem Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority; David Harris, Executive Director, American Jewish Committee; Abe Foxman, Executive Director, Anti-Defamation League; Rabbi Abraham, Cooper, Associate Dean, Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance; Rabbi David Baron, Committee for Righteous Deeds; and Eric Saul, Director, Visas for Life: The Righteous Diplomats Project.

Representatives of United Nations Missions whose diplomats are receiving recognition are expected to attend the convocation.

A number of diplomats honoured in the exhibit lost their lives during this heroic rescue. Collectively, they saved more than 250,000 lives. Today, there are more than 500,000 living descendants of these survivors and refugees.

The exhibit will remain on view through 28 April 2000.

For more information, please call (212) 963-5931 or (212) 963-6923; for media accreditation, (212) 963-6934.

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