Conference on Japanese Righteous Sugihara Chiune

KJ, 16 November 2016
The Inter-Departmental Unit for Migration Research of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University of Kraków (UKSW) invites those interested to participate in a conference on the Righteous which will be devoted to the figure of Sugihara Chiune, Japanese Consul in Lithuania during the War. The call for papers ends on 22nd February 2015.

The conference is entitled Commemorating, in Poland, the Rescuers and Those Rescued From the Holocaust, Marking the 30th Anniversary of Bestowing the Title of Righteous Among the Nation Upon Sugihara Chiune, Japanese Vice-Consul in Lithuania. The Conference will take place 11th-12th June 2015.

In 1940, Sugihara Chiune, Japanese Consul in Lithuania, together with the Honorary Dutch Consul, Jan Zwartendijk, issued more than 2,500 visas to Polish Jews who, in 1939, had found shelter in the Wilna area. Thanks to those visas, around 6,000 people escaped the Holocaust through the Soviet Union and Japan, and then made their way to other countries. In recognition of his deeds, Sugihara was honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nations in 1985. On the 30th anniversary of this honour and the 75th anniversary of the beginning of action which saved Jews, it is hoped to reflect more broadly on those heroic deeds which saved Jews from the Holocaust, and how further they can be recognised by institutions around the world.

The main aim of the Conference is to gather academics who are interested in the collective memory and annual commemoration of Sugihara’s deeds, as well as others interested in the fate of those who were rescued from the Holocaust. Academics, museum curators, archivists, communal leaders and public identities are encouraged to participate, supporting meaningful dialogue and constructive discussion in an international forum.

The Conference will concentrate on four issues:

• Remembrance of Sugihara and Zwartendij in Poland, Japan, the Netherlands, Lithuania and countries where Jews, who were saved by them, eventually settled
• The perspective of those rescued – personal testimonies of those rescued by the Righteous, and stories from their descendants (the session will include online connections with those who cannot personally attend the Conference).
• From memory to commemoration – various forms of remembering the victims of the Holocaust, those rescued and their saviours.
• The Righteous Among the Nations – dimensions, issues and dilemmas associated with the award.

Honorary Committee:

Prof. Janusz Balicki (UKSW)

Prof. Andrew Jakubowicz, (University of Technology Sydney, Australia)

Pan Jakub Nowakowski, (Galicia Museum)

Dr Grazyna Pawlak, Director, (Prof. Moses Schorr Foundation)

Mr. Krzysztof Czyżewski, Dyrektor, (Pogranicze Foundation)

Organising Committee:

Aleksandra Hadzelek, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, P.O.Box 123, Broadway NSW 2007, Australia, tel. +61 2 95147686, [email protected]

Olga Barbasiewicz, Instytut Politologii UKSW, , ul. Woycickiego 1/3, budynek 23, pokój 112, tel. +48 668946552, [email protected]

Joanna M. Guzik, Instytut Bliskiego i Dalekiego Wschodu, Uniwersytet Jagielloński

30-387 Kraków, ul. Gronostajowa 3, pokój.127, tel. +48 126645415,

[email protected]

 

The Conference will be conducted by the Inter-Departmental Unit for Migration Research of the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University of Kraków (UKSW). Further information can be found on: http://migracje.uksw.edu.pl.


A 2-3 page Session Proposal or a one page (maximum) address summary, plus CV in MS-Word or pdf format, should be emailed to: [email protected]
Closing date is 22nd February 2015.