The European Day of Remembrance for the Righteous

The Gala will be hosted by Jerzy Kisielewski. The life stories of the Righteous will be presented by an actress, Maja Komorowska, a member of the Committee for the Garden of the Righteous.  A concert of Laura Bortolotto (violin) and Matteo Andri (piano) will provide an additional splendour to the event. On 27 April 2015, memorial obelisks will be unveiled in the Garden of the Righteous in Warsaw.

The European Day of Remembrance for the Righteous was established by the European Parliament in 2012 on the initiative of the Gardens of the Righteous Worldwide Committee (GARIWO).

The term “righteous”, which was used for the first time in the Yad Vashem Memo is now a universal term. The title is meant to commemorate not only those recognised by the Yad Vashem as the Righteous  Among the Nations but also all people who had courage to defend human dignity, provide aid to victims or to act in defence of truth in face of totalitarian regimes or genocide.

The House of Encounters with History will announce three names of the Righteous a year. The title is awarded only to people who have already passed away. Everybody can submit a candidate. The selection of the title winners is conducted by the Committee for the Garden of the Righteous.

The Garden of the Righteous opened in 2014 at the General Jan Jur-Gorzechowski Square in Warsaw is the commemoration venue of the Righteous. Every year, trees are planted on the square in memory of the Righteous. Beside the trees, memorial stones are set containing names, life spans and short inscriptions justifying the choice.

The admittance to the “The Righteous 2015” Gala is free but prior registration by mail: [email protected] or by phone: 22 255 05 00 is required.