Medals „Distinguished for Tolerance”

The ceremony of awarding medals was held at the Warsaw Jewish Theater for the thirteenth time.

Among the people and institutions distinguished this year were: Ryszard Kalisz from SLD, the former vice-marshal of the senate Andrzej Wielowieyski and the Polish-Russian Group for Difficult Matters.

The medals „Distinguished for Tolerance” are awarded to people distinguished in fighting nationalism, chauvinism and anti-Semitism and working for building inter-religious and inter-ethnic relations on equal principles.

Ryszard Kalisz was honored in the category of national awards for his sensitivity to intolerance and to the lack of political culture. Andrzej Wielowieyski was awarded in the same category for his respect and kindness for those who think differently.

The Polish-Russian Group for Difficult Matters received the team award. This group was founded because it is necessary to “oppose the prejudice existing in parts of both nations and concerning the past”. The medal was presented to the co-chairman of the Group from the Polish side, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs Adam Daniel Rotfeld.

The foreign awards were given to the Norwegian artist Bente Kahan and to the Israeli lawyer Uri Huppert, author of books devoted to the subject of intolerance and fanaticism.

In former years the Ecumenical Foundation „Tolerance” awarded, among others: Jacek Kuroń, the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, the “Never Again” Association, Jerzy Owsiak, Krzysztof Teodor Toeplitz, Barbara Skarga and Jerzy Giedroyć, as well as Benazir Bhutto, Simon Peres, Amosa Oz and Simone Veil.

The Polish Society of the Righteous Among the Nations was founded in 1985. Its members are Polish citizens who have been honored with the title and medal of Righteous Among the Nations.

At present the Polish Righteous – about 6.200 people – constitute about 28% of all the Righteous in the world.

The goals of the Polish Society of the Righteous Among the Nations are to disseminate information about the occupation, the Holocaust and the actions of the Righteous, and to fight against anti-Semitism and xenophobia. More about the Polish Society of the Righteous Among the Nations.