Every year on 6 March the European Day of the Righteous is celebrated, a date which commemorates the passing of Moshe BejskiIsraeli magistrate who survived the Holocaust, President of the Commission of the Righteous Among the Nations of “Yad Vashem”. Starting from the definition of Yad Vashemthe concept of the Righteous includes all those who, in every part of the world, have been able to save human lives in all genocides and defended human dignity during totalitarianism.
It was May 10, 2012, the deputies of Strasbourg accepted the appeal of Gariwo, a non-profit organization that has been working since 1999 to raise awareness of the action of the “rightful” in the world, signed by numerous citizens and intellectuals, establishing the European Day of the Righteous.
Since 7 December 2017, the Day of the Righteous has been a civil solemnity in Italy and every year on 6 March the example of the Righteous of the past and present is remembered to spread the values of responsibility, tolerance and solidarity.
The Garden of the Righteous
In the heart of Monte Stella Park, in Milan, the Garden it is a memorial to those who opposed genocides and crimes against humanity, it is inspired by the garden and museum Yad Vashem of Jerusalem and was created to honor people from all over the world, who with their actions have opposed genocides. The garden dedicates a specific granite stone and tree Prunus to every person recognized as righteous among the nations.
Educators, teachers and students of schools and universities who participate in the celebrations of March 6 also have a “virtual garden” at their disposal which tells the exemplary stories of courage and moral example of the life of the Righteous. Stories forgotten or unknown to most like that of the Chilesotti family from Padua who, during the Nazi occupation, protected the hiding place of a Jewish lady. Or better-known stories like that of Lech Walesa, founder of Solidarity and President of Poland, Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1983.
In Milan the ceremony of placing the new plaques and handing over the parchments to the Righteous is on March 3 at 10 am on…
Posted by Gariwo – Forest of the Righteous on Friday, February 24, 2023
On the Gariwo website, you can also consult the Encyclopedia of the Righteous divided into sections dedicated to each genocide and theme.
Sources: Gariwo / Rai Cultura
