opening of beyond duty

Beyond Duty: Diplomat Righteous Among the Nations

  • 1/28/2019
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    ​On the day the UN commemorated International Holocaust Remembrance Day, following a special session in the General Assembly, Israel's Mission to the UN held a special event to open an exhibit jointly developed with the Missions of Peru and Portugal, and curated by Yad Vashem. The exhibit, called Beyond Duty, focuses on select stories of diplomats who are counted among the Righteous Among the Nations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, and relatives of Righteous Among the Nations diplomats from Peru and Portugal attended and spoke at the event.

    In his speech, Ambassador Danon called attention to the importance of not standing silent in the face of evil: "What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor but the silence of the bystander. In a time of total darkness, diplomats and heads of state around the world saw the light of truth."

    Danon continued: "The righteous diplomats and heads of state had a profound understanding of morality. They did not let anything get in their way, because for them saving innocent lives had no price tag. In a world full of injustice, let us stand up against hatred, bigotry, and terrorism, and call out the dark truths when we see them. Let these righteous men and women serve as our inspiration to be a source of true good in the world."