European Day of Righteous 2024

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QUICK FACTS

• Date: March 6th
• Main Components: Conference, website, documentary, tree planting, concert, screening, book, supplement
• Popularity: Observed by the European Parliament and several European countries and cities
• Pairings: Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide, Cambodian Genocide Remembrance Day
• Variations: Gardens of the Righteous, Righteous Among the Nations, Righteous Without Borders

Introduction

What does it mean to be righteous? How can we recognize and honor those who have stood up against crimes against humanity and totalitarianism? How can we learn from their example and promote human rights, democracy, and peace? These are some of the questions that the project “Righteous Without Borders – Acting for the Sake of Dignity and Human Rights” aims to address and explore.

The project is based on the concept and phenomenon of the Righteous, which refers to those who have risked their lives to help and protect other human beings who were persecuted, oppressed, or discriminated against because of their ethnicity, religion, nationality, or political views. The term “Righteous” was originally used by the Yad Vashem Institute in Israel to honor those who helped the Jews during the Holocaust, but it has since been expanded to include those who resisted other genocides and forms of totalitarianism in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The project also draws inspiration and information from various sources, such as the book “The Righteous” by Umberto Eco and Gabriele Nissim, the documentary “The Party for the Righteous” by Karolina Dzięciołowska, and the website of Gariwo – Gardens of the Righteous Worldwide – Association. These sources provide stories, testimonies, and analyses of the deeds and motivations of the Righteous, as well as the challenges and opportunities of remembering and commemorating them.

The main objectives and expected outcomes of the project are to raise awareness, educate, and engage the public on the issues of human rights, genocide prevention, and moral responsibility, as well as to foster dialogue, solidarity, and integration among different cultures, religions, and generations. The project also aims to contribute to the establishment and development of the European Day of Righteous, a remembrance day that was created in 2012 by the European Parliament to celebrate the Righteous every year on March 6.

The Righteous: Definition and Examples

The Righteous are those who have shown moral courage and human dignity in the face of evil and injustice. They are those who have chosen to act according to their conscience and values, rather than following the orders, norms, or interests of the dominant group or regime. They are those who have sacrificed their own safety, comfort, or reputation to help, save, or defend the lives and rights of others, often strangers or enemies. They are those who have made a difference in the world by resisting and opposing the forces of hatred, violence, and oppression.

There are many examples of the Righteous from different contexts and circumstances, such as:

• Raul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jews in Nazi-occupied Hungary by issuing them protective passports and sheltering them in safe houses.
• Jan Karski, a Polish resistance fighter who risked his life to report the atrocities of the Holocaust to the Allied governments and the public, hoping to persuade them to intervene and stop the genocide.
• Roberto Kozak, a Chilean diplomat who helped thousands of political dissidents and refugees escape from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet by granting them visas and asylum.
• Nelson Mandela, a South African anti-apartheid activist and leader who spent 27 years in prison for his struggle against racial discrimination and oppression, and who later became the first democratically elected president of his country, promoting reconciliation and forgiveness.

The significance and relevance of the Righteous for the present and the future are immense and undeniable. They are role models, sources of hope, and defenders of human dignity. They show us that everyone can make a choice and a difference, that everyone can stand up for what is right and good, that everyone can be a hero. They also challenge us to question and confront the evils and injustices that still exist in our world, and to take action and responsibility to prevent and stop them. They remind us that human rights are universal and inviolable, and that we are all connected and interdependent.

The Genocides: History and Memory

Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction of a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group, in whole or in part. It is the most extreme and horrific form of crime against humanity, and it has occurred repeatedly throughout history, especially in the 20th and 21st centuries. Some of the major genocides that have taken place in the modern era are:

• The Holocaust, the genocide of about six million Jews and millions of other victims by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II.
• The Armenian Genocide, the massacre and deportation of about 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War I.
• The Cambodian Genocide, the killing of about two million Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 and 1979.
• The Rwanda Genocide, the slaughter of about 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus by the Hutu extremists in 1994.

Remembering and commemorating the genocides is not an easy or simple task. It involves many challenges and problems, such as:

• Denial, the refusal or distortion of the historical facts and evidence of the genocides by some perpetrators, governments, or groups, often for political or ideological reasons.
• Distortion, the manipulation or misrepresentation of the causes, consequences, or lessons of the genocides by some media, scholars, or activists, often for personal or professional interests.
• Exclusion, the neglect or marginalization of some victims, survivors, or rescuers of the genocides by some institutions, communities, or individuals, often for social or cultural reasons.

Preserving and honoring the memory of the victims and the survivors of the genocides is not only a moral duty, but also a valuable and vital endeavor. It has many benefits and purposes, such as:

• Justice, the recognition and acknowledgment of the suffering and dignity of the victims and the survivors, as well as the accountability and punishment of the perpetrators and accomplices.
• Education, the transmission and dissemination of the knowledge and understanding of the history and context of the genocides, as well as the awareness and prevention of the factors and signs that can lead to them.
• Dialogue, the promotion and facilitation of the communication and interaction among different groups and generations, as well as the reconciliation and healing of the wounds and traumas caused by the genocides.

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The Gardens of the Righteous: Establishment and Development

The Gardens of the Righteous are public spaces that are dedicated to the memory and recognition of the Righteous. They are places where trees are planted and plaques are installed to honor and commemorate the names and deeds of the Righteous. They are also places where people can visit, learn, reflect, and engage on the issues of human rights, genocide prevention, and moral responsibility.

The origin and development of the idea and practice of creating Gardens of the Righteous can be traced back to the initiative of Moshe Bejski, a Holocaust survivor and a former judge of the Supreme Court of Israel. He was the founder and president of the Commission for the Designation of the Righteous Among the Nations, a committee of the Yad Vashem Institute that is responsible for identifying and honoring those who helped the Jews during the Holocaust. He also conceived and designed the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations in Jerusalem, which was inaugurated in 1962 and contains over 2,000 trees and plaques.

The establishment and development of the European Day of Righteous, a remembrance day that was created in 2012 by the European Parliament, was inspired by the vision and work of Moshe Bejski, as well as by the efforts and proposals of Gariwo, the forest of the Righteous, a non-profit association that was founded in 1999 by Gabriele Nissim and other prominent Italian intellectuals and activists. Gariwo’s mission is to broaden the concept of Righteous to all cases of genocide and totalitarianism, and to create and support Gardens of the Righteous all over the world.

Some examples of the existing and planned Gardens of the Righteous in different countries and cities are:

• The Garden of the Righteous Worldwide in Milan, Italy, which was inaugurated in 2003 and contains over 200 trees and plaques dedicated to the Righteous from various historical and geographical contexts.
• The Garden of the Righteous in Warsaw, Poland, which was inaugurated in 2014 and contains over 30 trees and plaques dedicated to the Righteous who helped the Jews during the Holocaust, as well as to the Polish dissidents who opposed the Communist regime.
• The Garden of the Righteous in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was inaugurated in 2016 and contains over 20 trees and plaques dedicated to the Righteous who helped the victims of the Bosnian genocide, as well as to the peacemakers and humanitarians who worked in the region.
• The Garden of the Righteous in Strasbourg, France, which was inaugurated in 2017 and contains over 10 trees and plaques dedicated to the Righteous who defended human rights and democracy in Europe, such as Charter 77 activists, dissident journalists, and anti-fascist fighters.
• The Garden of the Righteous in Brussels, Belgium, which is planned to be inaugurated in 2023 and will contain over 15 trees and plaques dedicated to the Righteous who helped the victims of the Cambodian genocide, as well as to the survivors and witnesses who testified and campaigned for justice and reconciliation.
• The meaning and purpose of the Gardens of the Righteous are manifold and profound. They are places of remembrance, education, and dialogue. They are places where the memory and recognition of the Righteous are preserved and transmitted to the present and future generations. They are places where the stories and deeds of the Righteous are learned and understood, as well as the lessons and values they embody. They are places where the dialogue and exchange among different cultures, religions, and generations are promoted and facilitated, as well as the solidarity and integration they foster.

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The Project: Activities and Outcomes

The project “Righteous Without Borders – Acting for the Sake of Dignity and Human Rights” consists of several activities and outcomes, such as:

• Organizing a conference on the theme of “Righteous Without Borders” in Warsaw, under the aegis of the Presidency of the Republic of Poland, the European Parliament, and the Municipality of Warsaw, with the participation of prominent speakers and guests, such as Adam Michnik, Natalia Gorbaniewska, Daniel Kroupa, Pavel Bratinka, and David-Maria Sassoli. The conference will be an opportunity to discuss and debate the concept and phenomenon of the Righteous, as well as the challenges and opportunities of creating and developing the European Day of Righteous and the Gardens of the Righteous.
• Creating a website and a documentary film on the stories and deeds of the Righteous from different countries and contexts, with the collaboration of Gariwo, the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, and the Warsaw Committee of the Garden of the Righteous. The website and the documentary will be a source of information and inspiration for the public, as well as a tool for education and awareness. They will feature interviews, testimonies, and analyses of the Righteous, as well as the victims, survivors, and relatives they helped or saved.
• Planting a Tree of the European Day of Righteous in the Jerzy Jura-Gorzechowski Square in Warsaw, with the presence of the representatives of the European Union, the Member States, and the civil society, as well as the survivors and the relatives of the Righteous. The tree planting will be a symbolic and meaningful gesture of honoring and commemorating the Righteous, as well as of celebrating and promoting the European Day of Righteous and the values it represents.
• Holding a concert and a screening of the documentary film in the Tiberio Bridge in Rome, with the support of the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Municipality of Rome, and the Parco XXV Aprile, and the performance of the pianist Janusz Olejniczak and the actress Joanna Sobolewka-Pyz. The concert and the screening will be a cultural and artistic event that will entertain and engage the audience, as well as a tribute and a homage to the Righteous and their legacy.
• Publishing a book and a supplement on the project and its results, with the contribution of the writers, journalists, and academics involved in the project, such as Umberto Eco, Gabriele Nissim, Anna Politkowska, Barbary Engelking, and Yolande Mukagasana. The book and the supplement will be a comprehensive and in-depth report and analysis of the project and its outcomes, as well as a reflection and a perspective on the issues and implications of the Righteous and the genocides.

EUROPEAN DAY OF RIGHTEOUS WISHES, QUOTES, AND MESSAGES

TOP 20 EUROPEAN DAY OF RIGHTEOUS WISHES AND GREETINGS

Here are 20 unique European Day of Righteous wishes and greetings:

1. On European Day of Righteousness, may the spirit of courage and compassion inspire us all to stand up for justice and defend the rights of the vulnerable.
2. Wishing you a day filled with the warmth of kindness and the strength to be a beacon of righteousness on European Day of Righteousness.
3. Happy European Day of Righteousness! May your actions today echo the resilience and compassion of those who have fought for justice throughout history.
4. May the flame of righteousness burn bright within you on this European Day of Righteousness, lighting the path toward a fair and just world.
5. Sending you wishes for a day filled with acts of kindness and a commitment to promoting human rights on European Day of Righteousness.
6. Happy European Day of Righteousness! May you find the courage to speak up for what is right and make a positive impact in the world.
7. On this special day, may the legacy of the righteous inspire us to create a future where justice prevails and human rights are upheld for all.
8. Wishing you a European Day of Righteousness filled with moments of compassion, understanding, and a dedication to making the world a better place.
9. May the spirit of righteousness guide your actions and decisions on European Day of Righteousness and every day that follows.
10. Happy European Day of Righteousness! Let us celebrate the unsung heroes who have stood up for justice and inspire each other to continue their legacy.
11. On this meaningful day, may your commitment to righteousness be unwavering, and may your actions contribute to building a more just and inclusive world.
12. Wishing you a day filled with compassion, empathy, and a deep sense of responsibility for promoting human rights on European Day of Righteousness.
13. Happy European Day of Righteousness! May your dedication to justice be a shining example for others to follow, creating ripples of positive change.
14. On this day, let us reflect on the importance of human rights and renew our commitment to being agents of positive change in our communities and beyond.
15. May the spirit of the righteous inspire you to take a stand against injustice and champion the cause of human rights on European Day of Righteousness.
16. Happy European Day of Righteousness! May your actions today contribute to building a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
17. Wishing you a day filled with opportunities to make a positive impact and uphold the principles of justice on European Day of Righteousness.
18. May the flame of righteousness within you burn brightly, lighting the way for others to follow on European Day of Righteousness.
19. Happy European Day of Righteousness! Let us unite in the pursuit of justice and work towards creating a world where everyone’s rights are protected.
20. On this special day, may your commitment to righteousness inspire hope and contribute to a future where human rights are universally acknowledged and respected.

TOP 20 EUROPEAN DAY OF RIGHTEOUS QUOTES

Here are 20 unique European Day of Righteous quotes:

1. “In the tapestry of history, righteousness is the thread that weaves together the stories of courage, compassion, and human rights.”
2. “On European Day of Righteousness, let us be the guardians of justice, standing tall against the winds of injustice.”
3. “The legacy of the righteous is not written in ink but etched in the hearts of those who stand up for what is right, regardless of the odds.”
4. “In the symphony of humanity, righteousness is the melody that resonates across borders, uniting us in a harmonious pursuit of justice.”
5. “European Day of Righteousness is a reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness and courage can create waves of positive change.”
6. “As we celebrate the European Day of Righteousness, let us remember that every act of compassion contributes to the symphony of a more just world.”
7. “The pages of history turn with the ink of righteousness, written by those who refused to be silent in the face of injustice.”
8. “On this day, let us emulate the courage of the righteous and be the architects of a future where justice is not a privilege but a right for all.”
9. “In the garden of humanity, the seeds of righteousness bloom into flowers of justice, scattering the fragrance of equality on European Day of Righteousness.”
10. “European Day of Righteousness is a beacon, reminding us that we are all keepers of the flame of justice, responsible for passing it on to the next generation.”
11. “In the tapestry of European history, righteousness is the golden thread that connects the past, present, and the aspirations for a just future.”
12. “The flame of righteousness burns brightest when it illuminates the darkest corners of injustice. Let us be the torchbearers on this European Day of Righteousness.”
13. “On this day, let us be the echoes of the righteous, speaking up against oppression and injustice, and standing tall for the rights of all.”
14. “European Day of Righteousness is a call to action, urging us to be the architects of a world where compassion triumphs over cruelty and justice prevails.”
15. “The footprints of the righteous mark the path towards a more just world. Let us walk boldly in their steps on this European Day of Righteousness.”
16. “In the grand narrative of humanity, righteousness is the protagonist, reminding us that justice is not a destination but a journey we must walk together.”
17. “European Day of Righteousness teaches us that the smallest acts of kindness and bravery can create ripples of change that resonate through time.”
18. “On this day, let us reflect on the power of righteousness to transform the world and inspire others to stand up for what is right.”
19. “The pen of righteousness writes a story of hope, where every chapter is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit on European Day of Righteousness.”
20. “In the mosaic of human rights, each act of righteousness is a vibrant tile, contributing to a masterpiece that celebrates the dignity of all.”

TOP 20 EUROPEAN DAY OF RIGHTEOUS MESSAGES/SMS

Here are 20 unique European Day of Righteous messages:

1. “On European Day of Righteousness, may your actions speak louder than words, and your commitment to justice resonate across borders.”
2. “Happy European Day of Righteousness! Today, let’s celebrate the unsung heroes who have stood up for justice and inspire each other to continue their legacy.”
3. “Wishing you a day filled with compassion, empathy, and a deep sense of responsibility for promoting human rights on this European Day of Righteousness.”
4. “May your heart be a source of kindness, your mind a stronghold of justice, and your actions a testament to righteousness on European Day of Righteousness.”
5. “On this special day, let us unite in the pursuit of justice and work towards creating a world where everyone’s rights are protected. Happy European Day of Righteousness!”
6. “Happy European Day of Righteousness! Today, let’s renew our commitment to be the change we want to see and strive for a world where fairness prevails.”
7. “May the spirit of righteousness guide your actions and decisions on European Day of Righteousness and every day that follows. Happy celebrating!”
8. “On this meaningful day, let us reflect on the importance of human rights and renew our dedication to being agents of positive change in our communities and beyond.”
9. “Wishing you a day filled with opportunities to make a positive impact and uphold the principles of justice on European Day of Righteousness.”
10. “Happy European Day of Righteousness! Today, let’s be inspired by the righteous and commit to making a difference in the world, one act of kindness at a time.”
11. “May your commitment to righteousness inspire hope and contribute to a future where human rights are universally acknowledged and respected. Happy European Day of Righteousness!”
12. “On this day, let’s celebrate the spirit of those who have fought for justice throughout history and strive to be beacons of righteousness in our own lives.”
13. “Happy European Day of Righteousness! Let’s stand together for justice, equality, and the protection of human rights, today and every day.”
14. “May your day be filled with moments of compassion, understanding, and a dedication to making the world a better place on European Day of Righteousness.”
15. “Wishing you a day filled with acts of kindness and a commitment to promoting human rights. Happy European Day of Righteousness!”
16. “Happy European Day of Righteousness! Today, let’s celebrate the tapestry of courage and compassion that makes our world a better place.”
17. “May the flame of righteousness within you burn brightly, lighting the way for others to follow on European Day of Righteousness. Happy celebrating!”
18. “On this day, let’s be the change-makers, the advocates for justice, and the guardians of human rights. Happy European Day of Righteousness!”
19. “Happy European Day of Righteousness! Today, let’s reflect on the power of collective action and our role in creating a more just and equitable world.”
20. “May the spirit of European Day of Righteousness inspire you to take a stand against injustice and champion the cause of human rights with unwavering dedication.”

Conclusion

The project “Righteous Without Borders – Acting for the Sake of Dignity and Human Rights” is a remarkable and ambitious initiative that aims to explore and celebrate the concept and phenomenon of the Righteous, as well as to contribute to the establishment and development of the European Day of Righteous and the Gardens of the Righteous. The project is relevant and impactful for the promotion of human rights, democracy, and peace, as well as for the dialogue, solidarity, and integration among different cultures, religions, and generations.

We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the partners, sponsors, and participants of the project, who have made it possible and successful. We would also like to invite the readers and viewers to visit the website, watch the documentary, and read the book and the supplement, to learn more about the project and the Righteous. We hope that the project will inspire and motivate everyone to act for the sake of dignity and human rights, and to join the cause of the Righteous and the prevention of genocides. We believe that the Righteous are not only heroes of the past, but also guides for the present and the future.