The logo of European Day of the Righteous

We are getting close to 6 March 2014, second annual European Day of the Righteous. Gariwo has been preparing to celebrate it with events in the Italian and European towns.


In Milan we schedule a two-phase event:

- 11 a.m., Garden of the Righteous Worldwide of Milan, on Monte Stella Hill"Believers and non-believers, the same responsibility"

We will hold a ceremony in which we will plant trees and unveil memorial stones in honor of the Righteous in the presence of Mayor Giuliano Pisapia, President of the City Council Basilio Rizzo, Gariwo Chairman Gabriele Nissim, UCEI Councillor Giorgio Mortara, and the Consul of Armenia to Italy Pietro Kuciukian. Special guests the relatives of the honored Righteous. 

The new trees are dedicated to Nelson Mandela, the late South African President who defended civil rights in his country against apartheid and devoted his life to demanding dignity through non-violent means; Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who as an apostolic delegate in 1942 protected the Jews in Istanbul and when he became Pope John XXIII opened the Church to dialogue and reconciliation with the other faiths; Beatrice Rohner, who devoted her life to save from genocide the Armenian children in Turkey in 1915-1916 and protecting them at great risk by keeping them in the orphanages in Aleppo; and to Giuseppe Sala, Fernanda Wittgens and father Giovanni Barbareschi, three Milanese Righteous who rescued Jews duringthe Holocaust and helped other persecuted to flee Nazi occupation, thanks to an important rescue network spread among the population.

- 8.45 p.m., Alessi Room of Palazzo Marino
"Music for gratitude"

With Ani Martirosyan, Tomoko Murakoshi, Paolo Gilardi and Iakov Zats, special guest Maestro Gaetano Liguori. Presentation of the music played, by musicologist Danilo Faravelli. 

The event is organized by Association "Giardino dei Giusti di Milano”, to which Gariwo belongs together with Milan City Hall and the Union of the Italian Jewish Communities. 

For the ceremony at Monte Stella Hill booking is encouraged at phone no. 02/36707648 or to e-mail address [email protected]

The admission to the concert in Palazzo Marino is exclusively upon invitation.

In the Further Insight box, Written Declaration No. 3/2012, by which the European Parliament set up European Day of the Righteous, by accepting Gariwo's Call.