Conference on civil courage and humanity

On 23-24 October 2024, Kaunas and Vilnius will host exclusive conferences "Sugihara, Zwartendijk and Wallenberg - civil courage role models relevant for the modern world" organised by the Sugihara House Museum and the Embassy of Sweden to highlight the extraordinary role models of civic courage and humanity of three diplomats - Chiune Sugihara, Jan Zwartendijk and Raoul Wallenberg. The event will not only recall the lessons of history, but also stimulate debate on how the examples of these heroic figures can inspire us in today's world.

The event will be presented by Swedish professor and historian Bengt Jangferldt, a renowned scholar of Russian literature and history, Hikaru Bun, a PhD student at the University of Heidelberg (Japan), Arlette Stuip, the granddaughter of Abraham Lüver, who was saved by Zwartendijk (the Netherlands), as well as other honoured guests. The speakers' stories will be accompanied by klezmer musician Semmy Stahlhammer.

"In standing up to oppression, Sugihara, Wallenberg and Zwartendijk embodied principles of courage and empathy that are still vital to us today. Their courage is a reminder of the enormous influence one person can have even in the darkest of times. For diplomats and for each one of us, they are examples of the moral obligation to defend human rights, even in the face of great risk," said Swedish Ambassador to Lithuania Lars Wahlund.

"It seems to me that these heroes of the stories we will be talking about at the conference are more than just witnesses or participants in an event. They are examples of humanity, compassion and empathy," emphasises Dr. Simonas Strelcovas, one of the conference moderators. - At the same time, they are symbols of resistance to brutality. As Dr Wiesenthal said: "For evil to flourish, it is enough that the good do nothing." Therefore, we must speak up and we must not forget."

The organisers of the event believe that the actions of these three diplomats - Sugihara, Zwartendijk and Wallenberg - are a reminder of the fundamental human value of helping others. "Nowadays, we talk more and more about the things that divide us, forgetting the most important thing: respect for the human person and efforts for the good of others. In this seminar, we would like to discuss the actions of diplomats from three countries, where, coming from different backgrounds, countries and cultures, they shared the same understanding of the essence of humanity - helping those in need," says Associate Professor Linas Venclauskas. - We will also draw on three more or less well-known stories of diplomats to talk about undiscovered, or rather forgotten, cases of courage and help, remembering that each of us can contribute to goodness and understanding by doing the right thing."

The conference will take place over two days:

- Kaunas: 23 October, 15:00, Ąžuolynas library, Radastų st. 2

- In Vilnius: 24 October, 15:00, Litvak Museum, Pylimo st. 4A (1st floor).

The event will be held in English. Admission is free.

The conference is supported by the Swedish Institute. This is a unique opportunity to meet heroic personalities who have changed the world with their courage and inspire us to do better today.

PROGRAMME:

15.00 – 15.10 – Welcoming speeches

15.10 – 15.30 – HE Lars Wahlund, Ambassador of Sweden in Lithuania “Role of diplomacy in todays world and lessons from distinguished diplomats – prominent, forgotten, unknown”

15.30 – 15.40 – klezmer music

15.40 – 16.00 - prof. Bengt Jangfeldt (Sweden), author of the book The Hero of Budapest: The Triumph and Tragedy of Raoul Wallenberg,

16.00 – 16.20 Arlette Stuip (Netherlands), granddaughter of Sugihara – Zwartendijk survivor Abraham Liwer,

16.20 – 16.30 – klezmer music

16.30 – 16.50 – Hikari Bun (PhD Student at Heidelberg University, Germany-Japan)

16.50 – 17.20 resumptive discussion

17.20 – 17.40 klezmer music