Wiesenthal Centre Protests Hijacking of UNESCO Ceremony

July 19, 2006

Wiesenthal Centre Protests Hijacking of UNESCO Ceremony

Paris

In a letter to UNESCO Director-General, Koichiro Matsuura, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr.Shimon Samuels, protested the one-sided "1 Minute of Silence- 5 Minutes of Prayer for Peace in Lebanon," organized by UNESCO International Staff Association (AIPU) for 11:00 am today at Paris Headquarters.

Samuels stated, "We are certain that you are unaware of this attempt to hijack UNESCO in order to whitewash the terrorist gang and its state-sponsors that provoked the current situation in Lebanon."

He added, "Had this exercise been based upon integrity, the invitation, sent to all Permanent Delegates to UNESCO, would have equally mourned the Israeli victims of Hezbollah missile aggression."

The Centre urged that "The organizers rename this demonstration as 'A 'Prayer for Peace in Lebanon and Israel.' Otherwise, UNESCO will be associated with the forces of hate which provoked this tragedy, and contradict the acknowledgment by the United Nations and the G8 Summit of the universality of suffering in this unnecessary conflict."

Samuels concluded, "Mr. Director-General, our Centre laments this offense to your personal commitment to fairplay and harmony at UNESCO."

For further information please contact Shimon Samuels at +33 (0) 609770158

Use this link to read the letter to Director-General, Koichiro Matsuura