Round table discussion and the opening of the exhibition „To Stay Human ir Inhuman Conditions: Courage and Creativity in Vilnius and Warsaw Ghettos“ took place in UNESCO headquarters in Paris (Salles Miro, 7 Places de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris) on the 3rd of December, 2013. Discussion and the exhibition were dedicated to the 70 years after Vilnius and Warsaw Ghettos liquidation. Event was organized in cooperation with Lithuania’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, Poland’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO and Jewish Art and History Museum in Paris.

Lithuania‘s Ambassador to UNESCO Arūnas Gelūnas greets the audience

Euro-parliamentarian, Vice Chairman of the Jewish Community of Lithuania, proff. Leonidas Donskis

Euro-parliamentarian, philosopher, Vice-Chairman of the Jewish Community of Lithuania, Proffesor Leonidas Donskis moderated the round table discussion. Four panelists: Director of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum Markas Zingeris, Honorary President of the of the Jewish Art and History Museum in Paris Paul Salmona, Honorary President of the History Institute of Polish Jews Marian Turski and Euro-parliamentarian Leonidas Donskis, himself, read the statements as well as discussed the presented topics. Later on Director of The Yddish Cutlure House in Paris Gilles Rozier and Actor Olga Grumberg declaimed the poems of Abraham Sutzkever.

Director of the Yddish Culture House in Paris and Actor Olga Grumberg reads the poems of Abraham Sutzkever

The official opening of the exhibition, which was on display until the 11^th of December, took place after the discussion. Israeli Ambassador to the International Organizations Nimrod Barkan greeted the audience during the opening. Ambassador of Lithuania to UNESCO Arūnas Gelūnas and Ambassador of Poland to UNESCO Tomasz Orlowski, also said the opening words. Lithuanian part of the exhibition was made of the artworks of Rafael Chwoles from the private collections of Milij and Alexander Chwoles, and  the early works of Samuel Bak from the collections of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum, as well as the collection of photographs “The Tradesmen and Farmers of Yiddishland: 1921–1938, ORT in Lithuania and Poland” from the collections of the Museum of Jewish Art and History in Paris.

Polish part consisted of the educational photo exhibition “They risked their lives” about Polish Righteous, as well as the sculpture “The Tree of Life” by Jewish-Polish Artist Hedva Ser.

Project reached out wide international audience: from the diplomatic corps, residing in France, to France’s Jewish Community, intellectuals, historians. 

Lithuanian part of the exhibition: artworks by S. Bakas and R. Chwoles

Lithuanian part of the exhibition: artworks by S. Bakas and R. Chwoles, collection of photographs “The Tradesmen and Farmers of Yiddishland”