Lithuania does not divide her citizens by nationality or religion

Saviors of Jews – an icon of humanness, democracy and freedom

Friday, September 19, Vilnius – On the occasion of the National Memorial Day for the Genocide of Lithuanian Jews, President Dalia Grybauskaitė presented the Life Saving Cross to those who placing their families and themselves in grave danger saved Jewish people from the Nazi genocide during World War II.

“Today we pay tribute to the spirit of humanness that goes beyond regimes and wars. We bow our heads before those who held the life of their friends, neighbors or total strangers more precious than personal safety,” the President said.

President Grybauskaitė has underlined that the acts of courage by brave men and women, whole families and villages prove that Lithuania does not divide her citizens by nationality or religion. Even in the harshest of times Lithuania has protected all for whom she stands as homeland.

According to the President, although many of those decorated today are no longer among us, but their revered memory lives on, committing each and every citizen of Lithuania to do their utmost in protecting the human being and humanness, democracy and freedom.

The Life Saving Cross by a presidential decree was conferred on 51 persons.