Asian Righteous Among the Nations
VIEW EVENT DETAILSA luncheon dialogue with Nobuki Sugihara
Registration: 12:15pm
Luncheon: 12:30pm
Close: 2:00pm
“I may have disobeyed my government, but if I didn’t, I would be disobeying God. In life, do what’s right because it’s right, and leave it alone." — Chiune Sugihara
Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat, best remembered for his heroic actions toward Jewish refugees as Japan's consul stationed in Kaunas, Lithuania. By the summer of 1940, Germany had occupied much of Europe, while the Soviet Union had annexed Lithuania. Jewish schools and synagogues were shut down, and Jewish leaders were arrested. As the Nazi invasion of Lithuania became imminent, Kaunas ceased to be a Jewish safe haven. For Jews wishing to leave, a series of diplomatic stamps had to be obtained. In early July 1940, hundreds of Jewish refugees gathered in front of the Japanese consulate, who needed a transit visa through Japan in order to be able to request exit visas from the Soviet Union. As Japan was an ally of Germany, Mr. Sugihara was denied authorization from the Japanese Foreign Ministry, but decided to act to help the refugees. Within a month, he had issued more than 2,000 transit visas for Jews to travel to Japan, risking his career and his family’s life. In 1985, having collected hundreds of survivors’ testimonies of Mr. Sugihara’s act of kindness, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem declared Mr. Sugihara “Righteous Among The Nations.” During the dialogue moderated by Asia Society Co-Chair Ronnie C. Chan, Mr. Sugihara’s son Nobuki Sugihara will provide an in-depth insight of and reflect on the extraordinary heroism of his father.
Nobuki Sugihara is the fourth and last son of Chiune Sugihara, born in post-war Japan in 1949. Following his graduation from high school, he received a scholarship to study at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. After completing his university studies, Mr. Sugihara began his career in the diamond business in Israel, traveling frequently between Israel and Japan. He started his own company in Antwerp, Belgium in 1990, where he has lived ever since. Mr. Sugihara has attended numerous events around the world in honor of his father, including most recently the street-naming ceremony of the Chiune Sugihara Street in Netanya, Israel in June 2016.
Co-presented with
Luncheon Menu
Regular
Hot-House Tomato Gazpacho with Prawns and Micro Herbs
Slow Braised Beef Cheek with Poached New Potatoes and Baby Leeks
Crème Catalan with Fresh Strawberries and Basil
Vegetarian
Beetroot & Goat’s Cheese Tart with Caramelized Onions
Romesco Eggplant with Charred Broccoli and Creamy Labneh Yogurt
Crème Catalan with Fresh Strawberries and Basil