PRESS RELEASE

The Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States expresses its gratitude to the New York City Council for Re-Naming a Major Avenue in Honor of Raoul Wallenberg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Diane Blake, President (917) 606-8260

(NEW YORK, NY) February 29, 2012 - The Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States expresses its gratitude to the New York City Council that recently passed legislation renaming 13th Avenue (a major thoroughfare in Borough Park, Brooklyn), Raoul Wallenberg Way. "Raoul Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who risked his life to save Hungarian Jews during the Holocaust," said the New York City Council.

The year 2012 marks the centenary of the birth of Raoul Wallenberg, who in 1944, at the request of the United States government, traveled from his native Sweden to war-torn Hungary to save Jews threatened by the Nazis. Official United States post-war documents state that the 32 year-old Wallenberg was responsible for saving over 100,000 Hungarian Jews. On January 17, 1945, he was arrested by Soviet troops and never seen again by the free world.

The avenue re-naming in honor of Raoul Wallenberg was introduced by several City Council Members including David G. Greenfield, back in October 2011. At the time, Greenfield said, "Raoul Wallenberg is one of the great heroes, humanitarians and righteous gentiles of World War II…Thanks to Raoul, thousands of my constituents are here today." The legislation passed the City Council unanimously on February 28, 2012 and was sent to Mayor Bloomberg for his signature.

Rachel Oestreicher Bernheim, Chairman of The Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States, said, "The legislation passed by the New York City Council demonstrates New York City's commitment to recognizing true humanitarians. We are eagerly looking forward to Mayor Bloomberg's signature recognizing the newly named avenue."

To celebrate the 100th Birthday of this unparalleled hero and Third Honorary Citizen of the United States, The Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States and Representatives of the government of Sweden will mark the occasion with the presentation of The Raoul Wallenberg Civic Courage Award to NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly at The Yale Club of New York City on November 7, 2012.

For more information on the historic legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, or to learn more about the November 7, 2012 award ceremony, please call 917-606-8260 or visit www.raoulwallenberg.org.

* * *

The Raoul Wallenberg Committee of the United States, a New York City based 501(c)3, was established in 1981 to educate the American public about the heroic and humanitarian actions taken by Raoul Wallenberg.