The Humanist of the Year is awarded by The Rogatchi Foundation to the people who contributed in unique and meaningful way into the cause of humanity in different areas of arts, science and education.
Film Director Saulius Beržinis, is awarded with Humanist of the Year together with three other laureats. He is very-well known for his over 20 films on the history of Litvaks and Holocaust, founder of the Independent Holocaust Research Archive, in Vilnius, Lithuania, as it is stated in Foundation press release “for his ongoing tireless and noble work of uncovering and restoring the truth about tragedies of the Holocaust, for his understanding and kindness towards the people he is bringing out of oblivion, for his essential contribution into the forthcoming The Lost Shtetl Museum and Memorial Complex in the matter of donating to the new memorial his priceless archive for the benefits of the future generation“.
Saulius Beržinis will receive his Special Diploma for an „Outstanding Contribution into the Collective Memory on Holocaust“ with an art work created specifically for him, called “Song of our Souls” at the ceremony at the beginning of the year 2019 in Vilnius.
Good Will Foundation is happy to congratulate film director with an award and is pleased to finance projects, like the documentary film, created by Saulius Beržinis called „Meine Vilne“ (project No. PER/GVF-168/2016), telling the story about the interwar unique cultural and spiritual life of Vilnius Jewry, it aims to foster society‘s ability to analyze the historical past critically, to perceive responsibly the importance of intercultural communication, as well as – the destructive consequences of antisemitism and xenophobia.