09/18/14 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record on Eduardo Eurnekian - Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Eduardo Eurnekian, a truly remarkable man.

As Chairman of the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation (IRWF), Mr. Eurnekian has made a significant contribution to preserving and promoting the extraordinary legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, the WWII Swedish diplomat who is credited with saving scores of Jews in Budapest from the horrors of the Holocaust. Raoul Wallenberg disappeared on January 17, 1945 when he went to meet with members of the Soviet Army to discuss the future of the Jewish refugees in Hungary. Imprisoned by the Stalinist regime along with his loyal driver, Vilmos Langfelder, his fate and whereabouts, now 70 years later, remain shrouded in mystery.

In 1981, our nation honored Raoul Wallenberg by making him an Honorary Citizen of the United States, only the second person to be so honored (following Winston Churchill). More recently, on July 9, 2014, the U.S. Congress presented him the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his humanitarian service.

Under the leadership of Mr. Eurnekian and in collaboration with IRWF founder Baruch Tenembaum (who was honored by this House on September 10, 2003), the IRWF has worked tirelessly to preserve and promote the legacy of the hero who became a victim himself. It has been reaching out to tens of thousands of young people around the world, instilling Raoul's spirit of civic courage and solidarity in their hearts and minds.

Just recently, Mr. Eurnekian spearheaded the events celebrating the award of the Congressional Gold Medal to Raoul Wallenberg. Dozens of Members of Congress had the opportunity to learn about the IRWF and to pay tribute to its outstanding work at a luncheon ceremony prior to the moving award presentation in the Capitol Rotunda. Mr. Eurnekian was there presented with the ``Guardian of the Rescuer's Legacy,'' a magnificent statue symbolizing peace and solidarity that was created by the renowned artist Frank Meisler.

In an effort to raise global awareness of Raoul Wallenberg, and to pay tribute to world leaders who treasure the values of the Swedish hero, Mr. Eurnekian and Mr. Tenembaum have bestowed the Raoul Wallenberg Centennial Medal upon many distinguished individuals throughout the world. These include the former British PM Gordon Brown, the former President of Slovakia Ivo Gasparovic, the President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, the former Secretary of Pope John XXIII Cardinal Loris Capovilla, the legendary British savior Sir Nicholas Winton, the President of the Hellenic Republic Karolos Papoulias, the Former Minister of Justice of Canada and long-time Wallenberg supporter and prominent human rights activist Professor Irwin Cotler.

The IRWF strives to raise awareness of Raoul Wallenberg's legacy and fate, urging international leaders to raise their voices. President Obama did so in his video address of April 19, 2012 entitled ``Remembering and Honoring Courage.'' Similarly, former Australian PM Julia Gillard paid tribute in a video address devoted to the Swedish diplomat.

Under Mr. Eurnekian's leadership, the IRWF has not shied away from difficult legal challenges. On August 5, 2014, after a protracted five-year-long battle, the Argentinean Supreme Court overturned a lower court judgment in favor of the grandson of an Argentinean diplomat, Luis Hernan Irigoyen, who had been stationed at the Argentine Embassy in Berlin during the Nazi regime. After the IRWF accused the diplomat of letting Argentine Jews die, the diplomat's grandson sued IRWF for damages. The high court decided that the IRWF will not have to idemnify the diplomat's grandson and that ``even the harshest criticism has Constitutional Protection.'' Years before this unprecedented ruling, following a campaign by the IRWF, the then-Foreign Minister of Argentina, Mr. Rafael Bielsa, ordered the removal of a plaque that was placed inside the Argentine Chancellery in homage to 12 Argentine diplomats (Irigoyen was among them) that allegedly worked in favor of persecuted Jews. The IRWF proved that this honor was undeserved.

Mr. Eurnekian is an internationally recognized entrepreneur. He is CEO and President of Corporacion America, whose diverse holdings include management of more than 50 airports, infrastructure development, mining, financial services, energy, agricultural, wine and nano-technology and microchip production. He serves as First Vice-President of the Argentinean Chamber of Commerce and is a Member of the Executive Board of the International Chamber of Commerce.

His work has earned him a variety of prestigious awards and prizes, including the following: ``Businessman of the Year'' from (Argentina 1995); ``Leonardo Award'' from the Italian Government (1999); ``Man of the Year'' from the Armenian General Benevolent Union (2010); ``Knight of Holy Etchmiadzin Order'' from the Catholicos of all Armenians, His Holiness Karekin II (2011); ``Certificate of Appreciation'' from UNDP for his role as an ``advocate for sustainable development'' in Armenia (2012); ``Business for Peace Award'' from the Oslo Business for Peace Foundation (2012); ``Businessman of the Year'' from CAMACOL--Latin Chambers of Commerce and Industry (2012); and ``Businessman of the Year--Services Category'' from the Argentine Businessmen Association (2012). In spite of his many commitments, Mr. Eurnekian did not hesitate for a single moment when offered the challenge to lead the IRWF--and he has led with tireless commitment, passion and ingenuity.

Now 82 years old, Eduardo Eurnekian continues his activism with passion and vigor. Although he has never received any compensation for his work on behalf of the IRWF, he has generously contributed his own funds to the mission of this important organization, whose membership includes more than 300 heads of state, Nobel Prize laureates and accomplished individuals from all walks of life. Indeed, the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, joined its ranks many years ago, and the IRWF is honored to include him, now known as Pope Francis, in its membership.

Together with Baruch Tenembaum and in the spirit of the IRWF, Mr. Eurnekian is now working to create an Armenian cultural center in Yerevan, which will highlight the unparalleled contribution of the Armenian diaspora to the world during the last century in the fields of arts, science, culture, social welfare and business.

I am honored to pay tribute and express my gratitude and appreciation to Eduardo Eurnekian, and I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating him on his outstanding achievements.