New York, NY, January 22, 1998...The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) bestowed its Distinguished Statesman Award on the President of Latvia at a recent dinner in New York City. ADL recognized President Guntis Ulmanis for his public acknowledgment of and apology for his country's participation in the Nazi slaughter of 90 percent of Latvian Jews. During the ceremony, President Ulmanis made a promise to commemorate the actions of the righteous Latvians who saved Jews during the Holocaust. In introducing the President, Howard P. Berkowitz, ADL National Chairman, recounted the recent ADL mission to Latvia and noted the President's forthcoming attitude in response to ADL concerns regarding the Latvian Jewish community.

"The first step toward redemption is the admission that the evil has been committed," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. "President Ulmanis' determined courage in forcing his people to take a hard, unvarnished, undistorted look at history, to accept and atone for it, is a beacon light of democracy and enlightenment in a country and in a region hardly renowned for those virtues. We will ask him to challenge every single incident of anti-Semitism from public officials or the media to Latvian extremists. President Ulmanis is moving forward to atone for his country's hideous history in this century and to create a new Latvia for the next. That is why the Jewish community in Latvia supports him. That is why the ADL is awarding him."

President Ulmanis was sworn in as the President of Latvia on July 7, 1993 and was re-elected as the President for the second term in June 1996. During his tenure, he has put great emphasis on reaching out to and reconciling with the Jewish Latvian community and facing up to Latvia's actions during the Holocaust. "Nothing can be erased from history," said President Ulmanis. "Nothing should be forgotten. The lessons of history are important for the future. We have taken steps towards the true awareness of the history of Latvia and the Latvian nation and we take a similar stand towards the history of other nations." His other areas of focus include the integration of Latvia into international organizations, the expansion of his country's relations both with European and other states, and other foreign policy issues.

The ADL Distinguished Statesman Award is presented to those leaders who exhibit an extraordinary dedication to furthering the achievement of regional and world peace, who posses a special commitment to promoting human and civil rights, and who contribute to significant international events which further the cause of pluralism, tolerance and democracy around the world. Previous award recipients include Turkish Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis, Norwegian Foreign Minister Johan Jorgen Holst, German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel, Ambassador Madeleine Albright, and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.