Spielberg to honor Obama at Shoah Foundation event
US president to be awarded title of Ambassador for Humanity by ‘Schindler’s List’ director
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleYifa Yaakov is a breaking news editor at The Times of Israel.
Steven Spielberg will present US President Barack Obama with the USC Shoah Foundation’s highest award, the organization announced Friday.
The US president will be honored by the “Schindler’s List” director as Ambassador for Humanity at the foundation’s 20th anniversary gala event, which will take place in Los Angeles on May 7.
“President Obama’s commitment to democracy and human rights has long been felt,” Spielberg said in the announcement.
“As a constitutional scholar and as president, his interest in expanding justice and opportunity for all is remarkably evident. The president’s recent appointment of the first special envoy for Holocaust Survivor Services in United States history demonstrates his staunch commitment to honoring the past while building a better future. I am extremely grateful to have President Obama join us on this significant milestone of the USC Shoah Foundation.”
Obama is also scheduled to speak at the event.
Spielberg established the Shoah Foundation, or Institute for Visual History and Education, in 1994, with the purpose of documenting testimonies of Holocaust survivors and witnesses.
Spielberg’s epic Holocaust drama, “Schindler’s List,” won seven Academy Awards 1994, including Best Picture.
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