WJC at UNHRC | Statement on the UPR Outcome of Paraguay

At the 63rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, President of the WJC-affiliated Jewish Community of Paraguay, Humberto Javier Ismaovich Szumsztajn, delivered a statement under Item 6 expressing gratitude for Paraguay's history of protecting and fostering Jewish life.

Read the full statement below:

My name is Humberto Javier Ismaovich Szumsztajn, President of the Jewish Community of Paraguay, and it is an honour for me to address you on behalf of the World Jewish Congress.

Our community is immensely grateful to the State of Paraguay, because during the Holocaust, Paraguayan diplomats risked their lives by issuing visas and passports to Jews who wanted to escape the barbarity of the Nazi regime and, in addition to Paraguay was also one of the few countries that welcomed Jews who fled the Nazi Holocaust.

Another important moment in our relationship was Paraguay’s decisive vote in favour of the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. From that moment onward, Paraguay has maintained excellent relations with both the Jewish community and the State of Israel.

Today, following October 7, 2023—a date that marked a before and an after for the Jewish world—the Paraguayan State took upon itself the responsibility of protecting our entire community from any local or international threat. This made us feel very safe in our beloved country of Paraguay.