Following is a statement from CEP CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace on the death of England’s Lord George Weidenfeld at the age of 96

“I had the privilege and honor of knowing and working with Lord Weidenfeld, a remarkable humanitarian and visionary with an unwavering determination to increase understanding and tolerance across Europe and the world at-large.

“Driven from Austria at the age of 19 by the Nazis, Lord Weidenfeld found a refuge in England thanks to the selflessness and charity of strangers who saved Jews like himself from persecution. After establishing a publishing empire in his new home, Lord Weidenfeld set up a number of organizations dedicated to improving understanding, cooperation, and tolerance with the hope of saving future generations from the intolerance and persecution he experienced as a young man.

“Most recently, he established the Weidenfeld Safe Havens Fund to support the rescue and transfer of minorities under threat from ISIS, saying simply: ‘I had a debt to repay.’ The Fund has set a goal of rescuing some 2,000 Christians threatened by ISIS. 

“Lord George Weidenfeld’s lifelong dedication to tolerance, charity, and human rights inspires all of us to work harder for a better world. He will be deeply missed.”