During his state visit to Latvia, Shimon Peres, the president of Israel, and Andris Bērziņš, the president of Latvia, unveiled a memorial to commemorate Zanis Lipke, a rescuer of many Jews. All the assets necessary for the construction of the memorial were donated by people, and Mr. Peres thanked the most generous benefactors, including Guntis Ravis, chairman of the board of Skonto Būve, for their support.

Shimon Peres,  president of Israel: “The whole of humanity can take pride in what Zanis Lipke did saving people during the terror under Nazism. Lipke symbolises humanity at its best, at its most profound and truthful. There is always a minority of people within a society, made up of good and courageous people ready to risk their lives every morning for the sake of good conduct, the way that Lipke did.”

Andris Berzins president of Latvia: “Lipke proves that even under the most horrible circumstances, the love of mankind cannot be defeated. A single determined man can change the world for the better. ”

The new memorial was created to commemorate Zanis Lipke who rescued numerous Jews. It is located just a couple of steps away from the place where he was hiding people destined to die under the German occupation during World War II, in an underground bunker he had dug under his woodshed.