Letter from Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal to Prof. Wiesel

This letter, dated January 5, 2011, is an invitation from William Jefferson Clinton to Elie Wiesel. Clinton invites Wiesel to deliver the keynote address at the 2011 Winter Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) on Thursday, February 17, at the Sentry Center Midtown East in New York City. The letter explains that the meeting will convene CGI's Action Networks, which were established in 2009 to facilitate coordination among CGI members on issues such as reducing poverty, improving the environment, and increasing global access to health care and education. Clinton expresses honor at the prospect of Wiesel's participation and directs him to contact Christina Sass, CGI's Deputy Director of Program, to confirm his availability for the keynote address during the final plenary session.

This document is an email invitation from W. Lee Howell, Managing Director and Head of Programming & Global Agenda Councils at the World Economic Forum, to Professor Elie Wiesel. The invitation is for the 41st Annual Meeting, scheduled to take place in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, from January 26 to 30, 2011. The email highlights the meeting's role as a global platform for discussing political, societal, technological, and economic issues, and invites Professor Wiesel's intellectual contribution. It states that the Forum will arrange and cover the costs of his hotel and travel. A response to the invitation is requested by August 30. The document also includes information for online registration and notes that Jamie Moore and Mireille Bertolini-Cabezas were carbon-copied. Handwritten notes on the document read "Ew copy" and "M' We'll Wait fr klavs' follow-up."

Elie Wiesel expresses his regret for not being able to attend the Prix Galien award ceremony in Lyon due to prior engagements in the United States (university courses, conferences, meetings). He emphasizes the importance of the Prix Galien, noting that his friend Bruno Cohen is responsible for the award in France, Israel, and America. Wiesel praises the pharmaceutical industry, whose members fight against human suffering, acknowledging that while life with suffering is inevitable, their work, efforts, and dedication make it tolerable. He references the biblical teaching 'U-baharta bachaim' ('and you shall choose life'), interpreting it as an ideal to always side with life and the living. Wiesel concludes with a personal reflection that a human being is always immortal, even a minute before death, and expresses his gratitude for the laureates' quest.

This is a brief, informal handwritten note from Colin L. Powell to 'Elie' (likely Elie Wiesel), dated February 26th (year unspecified). The note congratulates Elie on receiving the National Humanities Medal and states that it is "well-deserved."

Adrian Vierita, the Ambassador of Romania, writes to Professor Wiesel on December 4, 2009, expressing his honor and pleasure in meeting him recently in New York, alongside Radu Ioanid. Vierita conveys his enjoyment of their "enlightening and warm conversation" and states that the issues discussed were of great personal and professional interest to him. He expresses appreciation for Wiesel sharing his in-depth knowledge during their meeting. The letter concludes with an assurance of highest consideration and warmest thoughts.