Response on Receiving an Award (Mcgill/Interamicus Robert S. Litvack Human Rights Memorial Award) (Hate, Genocide and Human Rights Fifty Years Later: What Have We Learned? What Must We Do ?) (Transcript‪)‬

Thank you very much, Irwin. After this wonderful address by Judge Goldstone, there isn't very much left to say, but let me explain how I got here. I received a call from Israel where Irwin Cotler was at that rime. I was down in Florida. I hadn't seen Professor Cotler for several years, and he began by asking, "Ben, how are you?", which I interpreted to mean, "Are you still alive?" I'm quite sure that he had canvassed more important Nuremberg prosecutors, but they were unfortunately dead so they couldn't come, and--even in their present condition--if they heard about the freezing weather in Montreal, they wouldn't have come anyway. I asked, "What am I supposed to do there?"--I heard he might be planning to give me a "plaque" that I'd have trouble getting into a plane. He explained, "Well, I want you to make a speech. I want you to make a statement. You've had fifty years of experience, so please tell us everything that you have learned, and what we have to do. Take as much time as you want--up to three to five minutes!"