In historical building of the National Council of Slovak Republic in Bratislava was held event of the awards Righteous Among the Nations, on 28th January 2015. General Bishop Klátik was also invited on this event.
Righteous Among the Nations is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis. A person who is recognized as "Righteous" for having taken risks to help Jews during the Holocaust is awarded a medal in his/her name, a certificate of honor, and the privilege of having the name added to those on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. The awards are distributed to the rescuers or their next-of-kin during ceremonies in Israel, or in their countries of residence through the offices of Israel's diplomatic representatives. These ceremonies are attended by local government representatives and are given wide media coverage.
The State Israel granted the valuation Righteous Among the Nations to the 10 Slovak non-Jews. The number of granted person is now expand to 549. „They became a heroes both of our nations, the heroes of our past, present and future“ said in his speech Israel Ambassador in Slovakia Alexander Ben-Zvi. On the solemn ceremony spoke also President of the Slovak Republic – Andrej Kiska, chairman of the Central Union of Jewish Religious Communities Igor Rintel and professor MUDr. Pavel Traubner.
Among awarded was in memoriam evangelical priest Arpád Hajdu, who was a priest in Liptovská Silenica during the war. Melánia Sternová is grateful for the rescue the priest and his wife Alžbete. They took care about 13-years old girl Melánie in their house and designated her as their niece. „They took me to the church every Sunday“, recalls Melánia. After finished the war she found, that only she and her sister survived. She went to live in Israel.
