THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

12 March 1997

Dear Rabbi Raichik,

Thank you for your letter of 25 February 1997, inviting me to take part in the ceremony to benefit the child victims of the Chernobyl disaster, organized jointly by your organization and the Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 7 April 1997.

This event should serve as a powerful reminder, eleven years after the catastrophe, of the continuing impact of the Chernobyl disaster on the lives of large numbers of people.

With the passage of tune, the suffering caused by the disaster has not abated. It is essential that its consequences continue to receive priority attention by the international community.

In view of the importance of this event, I have requested Under-Secretary-General , in his capacity as United Nations Coordinator of International Cooperation on Chernobyl, to personally represent me since I will, unfortunately, be away from New York at that time.

I should like to convey greetings to you and to all the participants of this event and wish you every success.

Yours sincerely,

Annan

Rabbi Yosef Raichik Director Chabad's Children of Chernobyl Kfar Chabad :9C ^CHABAD'S N r CHILDREN 5 Tr^r"j.8™ i_ I F Ej •pi CHERNOBYL February 25, 1997

Mr. Kofi Annan EXECUTIVE OFFICE Secretary General of the United Nations OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL United Nations, New York 535 FIFTH AVENUE SUITE 301 NEW YORK, NV 10017 Dear Mr. Secretary General, 212-681-7800 FAX: 212-681-9330 e-mail [email protected] By now you have received from UNESCO an invitation to the Chernobyl

HONORARY CHAIRMAN international postal salute being joinj^sjgoj«cred^^ ELIEWIESEL . Secr^a^y^General, J wanjMto^add our "" HONORARY COMMITTEE encouragement iForyojur SEN. ALPHONSE M. D'AMATO SEN. JOSEPH I. LIEBEHMAN SEN. DANIEL P. MOYNIHAN This event is unique in a number of ways that I believe directly support GOV. GEORGE E. PATAKI GOV. CHRISTINE T. WHITMAN issues that are of vital concern to you.

PRESIDENT ALAN CLINGMAN It is the largest unified expression of support to the child victims of the BERNIE ADLERV CA Chernobyl disaster ever to occur. It's magnitude encompasses not only the LEAH ADLER, CA EDWARD ASNER, CA number of countries who have chosen to participate, but also the wide SHEPARD BROAD, FL ARI DESHE, OH spectrum of support being generated by the business community, the art ANN DESHE, OH and entertainment industry, politicians and non governmental, private JON DIAMOND. OH SUSAN DIAMOND. OH organizations such as ours. ANDREW J. DUELL, NY DR. ASAF DURAKOVIC, DE JONATHAN DURST. NY In November, 1995, at the World Health Organization Chernobyl IRVIN FRANK. OK DR. ROBERT P GALE. CA conference in Geneva, Mr. Peter Hansen of the Department of Human SHARON GLESS. CA Affairs presented a very impassioned speech that the world not forget the ISHAIA GOL, NY JANE GOL. NY Chernobyl children. He called for humanitarian aid to ease the suffering of ELLIOT GOULD, CA the children, and he called on the world community to provide financial aid SHIMON Y. KATZ. NV MARTIN HOFFMAN. OH to keep the UN Chernobyl relief programs, like UNESCO's, in operation. GERALDINE SCHOTTENSTEIN. HOFFMAN, OH JULIE LAUB. NY Our organization was present at the conference, heard Mr. Hansen's plea, PHILIPPE LAUB. NY ETHEL LEFRAK. NY and chose to respond. We approached UNESCO with the joint stamp SAM MALAMUD, NY project, offering to fully fund the stamp issuance, implement it, and raise JACK HASH, NY MARK PALESTINE, Ft money for UNESCO's programs through the marketing of the stamps. MENNO RATZKER, NY BERNARD ROSENBERG, TX BARNEY ROSENZWEIG, CA We sought and received support from the business community for the WARREN ROTHSTEIN, NY JAY SCHOTTENSTEIN, OH funding and expertise. The Inter Governmental Philatelic Corporation JEANIE SCHOTTENSTEIN. OH HOSE SCHREIBER. NY provided the know how and the very generous international donor network SIMEON SCHREIBER, NY of prominent business people that supports our organization provided the NANCY SPIELBERG, NY SUE E. SPIELBERG, MO financial backing. DAVID TESSEL, NY BILL WEKSEL, NJ

•DECEASED The result of this very unique collaboration is the world's largest unified stamp issuance, representing the compassionate response from countries throughout the world who are expressing their concern and support for the