Elie Wiesel
Elie WieselFlash 90

A park in the city of Montreal will be named after Nobel Peace Prize winning author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, reported the Canadian Jewish News.

Montreal city council unanimously passed a resolution on April 19 that endorsed naming a public place in honour of the fifth anniversary of Wiesel’s death, July 2, 2021. The resolution was initially put forward by Councillor Marvin Rotrand two years ago.

The park is located in Côte des Neiges-NDG not far from Jewish community institutions, according to The Suburban newspaper.

Rotrand, the son of Holocaust survivors, in a constituent letter remarked that his motion to name a public space after Wiesel by the summer of 2021 was unanimously adopted in 2019.

"The debate highlighted the exemplary life of Elie Wiesel and recognized the importance of his work in fighting hate and building tolerance and cooperation between peoples," Rotrand said. "The debate was a solemn and heartfelt moment at city council. The horror of the Holocaust was recalled, as was Elie Wiesel’s appeal to humanity that it is our duty to speak up when human life and dignity is threatened.”

Six councillors seconded his motion.

“They joined me in speaking of Elie Wiesel’s life as a writer, an academic, an advocate for human rights and brotherhood and as a proud Jew,” he said.